OF COLOURS & CULTURES

Since their debut in the fashion world in 2006, label Pankaj & Nidhi has carved a name for itself with crisp and fresh designs. In a conversation with ROOPLEKHA DAS, the designer duo talks about their brand's timeless aesthetic, latest collection, and vision for Indian fashion.

- ROOPLEKHA DAS

Pankaj and Nidhi

FASHION DESIGNERS

PANKAJ AND NIDHI’S designs are a symphony of colours, echoing art and cultures from all over the world. Their new collection, Toscano, draws from Tuscany’s nature and blends it with a contemporary language of their own. The intricate designs and versatile creations speak volumes about their design prowess.

EXCERPTS FROM THE INTERVIEW:

You launched Pankaj and Nidhi in 2006 and have spent almost 18 years in this industry. How do you think fashion has evolved over the years?

In the early ‘90s, when I was studying fashion at National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in New Delhi, our library had a smattering of books foretelling the future of fashion in grandiose titles such as Fashion 2000 and Future Fashion 2020. The pages had pictures of outfits that seemed straight out of science fiction and space films. Fascinating and otherworldly as they seemed at the time, thankfully, we never did get to that. What we did get to since the '90s and since we started our label nearly 20 years ago, is a dire situation of climate change. The fashion industry is waking up to this reality and the need to take action has never been more urgent and important. As a brand, we find ourselves asking questions almost every day about what we can do today, even if it seems like just a drop in the ocean.

Tell us a bit about your new collection Toscano. What inspired it?