Anybody who has been to Shantiniketan is aware of its unique fashion offerings that have been there for years. Products like Khesh, Kantha are not only sustainable but suited to be worn around the year. Sreyashi Raka Das who grew in the land of Tagore, started taking hints from the trends that are typical to this early on in life and for the past five years has been trying to globalise it with fusion elements such as patterns, uncommon hues and international silhouettes. Her label SRD has become one of the go-to labels for people looking for comfort, sustainability and affordability.
“I started SRD back in 2018, but I have always been in practice before that. Even though I haven’t studied fashion, it has been an important part of my life since childhood that helped me express my rebellion and pleasures simultaneously. Growing up in Shantiniketan, I have always been a part of a society that believes in sustainability. Moreover my grandmother was one of the very firsts who contributed in bringing kantha stitch and batik prints to mainstream fashion. Hence, the world of fashion was always around me. Initially I used to model for sustainable labels like Parama and Byloom, but eventually I realised my expression of fashion is a little different which eventually kickstarted my label SRD” shares Sreyashi who describes her label as sustainable, body positive and humane.
In a world that sets beauty standards through Instagram filters and cosmetic surgeries, SRD promotes customisation in order to offer something for everyone. Sreyashi believes customisation is an important contributor to fashion waste management as well. “Producing clothes in bulk doesn’t make sense in today’s world as not all of the pieces might get sold out. Hence, it reduces pollution caused by the fashion industry while simultaneously allowing customers to feel at ease with their bodies. The fact that I have a lot of repeat customers across all ages and sizes gives me confidence that I am able to contribute something worth the try to them,” adds Sreyashi.
The 26 year old designer makes sure to focus on innovative patterns and colours that are seldom used which are not only inspired by the environment, but thorough research as well. Her recently launched winter collection keeps up with this by fusing global silhouettes with patterns and solid colours. “I have always found winter wear for women to be a little tricky in terms of quality and options. My winter collection this year has taken cue from this and features double sided jackets with solid colour on side and traditional prints on the other. Since I am a daily wear designer, I feel it’s important to curate pieces that can be worn on multiple occasions, be it formal or personal.”
Earlier this year she also collaborated with Korean YouTuber Luna Yogini on August 15th that observes Indian Independence Day and Korean Liberation Day to give a desi spin to the traditional Korean attire Hanbok. This project also saw them export bags with the word “Bondhu” meaning friend, written in Korean to Luna’s native land.
Sreyashi has also started working on her Spring ’23 collection that will mostly feature the six yards of elegance.
Price: Rs. 600 onwards
Available on: Instagram: @sreyashirakadas