Zarnaz is an exploration of velvet and nostalgia

If we imagine winter as fabric, the first thing that comes to mind is velvet. The heft of the material is like cold air, the texture like snow. It also gives the warmth we crave during the season. Bunka’s latest collection, Zarnaz FW25, reinterprets the romantic material to the contemporary sensibilities of today. “We took traditional chintz motifs, softened them, broke them up, and reinterpreted them across velvet, organza, and embroidery. The idea was not to recreate a period costume but to take something familiar from the past and let it live comfortably in a modern wardrobe,” shares Harmeet Bajaj, the founder and creative director of the brand.

Zarnaz reimagines classic chintz motifs on luxurious fabrics, creating heirloom-worthy pieces for contemporary festive dressing

The collection carries an old school mood to it. As the designer says, “It’s like finding something beautiful in your mother’s or grandmother’s trunk — a texture, a motif, a feeling.” Velvet becomes the hero of the collection as it signifies celebration and richness and acts like a canvas to hold the prints, colours, and embroidery that Zarnaz experiments with.

Woven into the pieces are three pillars: signature Bunka silhouettes, new winter layering pieces, and a strong print-and-texture story. Through FW25, they have also launched quilted velvet jackets and overlays that can be layered over any outfit. “A new gharara has also come in this season and has been very well received. Together, the kurtas, pants, ghararas, shararas, and jackets create a wardrobe rather than a single look — pieces you can layer, repeat, and restyle over time,” says Harmeet.

Speaking of the colour palette, the velvet leans into jewel tones, softened by the embroideries and the quilting. “In this collection, colour and texture had to speak the language of winter without feeling somber,” adds Harmeet. “Velvet gave us that depth and richness, while organza brought in lightness and air. The reworked chintz-inspired print ties both together.” With pieces that are not too heavy or formal, Zarnaz can be styled for occasions such as winter dinners and festivities.

On how Harmeet views the wearer, she says, “I imagine a woman who values classic clothing but lives a very modern life. She wants options beyond the traditional kurta-salwar—pants, short jackets, long kurtas, ghararas, and shararas — but she does not want to lose the sense of craft she grew up with.”

Preserving the old-school charm with modern aesthetics was not easy; the team worked on translating a chintz-inspired story onto velvet in a way that would not make the print seem dated, yet carry that certain nostalgia that this edit represents. “Quilted velvet jackets became another area of play—how to keep them light enough for Indian winters, how they fall on the body, and how they layer over different bases,” explains Harmeet. Zarnaz aims to represent a certain classicism through its pieces in ways that they can be passed down as heirlooms while still staying true to the present.

Prices start at Rs 15,000.

Available online.

Email: anshula.u@newindianexpress.com

X: @indulgexpress

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