Budding entrepreneurs Matrika Bhandari (26) and Sonu Jain (30), met by chance in Kolkata during the pandemic in 2021 and developed a deep-rooted friendship. In 2022, they joined hands to create Inkriti — an Indian fashion and lifestyle brand working towards bringing the country’s artisan crafts under one roof. Matrika, whose domain is textile designing, and Sonu, who is a chartered accountant by profession, came together because of “their passion towards craft,” according to Sonu. From starting the brand to hosting their debut collection, the label is gradually finding its foothold.
An ode to the country’s crafts
Matrika Bhandari working on naturally dyeing natural indigo dyeing
The name Inkriti is inspired by ‘Indian kriti’, meaning Indian crafts. The label is an homage to India’s legacy of craftsmanship. The duo launched the brand on July 28, 2022. “If you ask us in one word what Inkriti is, it is all about craft,” said Sonu describing their label. “Indian creation for us is craft, and that’s why we named the brand Inkriti,” added Matrika.
The co-founders put their heads together innovating and doing extensive market research for six months before launching the brand. Inkriti focusses on handcrafted products, bridging the gap between the artisans and a customer base interested in authentic handcrafted products. “Crafts are generally available in traditional formats. We want to keep the essence intact but also innovate to attract today’s youth” said Sonu. “We wanted to make products that are relevant to our current lifestyle,” added Matrika.
The beauty of handloom
A weave in the making on a handloom Courtesy Inkriti
Matrika and Sonu were attracted to handicrafts for different reasons. Matrika’s interest stems from her education in textile designing, and the community-helmed set-up behind any handicraft is what intrigues her. Sonu, on the other hand, developed an interest in this sector from growing up around a mother who knew embroidery.
The thought that drives Inkriti is creating awareness and making handicrafts accessible. Their focus is to make products that can be incorporated in everyday life. Matrika and Sonu collaborate with artisans to create niche and curated fabrics. They co-design the fabrics with artisans in Kutch, and have started collaborating with artisans from West Bengal too. Matrika has been working with the artisans of Kutch since the last two years, an association that began during the time she was working on her master’s degree as a student of Royal College of Art in London. She has a done her graduation from National Institute of Fashion Designing (NIFT), Delhi.
The sustainability factor and Kolkata’s fashion
The young entrepreneurs have their personal choices when it comes to handlooms. Sonu prefers cotton and organic kala cotton. A believer of sustainability, the chartered accountant-turned-fashion-label-owner is trying to incorporate sustainable ways in her own lifestyle. “Hand woven fabric has a different feel and is very comfortable to wear” said Sonu, making a case for the relevance of cotton. For Matrika, her favourite fabrics are ones that are “long lasting and good for my skin.” She tends to favour cotton, silk, linen and such kinds of fabrics. “In terms of crafts, I like bandhani or bandhej the most,” she added.
Customers at ‘Shuruaat’ Amit Pramanick
“People in Kolkata have a very relaxed, vibrant style,” said Matrika, who finds the fashion industry of Kolkata to be very dynamic, where one can find a mix of everything.
Kolkata’s fashion sense aside, the entrepreneur duo also grew up in the city. They wanted to begin the brand’s journey ahead where they started and decided to launch their debut collection at a special exhibition. Shuruat: A New Beginning for Crafts was held at The Bhawanipur House on July 28-29, also marking one year of the brand.
Apparels by Inkriti at ‘Shuruat’ Amit Pramanick
The debut collection, which is now available on the website, features apparel, fabrics and wall hangings. There is organic kala cotton, and handloom products with a focus on ajrakh motifs and tie-and-dye. They named the collection Shuruaat because for them, it is the new beginning for the crafts.
Matrika Bhandari in conversion with a customer at ‘Shuruaat’ Amit Pramanick
Inkriti focusses on amalgamating heritage with contemporary needs and a step in that direction is that most of their clothing is gender-fluid. The aesthetic is centred around flowy, comfortable designs that can fit into multiple settings from workwear to vacation looks. The inspiration for the line, they say, comes from the sky. Their work with weavers and artisans means they travel a lot and it is the surroundings and environments of the artisans that inspire the motifs of their designs. During the constant move, “it is under the sky where they found solace” reflected Matrika.
(L to R) Neel Ajrakh and Neel Bandhani wall hangings by Inkriti Courtesy Inkriti
The label also has a collection of abstract and motif-based cloth wall hangings in indigo, tie-dye, bandhani and ajrakh hand block prints. The brand uses natural dyes and focuses on cotton and gajji silk for the wall hangings.
What’s next
Ajrakh blocks and Ajrakh printing in process Courtesy Inkriti
Currently, Inkriti only has a virtual presence with a website and social media pages, but a brick-and-mortar store is definitely a thought the entrepreneurs have in mind.
The brand is presently working on two different types of weaving techniques with weavers from western India. Matrika and Sonu are researching the textiles of West Bengal, north east and south India. They have worked with the weavers of Murshidabad for a small batch of cotton and are researching on kantha and jamdani.
Explore the brand here.
