After graduating from one of India’s premier fashion institutes, Anavila Misra took an unexpected detour into the corporate world. A few years later, while on a five-year sabbatical abroad with her husband and raising a child, she felt the pull of creativity once again.
“I had previously worked on a pan-India craft cluster project, where I collaborated closely with artisans and craftspeople. That experience sparked my desire to create something that reflected the soul of India. When we returned, and my husband moved to Bombay, I knew I couldn’t go back to corporate life. That’s when I started putting my thoughts together to build a brand,” Misra shared at the India Design Exhibit, held at NSIC Exhibition Grounds in Okhla, New Delhi.
Having worked extensively with handloom and cotton sarees while experimenting with Banaras and Maheshwar clusters, Misra wanted to craft something contemporary that people could wear daily. Anavila, Misra’s eponymous label, was then born.
“Thirteen years ago, a major question in the industry was whether sarees were only meant for occasions and festivals. Indian working women weren’t wearing sarees regularly. Having worked in corporate menswear before, I thought, ‘let me experiment with linen’.”
As a homegrown brand, the decision to use linen as a primary fabric stemmed from its versatility and suitability for India’s tropical climate. Despite not being historically native to the country, linen adapts to Indian weather like a parched to water. It stays cool in summer and warm in winter. Tightly woven linen is thick and prone to creasing, but Misra’s experiments in West Bengal led to a looser weave that allowed the fabric to drape effortlessly without creasing or feeling too heavy.
Staying relevant in a maximalist era
With Indian maximalism making a strong comeback in 2024, how does a brand known for its understated aesthetics maintain its relevance? Misra’s answer was rooted in confidence and unwavering belief.
“India has always been a maximalist country—whether through craftsmanship, layering, or techniques inspired and influenced by regions across the country and beyond. We are a minimalist brand, and our goal has always been to create something understated,” Misra said.
Referencing her recent collections, Amod and Payanam, which incorporate appliqué and metal-on-metal detailing, she said that playing around with techniques and an interesting use of textiles shape their approach to maximalism in a minimalist way.
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Bollywood celebrities love Anavila’s minimalist designs, and youth icons like Ananya Panday and Janhvi Kapoor have recently embraced her handwoven textiles, styling them with a contemporary edge. Misra believes Gen Z’s bold fashion choices and keen understanding of brand identity make them the voice of tomorrow.
“The younger generation is on par with their international counterparts. They all speak the same language, whether they are sitting here in London, New York or anywhere else in the world. Their commitment to sustainability and mindfulness of resources stems from growing up in an era marked by pollution and climate crises—issues my generation never had to face due to underconsumption,” she said.
Misra also said, “I find so many young kids when they accompany their mothers who are coming to our brand and stores that we’re talking that language – “Oh, this is organic, they’re cotton. Is this circular? How can I use it again?” They’re borrowing clothes from each other. They’re listening to what we are saying,” Misra believes.
Anavila Misra’s latest home decor collection at the Indian Design Exhibit in New Delhi (Express Photo by Ishika Roy)
A mindful approach to home décor
At the Exhibit, Anavila’s pop-up space evoked a quiet corner of Jharkhand’s Birhor district, with earthy furniture and rustic tablescapes creating an inviting atmosphere. Though she had been exploring home décor for some time, she felt it was finally the right moment to present it formally. Anavila’s love for “spaces and textiles in any form” was clearly evident.
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This collection draws inspiration from the Birhor community, known for their simple, mindful way of life. “They don’t hoard; they don’t create just for the sake of it. They consume only what they need. That’s the shift we wanted—to move towards a future of intentional living,” Misra said.
Each piece in the collection is designed with longevity in mind, made from natural materials and crafted to be used repeatedly.
“If our clothes can be mindful, circular, and sustainable, why not our homes? We spend eight hours in bed—what are we sleeping on? What are we consuming? What’s on our table? These are the questions we wanted to address through this collection,” Misra said.