Iktara, the latest edit from this Delhi-based label sees fabric as poetry!

Launched in 2014 in New Delhi, Sahil Kochhar’s eponymous label stands at the crossroads of Indian craftsmanship and contemporary expression. For Kochhar, couture is not merely about fabric and form — it is an intimate act of storytelling, a cathartic creation of wearable art that carries memory and meaning. A graduate of NIFT Delhi (2006), his early years under the tutelage of Rohit Bal refined his sense of drama, proportion and detail, paving the way for his own creative vocabulary — one that is rooted in tradition yet fearless in reinvention. Over the years, his distinctive vision has found resonance with India’s most celebrated women — Janhvi Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, Aditi Rao Hydari, Mrunal Thakur and Shilpa Shetty Kundra among them. We catch up with Sahil to find out all that you need to know about his latest edit, Iktara, that has just hit stores.

Let’s talk about your latest edit, Iktara. What was the inspiration behind this collection?

Iktara is a romance incarnate. Period. What better way to welcome the wedding and festive season than this labour of love. I wanted it to feel like a song, where fabric becomes poetry and colour becomes desire and motifs seduce the wearer. Midnight navy dissolves into soft wax like dusk leaning into dawn. Every shade is a confession of love, romance and the beauty of nature and botanicals. Every silhouette is an ode to the woman of today. The botanical appliqué blossoms in motion, petals mid-bloom are metaphors for intimacy and tenderness. Embroidery spills across fabric like emotion. Decoration and adornment are vehicles of this intimacy.

How does Iktara differ from your earlier collections?

Earlier collections were often about structure or surface experimentation. Iktara is gentler, more fluid, more colourful, romantic and maybe my head was in that space when I created it as I work more as an artist and less as a fashion designer. Iktara is about crafting a dialogue between detail, colour and silhouette. It’s immersive.

Are there motifs or techniques unique to Iktara?

Yes. The appliqué botanicals are central and frankly most of my collections have that as my signature. They’re designed to look alive, like nature caught mid-breath. The embroidery is free-flowing, enveloping the body almost like an embrace. It’s very close to the ethos of intimacy I wanted to capture. Now I wonder who is the lady love who I imagined this for! (smiles)

What fabrics anchor the collection?

I worked with organza, chiffon, silk georgette and handloom silks. Each was chosen for its ability to hold detail yet remain fluid and breathable. I wanted fabrics that felt like a second skin but carried the gravitas of couture.

What silhouettes define this edit?

Oh! Love is in the air! The silhouettes are romanticised. A lot of draped gowns, flowy grandeur with skirts and lehengas, colourful jacket ensembles, sexy sari-gowns, sharp but elegant short dresses too and structured gowns. All of them hold couture detailing, but they are designed to move with ease.

What’s next?

We have a bridal collection that is about rebirth and renewal. It will be lighter yet ornate, perfect for love marriages! Expect sunburst embroidery, floral vines and bolder colour stories. And yes, early sketches for Festive 2026 are also underway. That one will lean into my inner child, my inner romantic and my inner peace that I am feeling of quiet success this year.

Price on request. Available online.

Email: romal@newindianexpress.com

X: @elromal

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