What do you get when you cross paths with somebody who shares a common love for design? A label that speaks for itself, perhaps. Or so believes Mayank Modi and Natasha Tyagi – two city-based designers, who aim to change the notion about handloom, naturally processed fibres and enhance its wearablity factor, through their new budget friendly line Ekzora. In a candid chat, they tell us more...
“A lot of the credit for pursuing design goes to my father. He is a great painter, though he didn’t pursue it as he joined the Airforce as a doctor. The defence atmosphere makes you open to meeting new people and interacting with different cities and cultures of India. My parents identified my creative instinct very early in my life and always encouraged me to pursue my dream in design,” shares Natasha, an alumnus of NIFT, Bengaluru. While pursuing a line in design was always on the cards for her, she didn’t really make a start until she met Mayank. “I finished my specialisation in textile designing. It is there that I fell head over my heels with textiles and the art around it. But again, while I knew it all along that I would be a designer, it wasn’t until I met Mayank that I decided to start out with something,” she adds. But for Mayank, on the other hand, it was about sharing his passion for natural fabrics. “We believe in working only with 100 per cent naturally processed fibres and sustainable methods of dyeing.
Everything is priced between Rs 3000-5000. I strongly support an all made in India product and are working towards building more production capacity for Indian weavers and artisans by means of design intervention and promotion of handloom the same to represent an understated and educated look,” he adds.
While the duo believes they are lucky enough to be doing what they love most, for a living, Mayank enthuses about their other interests,” We love unwinding together over a fun session of golf. We also dig trekking and adventure sports. I love meditating in my free time.”
Started early in July this year, the line is fast catching up among youngsters. “The response has been overwhelming and quite honestly above our expectations. It is wonderful to see so many women in the city appreciate the essence of each design. More than anything else, we appreciate how people are open to giving natural fabrics a chance, and make it a part of their daily wear and not just an occasion centric thing,” opines Natasha.
Speaking about what’s next, they sign off by stating, “We are working on our line of bags, shoes, art and jewellery. The idea is to break myths around natural textiles and their feasiblity.”
