Jaipur-based Ashna Vaswani unveils its new collection honouring khadi

For over a century, khadi has stood at the heart of India’s freedom movement, handspun by millions as a statement of self-reliance and national pride. Today, as conversations around sustainability, slow craft practices and indigenous textiles dominate global runways, Ashna Vaswani’s new collection brings khadi back into the spotlight.

“The new khadi collection is my contemporary tribute to India’s textile heritage. I’ve always been deeply connected to Rajasthan’s craft culture and with this edit I wanted to reintroduce khadi as a fabric of pride, identity and modernity. For me, khadi is about self-reliance and the creative strength of the nation. The inspiration comes from the landscapes I grew up with, the artisans I work with and the history of handcrafted Indian textiles. I was also inspired by the idea of heritage evolving with time: how we can honour tradition while designing for a new generation that values authenticity and sustainability in equal measure,” Ashna shares.

Ashna Vaswani has not only showcased on some of the world’s leading platforms (like the Vancouver Fashion Show, Lakmé Fashion Week, Lotus India Fashion Week and Rajasthan Heritage Week) but her ensembles have also been spotted on celebrities like Sunny Leone, Shilpa Shetty, Bidita Bag, Priya Banerjee, Shital Shah and Miss India Zoya Firoz.

Reflecting on her journey, the new khadi collection merges traditional Indian textiles with modern, global designs, positioning the fabric as a quiet luxury. It shows how the fabric blends structure and fluidity, by incorporating denim and intricate detailing.

“My previous collections, including Devi Drape and Bhatt-Ghar were rooted in tribal motifs, handblock printing and the crafts of Rajasthan. This collection still carries my signature revivalist language, but the approach is more refined and contemporary. Here, khadi becomes a canvas for quiet luxury, subtly textured weaves, artisanal thread work and silhouettes that feel fluid and versatile. It is more about craft-led sophistication, allowing the beauty of handspun khadi to speak for itself,” she elucidates.

This khadi edit showcases motifs inspired by tribal crafts and traditional block printing while also spotlighting the collaborative ecosystem bringing together weavers, artisans, dyers and craftspeople whose skills continue to define India’s creative economy.

“One can come across delicate thread-embroidered textures inspired by desert flora, handblock prints in contemporary patterns, mirror accents and metallic touches used to add glow and depth, pressed-weave effects and tactile detailing to elevate the simplicity of khadi. There are even subtle tribal-inspired patterns that reference my ‘Bhatt-Ghar’ lineage, but in a modern vocabulary,” she reveals.

The colour story, too, is inspired by Rajasthan’s natural landscape — both earthy and poetic. The palette includes beige, sand and ivory which are the calming tones of desert dunes. Rust and terracotta taking cues from the traditional Rajasthani homes and pottery. Indigo which is a nod to ancient dyeing traditions, cobalt and midnight blue representing the desert sky all complemented by muted gold.

“It’s a very grounded yet refined palette that honours the organic beauty of khadi, because the hero fabric is handspun, handwoven khadi in various weights. We have used Rajasthan-manufactured khadi and denim too. Think khadi cotton-silk blends for softness, handwoven textured khadi and natural-dyed khadi, the intention was to keep the fabric story true to Indian soil, making it breathable, sustainable and rooted in craft communities,” she notes.

The collection offers silhouettes designed for modern Indian living that are easy, fluid and versatile. Shop for structured khadi jackets and modern bandhgalas; dresses; co-ord sets with contemporary tailoring; kurta sets reimagined with minimal, clean detailing; relaxed kaftans for everyday elegance; sharply cut tunics; and layered separates for multi-occasion dressing and styles.

Looking ahead, Ashna gives us a small glimpse into her upcoming collection before concluding: “we’ve begun the early stages of my next collection. The next edit will continue to explore handcrafted Indian textiles, but through an experimental, artistic lens. I’m working closely with artisans to develop new surface textures and weaving stories that feel unexpected yet deeply Indian.”

₹8,000 onwards. Available online.