Where minimalism meets occasionwear: Sculpted silhouettes for modern evenings

Festive fashion is often dominated by excess. However, GKD.EDIT takes a quieter, more deliberate route. The emerging occasionwear label approaches dressing as architecture in motion—where form, proportion, and restraint do the heavy lifting. Instead of leaning into predictable glamour, the brand edits it out, offering sculptural silhouettes that feel powerful, modern, and intentional.

When embellishment is used with intention

Founded by Garima Karwariya, GKD.EDIT was born from a clear gap in the market. “There was nothing offering quality occasionwear at an accessible price point,” she says. “I wanted to create something that sits between expensive gowns and fast fashion—pieces that feel elevated but are still wearable.”

Garima’s journey into fashion wasn’t conventional. Raised in an environment where design wasn’t considered a viable career, she began in science before pursuing an MBA and spending a brief stint in the corporate world. “I wasn’t happy,” she admits. The turning point came during the pandemic, when she enrolled in a diploma programme at the London School of Design. Fashion, after all, had always been part of her life. “My grandmother and mother would make their own outfits using gota laces and traditional fabrics. Growing up around that definitely shaped my interest in design.”

Her first label, Gramacaria Designs, focused on Indian wear and gained quick traction online. GKD.EDIT, launched six months ago after over a year of development, marks a sharper, more global evolution—one rooted in minimalism and structure.

The brand’s design language is defined by tension: exaggerated pleats that feel structural rather than decorative, Swarovski accents used sparingly, and silhouettes that hold space instead of filling it. “The outfits are structured yet comfortable,” Garima explains. “The femininity comes from the draping, not from heavy embroidery or loud details.”

Minimalism, she believes, is not about doing less—it’s about doing just enough. “An outfit should highlight a person’s personality rather than overshadow it. It’s about presence, poise, and the way you walk in an outfit.” Even embellishments—crystals, stones, beads, and Japanese glass beads—are applied with restraint, used only to enhance the silhouette.

Inclusivity is also central to the brand’s ethos. The brand offers sizes from XS to 3XL, along with custom sizing at no additional cost. “What I charge for a small, I charge for a curvy woman as well,” says Garima. Operating on a slow-fashion model allows the label to cater to diverse body types without compromise.

The brand’s upcoming collection, Moonlight Opulence, continues this philosophy. Designed around the evening persona of women, the line explores elegance through sculpted forms and fluid fabrics. “It’s grand, refined, and perfect for cocktail events,” Garima shares. Satin takes centre stage, accented with subtle details like satin tassels, while the colour palette moves through deep blue, royal blue, black, emerald, and flashes of bright red.

Priced between Rs 18,000 and Rs 38,000. Available online.

—manuvipin@newindianexpress.com

@ManuVipin

For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.

https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb677uz60eBXiDYheb0n

https://t.me/+qUK5DvyQQJI2NWFl

https://www.youtube.com/@IndulgeExpress