Sneha Arora brings understated luxury to Chennai with her Nightcap collection

Sneha Arora, an alumnus of the National Institute of Fashion Technology, started her eponymous label in 2011, and since then, she has been a regular at the fashion weeks. The Sneha Arora label’s DNA lies in telling stories through clothing that brings a feminine sensibility to masculine silhouettes. As she showcases her holiday edit, Nightcap, at Collage in the city, we caught up with her to get into the details of this collection.

After-hours dressing: Clothing designed for ease and elegance

“Nightcap is inspired by the quieter hours of the night. In a time where a lot of noise surrounds us, I was drawn to the quieter hours because they’re the most honest. The conversations are slow, gestures become instinctive, and style feels less performative. That moment allows for elegance without effort, which to me is how clothing should be—effortless. We wanted to project a sense of style that doesn’t need an announcement,” Sneha explains.

She describes the pieces as soft in form but strong in purpose and has translated the idea into silhouettes by making them fluid and gentle on the body. “A dress not too tight but still giving shape. A shirt not too boxy, but still feeling powerful. A jacket that is structured but still feels feminine and flowy. We have used soft drapes, relaxed lines, and ease in movement, balanced with precise tailoring, natural textiles, and purposeful details. The garments feel effortless to wear, yet they hold structure, intent, and confidence—quiet strength beneath the softness,” she shares.

The collection celebrates a woman at her most relaxed yet magnetic. So, who is the Nightcap woman in the designer’s mind? “The Nightcap woman is confident without show. She is relaxed but deeply present, magnetic without trying. She values quality, restraint, and emotion over excess, and her style reflects that quiet self-assurance. She doesn’t dress to be seen, yet she’s impossible to overlook. She dresses instinctively, choosing pieces that allow her to unwind while still holding quiet strength.”

Since Nightcap lives after the main event, the pieces are meant to be worn with ease—slipped on, layered, slightly undone, a jacket left open, a dress softened with flats or low heels, a set where you can remove the overlay, fabrics chosen to drape rather than hold, and to feel comfortable yet refined. “It’s clothing you stay in, not change out of, as the night unwinds into more intimate events,” she adds.

For Sneha, Chennai is always special, as she has been showcasing here for a couple of years now, and the response has been “great so far.” “Clients appreciate the craftsmanship and the understated elegance—it resonates with their preference for refined pieces with longevity,” she says.

Price starts at Rs15,000. On till December 31, 2025 at Collage, Rutland Gate. 

—manuvipin@newindianexpress.com

@ManuVipin

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