September 01, 2025

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SIBLINGS IN STYLE THE NAGAR SISTERS

There's something lyrical about sisters Priyanka Narang and Neha Nagar Gupta completing each other's sentences, piecing together cherished memories of a shared life. A deep love for fashion and aesthetics fortified this bond, which has seen umpteen dress-ups, fit-checks, trial room shenanigans, and countless "twinning" momentsA tête-à-tête with the siblings at their mum's sprawling Delhi home is a trip down memory lane -- right from their school uniforms to wedding ensembles. Today, as young mothers navigating busy households, they are also carving out a distinct space in the digital fashion landscape. From creating content for Instagram to getting decked up in their favourite designer wear during couture weeks, their passion for fashion fills their life with the trendiest outfits, jewellery, runway showcases, and accessories -- all with a healthy dose of sisterly bonding"Doing this together is what makes it so special," says Priyanka, on a sunny summer afternoon. "It gives us time with each other in a way we didn't ever expect, especially after marriage when we no longer live under one roof." The two are often at each other's homes to plan shoots and decide on an Instagram post for their steadily growing social media following. Most recently, they made their stunning presence felt at India Couture Week, where they dressed to the nines -- if they were a sight to behold in red in creations from oseroom by Isha Jajodia, their black-and-white looks for Manish Malhotra's soirée was every bit as stylish"Given our love for fashion, we've been attending fashion weeks as guests for years. So last year, we thought, `Why not share a look put together by our favourite designers, dressed head to toe in their designs?' The idea really clicked for us and even helped us create great content together," says Neha, the older sister.

THE POWER OF HAND EMBROIDERY

Born of legacy in textiles that dates back to colonial Bombay, and a childhood spent surrounded by bespoke drapes, this label embodies something old and something new, run by a dynamic mother-daughter duo. Their story began in 2007, when Kinnary Panchamia launched an export house in Mumbai, embroidering for the world's biggest couture houses. By 2010, Mala and Kinnary started to take shape, marrying Mala Bhayani's instinct for understated glamour with her daughter Kinnary's global exposure. The two unveiled their first collection after the pandemic, and have since emerged as one of Indian couture's most closely watched labelsTROUSSEAU TO TRADEMARK Kinnary inherited archival textiles and precious jewels from her mother's family, which instilled an early love for craft and design in her. She combined this interest with her entrepreneurial streak to build a career in fashion"After working in fashion marketing in New York, I set up an embroidery export house in India, supplying handwork to some of the world's most coveted couture brands. From there, the leap to building a couture brand happened organically during my own wedding," says KinnaryHer bridal looks drew such enormous attention that it led to a steady request for custom orders from HNI brides in Mumbai and Pune. For almost a decade, they built the label discreetly, focussing on bespoke pieces for a discerning audienceSIGNATURE SILHOUETTES The duo's aesthetic finds its balance in generational duality. With Mala's penchant for decadence and Kinnary's contemporary eye, their Indo-Western hybrids feel fresh yet timeless. Mixed-media embroidery fuses techniques, textures and traditions into a singular design language. Their beaded neckline gown, born from Mala's jewellery collection and reimagined into embroidery, became an enduring bestseller. Their cape saree is another signature"Well before ivory and pearl handwork became bridal mainstays, we championed a palette once deemed unconventional for Indian weddings," says Malao surprise that their designs find their way into celebrity wardrobes, including Rhea Kapoor, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Khushi Kapoor, and Jacqueline FernandezA NEW CHAPTER Their recently opened boutique in Mumbai's ala Ghoda offers an immersive couture experience, as well as a peek into "home couture." The store reinforces that the brand thrives on customisation, inviting brides to co-create every detail -- from the embroidery technique to the precise shade of their dream day looksCOUTURE WITH A PURPOSE What truly anchors the brand is aesthetic innovation with a deeper mission to preserve and empower India's artisanal legacy, and educate their karigar's children. They see couture as a responsibility"Our ateliers provide training and employment to beaders, while educating their children to bring them into the service industry. This is most fulfilling for us," Kinnary explains the very ethos that gives their outfits a soul that extends beyond the surface shimmer.