Divya Saini, stylist and classic fanatic-turned entrepreneur, named her first up-cycled collection for Bodements, ‘नीलम’, after her mom. For Saini, who launched Bodements, the nation’s largest classic retailer, after a procuring journey throughout Europe in 2015, it was an apt tribute, on condition that it was Saini’s mom, who stitched most of her garments as a toddler. “I have clear memories of her always experimenting with her sewing machine, making clothes from leftover fabrics. She made me plaid co-ord sets, printed dresses all when I was merely 6! She even upcycled her wedding dupatta into an outfit for me,” says Saini.

This collection of 22 items in silhouettes starting from kimonos to outsized blazers, fits and clothes, all created from lovely Indian saris, is now out there at Galeries Lafayette in Paris, in affiliation with classic platform CrushOn. Vogue has all the small print.

Photographer: Anai Bharucha

You used to create garments to your dolls as a toddler, was this foray into design, then, only a pure development for you?

I grew up with my mom, making all our garments. She additionally believed in mending a observe so international to us in at this time’s instances.  My mom additionally made certain I learnt abilities like hand stitching, ironing my very own garments, hand washing delicate items from the time I used to be younger. This led me to begin growing an curiosity in garments and materials at an early age. I might hand sew garments for my dolls utilizing outdated handkerchiefs, socks, any scrap cloth I might discover in the home, to be sincere. As I grew older I began making garments for myself. I might take my moms outdated saris and dupattas to make crop tops, jackets and skirts. However the technical data by no means me and I by no means pursued it as a profession. After being a stylist for a few years and beginning Bodements, I made a decision the time was proper to get again to it.