This Kolkata couturier's new edit draws from her mother’s vintage wardrobe

Kolkata-based couturier Rashi Kapoor named her most personal collection after a trunk. Sandook — Hindi for trunk — is a tribute to her mother, conceived from afternoons spent poring over old photographs and the contents of a vintage suitcase. What she looks for in those images is the age-old karigari, a standard of craftsmanship she considers worth carrying forward. The collection is now in its second iteration as Sandook 2.0.

“Since its inception about a decade ago as a small boutique design label, the brand has transitioned from creating minimal, artisan-led pieces to presenting deeply conceptual couture edits. The shift is evident in how collections are now imagined — not merely as garments, but as repositories of emotion, nostalgia and cultural memory. Each edit builds on the last, forming a cohesive narrative universe rooted in Indian heritage while remaining relevant to the contemporary wearer,” Rashi begins.

Launched around Mother’s Day celebrations, the collection is an ode to mothers, mothers-to-be and every woman who embodies nurturing strength with pieces that reflect quiet confidence, warmth and ease. Sandook 2.0 arrives as occasion wear continues its shift toward lighter, more fluid dressing.

“Sandook began as a metaphorical treasure chest drawing from heirlooms, forgotten textiles and garments preserved across generations to translate memory into materiality. At its core, it was deeply personal, a tribute to my late mother, whose quiet elegance, grace and simplicity became the foundation of the collection. With Sandook 2.0, that narrative expands beyond the personal into something more universal. It revisits those memories and reinterprets them for today, designed to be shared, worn and felt by many,” she reveals.

Compared to earlier collections, Sandook 2.0 feels more intimate and introspective, be it in the silhouettes or the overall design language. “It moves away from spectacle and towards emotional luxury, where meaning takes precedence over excess. Think layered salwar sets, flowy anarkalis, soft draped ensembles and relaxed yet structured kurta sets in lightweight silks, organza and sheer overlays,” she tells us.

The construction prioritises breathability and movement, qualities that matter when occasion dressing extends across long summer days. Embroidered necklines, scalloped edges and sheer detailing catch light without announcing themselves, maintaining fluidity, restraint and refined detailing.

The collection works across a palette of blush, powder blue, mint, lilac, butter yellow and antique ivory, anchored by deeper tones of charcoal, wine and muted gold — a colour story built for both daytime celebrations and evening gatherings. Craftsmanship in Sandook 2.0 enriches the surface with fine resham, zari, sequins, pearls and tonal threadwork, which are worked into each piece with enough restraint to add texture, without adding weight.

Price on request. Available online

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