Alka Hari brings Kerala’s rhythms to Indian fashion with minimalist, handcrafted designs

In a sun-washed studio in Kochi, surrounded by swatches of soft cottons, handloom silks, and the quiet hum of craft, Alka Hari is building something rare: a wardrobe that feels like home. Her namesake label, Alka Hari, is a love letter to the women of the South — women who seek grace without grandeur, elegance without excess, and silhouettes that whisper rather than shout.

Rooted in Kerala, Alka Hari crafts minimalist Indian wear for women who value comfort and elegance

At first glance, her creations — hand-embroidered kurtas in blush pinks and earthy browns, easy saris with contrast borders, feather-light coords — seem like wardrobe staples. But touch them, wear them, and they reveal a deeper story: one of intention, heritage, and comfort stitched into every hem.

“The vision was always to create clothes that feel as good as they look,” Alka says, gently folding a linen kurta on her worktable. “Grounded in comfort, quiet elegance, and longevity.”

The daughter of celebrated designer Hari Anand, Alka grew up breathing in structure, silhouette, and the language of craft. But her voice, while born of that legacy, is softer — more minimal, more personal. “Growing up around my father was like an immersive masterclass. It gave me my foundation. But Alka Hari speaks in my own voice — one that values restraint, subtlety, and purpose.”

With its clean lines and earthy palette, the label is as much an aesthetic as it is a sensibility — one that honours the tropical rhythms of Kerala while leaning into the timelessness of Indian textiles. There’s a reason her garments move the way they do. “Fabric comes first. Always,” she explains. Every piece — from a festive mulberry silk anarkali embroidered with the delicate nerve-like vines of a Bougainvillea, to a soft cotton sari that catches the monsoon breeze — begins not with a sketch, but with the fabric in hand. How it falls, how it breathes, how it responds to movement and light. “We drape, test, let the fabric lead. That’s the magic.”

And it shows. The garments are light enough to live in — you could run errands in the morning, breeze into a puja at noon, and glide into a dinner gathering by night without missing a beat. “Living in the South, you become so aware of your body, the heat , your clothes,” she says. “I didn’t want women to have to choose between comfort and refinement. Our fabrics — cottons, silks — are picked first for breathability, then for beauty.”

It’s not just the fabric that breathes — it’s the design language too. Minimal but never plain, her aesthetic is defined by quiet details: a hand-done French knot here, a mirror accent tucked into a neckline there, soft pastels that recall the green of monsoon leaves or the warmth of sun-bleached temples. “Minimalism isn’t about stripping away,” Alka insists. “It’s about refining — letting the embroidery or the silhouette do the talking without shouting. There’s a kind of emotional calm in earthy tones and pastels. They feel grounded — both culturally and functionally — especially in our light, tropical setting.”

This rooted elegance has struck a chord with modern women across the South — and beyond. And though the brand speaks softly, it’s helping put Kerala on the national fashion map. “It’s deeply meaningful,” Alka says of the growing recognition for homegrown Southern labels. “Kerala has always had a rich design vocabulary — kasavus, handlooms — but it’s only now being reimagined with a contemporary lens. I’m honoured to be part of that wave.”

At the heart of Alka Hari is a celebration of the everyday woman — the one balancing work, rituals, and rest with elegance and ease. Her garments aren’t designed to demand attention, but to hold space. “Kerala’s rhythm is fluid — you might go from temple to office to dinner in one day, ”Alka explains. “Our pieces adapt to that flow. A change of earrings, a switch of sandals — and you’re ready.”

Behind each stitch is also a community of artisans — women and men across South India whose techniques have been passed down for generations. French knots, fine threadwork, mirror inlays — all rendered in an aesthetic that’s modern but never anonymous. “Each piece is touched by multiple hands. That human energy — that’s what gives it life,” Alka says. Even with the inevitable quirks of natural textiles, she embraces their “soul.”

“No two batches are identical — and that’s the beauty. We’re not chasing flawlessness, we’re celebrating character.”

With each collection, she dances between heritage and now — kasavu borders reinterpreted on pastel silks, age-old embroidery applied to abstract motifs, traditional silhouettes pared down with modern elegance. “Tradition isn’t static,” Alka reflects. “It evolves. I want to honour where we come from, while designing for where we’re going.”

And perhaps that’s the most powerful thread in her story — that fashion can be gentle. That elegance can be quiet. And that the most enduring design is not the one that demands attention, but the one you reach for, again and again.

Prices start at INR 3,000.

Available online.

Email: rupam@newindianexpress.com

X: @rupsjain

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