A burst of colours like turquoise, hibiscus, sand and sea foam and happy holiday vibes mark Pankaj & Nidhi’s Toscano, a Tuscany-inspired range comprising easy silhouettes like blazer dresses and flowy numbers. We chatted with husband-wife designer duo Pankaj and Nidhi Ahuja on drawing inspiration from the Italian tourist attraction and their 20-year journey.
The collection looks mint-fresh! What about Tuscany drew you?
Pankaj and Nidhi Ahuja: We are often inspired by the cultures and landscapes of different places we have travelled to. The Tuscany region has a breathtaking, undulating landscape, and the colours of its foliage and topography are scintillating.
It’s got romance and holiday written all over it…
Pankaj and Nidhi: This collection evokes wanderlust and a vacation state of mind. It fulfils a need for a travel/holiday-ready wardrobe, something many brands are consciously doing, especially as the world has opened up and holidays can happen in the spur of the moment and don’t necessarily conform to strict calendars any more. As they say, it’s always summer somewhere.
Florals have always fascinated you. We love how you have mixed it with geometry. Tell us about the process of designing this range.
Pankaj and Nidhi: The collection is a montage of vivid visuals, as seen through a kaleidoscope where the glass bits and baubles are replaced with sunlit flora and fauna patterns inspired by the local terrain. The embellishments add texture and depth and are handsewn with felt buttons, fabric biscuits, and looped thread-work beading, enhancing its artisanal quality.
The brand has always been associated with happy hues. Personally, what are your favourite colours?
Pankaj: I like to stay invisible as much as possible so for me it’s shades of navy, grey and beige
Nidhi: I love wearing striking pastels in unusual combinations.
Pankaj & Nidhi will turn 20 in the next three years. That is a separate story altogether, but just looking back, what has this journey been like?
Pankaj and Nidhi: It has been rewarding, satisfying, and emotional. I guess all things appear rosier in retrospect. Of course, there have been challenges along the way, but like a walk in the woods, it has been fascinatingly new at each turn.
Pankaj and Nidhi Ahuja
Since we are talking about holidays and Italy, what are your Italian loves?
Pankaj and Nidhi: Italy is known for so many things — we love its history and culture. I was reading the breathtaking biography of Leonardo Da Vinci (by Walter Isaacson) earlier this year and I was moved, overwhelmed to tears, in understanding where the country gets its highly advanced sense of aesthetics from. How could they be so advanced hundreds of years ago — in the arts, in engineering, in architecture... it’s awe-inspiring.
What are great things to pack for a holiday?
Pankaj and Nidhi: Comfortable but smart casual clothes mostly, resonate with the destination’s weather and culture, and it’s always nice to make a little effort to look well-groomed. A pet peeve is seeing garish tees and shorts, especially at breakfast buffets!
Where did you travel to last?
Pankaj and Nidhi: Our recent travel took us to the magnificent snow-capped mountains of Switzerland. It wasn’t our first time there but we travelled with friends, attended a Coldplay concert with 50,000 other fans and explored old parts of each town we travelled to for a different experience.
Finally, after so many years of designing and creativity, what are the places your mind has taken you to that would be impossible to traverse physically?
Pankaj and Nidhi: Wow! Such a cool question. Between work and family, reading is the habit we are getting back to, reading is time-travelling, mind-expanding and probably the single greatest thing bringing joy to us right now.