Noida (short for the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority), is located in Uttar Pradesh at the fringes of Delhi. Compared with Mumbai, Delhi has a vibe and energy of its own. Everything appears to be more methodical, cleaner, less populated and more urban. Mumbai has an unmatched energy that wraps around you like a hurricane. You get sucked in to it and after a while, it can be exhausting. Delhi’s energy is different. It can be compared to London, whereby even though life is on a constant move and rush, the pace can be altered to suit your needs.

Noida is where the brand ‘Ilk’ resides. Design duo Shikha and Vinita formed Ilk in 2011. Ilk, meaning clan, is rooted to the culture and tradition of its belonging. The label’s forte in handmade textures adds a novel, youthful and detailed aesthetic to the garments.

The Ilk studio was a delight to visit. Known for their unique ability to mix textures and drapes, it was wonderful to explore their latest collection on the racks, fresh off the ramp. Filled with an array of western apparels – as well as saris and kalidars – in pastels, aquas, corals and some pops of colour, the racks provided us with an insight into the labour of work that goes in to each garment.

Their workshop is also located on the same floor as their office and studio. Here, we were lucky to see their new collection ‘Love me not’ in the making. Floral embellishments and appliqués, beads and quirky cuts formed the basis of this collection. Various garments were taking shape before us, with embroidery, stitching and cutting all happening at different stages of the process.

A studio and workshop visit always heightens my excitement of working with that label. It gives you an access into the design world, how garments are actually produced and the different stages each goes through before the finished product that we usually get to see in a shop. It also gives an insight to the incredible talent of the designer as well as the craftsmen executing their designs. It is with gratitude to the designer and the craftsman that we can drape and adorn ourselves with such pieces.