Khanijo

Fashion label Khanijo explores the correlation between fashion and anthropology while preserving the textile craft and honour of master weavers and artisans. Founder Gaurav Khanijo combines the study of culture and fashion in his research and subsequently his collections offer an insight into the cultural, social, and historical aspects of style.

Khanijo is an ethical luxury fashion brand founded in 2014. Fashion designer Gaurav Khanijo first drew his design inspiration from his immigrant grandfather who always dressed impeccably in bespoke apparel. This formed the foundation of his menswear label Khanijo which is a sartorial ode to an era when personal style reflected the region's craftsmanship and culture. 

The prime focus of the label is to create sleek tailored silhouettes that highlight the textile legacy of the nation. The label- which has diversified into womenswear- is pushing the envelope with textile and texture innovations. “The Khanijo Man knows what he desires, who takes his clothes seriously. From Sharp Cut Suits to luxurious Robes, or something as simple as a linen shirt,” he tells DNA India. "Men who love exploring, who is ambitious, romantic (have the chivalry alive within), adventurous and grounded at the same time. It’s just not about being perfect, because one can never reach perfection."

The eponymous fashion label by Gaurav Khanijo started with exhibiting his fine tailoring skills in menswear, narrating the story of his generational wisdom deeply rooted in the textile craft of India. Fast forward to the present and the label has undergone a radical transformation under the helm of forward-thinking. His work now offers a new homegrown classic for the contemporary.

The designer believes in taking artisanal textile craft forward and creating contemporary collections rooted in indigenous weaves and hand-woven techniques. Per CNBC: “His design aesthetic can be classified as part vintage, part classic and part modern. It complements the lifestyle of a neo indigenous man, focusing on mobility and functionality, along with easy layering. Gaurav creates understated menswear in modern settings that are constructed using simple (but archival) bespoke techniques. His label is akin to an epiphany of India’s artisanal brilliance, tailormade for urban demands.”

The label consistently explores the correlation between fashion and anthropology while preserving the craft and honour of native artisans. At Khanijo, the core team believes in the ideology of biomimicry for material innovation and use indigenous handwoven textiles and natural fibres to co-create textures. With its trans-seasonal classics, the luxury label embraces the spirit of the circular economy while paying homage to heritage textile craft.

Gaurav Khanijo was in the news when he re-interpreted a bygone era of Indian Fashion Cinema with his online exhibition on Google Arts and Culture. The two-part exhibit is an interpretative bricolage of the key fashion silhouettes from Indian cinema that have infused the Indian aesthetic with their transformative capabilities and vice versa. “I am thrilled to contribute and learn that my garment has been chosen in this important study that will go down the ages as an important piece of work,” Gaurav Khanijo told Platform. "I always ensure that all of my designs in their construction and silhouette reflect the best of Indian craftsmanship."

One of Khanijo's most celebrated showings was “Circa Malgudi” inspired by the popular stories of The Malgudi Days TV series, which he transformeed into a fashion opera that paid homage to his childhood memories. Gaurav Khanijo was critically acclaimed since for giving a stylish design aesthetic to garments inspired by simple folk wear. The collection - in collaboration with Reebok - is a rendition of the era.

Khanijio creates timeless ensembles for a world he envisions is without borders. The fashion label explores the correlation between fashion and anthropology while preserving the textile craft and honour of artisans. 

At Khanijo, the core team believes in the ideology of biomimicry for material innovation and uses indigenous handwoven textiles and natural fibres to co-create textures. The label's trans-seasonal classics embrace the spirit of circular economy, tapping into the zeitgeist while paying homage to the nation's heritage. Each of the collections reflect the designer's belief in taking artisanal textile craft forward and creating contemporary collections rooted in indigenous weaves and hand-woven techniques.

Khanijo retails apparel and accessories for men and women that pay homage to India's rich textile craft and culture- presented in a contemporary design aesthetic. In recent times the menswear label showcased at Brics + Fashion Summit in Moscow. Per Fashion Network: "It was all about sustainable luxury and represented how we work with different clusters in India and how we use hemp, bamboo, silk, and wool in our work. I made my models wear aalta and ghungroo for the Indian touch."

For his post-pandemic showing at Lakme Fashion Week Khanijo “brought together crafts hailing from the nooks and corners of our country" per FDCI. “A mish mash of handlooms, indigenous embroideries, artisanal textiles into handcrafted pieces celebrating Indian craftsmanship put together in cuts and styles that talk in a globally relatable language. Street wear that literally comes from Indian streetS with a very artful flavour to it. An ode to a saying that goes like – the show must go on.”