It’s the season of cottons, comfortable fits, and sunshine colours. What does the perfect summer mean to you? We profile five designers who believe in comfort, soft fabric, and share their take on the season.

HARAGO

Founder: Harsh Agarwal

What does summer mean to you?

Cheerful memories of sweet & loungey holidays spent at my grandmother’s house when the whole mood is so carefree & relaxed. Long days of sunshine, early morning walks with my grandmother, ice creams with cousins, farm picnics with the whole family, and my favourite part — joining nani in the mango pickling process. 

What are the best fabrics for the season?

Muslin, jamdani, linen, high thread count khadi will be best for summer, and all handwoven. 

What are textiles for the season that we’ve been ignoring?

Sheer silks & sheer linens. Basically, any sheer textile made into an overshirt or a jacket or a long coat is so chic for summer.

What’s one summer fashion trend that needs to die?

No-show socks. We must, in fact, create a statement with beautiful, extravagant socks worn with shorts.

RAFFUGHAR

Founder: Wajahat Rather

What does summer mean to you?

I carry the love and nostalgia of the summer of Kashmir with me. everywhere I go. There is nothing more relaxing than sitting with a good book on my balcony and watching the green courtyard. I love watering and mowing the yard. It allows me to reflect on the gorgeous mountains, breathe the fresh air, and just chill from the inevitable stress of life.

What are the best fabrics for the season?

The fabrics for summer 2021 can roughly be divided into two main themes: lightness, and raw surfaces. Lightness connects to the call for transparency and the fluid world in which we live. Handwoven fabrics like muslin cotton, linen, and silk blends will provide comfort since we are mostly restricted to indoors. In terms of colours, dynamic, dehydrated mineral tones, floral, and vegetal tones. 

What is your go-to summer outfit?

Kurtas of muslin and silk blends with some tone-on-tone surfaces provide an elegant look. Raffughar’s Tulip hem and Toor Handwoven cotton and linen androgynous trousers have relaxed fit, mid-waist, and standard leg opening, and are versatile.

What’s one summer fashion trend that needs to die?

I believe in timeless, trendless, and seasonless fashion. So I believe fast fashion and fads need to go.

SON OF A NOBLE (SNOB)

Founder: Mani Shanker Singh

What does summer mean to you?

Being in Bengaluru, we are extremely spoiled with the weather. Summer, for me, is about escaping the heat, keeping cool, comfortable, playing golf, and enjoying craft beer. 

What are the best fabrics for the season?

Pure Linen is our favourite. There is nothing that beats good linen. It’s lightweight, easy and breathable. A lot of people are extremely worried about linen crushing, but linen inherently wrinkles, and that is where it’s beauty lies. 

What is your go-to summer outfit?

We launched a new category called Essential. These are shirts that you can wear, anywhere and at any time. I combine these linen shirts with matching TOCO Linen pants, and I am good to go. The only style tip here is the choice of shoes that make this outfit extremely versatile. I usually combine them with my Birkenstocks.

What’s one summer fashion trend that needs to die?

All fashion trends are seasonal, they anyway die. But if you really ask me that one fashion trend that needs to die, is fast fashion brands attempting capsule collections, and propagating sustainability. It’s so lame and shameful.

DHATU

Founder: Anmol Sharma

What does summer mean to you?

Summers bring back many nostalgic memories from my childhood. Going out in the scorching afternoon to score a few green mangoes from the trees to the late-night rounds of hide and seek, summer vacations, and early morning team practice sessions. Summer is the season of adventure.

What are the worst fabrics for the season? 

All-natural fibre clothing is good for summer as these have much higher breathability and are good for your health and wellbeing. The worst ones would be polyester and nylon, as they are made from chemically manipulated petrochemicals, being some of the most toxic fabrications on earth. Then there’s acrylic, a notorious petrochemical-based fabric that sheds microfibres into the water bodies every time it’s washed. Lycra mixed fabrics are a big no for summers.

What is your go-to summer outfit?

I prefer loungewear, so something like crisp cut linen pyjamas and a relaxed short kurta to breathe through the dry and unforgiving north Indian summers.

What are the textiles for the season that we have been ignoring? 

Hemp, truly a champion. The fabric has many beneficial properties, it’s anti-bacterial, hypoallergenic, mould repellent, has high tensile strength and breathability. Another fabric would be Ahimsa Silk, a cruelty-free version of the commercial silk, great for occasion wear looks.  

What’s one summer fashion trend that needs to die? 

Designer masks.

OP HANEEN

Founder: Haneen Muhammad OP

What does summer mean to you?

Summer for me is always about picking mangoes with my grandfather around his house in Kerala, and making fresh mango juice. 

What are the best fabrics of the season?

Highly absorbent fabrics like linen, which is also extremely breezy. “Humble” fabrics, like khadi, which is a skin-friendly fabric that breathes, and uses no chemical in its production. These would definitely be the best fabrics of the season.

What is your go-to summer outfit?

I like to keep it simple. You will mostly find me in an oversized crewneck T-shirt and denims, paired with Chuck 70 sneakers.

What’s one summer fashion trend that needs to die?

I know it’s been trending forever, but I’m not a fan of oversized boyfriend shirts.