Muted tones and timeless drapes define this Indian summer edit

Speaking of Indian summers, what comes to our mind is the soft, golden lull between late evening and twilight, when the air hangs still and everything seems to slow down. Grishma, the latest collection from Dharki, captures that moment, when the warmth of the season feels less like heat and more like memory.

Lightweight Indian fabrics made for the heat

Founder Brijesh Gupta describes it as a tribute to “the calm, unhurried pace of Indian summers—especially in Varanasi. Late evenings, softened light, that sense of stillness when the city slows down.” It’s this innate understanding of rhythm and place that shapes Grishma—a collection crafted from feather-light silks, Chanderi, and organza, chosen as much for their breathability as for their poetry in motion.

The colour palette is rooted in the landscape: muted golds, dusty pinks, wine, and mauve tones drawn from the ghats at sunset. “We weren’t looking for anything loud or seasonal—just tones that feel real and lasting,” Brijesh shares. The silhouettes echo this quiet elegance—clean drapes, wide borders, and fluidity without volume, intended to carry the wearer effortlessly from day to dusk.

What sets Dharki apart is its commitment to craft. “My journey began in Varanasi,” Brijesh recalls. “After my studies in Mumbai, I returned home and started working with Nakshaband teams, learning how to read the loom, how patterns are laid out. We’d work from 9 pm to 4 am. That experience shaped everything for me—it was about skill, patience, and deep respect for the process.”

Grishma is woven using the traditional Kadwa technique, where every motif is laboriously hand-woven into the fabric. This kind of work demands time—and that’s exactly the point. “It’s what gives the textile real character,” says Brijesh.

Price starts at Rs 9,000. Available online.

—manuvipin@newindianexpress.com

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