The KIDS ARE ALRIGHT

Very few fashion conversations take place without name-dropping veteran Indian designers. Sure, they've put our heritage textiles, embroidery techniques and art on the world map, even started the fusion movement that has resulted in the East-meets-West wardrobe we own today. But there is also a crop of new designers who bring their trademark cool aesthetics and fuss-free, easy yet glamorous silhouettes to the scene. This new generation of designers is the future of Indian fashion, and we need to know about them.

- Ashwini Arun Kumar

SHUBHI AGGARWAL 

CUIN

I have come a long way from when I started my brand; my team of karigars and I started in a small room and now we have a dedicated office," says designer Shubhi Aggarwal of CUIN a homegrown sustainable brand that injects its clothes with a resort-like vibe irrespective of the season.

CUIN was founded a little before the pandemic in mid-2019 and found an instant following in fashion enthusiasts who prefer their outfits to be easy.

Having always known that she wanted to work in fashion, Shubhi earned her Bachelors in Design from Pearl Academy, went on to intern with designers Hemant & Nandita, and worked as a designer with the Mumbai-based label Verandah before starting CUIN. "We have always wanted to offer our clients fresh yet classic styles with eclectic colours and prints, explains Shubhi. Her collections are often filled with luxe kaftans that can be worked in more ways than one, depending entirely on the wearer's imagination, as well as draped skirt sets in solid colourblocked combinations, jumpsuits and pant sets that give off a retro glam vibe thanks to the whimsical prints they carry, and versatile pre-draped saris that are easy to wear and have a fun yet cocktail undertone to them.

Promoting slow fashion is especially important to the designer who ensures that all of the pieces for her young label are made with lasting superior quality linen and cotton satin, and can be mixed and matched and worn in different ways. "We want to create styles that are functional as well as enhance a person's style," she says of her mission to elevate everyday essentials.