Kora by NM’s Folk Fusion brings a modern edge to Indian craft

Indian craft gets a bold new attitude in Folk Fusion, the latest collection from Mumbai-based Kora by NM. Designers Nilesh Chhadva and Mitesh Sumbad layer patola, bandhani, mirror work and intricate embroidery with saturated colour and ombré, creating festive menswear that feels anything but traditional.

Indian Folk Art Meets Contemporary Menswear

Designed with the modern Indian man in mind, the collection goes beyond occasion-specific dressing. Its versatile pieces are created to move effortlessly from festive celebrations and intimate gatherings to everything in between.

“The collection was born from our deep-rooted fascination with the vibrant, untamed spirit of Indian folk art and storytelling. We wanted to make Indian folk art feel inherently cool. Our ancestors celebrated life in unapologetically vibrant hues, and we wanted to bring that celebratory spirit into the contemporary wardrobe,” says Nilesh.

The collection features deconstructed historic folk crafts, from regional art to geometric patola motifs. The designers layered them with diverse embroidery techniques. “Our goal was simple: bring time-honoured crafts back to life with a fresh, spirited twist and make Indian folk the new cool,” says Mitesh.

So, what drew them to Indian folk textiles? “Indian folk textiles carry centuries of storytelling. There is an effortless authenticity to how craft communities work with colour, form and texture that today’s machine-made uniformity simply cannot match. We were drawn to how grounded yet expressive folk craft is; it’s both regal and artistic. Our goal was to revive these age-old crafts by giving them a youthful, modern twist that resonates with today’s audience,” explains Nilesh.

For the colour combination, the duo has pulled inspiration directly from these historic folk pigments and heightened their visual drama with subtle ombré treatments. The gradation softens the visual weight, making bold, traditional shades feel effortlessly wearable.

The thought behind combining different techniques, patterns and artworks in unexpected ways was to challenge the rigid rules often associated with traditional design. “We combined the structured, grid-like patola motifs in free-flowing placement, used raised dori embroidery to create that visual curiosity and added multilingual script to create a striking, curated canvas of folk art,” says Nilesh.

The collection is designed to be broken down and integrated effortlessly into a modern man’s day-to-day wardrobe. “It can be casual luxe, or modern layering. For a casual luxe look, pair the ombré kurtas with relaxed ivory wide-leg trousers or light-wash denim and rolled-up sleeves for an art gallery visit, casual brunch or sundowner. Throw the embroidered or patola-motif bundis over a plain tee or a crisp white linen shirt with chinos for an elevated dinner look,” they add.

Price on request. Available online.

—manuvipin@newindianexpress.com

@ManuVipin