Payal Jain

In the past two decades- eponymous fashion brand Payal Jain has become synonymous with classic contemporary design where each garment is made with heritage fabrics interpreted through a modern vision, craftsmanship and expertise. Her clean-cut design aesthetic appeals to a new generation of Indian women seeking contemporary apparel and accessories.

Praised for her minimalist design, Indian fashion designer Payal Jain entered the fashion industry in her home town New Delhi where she grew up in an ambience steeped in art, culture and music. The years of intensive hard work cumulated when she graduated from Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in California and returned home to launch her career in fashion. This was an era when the fashion industry was in its infancy and there was no organized retail. The struggles of the initial years are still amongst her fond memories though she has come a long way since and is acclaimed as one of the leading designers in the country.

In the past two decades, the fashion brand has become synonymous with classic, timeless albeit contemporary apparel where each garment is a synthesis of heritage fabrics and craftsmanship interpreted through modern lens. A strong foundation in neo-classical aesthetics coupled with a quest for perfection forms the base of each collection. So it's no wonder her ensembles grace the shelves of some of the best stores across India, U.S.A., Europe, Middle East and Asia.

One of her most popular showings was “Forbidden Love”. Per indulge Express: "The designer who celebrated 25 years in fashion with the launch of her Spring Summer ’18 collection, Forbidden Love, unveiled a line that comes inspired by the life and paintings of Frida Kahlo. The line is an ode to the painter and the woman. Known for her minimalist taste and conservative use of colour throughout her previous collections, Frida Kahlo’s influence can be felt in the maximalist aesthetics of Forbidden Love."

Atelier Payal Jain has in the past few years been actively involved in the revival of textile crafts… some of which were on the verge of becoming extinct. With a deep rooted passion and commitment, Payal has worked tirelessly in villages across Rajasthan, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Gujrat and Bihar to integrate their traditional, ancient designs in mainstream fashion. She has come a long way in providing an international platform for the languishing crafts by reinventing them in newer exciting aesthetics and by doing so provided means of livelihood to many in rural India.

“I work with Indian textiles and crafts and have always been passionate about creating fabrics from scratch. My deepest joy lies in being able to see what I have envisioned come alive on a weavers loom or embroider’s ‘Adda’”, she explains on her official website. "It takes a lot of time; patience, love and passion to wait and watch each collection slowly take shape. The process can take anywhere from one month to twenty-four months and every step of the way is magical and full of gratification.”

Per the official website Payal Jain states, "My creations speak a global language yet possess a strong Indian soul. This philosophy remains evident in all my work and has grown with time; my creations remain subtle, minimalistic and strongly Indian at heart yet appeal to global citizens and speak an international and contemporary language."

While maintaining a keen understanding of International trends and Haute Couture, Payal Jain also has a significant client base in the Corporate Design space where she combines functionality with style to create uniforms for hotels, hospitals and schools. Her vast international clientele are a testimony to the quality of work including Four Seasons, Six Senses, Oberoi Group, Taj Hotels and Resorts, Hyatt Hotels, Starwood Hotels, Leela Hotels and many more.

Payal Jain launched her first book on fashion a few years ago. This pioneering effort will give an insight into the fashion industry and serve as a knowledge bank for fashion students. This educational reference specifically designed for XI standard students for the CBSE curriculum is a synthesis of her experiences and endeavors in this field. Her journey continues, as she is always ready to explore new avenues while creating a label, which makes classic and timeless heirlooms.. to be proudly passed down generations.

‘Payal Jain’ develops collections each season, with the use of natural yarns, handloom fabrics, hand block prints, organic textiles, natural dyes, traditional hand embroideries and crafts, following ethical, legal and sustainability compliances and the best practices to reduce wastage of water, conserve power, recycle waste materials, repurpose old garments and products, ban the use of plastic and offer a safe, healthy and hygienic work environment and sustainable practices for the team. Working with sustainable techniques and processes, and creating livelihoods for women-oriented traditional embroidery traditions like Chikankari’ Kantha, Bandhini, etc. has been the conscious and ethical Mission of the Atelier.

Eponymous fashion brand 'Payal Jain' has become synonymous with classic timeless silhouettes made with heritage fabrics and ancient textile crafts interpreted with a contemporary lens. Her design cell is actively involved in the revival of languishing textile crafts. With a deep-rooted passion and commitment, the team works tirelessly in villages across rural India to integrate traditional textile techniques and modern design aesthetics, providing a sustained means of livelihood to several weaving and craft clusters.

Handcrafted apparel and accessories made using indigenous fabrics and a modern design aesthetic. The deep respect for sustainability reflects in every creation of the atelier.. through the intensive research and development of natural yarns, vegetable dyes, handloom textiles, hand-block prints and indigenous hand embroideries.

For Spring Summer 2021 Payal Jain took her guests on an odyssey from Banaras to Sarnath, McLeod Ganj and Buddhist monasteries with rich Thangkas. If the couturier's collections tend to reflect stations in her life, this showcase was an ode to to mindful luxury with bohemian maxis, detailed shirts and full skirts handcrafted with blends of cotton and silk chanderi, organza and munga by the weaving clusters in Banaras. Traditional jacquard techniques like Katrauan and Kadua woven in silk yarn were employed to craft iridescent fluid silhouettes which once again proved the grandeur of payal Jain's couture codes and polished elegance.

In Spring Summer 2020 Payal Jain celebrated minimalist design and the personal subtext gave the showing a sombre vibe. Titled 'Crescent Moon' after a poem by Rabindranath Tagore who her late father followed in his lifetime- it was a heartfelt tribute. Per Explosive Fashion: 'Muslin, linen, translucent chanderi, silk organza, chiffon and georgette lifted with chikankari, zardozi, resham- dori, shisho- bharat, mokaish, tilla-marodi, daraz and stitch-tie techniques gave all the ensembles a rich handcrafted feel… Models showcased long fluid dresses, short cocktail dresses, skirts, blouses and coat shirts… inspired by Neo-classical costumes from the early nineteenth century.'