For Anita Dongre, fashion has always been inseparable from purpose. Long before sustainability became a global conversation, she was building a design philosophy rooted in craft, conscious choices, and a deep respect for nature. Her latest collaboration with Bemberg, titled Breath, is a continuation of that journey. The 15-piece collection draws from the quiet rhythms of forests and renewal, unfolding through fluid silhouettes, translucent saris, airy drapes, and a soothing palette inspired by leaves, sky, and water.
What gives Breath particular resonance is the partnership behind it. Anita has worked with Bemberg—Asahi Kasei’s regenerated cellulose fibre, cupro—for nearly a decade, and this collaboration coincides with Asahi Kasei’s 50th year in India. Made from cotton linter, a byproduct of cottonseed oil production, the fibre reflects a philosophy
of using resources thoughtfully rather than wastefully. For Anita, that approach mirrors nature itself, where everything has a purpose and nothing is discarded.
She talks to us about the starting point of the collection, how nature influences her work, what genuine environmental responsibility looks like in 2026, and more. Excerpts:
Was there a particular moment or experience that became the emotionalstarting point for this collection?
I became a vegetarian at seven, not because someone asked me to, but because it simply felt wrong not to. That instinct has never left me. So in many ways, Breath wasn’t born from a single moment; it grew from a lifetime of listening. But last winter gave it shape
Nature has always been my first love. I became a vegetarian at seven, not because someone asked me to, but because it simply felt wrong not to. That instinct has never left me. So in many ways, Breath wasn’t born from a single moment; it grew from a lifetime of listening. But last winter gave it shape. I watched the AQI levels rise, and when I looked out at the city and at the forests beyond it, I found everything was shrouded in a quiet, heavy cloud. There was something deeply unsettling about that image, and something quietly urgent in it too. It became a metaphor I couldn’t shake. Returning to an airy fabric like bemberg georgette felt like the natural response. A fabric I have always loved for its lightness, its softness, and its refusal to be heavy. That felt true to the spirit of what I wanted Breath to be.
Nature has always influenced your work. How has your relationship with it evolved over the last decade?
I was first drawn to nature for its beauty—forests, light, and colour. Over time, I became equally inspired by its intelligence. Nothing is wasted; everything has a purpose. As climate conversations have become more urgent, those lessons have become part of the way I design. I now ask not only, “Is this beautiful?” but also, “Is this thoughtful and responsible?” Nature continues to teach me how to create more consciously. As the conversation around climate has grown more urgent, those lessons have become part of the way I design. Fashion cannot solve the climate crisis on its own, but it can certainly be part of the solution. The more I listen to nature, the more she teaches me not only how to design better, but how to live better.
Sustainability is often reduced to marketing language today. As someone who has championed conscious fashion for years, what does genuine environmental responsibility look like to you in 2026?
Success, for me, is not measured only in how much the business grows. It is measured in whether we leave our crafts, our communities and our planet a little stronger than we found them
Sustainability is a word that carries a great deal of weight, and perhaps that is why it is so easy to use lightly. For me, it has always been three-dimensional—social, environmental and economic. True consciousness cannot address one without the other two. More than anything, it is about the choices you make when no one is watching. There have been many moments where the more environmentally responsible path has also been the more expensive one, and we have chosen it anyway. Working with craft and artisan communities situated in many different geographies, even when it is not the simplest commercial decision, is part of that same philosophy. If you are building something for the long term, you must think beyond immediate returns. Success, for me, is not measured only in how much the business grows. It is measured in whether we leave our crafts, our communities and our planet a little stronger than we found them.
You describe fashion as a sustained act of environmental consciousness. What does that philosophy demand from designers that perhaps the industry still struggles to embrace?
It begins with curiosity—a genuine desire to study how natural systems work, not just to borrow their aesthetics. And it demands that we choose partners who share that curiosity. That is one of the reasons our relationship with Bemberg has endured for nearly a decade. They are constantly innovating to create materials that are more aligned with nature’s own intelligence, and that spirit of continuous improvement mirrors something I believe in deeply. When you surround yourself with people who are driven by the same purpose, environmental consciousness stops being a statement you make. It simply becomes the way you create.
Have sustainable choices ever meant compromising on cost or speed?
Absolutely. Working with craft clusters takes time, and fair wages for skilled work are rightly expensive. We never ask, “What is the quickest way?” We ask, “What is the right way?” If a decision protects craftsmanship, supports artisans, or advances responsible materials, we see it as an investment in the future.
What has kept the Bemberg partnership relevant, and how has it influenced your design language?
We share the belief that creating should also be an act of responsibility. Bemberg’s cupro fibre is made through a closed-loop process and can return to the earth under certain conditions, which aligns deeply with our philosophy. Creatively, I love its lightness and graceful drape. It allows garments to move effortlessly and express a femininity that feels natural rather than forced.
Beyond sustainability, what creative possibilities does bemberg fibre offer?
Its drape, softness, and colour absorption are extraordinary. It feels almost like a second skin and brings our forest-inspired palette vividly to life. When a material is both responsible and beautiful, you do not have to choose between conscience and creativity.
How did you translate the rhythm and movement of forests into these garments?
Last year, when air quality became impossible to ignore, it felt like a reminder that nature is no longer a distant conversation. It is our everyday reality. As designers, we have a choice: to continue creating without consequence, or to create in a way that gives something back. Breath is our expression of that choice
One thought stayed with me throughout the entire process of making this collection: the choices you make today define how you breathe tomorrow. I kept returning to the image of a forest seen from above. The soft canopy, clouds drifting across it, light filtering slowly through the leaves. There is a quiet rhythm to it, ancient and unhurried. That rhythm found its way into our prints, our fluid drapes, our translucent layers. Last year, when air quality became impossible to ignore, it felt like a reminder that nature is no longer a distant conversation. It is our everyday reality. As designers, we have a choice: to continue creating without consequence, or to create in a way that gives something back. Breath is our expression of that choice.
Have you noticed a meaningful shift in what your customers are asking for compared to five or 10 years ago?
Absolutely, and it has been one of the most encouraging things to witness. The younger generation, in particular, is making choices that are far more aligned with the values we have always built toward. They are looking beyond trends. They care about quality, longevity, and the story behind a brand. They want to understand where something comes from and what it stands for. We have held our philosophy steadfast for a long time, and there is something quietly heartening about watching the world begin to move in the same direction.
What sustainability decision are you most proud of, and what challenge remains unsolved?
I am proud that sustainability is woven into the way we operate, not treated as a separate initiative. Our work with craft clusters is especially meaningful because it helps keep livelihoods rooted in rural communities. The biggest challenge the industry still faces is balancing scale with care; the faster fashion moves, the harder it becomes to remain thoughtful.
What is the most important lesson nature continues to teach you?
That the simplest solutions are often the wisest. Nature works through balance, not force, and that idea guides both my design practice and my life. Breath is inspired less by how nature looks than by how nature thinks.
—manuvipin@newindianexpress.com
@ManuVipin
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