No Nasties new limited-edition collection sheds light on Goa’s fading Portuguese culture and mangrove ecosystem

Rooted in the tranquil philosophy of susegad, No Nasties — a sustainable label founded by Apurva Kothari in 2011 — has introduced its latest limited-edition collection titled The Tales of Azulejo. Woven into the finest organic cotton, this edit is a celebration of heritage by drawing inspiration from the vibrant azulejo tiles of the Konkan coast. “As a brand headquartered in Goa, we feel especially close to the Portuguese culture present in the once-occupied territory. Unfortunately, over-development and over-tourism are fading these cultural phenomena into the background. We wanted to play our part in bringing the story of Azulejo to the foreground,” begins Apurva Kothari.

Azulejo is a hand-painted art of story-telling in large-scale murals, often using ceramic tiles from Portugal. In a signature No Nasties move, the label worked closely with Nupur Panemanglor, an illustrator known for her unique botanical style, to research and produce two azulejo prints for their new clothing collection. “With a mission to reverse climate change, the brand’s decade-long work in reforestation and mangrove rescue inspired us to focus on sister islands Divar and Charao, by rebuilding the fragile ecosystems of mangroves and continuing to plant three trees with every single purchase,” he elucidates.

Every piece in The Tales of Azueljo is crafted from vegan materials, showcasing two prints across a collection of 15 vivid styles, which took Nupur over 12 weeks to closely study and illustrate. “Our signature prints are inspired by the sister islands on the Mandovi River, Divar and Chorao. These signature prints tell stories of Goa’s rich Portuguese heritage, encapsulating the echoes of Konkani songs, the legacy of warriors and the enchantment of artisanal craftsmanship,” the founder

The Divar print is where art nouveau envelopes abundant abalone in a drifting rivulet off the respective island. It brings together the conches, the paddy, the mangroves and the quiet serenity of this islet while the Chorao print embraces the fields of Chorao island enveloped by cashew apples and chapels, herons, boats and bards. “The art of azulejo is often hand-painted in a signature blue. Historically an expensive colour to manufacture, since the semi-precious stone lapis lazuli was the main ingredient. Naturally, our edit uses this signature blue along with a sunny yellow for a modern anchor to the Goan-inspired narrative,” Apurva reveals.

The Tales of Azulejo collection is made with organic cotton in variations of muslin, jersey, zero-waste knit and poplin. A special focus is on the knitwear co-ord sets in the collection — fashioned from upcycled cotton yarn with zero-waste techniques ensuring that the ensemble is woven to its exact shape with nothing left to reach a landfill.

₹2,499 onwards. At The Paper Boat Collective, Indiranagar.