TIW: In your opinion, what role does clothing play in the life of humans?
Khyati: I believe that knowingly, and sometimes even unknowingly, dressing up has always been one of the many human instincts. Clothing is, after all, like our second skin. It not only has proven to be a historic and symbolic representation of cultures and communities across the globe, but it is also purposeful. It is a language, no matter how uniquely adorned or simplified, spoken and understood by all.
TIW: In some ways, would you say that Itr has a paradoxical nature? It seems that every garment is handcrafted with intense purpose, yet the result is an overwhelming freedom. Would you agree?
Khyati: The brand was born with the basic thought to “craft comfort in chaos.” Hence, by default, the sensibilities are rooted towards designing garments that are unrestricted and unbiased to age, size, shape, or trends.
Each handcrafted garment fulfils its purpose of supporting and sustaining age-old Indian handlooms and hand techniques.
Yes, what might appear simple has made a long journey through many humble human hands and is made with patience, perseverance, care, and attention given to details.
TIW: Itr means “essence.” When it comes to design, what do you believe is “essential?”
The word itr (pronounced as it-ra) is one of the versions of the Persian word ittar, meaning “essence.” For me, clothing is like your own unique essence, a personal work of art. For me, the essentials of a good design is honesty behind the thought and purpose, being mindful with resources, and embracing the simplicity that doesn’t overshadow the skill and effort that has gone in crafting that one piece.
TIW: “Unlearning,” “The Seeker,” “Contentment” - the way you name your items is quite thoughtful, and also beautiful. How do you arrive at these names?
Khyati: Being a small brand built from scratch, one has a lot of emotions invested in everything they make, as well. Every collection I have done has taught me something new, either about the trade itself or life. To me, every garment emotes a certain feeling or is originated from a memory, hence the names.
TIW: In addition, your “collections” are not called as such. Instead, they are called “stories,” each with a meditative theme. Could you tell us about how these stories and their themes are conceived.
Khyati: Itr is not a trend or season-specific brand. Therefore, the idea is to craft “stories,” because stories are “timeless” and “transeasonal.” They bring a sense of comfort and ease just like our clothing.
My design process is very personal and organic, often a combined memory and nostalgia. Most of my childhood was spent seeing my grandmother wearing Jamdani sarees (till date she wears them), hand embroidering and hand sewing, from clothes to bed linens. Most of my thoughts and inspiration are driven from my travels and visits to craft clusters, observing how people dress up in their day-to-day lives.
TIW: Nothing about Itr seems rushed or forced. It is, indeed, “slow fashion.” Do you think slow fashion is a luxury? What would you say to those who feel they are not privileged enough to engage in a “slow” lifestyle?
Khyati: Time is the true luxury now. To slow down is the need of the hour in every aspect, not just fashion alone. It was a conscious choice to grow towards being a mindful brand.
While it is often perceived that “slow” or “sustainable” comes with a heavy price tag, it is, however, never disproportionate to the quality being delivered and the effort invested. It is important as a brand to cultivate the value of buying a “slow made” garment, and, at the same time, work towards making sustainable fashion more approachable.
I would say, more than being associated as a privilege, to engage in a “slow” lifestyle is more about making informed, everyday decisions and questioning if your buying choices are supporting a right cause. Even a small effort, as simple as re-wearing what you already own, matters.
TIW: In 2014, you set up Itr without any fuss and frills, operating out of a small rooftop room. At that time, all you had was your sincere desire to create handmade pieces, untainted by popular trends and society’s expectations. Did this sense of individualism and determination come naturally to you, or was it developed through any particular life experiences?
Khyati: Itr started to fulfil a gap I felt based on my personal need and experience. Even though I loved design and textiles, I never followed trends and often found it difficult to find good quality, comfortable garments, impeccably finished in indigenous textiles and, at the same time, slightly easy on my pocket.
Coming from a non-business background, starting from home required minimum investment. Initially, we only made 20 garments a month, gradually growing into making 200 garments a month. I have learnt to sustain and grow through limitations, whether it was capital resources or materials.
From picking the right fabric to designing the silhouette to selling, I still think like an end user and question, “Will I buy it?” If yes, “How will I use this piece of clothing in my wardrobe?”
