Meet Rhea Bhattacharya, the artist who prints her own unique fabrics for her label 'Drawn'

Unlike other designers that procure their fabric from various sources, Bhattacharya commissions her own by collaborating with illustrators to create prints unique to her brand
Rhea Bhattacharya’s label Drawn
Rhea Bhattacharya’s label Drawn

It’s part art and altogether fashion. When a fashion designer creates cool cuts and stylish silhouettes from printed fabrics specially created for her, the result has got to be unique and one of a kind. This is exactly what Rhea Bhattacharya’s label Drawn is all about. Unlike other designers that procure their fabric from various sources, Bhattacharya commissions her own by collaborating with illustrators to create prints unique to her brand.

“I wanted to take on everyday closet staples—the pieces we turn to the most—and up the ante. That’s where the idea for commissioning art came in, and Drawn was born,” says Bhattacharya, adding, “The idea of starting my own label was a childhood dream, but it seemed like a distant possibility as I had never attended design school. Freelancing as a fashion writer, and working with gifted stylists, designers and homegrown brands as part of digital marketing drives brought me in close contact with the design world. At 30, I decided I wanted my dream job and the journey for Drawn started,” she shares.

A pandemic baby born in 2020, the label celebrates wearable art at affordable prices. What made her come up with this unique idea? “I launched Drawn to be able to create wearable art that doesn’t break the bank. As commissioning art is expensive, we focus on collaborating with artists from across the world for #TheArtistEdit. We also work on in-house prints inspired by art and interior design. No mood board or design starts till we lock in on an artist and receive their work. Every silhouette, every pleat, every tuck is designed in a way that showcases their artwork in the best possible way,” she says.

The buttery yellows, rusty oranges, hot pinks, pretty periwinkles and scarlets abound in Drawn’s SS’22 collection— Summer Siesta by Jaipur-based artist Tanya Timble, bringing in retro-inspired strokes in playful prints and patterns. Celebrating 2022 as ‘The Year of The Tiger,’ Timble’s artful protagonist—the tigress—comes lazing amidst lilies, and a cute heart for a nose.In keeping with her personal style quotient that elevates comfort, Bhattacharya favours forgiving fabrics and relaxed fits.

“I only want to focus on styles that work on every body type. We focus a lot on cotton, satin twills–– comfortable fabrics that are easy to manage, especially when large-scale artwork printing is involved,” she says. Drawn draws in a diverse buyer profile (in the age group  22-64) as classics with a twist abound in the collections.

Their bestseller is ‘The Short’––“the most comfortable style ever.” It falls like an oversized shirt, with secret shorts stitched inside. The breezy ‘Summer Siesta Bib’ dress featuring artwork by Timble is another winner that brings in multiple accents in scallops, tucks and pleats. Finally, here is a brand offering you concise, chic pieces that are kind to you as your shape and form evolve constantly. What’s next? “Incredible collaborations as we scale up and bring out feel-good, look-good power pieces,” says Bhattacharya with a smile. Make way for more wardrobe winners and boho aesthetics in Crayola bursts in shirts and dresses.

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