Smart westernwear featuring the intricacies of Indian craftsmanship is the highlight of Indian-origin New York-based fashion designer Mrinalini Kumari’s label Renzo and Kai. With a two-decade experience in the fashion industry, working with various international brands, Mrinalini through her entrepreneurial journey chose to stay close to her cultural roots. Hailing from Delhi, her pride in India’s heritage craft — the embroidery — shines bright through her creations. Going beyond the craft, her passion extends to promoting Indian handcraft and artisans that she works with, too. Mrinalini shares her journey with t2.
What about the world of fashion interested you to pursue it?
Clothes are possibly the first thing that I notice about people. Even when I was a student, I very consciously focused on what people wore. I guess, the passion for fashion was in my heart and I just followed from there on. Growing up in India, I remember being fascinated by what people wore at festivals and as occasionwear.
Can you take us through your journey of how that passion took shape into building your brands?
I was always keen to be my own boss, so setting up my own brands (Mrinalini Inc. and Renzo and Kai) was a natural step forward. I started my brands in 2011. I was passionate about embroidery and Indian motifs, which were expensive, and I wanted those to be much more accessible to people all over the world. I had gone to the Ralph Lauren store one day and Ralph Lauren had walked in. I went to him and told him that I do embroidery and he just asked me to meet him in his office and then the rest followed. It feels surreal in hindsight!
Was it challenging to build your brands as an independent Indian designer in an international market?
I think the biggest struggle that independent designers of any origin face many a times is of their designs getting plagiarised. Starting off as an independent designer, the enthusiasm to experiment is also often mistreated. Another big perception challenge is that people take Indian designers and craftsmen as workers and not as designers. Being informed about global trends, adapting designs that resonate with their taste and building strong relationships with international clients, retailers, and distributors, helped me to scale up my brands despite the dominance of Western brands.
Though mostly westernwear, your designs have a touch of Indian craftsmanship in them. How do you define your design aesthetic and what inspires you to make fusionwear for the global fashion market?
I am deeply inspired by the rich cultural heritage and exquisite craftsmanship of my homeland. I believe in incorporating subtle touches of Indian artistry, since embroidery is my forte, to create a unique fusion that appeals to the global fashion market. My design aesthetic is glam, lavish and up-to-date. I like to add in a lot of beading, embroidery and stitches that enhance the look of a fashion piece to make it grand. My designs are inspired by the idea of preserving traditional craftsmanship that I have been so inspired by. Traditional craftsmanship is important to me. By incorporating these valuable skills into my designs, I hope to contribute to their continued relevance and vibrancy in the modern world.
Though you cater to an international clientele, it seems preserving your cultural identity through your designs is important to you…
I carry my Indian sensibilities proudly and it has made me who I am. Preserving my cultural identity through my designs is not just an artistic choice, it is a responsibility that I carry. In this competitive landscape, retaining one’s identity becomes even more important. In the global fashion industry, it is easy to get swept away, but through my designs, I want to show the versatility and relevance of Indian design in the modern fashion world.
You work with thousands of Indian artisans. What was your idea behind supporting their work through your international brand?
Indian artisans’ intricate craftsmanship and meticulous handwork add a touch of authenticity and exclusivity. The traditional techniques that have been passed down through generations give a perfect charm to textiles. They are difficult to replicate by machines. There is a growing appreciation for Indian crafts amidst global personalities who have embraced the elegance and artistry of Indian designs. There is a tremendous amount of recognition of the value of Indian craftsmanship amongst global fashion brands, too, and they collaborate with local artisans to add traditional ideas and techniques into their collections. I feel this coming together of cultures has created a demand for the aesthetic appeal and for the story of the heritage.
Today we are in an era of conscious fashion and this is when I see an amplification of the significance of Indian artisans as their handwork aligns with the growing emphasis on ethical production and artisanal craftsmanship. Consumers are becoming more discerning, seeking out products that are not only stylish but also carry a deeper meaning, reflecting the time, skill, and heritage embedded in each piece. Right from water-less techniques to environment-friendly fabrics, the fashion industry is also morphing itself into a new and evolved space. Interestingly, Indian fabrics like cotton and khadi are inspiring designers all over the world to experiment too.
What have been some of the most memorable moments from your two-decade journey in the fashion industry?
I must say that the first moment was when I set up my brands. Of course, seeing people of repute sporting my designs is a dream for any designer. It has only inspired me to do better and create something new every time I explore my art. Michelle Obama and Beyonce sporting my outfits looked like they owned the outfits as if they were their own skin. They added their personality to the designs and that is the essence of fashion I feel, the one wearing it makes it their own.
Michelle Obama wore a Jason Wu outfit, desingned by Mrinalini Kumari at the inauguration of former US president Barack Obama’s first term in 2009 at White House
How do you look at the future of fashion in the global market and where do you see the place of Indian designers and craftsmanship in that?
I think Indian craftsmanship is next to none and will always be relevant. I feel Indians are still very focused on weddings and grand occasions, and clearly, that is where the market is for them. But they are also being inspired by a blank canvas in a way because these days clothes don’t look particularly British, Italian or Indian anymore, the global consumer is inspired by the same people and pop culture mostly. The global fashion scene is definitely becoming simpler — people are choosing simple fabrics, silhouettes and designs that they can carry off with elan within their comfort zone.
