From being a part of showcases in Mumbai to all the way in Madrid, designer label Ek Katha has taken giant strides in the world of Indian fashion in the last one year. This handcrafted brand, helmed by designer Madhumita Nath, recently launched their new summer/resort collection in the city, titled Bliss. Talking about it, the designer who debuted at Lakmé Fashion Week’s Gen Next recently says, “We have been true to our love for organic kala cotton from Kutch. This collection was also an effort to amalgamate textures of handwoven cotton woven in Kutch and partially in Odisha, with silk organza and batik woodblock printing dyed in natural dyes of muted yellows and beiges.” These heat-friendly ensembles are crafted around the idea of ease and calm with a hint of bohemian element.
All about comfort
The collection exudes a happy and youthful vibe and the silhouettes also echo the same language of comfort and ease. Explaining the design philosophy the textile design graduate from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, says that she always wanted the core of her label to be artisan-based. Ek Katha was launched in June 2016 they will soon be three years old. “We made our batik artisans go back to their natural dyeing processes. Now they are exploring different shades and techniques as they are also convinced that they will get their due,” says the 40-year-old. Hence the aesthetics of the label has also been heavily influenced by the processes that they have chosen adopt and the collections have been influenced by the crafts itself. For instance, while working with batik one can only base the entire collection on five plant-based colours, hence she has to work around that.
Cool in kala
Most of the ensembles are in muted shades like ecru, grey and some have plunging necklines and have stripes. Some of our top picks include the pieced trench coat, an overlay that can instantly lift your look. The sheer silk organza front tie jacket and the one-sided cowl dress in kala cotton and nassi silk. Also, there are chic transparent jackets that can instantly elevate your look if you need a quick pick-me-up-stylish and subtle just like her entire collection.
At Anonym. Rs 5000 onwards.