Label Charkhee is back in Chennai with two seasonal edits, Aasmaa and Dhanak

Known for their unique take on minimalism and popular with quite a few celebrities including Neetu Singh, Gurugram-based Charkhee is back in town with two new collections — Aasmaa and Dhanak. Founded in 2017 and seeking inspiration in the classics while honouring minimalistic opulence, the label helmed by Shilpa Aggarwal and Sarang Singla sources all-natural fabrics and crafts them through intricate hand work processes. The name Charkhee, though bearing resemblance to charkha (spinning wheel) is actually inspired from the Hindi word phirki (pinwheel) and the label promises fresh designs, craftsmanship and rich textiles in the form of statement ensembles season after season. Primarily known as an occasion wear brand, the label also sometimes branches out into resort-inspired themes and bohemian themes and the likes, depending on the season and what they take inspiration from. We catch up with Shilpa to find out more about these two edits and lots more.

“Going with the philosophy of the brand — we’re known for our minimalistic approach and we choose to focus on minute details, rather than making the whole garment OTT. So, our summer collection Aasmaa was also made with the same sensibilities in mind. We stuck to a pastel colour palette and we used mostly colour-on-colour sequin work, because we believe in more contemporary design. You’ll see geometric patterns with lines in the sequin work and we use this to highlight the silhouette. Dhanak, on the other hand, is a festive mirror work collection and it’s all about a play of colours. This collection is doing really well in Chennai and we’re so happy that it has been received with such a positive response,” begins Shilpa Aggarwal, who is from a business background and began the label as a passion project with Sarang Singla, a NIFT Mumbai graduate.

“With Aasmaa, we stuck to these light powdery pastels because we were trying to emulate colours of the evening sky — powder blues, powder yellows, lavenders and whites. Also, the collection has a resort feel to it as it was placed in a beach — when we imagined it — and we stuck to water-based shades and hues as much as we could. While Dhanak — true to the festive season and the mood of occasion wear — has bright yellows, turquoises, pinks, whites, blacks and the mirror work and thread work is also coloured to complement each silhouette,” adds Shilpa.

Aasmaa features flowy anarkalis and dresses to contemporary silhouettes like a wrap dress and other loose flowy easy-to-carry garments in chanderi; and comprises kurta sets with a few dresses thrown in, all in ensembles, while Dhanak, however, is restricted to chanderi kurta sets and organza saris.

“We also feature a very unique narrow dupatta in organza in the Aasmaa edit and it’s studded with sequin work and doubles up as a scarf, when required. While in Dhanak, we use foil mirrors to keep the garment light and flowy,” concludes Shilpa. The label’s next collection will also feature pastel shades and will take their aesthetic into an experimental bohemian space.

INR 8,000 onwards. At Evoluzione, Chennai. Also available online.
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