Cool and contemporary-chic with the eternal charm of the handcrafted. That’s MoonRay, a environment-conscious label founded by Karishma Swali (one half of JADE by Monica & Karishma and House of Chanakya, an embroidery house for luxury brands like Dior, Ferragamo) and her daughter Avantika Swali, an artist and a student. Fuss-free elegance marks the design aesthetics. The Telegraph caught up with the mother-daughter duo on the new venture.

Congratulations for MoonRay! Tell us about the label...

Thank you very much! Rooted in craft and conscious fashion, MoonRay is a modern luxury brand curated for an ever-evolving community. MoonRay seeks to spread joy and foster change through an eclectic, free-spirited, conscious fashion line that speaks the language of art, innovation, and compassion. The collection includes a pret-a-porter line of garments, handcrafted vegan leather shoes and bags and limited-edition 22-carat gold-plated jewellery. The offering is complete with an exclusive capsule of luxury handcrafted separates that are custom-made to order.

For us, MoonRay represents a feminine energy that is pure and powerful, one that is creative, compassionate, and connected. MoonRay is for the present and the future, for everyone to be their own ray of hope.

How was it born?

It all began when Avantika’s doodles turned to purposeful illustrations of her expression of universal love and compassion. Her art illustrations are led by hope, positivity, and a certainty that collectively our choices can make a difference. This belief has fuelled our vision to be catalysts in creating a community with a collective conscience.

MoonRay is an expression that combines our love for design excellence and craft with our passion for inclusion. Letting love be our guiding light to innovate responsibly, we enjoy pushing boundaries to create purposeful crafted fashion for an ever-evolving community.

The collections are bold and delicate at the same time. What did you have in mind?

Rooted in freedom and craft, our design aesthetic is modern and works with today’s multidimensional lifestyle. Our separates adopt a dynamic approach to art and craft and can be styled effortlessly to hone each one’s individual style while still carrying our signature subtle edgy elegance. Through our collections, we seek to integrate craftsmanship into the everyday in a more modern handwriting. We enjoy playing with form, line and dimension and creating timeless silhouettes. As we evolve, we would like to create silhouettes that are gender-free as well.

Our debut collection is called Luna Love and is inspired by our beloved moon and its phases. The phases of the moon symbolise eternity and enlightenment and the fact that we all remain whole through all our phases. Each piece is crafted by master artisans.

At MoonRay, only the finest materials are sourced, always mindful of their impact on our planet— organic cotton and GOTS-certified jersey, Forest Stewardship-certified viscose, indigo-dyed denim, crochet crafted from recycled threads, a reclaim series crafted from industry waste fabrics and accessories created with leather made from cacti and plant bases are some of the key elements that have gone into making the first collection. We are a vegan company and ensure no animals are harmed for our products. None of our products contain leather, feathers, or fur, and none of the glues used in our shoes or bags come from animals.

Karishma, what have you got on board with your extensive experience?

I have had the good fortune of exploring and experimenting with different genres of craft for over 20 years and I find joy in my daily learning. At Chanakya, we create the ideal environment to fuel innovation. Inspired by the past, present and the future, it is our endeavour to preserve bygone techniques and hone them to emerge in our innovation. Our MoonRay designs take shape with the collective energies of our research teams at our parent company Chanakya, who are creating the trends we see on runways. Chanakya is a luxury textile house with close to 40 years of global fashion expertise working with the most celebrated brands in international fashion. This has helped us sharpen our vision to create responsibly to harbour excellence in craft and design.

Avantika, what has your approach been like?

As a young artist and a student, I am passionate about creating a better tomorrow, one that is filled with purpose, where we are respectful of our planet and all our people.

Karishma, what have you unlearned while working with Avantika?

I think the topmost thing I’ve unlearned with Avantika is waiting! Sometimes, it is so important to follow your instincts and just take the plunge. I also love how Avantika and her generation are so aware of their environment and seeking to make informed decisions. Through Avantika, I see that today more than ever, the fashion industry is ready for an evolution — one that is mindful, kind, transparent and digital.

Avantika, what have you learned while working with your mom?

More than anything, I have learned the importance of standing for excellence, whether in a creative pursuit or organising a fun breakfast with the team. I have also learned so much about the different genres of craft that our country has, and I am awestruck with both the incredible craft skills, creative breadth, and infinite possibilities a creative mind can have here.

Avantika, what is your personal style like?

I like to experiment. For me, styling separates in multiple ways to support multiple personalities within an individual. I love to dress up and dress down and I love modern clothes, but I also love nostalgia!

Karishma, how refreshing was it to work with someone from a different background other than fashion?

Creativity when cross-pollinated is always so interesting. Creating collectively harbours new perspective. We have experienced innovation at its best when a creation emerges from these energies.

What are your plans with the label?

Conscious fashion means treading slowly and carefully. We would like to make collections that are futuristic but guided by the wisdom that the past holds. Deeply committed to inclusion, 50 per cent of all MoonRay profits will always be invested in children’s education and animal welfare through registered not-for-profit organisations.