Abraham & Thakore: The masters of minimalism

livemint.com:

ikat cotton scarf from their first collection in 1992, a black handloom sari that opened their debut runway show in 2010, or a robe from 2017 printed with the Devanagari script, each item tells a story of a rare breed of fashion designers who create garments that never grow old. Since launching their brand in 1992, David Abraham, Rakesh Thakore and Kevin Nigli have kept their design language simple: modern, clutter-free and far away from the highly ornate embroideries that have become synonymous with Indian fashion.

They have based their design vocabulary in the textile heritage of India, while reimagining it in a contemporary way (they have reinvented ikat, jamdani and fine cottons by engineering the weaves). The trio has played an instrumental role in introducing the Indian customer to couture-ready textiles that are easy to wear, and relatively accessible (a sari starts from ₹17,000, and a blouse, ₹4,000).

“A&T has always had a steady conversation on craft; they never screamed," says Nonita Kalra, former editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar. “They brought effortlessness to clothes, that’s something that you can’t use with a lot of designers.

And they have been consistent, collection after collection. They are not changing with trends." A&T has also taken the modern Indian fashion story to the world—their houndstooth double ikat silk sari from the 2011 collection was part of a Victoria & Albert Museum show, The Fabric Of India, from 2015-16 in London.

I am meeting the three creative heads at their atelier two weeks after the announcement that they are the new creative directors of Satya Paul, a label well known for its bright prints, replacing designer Rajesh Pratap Singh. The three are also busy preparing for the