Shop for labels from Bali, London, Gujarat and beyond at this pop-up by No Borders Shop
While working as a stylist in New York City, Kanika Karvinkop realised she wanted to change the way Indian fashion was perceived outside the country. “I wanted to highlight the work of people who use Indian textiles and help artisans support themselves,” begins Kanika. In addition to that, she felt strongly about sustainability, and vintage and thrift stores. “Four years ago, the concept of thrift stores was unheard of in India. I wanted to introduce it to the country. So when I returned to India, I set up a brick and mortar store — No Borders Shop — in Mumbai,” says Kanika. However, she recently shut her store and moved to Bengaluru and with her came her shop.
But, instead of a physical store, the entire collection — with all its vintage Diors, Valentinos and modern South Asian and Indian designers — is available on their website, which was launched a month ago. Now, for the first time in two years, Kanika is about to host an offline festival. “This is my first event in India. My last event was in New York in 2019. Everything you see on the e-store will be available at the pop-up,” reveals Kanika.
Apart from the vintage clothing from international luxury labels, some of the most interesting brands to look forward to are Iamisigo, Prxkhxr, Morii, Elppin and Ayesha Sureya. Iamisigo, a brand based between Nairobi, Lagos and Accra, prides itself on the use of colourful Nigerian textiles to create dresses, trousers and tops; while Delhi’s Prxkhxr is known for its use of vivid and eye-catching prints on shirts and shorts. Morii, which is based in Gujarat, works with local craftspeople to offer handcrafted and hand-embroidered striped shirts for men. Jewell-ery collectors will love the work of Bali’s Elppin, inspired by nipples to take a bold stand against the repression of the body part; and Ayesha Sureya, a London-based designer who works with brass and silver to make jewellery shaped like hands and lips.
Some of the other highlights include an art gallery showcasing artwork by students of Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat and renowned artist Shilo Shiv Suleman, a handpoke tattoo artist, a library, short film screenings, a vinyl selection to shop from and live mural painting.
Rs.750. July 30, 11 am onwards. At Courtyard, KH Road
Email: rashmirajagopal@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @rushmeee