Slow fashion and its power to exist really shows when it comes to brands such as Yavi, a label that is a paean to slow, thoughtful design—where fashion, art, and craft join hands to give rise to something intensely poetic.

Founded by Yadvi Agarwal, this Delhi-based label is an ode to Impressionist art, Indian handicraft, and sustainable innovation at its core values. Each garment is not merely dressed up; it is experienced—draped with texture, prints, and treatments that transform each piece into an exclusive, handmade art ready to be enjoyed for generations.

Yadvi Agarwal, the creative force behind the Yavi, does not think fashion is about clothing but taking a canvas as a vehicle for expression. Deeply affected by her travels, particularly an inaugural trip to France, she channels the emotion and liberty of Impressionist art. "Cobbled streets. Subway musicians. Paris has personality," she recalls as she writes on her blog, which is a bank of information on the brand's identity and core pillars posted on the official website of the label.

Much like Impressionist painters who sought to capture the ephemeral beauty of a moment, these garments embody this philosophy. Each piece is crafted through layered block printing, hand-painting, and experimental textile techniques. Found objects such as crumpled newspaper balls and sticks are used in the printing process, creating textures that mimic brushstrokes on canvas. This process ensures that no two garments are alike—each is a wearable work of art.

Yavi’s collection, 'Recondite Freedom' is a dialogue between tradition and modernity, where time-honored techniques meet cutting-edge artistic exploration. The collection unfolds like a multi-layered painting, with prints, colors, and silhouettes that tell a story of self-expression and life long fluidity.

We can see that it is embodied in items such as the 'Kitchen Garden Delights' — a capsule that celebrates nature’s bounty with motifs of pomegranates and berries, translating botanical beauty into fabric or even in 'Artificial Intelligence Art' — Where patterns designed by AI are blended with hand-painted elements, a conversation between the human hand and digital technology. Statement upcycled jackets are created from fabric scraps and waste materials. These one-of-a-kind jackets turn waste into wearable art. My personal favourite is the Alora Dress — a cotton dress with box pleats and a light silhouette, constructed for ease of movement.

We can sense how each piece of clothing in their latest collection is a union of artistic freedom and meticulous attention to detail, giving clothes that transcend seasons, trends, and culture while remembering the importance of sustainability as each collection originates from eco-friendly practices, ensuring that ethics and art go hand in hand.

Upcycled fabric, using 'chindi' (cutting waste) to create textured, abstract finishes, effectively reduces textile waste. Hand painting and block printing minimises reliance on artificial colours and machinery, keeping a human touch at the core of every piece. Repurposed traditional weaves that use Khadi, Chanderi, and indigenous fabrics in contemporary silhouettes, unite past and present. Apart from its collections, Yavi also resonates with people through experiential workshops — teaching them how to recycle fabric scraps and incorporate sustainable fashion practices in their own lives.

Essentially, Yavi overhauls Indian fashion by uniting heritage and contemporary sensibilities. While traditional silhouettes are the domain of other brands, Yavi creates functional, trans-seasonal wear that is as versatile as it is emotive.

In a world obsessed with quick, disposable fashion, Yavi urges us to consider that clothes can be more than material — they can be a story, a piece of art, and a most intimate expression of self.

In every collection we are welcomed. Yavi lets us live in a realm where fashion isn't merely donned, but sensed, lived, and recalled.

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