For sisters Avisha and Ilakshi Agrawal design is almost a means of time travel. A chance to travel back to a place when the duo spent their time building tents under bedsheets that bore hand embroidered initials and playing around the flowering trees that grew in their backyard. This, perhaps, explains their choice of signature motif—florals and preferred surface technique, with zari embroidery— that has come to define their label, The Right Cut’s design aesthetics. In tow with these sensibilities, The Indian Summer that makes use of rose bell buds, berries and other wild summer blossoms, presents not just their new collection, but an embodiment of their journey since 2016.

“Design has been a very personal experience for both of us. And with each passing collection, we try to share these experience through with the world,” says Avisha, about the collection that was recently unveiled via Instagram. 

Known for their pronounced affinity towards a pastel colour palette, The Indian Summer breaks away from the label’s staple hues by including shades like wine purple, deep red and grey into the mix. “We have always been biased in favour of lighter shades. But we have seen a growing demand for our apparel within the evening wear segment,” explains the Mumbai-based designer. Reinventing their design and silhouettes to keep their nostalgia relevant, the collection uses panelling, scalloped yoke detailing, gathers, dramatic sleeves and interesting necklines, on a variation of classic angrakhas, dresses, pants, skirts jackets and kurtas. 

Keeping in mind soaring temperatures, the collection is dominated by cotton mul fabric woven with dobby weaving techniques and replaces metallic zari embroidery with zari needlework that uses cotton and anchor threads instead. “This keeps things lightweight and makes for easy wearing anytime through the day,” she says.