Avantika and Karishma Swali of MoonRay
'The Aesthete' is a weekly column by journalist and editor Namrata Zakaria, illuminating the best in Indian design.
Real story: One of India's most stylish new fashion labels has a 15-year-old as its co-founder. Avantika Swali is the ninth-grade daughter of Karishma Swali; the two have launched a remarkable new label that showcases contemporary fashion as well as conscious living. This is MoonRay, a crafts-first label that's already found fans among the chic crowd.
MoonRay is a new label from the House of Chanakya embroidery firm family. As one of India's leading embroidery firms, patriarch Vinod Shah's Chanakya has been associated for their work with several European luxury labels, such as Valentino, Ferragamo and Dior. Its second generation — Vinod's daughter Karishma Swali and daughter-in-law Monica Shah — began a couture label of their own called Jade. They also opened the Chanakya School that teaches women of underserved families embroidery and gives them employment. Now, MoonRay carries forward the legacy of serving communities while engaging with fashion.
Serving the underserved came easy to Avantika, she says. "I was in the second grade when I learnt about non-profit organisations," Avantika says. "I wanted to start one of my own. So I started something called All Care for Everyone, ACE, that helps educate 200 children from Dharavi. Education is the greatest leveller." A few years ago she started The Raincoat Project where she designed raincoats and raised funds for underprivileged children, who wouldn't go to school during the monsoon without proper rain gear, selling over 12,300 raincoats. "This is what I've seen my entire life. My grandparents are the most generous and empathetic people I know," she says.
MoonRay stands for responsible fashion. Its materials are all ethically sourced, mindful of their environmental impact. Some of these are organic cotton, rain-fed, raw and naturally-dyed denim, GOTS certified jersey, Forest Stewardship Council-certified viscose, crochet from recycled thread, vegan leather, and an upcycled series that uses industry waste to create new clothes. Most of the artisans employed by MoonRay are from the Chanakya School itself. The first collection was for young women, like Avantika herself: T-shirts with her doodles, and a strong denim line to go with them. There were some organic cotton dresses, crochet gilets, as well as evening wear with applique techniques. All of this complemented with a vegan leather range of accessories and a limited edition of 22-karat gold plated trinkets.
There's no denying much of what Avantika says or has done has been influenced, even nudged on, by her family.
"This is my 25th year working in craft," mum Karishma says. "I've had the honour and pleasure of experiencing it across genres. There is so much innate wisdom in craft: it's naturally zero-carbon, sustainable, nostalgic. Consciousness is naturally interwoven in craft."
The strong focus on denim is deliberate, Karishma says. "We wanted to offer craft in a contemporary manner. Denim is such a uniform for so many generations, we just can't get enough of it. Yet, it is associated with a lot of wastage. Cotton for our denim is grown only through rainwater, so it takes much longer to grow but it uses only nine per cent of the water regular denim would use. We use no chemicals in our processes, so it is naturally dyed with indigo. We keep it completely raw, so it is far more environmentally friendly," she explains.
MoonRay comes at a wonderful time in Indian fashion where brands are launched from living rooms and sold on Instagram. India's high street is also evolving in a slower, smaller but far more exciting manner with these new ecommerce-aided labels. Prior to this, India has been known for its ostentatious wedding wear market, or its cheap and cheerful fast fashion industry, thanks to the several thousand apparel manufacturers here. The premium space, where MoonRay fits right in, is something younger designers have elbowed in thanks to their love for textile and the overarching themes of mindfulness.
Karishma agrees, saying there is a new space for fashion that's far more rooted. "This is why Avantika came to me and asked to make clothes that held value," she avers. The teenager has designed much of the first collection herself. One theme was Ludo, the game that chronicles the journey returning home. The other was Checkers, which inspired geometric patterns and garments that could be transformed for multiple different wears.
MoonRay is part of a family business, much in line with the Italian houses that created beautiful fashions and employed locally. Their office at Mumbai's Byculla houses three generations of family, as well as their independent and collaborative labels, working together and providing support to others that need it, especially women. This has especially resonated with Maria Grazia Chiuri, the chief designer of the Christian Dior, who often credits the House of Chanakya for the embroideries it does for Dior. This is unusual as most European labels claim to make everything in-house. The last two seasons have also seen Chanakya embroider sensational backdrops for the Dior fashion show at Paris Couture Week.
Karishma's choice of the name MoonRay symbolises a feminine energy that toils quietly, much like the moon that shines gently and shows the way. Like with its founders, the name suggests an inner light and compassion.
Das said the policy actions of the central bank "would continue to be calibrated, measured and nimble depending upon the...
The BJP pointed to a Khaleej Times article by the same author as proof that the story on Delhi government is a "paid...
The party said that PM Modi is "rattled" by the "growing popularity" of Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal and his model of...
India on Friday strongly condemned the “despicable action” and took up the matter with the US authorities to ensure...
Mohammad Yaseen, a resident of Turkman Gate here, was arrested in a joint operation by police from Delhi and Jammu and...
The system will move along the coast as a deep depression at a wind speed of 60 to 65 kmph and it is unlikely to...
Mughal architecture is a blend of Hindu elements with Persian and Islamic elements. Some features are common to many...
The Mughal Empire had a mighty army, but even the powerful troops faced setbacks from time to time. Some warriors stood...
These images span photojournalism, documentary, travel and culture, street, portrait, performing arts and more.
The Netflix documentary series follows the lives of Maheep Kapoor, Bhavana Pandey, Seema Khan and Neelam Kothari.
House of the Dragon is set to stream exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar from August 22.
The upcoming title also stars Rakul Preet and Sargun Mehta.
Veteran voice actor has lent his voice to numerous video games, films and TV shows
There is no provision under CRPC to demolish the house of an accused person as is being done in UP
Several firefights have broken out between security forces and militants, especially in the month of May
SP and BJP blame each other for sparking violence in Kanpur on Friday