Archana Abraham never dreamt of bringing out a collection of her own when she agreed to design a friend’s wedding trousseau. Archana, a trained tailor, loved embroidery, so she mostly wore clothes of her own making. Her friend, who was soon to be married, loved Archana’s work and convinced her to design the trousseau. When other friends saw her work, they also commissioned her to do their wedding trousseaus, and since then she hasn’t turned back. “The kind of response I have got within a year of launching Minkatou is overwhelming. Since the first time I designed for my friend, I have been swamped with work. I customise the outfits according to the requirements of my clients, and the occasion,” said Archana. The name of her label, ‘Minkatou’, is a portmanteau of her brother’s and her nicknames. She was never interested in naming the label something evocative just to sound interesting. “When I chose to go all out and come up with a label I wanted it to be personal and hence I chose to do this. For me, the complete process of designing and making clothes that people come to love is a very personal process. I wanted the label to reflect the same,” she explained.
Archana, who has so far been customising wedding trousseaus, was pushed to showcase a collection of her own when yet another friend urged her to use the curiosity of fashionistas in the city. “Now, Chennaiites experiment more when it comes to their outfits and also think about current trends and styles. I am glad my friend encouraged me — though the last two months has been crazy, it was a great experience and there is nothing like coming home to see your designs and dreams take form for real,” she said and added, “This is also why we are organising a festive season sale at Minkatou.”
Though it is the festive collection, unlike other elaborate designs in the market, Archana wants to offer something that is not heavily embellished and can be worn for multiple occasions. “The collection consists of pieces that can be mixed-and-matched with outfits depending on the occasion. From long tunic dresses to simple lehengas that can be paired with crop tops, I have kept it contemporary,” she concluded.
