Nicobar

Nicobar- founded by Raul Rai and wife Simran Lal- retails fashion and home collections with mindful consumptions in mind. The collections are not trend- based and is instead classic, stylish and made to last a lifetime. 

When investment banker and private equity partner Raul Rai proposed the idea of a fashion and lifestyle brand with wife Simran Lal in 2014, she was skeptical but the idea of mindful consumption grew on her. The duo's vision was clear – modern, mindful style that does not follow trends but instead is steeped in the nation's history and culture.

Per the official website he explains: “We felt the fast fashion pendulum was swinging too far and yearned for products that are designed to last, not trend-driven, and inspired by natural design and materials. We wanted to design the products we’d use ourselves but just could not find here in India, ones that reflected our history yet were global in their appeal. Over the years, we’ve built a mindful, nature-derived material library which means every time you pick one of our designs, you buy into an ethos that honours our resources, your wardrobe, and your home.”

Per Fortune India: ‘Harper’s Bazaar India editor Nonita Kalra says the brand embodies the contemporary aesthetic of India. “It is rooted in heritage, but is in equal parts playful and hyper creative. Your classics come with a twist. It is all these things that work in its favour. Plus its pricing is just aspirational enough to know you are getting top quality" says Kalra.’

Sustainability is the pillar of the iconic brand. Per the official website: “Our e-commerce packaging uses 85 per cent less plastic: we've moved to crumpled paper and egg trays instead of air and foam pouches for fragile items and our product tags use seed and elephant poo paper instead of paper from trees. Our jewellery pouches are made from completely biodegradable raw fabric intended for repurposing. Plus, our partnership with Grow Trees on a tree planting initiative has enabled us to plant more than 7,505 trees to date across India.”

Nicobar is increasingly opening stores across the country. The brand's expansion plan is based on democratising a strong design aesthetics with a focus on accessibility and affordability rather than any quantifiable demographics. Per Vogue: "While fair pricing is not consciously part of some large claim to ethics but rather a fortunate result of a simple supply chain, Lal explains that “doing the good thing” naturally translates to all the decisions they make: “I always ask whether something is toxic, or how long it will last, before making decisions,” she explains."

The core team at Nicobar have one shared vision: to create a dynamic, symbiotic fashion and lifestyle brand. Simple design and minimalist aesthetics define the design philosophy of their collections. 

Nicobar envisions creating fashion and lifestyle products that champions effortless style. The duo also believes that the clothing must be such that it can be worn for years and homeware that is with the buyer for a lifetime. Be it apparel or homeware, simplicity, versatility and the ability to layer are the cornerstones of all the collections. That’s where quality comes in. Nicobar's founders love detailing be it in the collars, cuffs or buttons… "It's the little things that make the ordinary extraordinary" per the official website.

Nicobar apparel is made using natural, breathable fabrics, lively prints and textures that are Indian in design vocabulary but with minimalist silhouettes and neutral colour palette that would be a perfect fit anywhere in the world. the home line consists of simple stylish bedding, cushions, linen and tableware.