Five City-Based Fashion Designers To Elevate Your Style Quotient

Kiran Behr says she, “always had an eye for colors and accessories”, which sparked an interest in fashion designing. She started out with just casual tops at an exhibition – which sold out instantly, prompting her to open her store Krimson, in 2012. Featuring a diverse range of clothing, from tops to casual and formal, Indian and western wear; everything at the store is made in-house. Kiran is always innovating, imagining, and finding new ways to create something new – so her collection stays fresh and current.

At Krimson, you’ll find casual and formal tops, gowns, lehengas, anarkalis, Indo-Western, bridal wear, and festive clothing {suits and kurtas}. Clients love their distinct sense of style and creativity. Kiran says she firmly believes in keeping the client happy, and ensuring delivery of each outfit on time. Pricing starts from INR 1200 onwards, and {other than their store} they also take orders online and ship worldwide.

Arsheen Sabherwal studied art and design before starting her own business from home, with her workshop nearby. It was important to her to be a self-made businesswoman, and so she has built her brand from the ground-up. Recently, Arsheen opened her own store where she showcases her collection of designs under her eponymous label, and also custom-tailors outfits to her clients’ needs. Designing both western and Indian clothing, Arsheen can create tops, dresses, bridal wear, Indo-Western, and full-set Indian suits from scratch. She has even designed clothing for men. We love her modern take on traditional Indian outfit styles, and attention to detail with accessories. Priced between INR 4000 to INR 20,000 – depending on the outfit, tops start at INR 3500.

Puneeta Khalsa studied design in Delhi, before moving to Pune around two decades ago. Before starting her own studio – Kasma – in Kalyani Nagar {circa 2013}, she undertook designs on a consultation basis only. Now, she has a fully-fledged workshop in Pune, specialising in zardozi work, embroidery, bridal, Indian, western, and Indo-western outfits. Puneeta is extremely particular in her work, making sure the finishing on each design is meticulous, whether it’s the inner lining or back of the outfit.

She sources high-quality material from different parts of India {mainly Delhi}, or via her travels around the world. We like her sense of style and contemporary approach to design. Puneeta will be hosting an exhibition of her Diwali collection at her studio on the 6th – 7th of October, so you can pay a visit and check out her gorgeous work for yourself. Her custom-designs can be tailored to a budget of INR 6000 – 7000, and outfits start from around INR 10,000. Kasma is open on most days, showcasing Puneeta’s ready-to-wear collection, but we advise you to call and take an appointment if you would rather have something made.

After graduating from the London College of Fashion, Karishma Shahani started her eponymous label, [Ka][Sha] – in 2012. Inspired by India’s culture and heritage, she re-interprets it as functional, contemporary fashion. ‘Handcrafted sustainability’ is her label’s manifesto, and her designs feature hand-crafted and hand-dyeing processes, using natural textiles and bright colours. Ka-Sha has showcased at several prominent Fashion Week shows in India, as well as abroad in Kuala Lampur, and London {where her collections have won awards}. You can find her retail collection online at Pernia’s Pop-Up Shop here and Ogaan here. Karishma’s working studio in Pune is at Viman Nagar, and you can visit by appointment.