Creating KAIRA

Long fascinated by Indian fabric, Nikita Gupta has launched an attractive line of contemporary apparel in traditional block prints

Tell us about your design journey.

NG: I pursued an undergraduate degree in Fashion Technology from National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi. Being in a fashion school and studying amongst the top creative minds in the country gave me an insight into the glaring gap in the market in terms of block prints. My undergraduate degree helped me understand the construction and to an extent the design bit of things. This knowledge played an integral part in the creation and launch of Kaira by Nikita. One of my faculties also mentored me throughout the initial hiccups, for which I am so grateful.

What led to the launch of Kaira by Nikita?

NG: I was in the last semester of college when we launched. I've always liked how the name 'Kaira' has a modern touch to it but also has a hint of Indian roots. As our brand is about traditional block prints in modern silhouettes, the name 'Kaira' was perfect. We started quite slow, with capsule collections to see how things would go. The response was incredible and surpassed all our expectations; we haven't looked back! We kept launching more and more pieces and curated our prints, did market surveys, and by the time I graduated Kaira by Nikita was in full force and action. I found myself happily and successfully self-employed, doing what I completely love.

What is your design philosophy?

NG: Our design philosophy is minimalism, experimental while staying true to our Indian roots. Each piece is unique, hand-crafted, and hand-block printed.

How does your cultural background affect the design language of your brand?