Bengaluru-based designer Sowmya Savvasere feels there’s a need for luxury fashion that is not ethnic. While the number of luxe casual wear labels from India has gone up in recent years, she still believes there’s room for more. This led her to launch Tvarus Studio, a sustainable brand with a focus on natural fibres and casual silhouettes with a calming and cheerful vibe. “After I completed my secondary education, I did a fashion diploma because it was a subject I had been interested in since my childhood. I then went to Milan for another degree in fashion,” shares Sowmya, who worked with names like Christian Dior and Woolmark as part of her curriculum.
Over the past year, Sowmya has been releasing small capsule collections. Her initial inspiration, she says, came from the time she spent on her terrace during those long lockdown days. “I liked watching the pale blue of the daytime sky turn into the rich dark blue of dusk,” she recalls, adding, “Everything from the chirping of birds to leaves falling from the trees and the winds carrying them, are details that have gone into the garments.”
Aptly, the colour palette is a spectrum of varying shades of blue, with ecru and white adding some contrast. The prints range from that of leaves and flowers to birds. Sowmya has also experimented with hand-done tie and dye, which she hopes to explore further in her future collections. The fabrics are a mix of cupro, bamboo, banana, organic cotton and deadstock textiles, which have been fashioned into shirts with a relaxed fit, maxi dresses with thigh-high slits and flounced mini skirts. “It’s essentially a resort wear label that also doubles up as casual wear, so all the clothes are easy and beachy. They’re standard silhouettes but as the label grows, I hope to get more innovative,” explains Sowmya. In order to be as sustainable as possible, she also reuses all excess fabric.
Currently Tvarus Studio retails out of its Instagram page and Como Collective, a store in Goa.
Rs.3,000 upwards. Available online.
Email: rashmirajagopal@newindianexpress.com; Twitter: @rushmeee