When Nishtha Vadehra launched her label,Two Fold, in 2017, she wanted to pay tribute to Indian craftsmanship. But having spent the first few years of her career in the textile industry, she learnt that the effects of fashion on the environment are horrifying. So, she also decided to ensure her label would be eco-conscious and driven by sustainability. “Each stage that a garment passes through in its production processes threatens the planet’s ecosystem and resources,” she says, adding, “We wanted to make sure we create garments that are 100 per cent organic and 100 per cent fair-wage.”
Keeping it classic
At Two Fold, the clothes are ‘never trend-based’, but instead, the focus is on supporting local communities and promoting indigenous crafts, in addition to being eco-conscious. The collections are dominated by muted shades of blue, pink, beige and off-white. Every now and again, bursts of vibrant canary yellow, azure and crimson break the monotony. Nishtha employs bespoke handwoven fabrics, such as cotton and linen from West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh, and block prints from Gujarat and Rajasthan. Largely minimalist, intricate embroidery adds to the beauty of the clothes, which let the exquisite textiles speak for themselves.
In their latest collection, they have attempted to weave patterns into delicate cotton fabrics like jamdani. The patterns are a mix of stripes, checks and geometric shapes. A unique feature this time around is the use of handmade lace, which has been detailed with handmade beadwork. “With each collection, we try to use different textiles and techniques. This helps us to promote different crafts each season. With this collection, we are trying to encourage the handwoven cotton jamdani weavers from Bengal, by giving it a completely fresh feel with contemporary patterns,” explains Nishtha. In contrast, the previous collection, titled Earthy Delights was created as an ode to the land we inhabit. This was reflected in the hues, such as deep ocean blue, desert beige and dull forest green with a dash of sunshine yellow, that were used. The line of trousers, tops, dresses, jackets and skirts were made from natural cotton and linen.
In focus
Talking about her plans for the rest of 2020, keeping the lockdown and its effects in mind, Nishtha shares that they are thinking about reducing the number of collections they release in a year. “We will try to focus more on the ongoing and previous collections, rather than just creating more and more collections for the future,” she signs off.
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