This exhibition celebrates handcrafted fashion, sustainable textiles and India's finest artisans

Luxury fashion exhibitions often begin and end with the shopping. Returning to Chennai for its 10th edition this weekend, Nayaab, the curated fashion and textile showcase brings together some of India's most celebrated designers. This year they are expanding the experience beyond the stalls with a textile installation, a live craft demonstration and a panel discussion on the future of Indian handloom. Ahead of the exhibition, we caught up with founder-curator Rupa Sood and co-curator Ketaki Sood to find out what makes this milestone edition special. 

Nayaab celebrates handcrafted fashion, sustainable textiles and India's finest artisans

Named after the Urdu word meaning rare, Nayaab has spent the past decade championing craftsmanship, quality and conscious design, bringing together more than 150 designers. This edition features 28 labels spanning fashion, jewellery and handcrafted textiles.

For Rupa, the name reflects the standard she set for the platform from the very beginning. “I’ve always wanted to excel in quality,” she tells us. “What we bring to the table is something different to others.” She says the exhibition was born to champion exceptional craftsmanship and ensure India's finest artisans and designers continue to find an audience. “While we have moved with the trends, we have not compromised on the quality of the work,” she adds.

Nayaab continues to champion natural fibres, handcrafted textiles and timeless pieces over fast fashion and synthetic-heavy collections. “Most of the clothes at our exhibition are something one will continue to wear down the line,” Rupa says.

Beyond the shopping floor, this year's edition features an installation, a live demonstration and a panel discussion celebrating India's evolving textile traditions. “Visitors will encounter Threads of Continuity, an installation by Urvashi Kaur centred on her Renew Project, which reimagines heirloom Banarasi saris, production offcuts and archival textiles as contemporary garments, extending the life of cherished fabrics through thoughtful design. A live Kalamkari demonstration by Tilak Reddy of Kalam Shastra and a panel discussion featuring Kaur, Reddy and Vinita Passary of Translate Ikat India will further explore how India's textile traditions continue to evolve,” co-curator Ketaki tells us. 

For Rupa, the exhibition is about discovery as much as shopping. Chennai, she says, remains one of its most discerning audiences. “People here understand what they're buying. They're not buying just for the sake of buying,” she says. Rather than heading straight for familiar names, she encourages visitors to explore every stall. “Don't buy from everyone, it's fine. But just go around and see what everybody's doing,” she says. “It only increases your knowledge and makes you aware of what India's all about,” she concludes.

Entry free. August 7 & 8, 10 am onwards. At Welcomhotel By ITC Hotels, Cathedral Road.

Email: anoushkakundu@newindianexpress.com

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