The Clutch edit reimagines Banarasi brocade fabrics in a fresh and understated form

It's truly fascinating how fashion designers and creative minds are breathing new life into India’s rich, cultural heritage while navigating an industry that thrives on innovation, experimentation, and ever-evolving trends. One way to strike this delicate balance is by reimagining handlooms and age-old Indian fabrics through a contemporary lens — an art that Tan & Loom has constantly tried to master. Their latest offering, The Clutch Edit, weaves this narrative in the most captivating way.

The designer and founder Rukmini Guha shares, “When we introduced the potli project in 2021, reimagining potli bags for the modern Indian woman, the response was incredible — leading to frequent sell-outs and restocks. The blend of Banarasi Brocade and genuine leather truly resonated with our audience.” Building on this success, a second edition followed in 2022 with expanded colour variants.

“As a slow-fashion brand, we don’t chase trends but focus on thoughtful refinements — new colourways and meaningful design upgrades,” she adds. With the clutch edit, Rukmini reinterprets its signature Banarasi Brocade in elegant evening flap clutches, embracing a mod ern, minimalist aesthetic while preserving its rich, handcrafted charm.

Sharing more information, Rukmini says, “We’ve retained three best-selling colours of Banarasi Brocade fabric from our previous editions. These hues include misty mint, classic black, imperial gold and introduced a new brocade variant, that is ivory.” She mentions how each shade in this edit was also chosen for its versatility, ensuring it pairs effortlessly with a wide range of outfits. For her, the goal was to create accessories that could be worn multiple times, making them timeless additions to your wardrobe. “The introduction of ivory, this time, was a conscious decision, inspired by the growing preference for cream tones in modern wedding and festive attires,” she adds. these are designed for special occasions including weddings, festivities or intimate celebrations. their structured forms make them just as effortless to pair with contemporary western wear as they are with traditional Indian ensembles.

“Functionality lies at the heart of our design philosophy,” says Rukmini. For weddings, for instance, the focus is on practicality, ensuring essentials fit seamlessly while maintaining elegance.

This thoughtful approach shapes the dimensions, structure, and size of each piece. “We embrace sea son-less fashion — while we take cues from trends, we reinterpret them with a lasting sensibility. Structured clutches remain a staple for Indian occasions, and brocade will always hold its charm for the modern Indian woman.”

Price starts at Rs 4,950.

Available online.