[The Design Collective is a community of contemporary designers dedicated to building a platform where creators like themselves can showcase their work. Started by a core group of 5 design brands, including KICHU, Dhora, CORD, Anuj Bhutani and Anomaly, this is a non-profit organisation that encourages the idea of being contemporaries, not competition. Their first Mumbai edition is on the 3rd and 4th of December at The Vintage Garden. Homegrown is collaborating with them to bring you content throughout this month that showcases their products, studios, processes, all while shining a light on an exciting new wave of designers across the country]

Anuj Bhutani’s label takes inspiration from the ’60s English subculture called “Teddy Boys” and the dandy, with deconstructed tailoring, comfort at the helm, and luxury colouring each thread of his fabric, all crisply woven together with great structure and form. The brand itself draws focus to the exploration of fabric, textiles and and sustainability in the contemporary Indian world; while the parallels between the world Bhutani has weaved into existence with his clothes, and the one that surrounds us merged perfectly into this lookbook that demands exploring. We took on the challenge, and navigated our way through it for you before the clothes make their way over to The Design Collective’s first Mumbai edition this December.

Winter is coming, and trench coats are out. Bhutani’s line of trench coats in solid hues and segmented tonality has given this emblem of fashion transformation an ease that winter beckons for. The contemporary nature of his work juxtaposed with the deep historic roots of India breathes a multicultural aesthetic. In his own words, Anuj says “Multiculturalism started with our previous collection, which was inspired by travel. We hope to take this forward and work on more collaborations and more subcultures. Research is an integral part of a collection, and cultural study is a healthy medium of brand building in India—a postcolonial country—because of the diversities that exist.”