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 Travel+Leisure India & South Asia, the designer duo talks about their brand’s timeless aesthetic, latest collection, and vision for Indian fashion.
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 with Pankaj and Nidhi:
T+L India: 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?
Pankaj and Nidhi: 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.
T+L India: Tell us a bit about your new collection Toscano. What inspired it?
Pankaj and Nidhi: In the last few years, perhaps in the wake of the pandemic, we find our collections pining for a reconnection with nature. If there is a place where nature and culture meet, then it’s all the more seductive. Tuscany is one of the most beautiful regions in Italy and its vast undulating landscape, verdant flora and fauna inspired us to create this vibrant collection.
T+L India: In the last two decades, what brand aesthetics have remained constant?
Pankaj and Nidhi: We started off with a vision of our brand being a storyteller, expressing ourselves through the vocabulary of different cultures and art forms from across the world. Each season we immersed ourselves in a new narrative with inspirations ranging from Japanese fishermen’s sashiko coats to wycinanki or Polish paper cutting to Spanish matadors’ costumes—traje de luces. We try to stay true to this philosophy even now—it helps keep the design process stimulating and the outcome exciting.
T+L India: Which is your favourite shopping destination?
Pankaj and Nidhi: Most major cities of the world have a modern side to them, with steel and glass buildings, busy roads, and a somewhat familiar if not monotonous feel. We find ourselves drawn always, to the opposite—the older parts of the town that are always more charming, wholly authentic, and a treasure of ideas and stories. Our favourite haunts will always be among the cobblestoned streets and ancient bazaars of the world.
T+L India: What are the essentials in your travel wardrobe?
Pankaj and Nidhi: Comfortable walking shoes are indispensable, many holidays can come undone with inappropriate footwear. Other than that, it’s as the weather dictates—dusty pastels and solid colours work well to mix and match in warmer climates. Adding layers for colder weather helps. It is always nice to pack a dress-up outfit or two, one might get a last-minute table at a bucket list restaurant.
T+L India: How do you integrate sustainability into your brand?
Pankaj and Nidhi: We have miles to go in this direction but have started taking steps—we are using a glorious bouquet of fabrics that are made entirely of recycled plastic waste. The hand feel is better than silk, the waste is ethically sourced and our buyers have loved and embraced it. We are able to use some of our leftover fabrics to cut into small bric-a-brac that can be used in embellishments.
T+L India: What is the need of the hour for Indian fashion, according to you?
Pankaj and Nidhi: We find the initiatives such as the strong focus on sustainability by Lakme Fashion Week, or the projects on the revival of handloom textiles and khadi by Fashion Design Council of India, heartening. Reliance Industries’ Swadesh is the best idea we have heard of and can’t wait to see it unfold.
T+L India: Which is that one place that you would love to go to for textiles?
Pankaj and Nidhi: We have an old association with Varanasi, having travelled there on numerous occasions and developed a close working relationship with some exceptional weavers.
T+L India: Which is your favourite fashion destination?
Pankaj and Nidhi: Noida! This is the place that gave us the resources and our foundation to build our brand and our business—this is home to some of India’s biggest designers and apparel exporters.
T+L India: How does travel influence your designs?
Pankaj and Nidhi: We travel so we can work and we work so we can travel!
Related: Aneeth Arora, Founder & Designer Of Péro, Talks About Blending Style With Sustainability
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