Kavita Bhartia

Right from her childhood Kavita Bhartia had an interest in fashion design which she transformed into her career. Graduating in textile design, she launched iconic multi-designer store Oogan in 1989 to bring premium designer wear to the fashion conscious. Subsequently her eponymous label was born out of her sheer love for fashion design.

Indian fashion designer Kavita Bhartia believes that her design sensibility has become more streamlined over the years. Earlier, it was all about opulent hand embroideries. Now it’s less about embroideries and more about sleek cuts and minimalism. 

“As a child, I was fascinated by fabrics and designs. Even in my childhood, I used to select fabric, design and get it stitched for myself”, she told Times Of India. "Former training definitely helps as you get aware about the way of working. Designing looks like an easy job but it is not. It needs lots of potential and commitment to excel.”

Kavita Bhartia's design philosophy amalgamates traditional craftsmanship techniques with innovative western silhouettes to create a look that is elegant and distinctive. Subsequently the label beautifully showcases the rich textile traditions of Indian couture. There was a time when she was inspired by Rajasthan and focused on tie-dying, printing and hand embroidery at her factory. “It’s all about experimenting, innovation, exploration and using Indian elements in a contemporary way,” she always says. 

Per Abraxas: “She describes her eponymous brand’s USP as easy to wear clothes which have a style of their own; a specific look and feel. Not one for outlandish costumes, even her Fashion Week creations are creations people can relate to and wear easily. She also likes to use a lot of prints as is evident by her having an entire department in her factory dedicated solely to printing. Besides prints there is also lots of handwork involved, which ends up creating a truly unique product.”

Kavita Bhartia's work is rooted in textile revivalism. Her Spring Summer 2016 titled Ee Khat by Kavita Bhartia revisits and reinterprets the traditional ikat in a modern way. She combines ikat with geometric architecture and paisley and uses heavily textured textiles with contemporary silhouettes.

"Label Kavita Bhartia is a contemporary feminine occasional wear label that incorporates the glimmer of glamour with stunning silhouettes and embellishments" she tells The Statesman "The designs are very wearable, highly textured, modern with interesting shapes, colourful and elegant, and tonal with a lot of handwork like zardozi in natural fabrics."

Eponymous label Kavita Bhartia is all about innovation, creativity and showcasing Indian textile craft and techniques in a contemporary design aesthetic. A marriage of elegance with edge, her creations unite different craft based communities to create bold self-expression. Print play and vibrant colors, the blend of traditional techniques, imaginative treatments, and modern silhouettes is what brings an element of surprise to Kavita Bhartia ensembles.

Kavita Bhartia's design philosophy is all about experimenting with heritage textile crafts and techniques and using indigenous Indian elements in contemporary, globally- relevant silhouettes. In short, the fusion of traditional artisanal skills and modern fashion as her homage to heritage textiles.

Kavita Bhartia is acclaimed for her showing at India Fashion Week. Per Explosive Fashion: 'Kavita Bhartia’s collection referenced eighteenth century tapestry seen at the Victoria and Albert Museum. A synthesis of history, fantasy and craftsmanship, it showed how concertedly the atelier has been developing points of reference… the weightless garments were crafted with organza, tulle, scuba fabric and silk crepe. Each one was constructed with the tiniest detail in mind, from the soft draping on a cocktail dress to the pleats on a full circle voluminous skirt, while embroideries and surface textures formed the aristocratic tapestry prints that wooed the front row.'

Per Explosive Fashion: 'Volume and proportions were central to Kavita Bhartia Spring Summer 2013 which evokes the memory of a Romanian holiday—bound with a vien of sensuality. She's among the most intellectual designers and what made her choose this theme was the fluid ease of the epoch's garments. 'Folklore Saga' is steeped in references from Eastern Europe particularly the softly structured Romanian peasant blouses which artist Matisse (also a collector of textiles) showcased in his paintings. There was something almost balletic about the floor-length dresses that swished with every step. Kavita has embellished them with embroidered motifs—based on geometric patterns used in weaving for decades—characteristic of the designer's artisanal hand work.'