Akanksha Rathore, an industrial designer with a penchant for working with materials and designing everything from spaces to dinner tables, embarked on a journey that would transform her passion into a thriving brand. It began innocently enough: a small project to create a collection for a flea market. Yet, the joy of bringing her designs to life was infectious. 

This spark ignited a label that celebrates the synergy between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary aesthetics. For Akanksha, the heart of handicrafts lies in the extraordinary talent she encounters in India’s most remote corners. To realize her own creative vision, the designer returned to her roots. Kilchu, a small village near Bikaner, Rajasthan, is also the name of her brand that reinterprets traditional homegrown materials and techniques in inventive ways.

While Kilchu’s offerings encompass a spectrum of apparel and accessories, it is their footwear that truly captures the essence of the brand. Handcrafted with a reverence for tradition, these mules, ballet flats, sandals, and slides have been designed to be wearable sculptures. Every curve and every detail is an artistic descendant of an age-old craft. They are born from a deep understanding of the human foot; a comfort that is as intrinsic to the desert dweller as the rhythm of the sand dunes.

Kilchu's footwear is reminiscent of the iconic mojari, a commonly worn shoe in Rajasthan. Traditionally worn by both men and women for its practicality and comfort, the mojari was designed to withstand harsh desert conditions. Its airy, flexible, and slip-on design made it ideal for long hours on foot. Kilchu reinterprets this timeless design through contemporary silhouettes while preserving its core principles of comfort and functionality.

Beyond the aesthetics, Kilchu is also a champion of sustainable fashion. By working closely with artisans from across India, Akanksha ensures that every piece carries the imprint of a community, preserving traditional crafts while providing livelihoods. This commitment to fair trade and ethical practices is as much a part of Kilchu’s identity as its design philosophy.

Kilchu encourages slow, mindful consumption and aims to counter the culture of fast fashion. Each piece is made to last, to be cherished, and to tell a story. Their shoes remind me of a time and lifestyle our parents spoke of: the opposite of overconsumption. We might roll our eyes at the heroic stories of how they travelled to school but we also can't deny the exhaustion and excess of a fast fashion life. Kilchu’s footwear feels like a return to a semblance of sustainability. Their ethos intersects necessity, comfort and a quintessentially Indian style and ensures that everything they create fits to perfection and is built to last.

Follow Kilchu here.

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