GETTING HER DUE

Six designers dress their mothers in their own creations and open up about the many shades of their most vital relationship

- NIDA NAEEM

KARAN AND REKHA TORANI

In a world where individuality is prized, Karan Torani’s designs draw from the values and visual markers that shaped his family, and his mother is a driving force behind his label, Torani. Growing up, he would watch her mend and embroider. “I remember, there was this old velvet bag that she had brought back to life with embroidery and tassels. She was a craftsperson herself. This shaped my interest in fashion, which was never just about buying and wearing clothes,” he shares.

“Whenever Karan got prizes in school, I felt proud. That’s when I got determined to support him. Now, when a new collection is released, celebrities wear his designs and our friends also tell us about how much they enjoy Torani, the pride is even greater,” shares his mother, Rekha Torani.

The designer makes it clear that the three pillars of his brand are people, planet, and the past. “As middle-class individuals whose parents are not some business leaders or tycoons, we tend to think that our stories are not worth celebrating. However, I have realised that every story is important if you nurture it,” he says.

Now in its fully realised form, Torani, as a brand, is known for its striking campaign narratives. But when Karan was starting out, his mother is the one who held the fort amid the designer’s mental health struggles and the family’s financial precarity. She emptied out the living room and enlisted a tailor and masterji to get started with production. Even when Karan was overwhelmed and drifted in and out of workdays, she offered him the softness and space to take his time.