Divyam Mehta wants to take his brand global
The designer on the new Delhi store, desire to extend the brand vocabulary to the smallest textile objects, and finding a foothold in a broader lifestyle segment
Designer Divyam Mehta’s new store in south Delhi marks a milestone, though not by design.
Situated in a leafy lane of Defence Colony, a neighbourhood that is home to several fashion and design labels, Mehta’s flagship store coincides with his eponymous label’s 15th year. “We wanted to have a more experiential space, uncluttered and simple, but putting across the idea of craft in a contemporary way," says the designer, who inaugurated the store in August. “We have designed furniture and lamps for the store. It also showcases textile art, jewellery, candles—details that help us create a mood for the brand."
Mehta, 41, launched his label with a menswear line that expanded to include womenswear in subsequent seasons. His quiet presence, over the years, belies the rigour and dexterity he brings to clothing—a conflation of Indian crafts techniques with contemporary silhouettes and construction. Over a decade later, he is expanding his design vocabulary to new categories that find display space at the new store. Take, for instance, the Kawai Centre Table and Mesus Lamp, crafted from wood and brass, extending the label’s minimalist ethos to furniture. The label’s silver jewellery, displayed during the store opening on the Kawai table, and textile art that shared space on the walls with framed vintage textiles, are other extensions of the brand’s aesthetics. “It’s a step towards extending our brand for the global market," says Mehta.
A consistency for colour and craft marks Mehta’s oeuvre. Kantha and aari embroidery, beadwork, block printing, Shibori and bandhani are signature techniques innovatively incorporated on textiles. Shades of black, blue and white recur through seasons, occasionally punctuated by brighter hues. Inspirations come from pastoral motifs, folklore and cultural iconography ranging from the Tree of Life to Kolam patterns. “We always look at texture and craftsmanship as part of the material, not something that is done over it," says Mehta.
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In hand-dyed patterns or embroidery, Mehta often uses fine patterns–dots and stripes, or small geometric motifs, verging on pointillism–to create larger abstract and intricate shapes. Jackets, saris and ensembles make for larger canvases or such craft explorations, but Mehta is keen to extend his vocabulary to the smallest textile objects. It is also a way to cater to contemporary consumption patterns. Take, for instance, the embroidered pocket squares, which the label started making a few years ago. “Even if a man doesn’t wear a shawl, he might like to wear such a pocket square," says the designer. “Simple ideas like this can make a craft more relevant."
In speaking about clothing and design, Mehta often refers to men. The label has been, since its inception, rooted in menswear, conflating elements from Indian craft traditions and with the construction and silhouettes of tailored menswear. The distinctive aesthetics find fans in different places—be it actors like Suniel Shetty or Vijay Devarakonda, entrepreneur Anand Ahuja, an art curator in Los Angeles, or bridegrooms in Kerala. In the label’s early days however, menswear had limited buyers, a reason for Mehta’s expansion into women’s clothing. “I started small, designing for a few clients and women around me. There was a strong viewpoint in the construction and material; the colours were unique, perhaps typically not seen in womenswear. These became USPs."
Today, womenswear comprises equal footing for the label, offering tailored separates as well sarees, shararas and kurta sets. He has also grown his menswear offerings, considering the menswear market is booming (the Indianwear market segment pegged at over ₹2.2 lakh crore in the financial year 2023). "We have extended the line into more wearable silhouettes, apart from just occasionwear–kantha jackets or shibori shirts you can wear to a dinner or as resortwear," he says. “I don’t want my clothes to be limited to an occasion."
The growth plan
Mehta’s new product extensions are aimed at finding a foothold in a broader lifestyle segment, and catering to the global clientele that can access the designs through Mehta’s e-commerce website. The label’s jewellery collection comprises 12 pieces for men and women, nature-inspired abstract design crafted from silver. Mehta also hopes to explore unconventional gemstones and gold in the future.
The opening of the new store has also offered a space for the brand to offer textile art as a product category. “We’ve been doing it for a few customers who request for commissioned pieces," says Mehta, who also works on interior projects, has in the past created commissioned pieces for clients on requests. The textile artworks feature Shibori dyeing in intricate patterns. Whether in wearable forms or as décor, Mehta is always keen to present textiles and crafts as artistic. “Since we work with textile clusters, it was a natural step. These techniques are intricate, and take up so much of time and energy; it is important that these are seen as art."
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