Smara Vana and a version of ourselves, we long to return to
Smara, meaning "remembrance, often of love or past moments" in Sanskrit, and Vana, meaning "forest", together inspire a feeling, or a version of ourselves, we long to return to.
Inception
For Scene XI, we set out to explore the ituvana girl and her intentional everyday routine; an unhurried way of living shaped by gratitude, curiosity, and presence. This collection wasn’t about creating something new, but about remembering what already was.
We thought about how our grandmothers dressed when they weren’t trying to be seen, and how clothing used to feel like second skin: effortless, repeatable, and made to last.
Madras check made its debut here; a fabric worn for generations across South India. It carries with it the texture of nostalgia, practicality, and understated beauty.
Orchestration
The day began early in the morning at Nizamuddin Dargah. We were welcomed like old friends, and reminded that prayer, at its heart, is simply gratitude. Wrapped in traditional silhouettes and grounded in whites, the morning felt like an offering to the day ahead.
From stillness, we moved into nature. The iconic Lodhi Garden, with its ancient stone and open greens, invited us to continue our exploration and connect with the outside world.
By the afternoon, we followed our curiosity to Lalit Kala Akademi. We met artists, spoke to them about their work, and reflected on how these sculptures carried the spirit of their makers; shaped by memory, adversity, and experience. A reminder that with adversity comes creation and growth.
As the light faded, we went to Old Delhi’s Urdu Bazaar. At Maktaba Jamia bookstore, the owner shared his story and showed us shelves filled with old Urdu books. All he wishes is for more people to pick up books again. Most of the other bookstores; some over a century old, have been shut down because of the growing influence of technology.
Composition
Shot in a documentary style, the city became our studio.
Light cottons and soft silks shaped the day.
Sarong dresses in Madras checks, drawn from how locals wear wraps in southern India, made for the streets.
Silk kurtas were worn for stillness, and linens carried us into sunlit gardens.
Every piece was easy to wear, yet made with the detail and craft we value. The silhouettes blended naturally into the city; modern, rooted, and ready to be lived in.
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