On a day when Kolkata simmered under a relentless heatwave, designer Payal Khandwala offered a refreshing contrast — her calm demeanor echoing the understated elegance of her design philosophy. Known for her minimal yet bold aesthetic, Payal embodies a blend of clarity, function, and a deep-rooted artistic sensibility. In a recent conversation, she reflected on her 13-year journey in fashion, one that began not with a business plan but from a place of creative necessity and personal frustration.
Before her foray into fashion, Payal was deeply immersed in the world of painting, having studied it and practiced it for a decade. Although she had previously studied fashion, it wasn’t initially a career path she intended to pursue. The turning point came after returning from New York and realizing a significant gap in the Indian fashion market—an absence of clothes that spoke to young women living real, everyday lives. The coordinated dressing systems traditional to Indian attire, like the salwar kameez or sari, didn’t leave much room for the kind of functional, mix-and-match separates she was seeking. Rather than conform to established trends, Payal created garments that could be worn differently each time, allowing the wearer to bring their own identity to the clothes.
This desire to address a personal void sparked the launch of her eponymous label. There was no grand blueprint; instead, it was an intuitive leap driven by the belief that if the market lacked what she wanted, she would simply make it herself. What emerged was a quiet but impactful shift in how Indian fashion could look and feel—simpler, modern, and infused with versatility. Her approach quickly found resonance, especially at a time when few were offering that kind of “India modern” design language. Over the years, her brand has grown organically, steered by principles of integrity and a deliberate pace. She has rejected trends like mass production or seasonal sales, opting instead for small, thoughtful collections that reflect her ethos of care and timelessness.
Her wedding outfit exemplifies her approach: a vintage brocade lehnga she reworked with pockets, paired with textiles she already owned. It was not only comfortable and practical but also deeply personal. This do-it-yourself, problem-solving spirit has driven much of her work across categories—from clothing to accessories and even home décor. Every new addition to the brand, be it brass jewellery or a beautiful bottle opener, has emerged from her personal quest for functional beauty. When existing solutions didn’t align with her aesthetic or practicality, she created her own.
Amidst the cacophony of fast fashion and fleeting trends, Payal’s work offers a moment of calm. She values thoughtfulness over spectacle, quiet consistency over noisy marketing strategies. Her designs do not chase relevance; they are designed to linger in wardrobes and lives. Fashion, for her, is not about being fashionable but about feeling good, being comfortable, and expressing individuality without noise. Her disinterest in traditional fashion cycles comes from her own experience in the industry, where she found the constant demand for novelty exhausting and unnecessary.
Being a woman designing for other women gives her a unique edge. She understands the inner dialogues that women have with themselves—about appearance, comfort, and self-worth. Her clothing does not demand conformity to idealized beauty standards; instead, it offers freedom, comfort, and dignity. She believes in providing alternatives, especially for women who do not fit the mold of mainstream fashion and are looking for something different.
Her background in art informs much of her design process. For Payal, clothes are a three-dimensional canvas, and though she acknowledges that fashion is product-first, the transition from 2D painting to 3D garment-making carries many parallels. Her training in color theory and proportions has naturally translated into her fashion work. The palettes in her collections often draw immediate appreciation, a testament to her instinctive and trained comfort with color. She understands how shades evoke emotional responses, and how structure and silhouette can subtly alter how one feels and appears.
This attention to detail extends to fit and proportion. She views clothes as tools that can shape how the body is perceived—taller, leaner, broader, softer—through intentional design choices. Her artistic sensibility is not just abstract creativity but a rigorous application of form, balance, and function. She manipulates design elements not just for visual impact but to enable freedom—freedom to move, to breathe, and yes, even to enjoy an extra slice of toast.
A self-proclaimed perfectionist, Payal admits that her need for neatness can sometimes be a creative hurdle. But over time, she has embraced imperfection, especially in the context of handloom textiles. A yarn that doesn’t fully absorb dye or a small slub in fabric is not a flaw but a mark of human touch, a story woven into the garment. This acceptance of imperfection has allowed her to appreciate beauty in flaws and has given her collections an authenticity that resonates deeply.
Her clothes are designed to be reinterpreted, reworn, and rediscovered. As she herself grows older, she continues to seek versatility in her wardrobe. Pieces that can be worn in multiple ways, like a jacket that pairs differently each time, reflect her restless creativity and desire for evolution. She understands that true style lies in reinterpretation, not repetition.
Textile remains the cornerstone of her work. Beginning with silks and linens, her brand has evolved to include custom-woven silks from Bengal. These choices are not arbitrary but deeply rooted in her love for textiles and respect for traditional craftsmanship. She collaborates with weavers and artisans, not to replicate the past but to integrate it into a modern framework. The result is a collection of garments that are not only stylish but carry within them stories of heritage and hands that made them.
Throughout her journey, Payal Khandwala has remained consistent in one thing—her commitment to offering a different kind of fashion. One that is less about spectacle and more about substance. She feels a responsibility not just to clothe women, but to reshape perceptions about Indian women and Indian fashion on the global stage. By staying true to her values, she has quietly built a legacy rooted in creativity, care, and courage.
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