It is perhaps my humble beginnings that keeps me grounded and guarded from the norms.
Courtesy of Khyati Pande
Handwoven textiles
Courtesy of Khyati PandeHandwrapped garments and embroidery details
TIW: Take us along the journey from your tiny beginnings until now. How did you go about teaming up with local artisans, increasing production, and, eventually, engaging with customers worldwide? Were there any particular challenges you faced during this process?
Khyati: After my graduation from the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Mumbai, I started Itr with a team of two - me and my masterji (“pattern maker/cutter”). Initially, I would scout for good rich textiles around areas in Delhi and design them into small capsules of only 20 individual garments. Every capsule taught me what is being appreciated in terms of design, as well as price. From 20 pieces we slowly evolved to 40 pieces.
Even though the designs were being noticed and accepted, I still wasn’t completely content. Hence, I took a pause and went to pursue textile design from the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. While I was still running the studio part time, along with my masters, it did slow the brand growth, but my time at NID made me more passionate towards textiles, which resulted into collaborating with weavers and making my own textiles, which gave Itr a brand new vocabulary.
Working with artisans comes with its own set of challenges, indeed, which is why I always visit the cluster to understand the resources and their skill sets better. We usually begin with a small pilot sampling, which helps in building a rapport with the artisans and understanding the timelines.
We always increased the production capacity based on the organically growing demand. It has been a slow but sustainable and stable growth. Till date, we only make as per the needs, which doesn’t lead to over producing or piles of dead stock.
Today, we are a small but ever-growing team of 15 people and working with 4 different craft clusters.
TIW: In recent months, you have been compiling “love notes,” or heartfelt DM’s sent from your supporters around the world. Explain your relationship with consumers. And how do you feel when someone whom you’ve never met is so moved by your garments that they personally reach out to you?
Khyati: In today’s time, it is important to go a few steps beyond being a product-serving brand to giving the end consumer an experience - from unboxing to wearing the garment. I have always kept an open line of communication, which has helped the brand grow and understand its existing and potential audience better.
Engaging with consumers is one of my many roles as an entrepreneur. Every time I read or hear heartfelt notes, it gives me a sense of pride, and relief, as well, that we are doing something right. Like I mentioned earlier, to me, each garment emotes a feeling or triggers a memory, and it truly feels surreal when a consumer associates with the garments in a similar manner.
TIW: As Itr continues to grow, do you worry that you will lose the close connection that you have with your wearers?
Khyati: Throughout the years, as an individual, Itr has taught me to be mindful, to have immense amounts of patience and empathy, and to be compassionate, not just to the people who help us build our basics, but also towards the people who have constantly made us a part of their wardrobes. The brand has purely grown through word of mouth and consumer experience, so I hope that we never lose the connection.
TIW: In terms of style, materials, and craftwork, your designs do carry particular ethnic flavors. Yet, I feel Itr’s garments can really be worn by anyone, from any place or walk of life. When you design, are you conscious of global adaptivity?
Khyati: I do draw my inspiration from old textiles and costumes not just restricted to India, but global history as well. The basics building blocks for every collection are--
1. Comfort - whatever be the setting - home or work - the wearer should be at ease.
2. Key materials and textiles - the silhouette or details should never superimpose the effort that has gone into weaving or printing that piece of textile.
3. Functionality and utility - the garment should have the ability to adapt or serve to various occasions, spaces, and time zones.
TIW: What are some traditional Indian methods of craft that you wish to retain in your production and share with the rest of the world?
Khyati: Every year I try to research and collaborate to bring a new craft skill on board. 85% of the textiles we use at Itr are woven on handlooms, hand block printed and hand embroidered. So far we have been working with extremely fine and lightweight Bengal Khadi muslins, airy Katan silks from Benaras, wiry handloom cottons from Karnataka, and block prints from Rajasthan.
There is still so much to be explored, and I do hope that, as we grow, we adopt and support more indigenous crafts.
Editor’s Note: At The Int’l Whisperer, we do our best to maintain the original integrity of our content. Interviews are edited for clarity only. While many of our subjects are interviewed outside of their native language or use their own local variant of a particular language, we recognize this as authenticity and refrain from “standardizing” their original expressions, syntax, or spelling.