MIXING OLD & NEW TRADITIONS WITH NYNA
By: Hillary LeBlanc
While some brands are much more expensive than traditional fast fashion labels, it’s worth noting the smaller brands who are investing into sustainable pratices are creating garments that will last you years (and then some). Additionally, such designers are paving the runway with progressive production methods and innovative textile inventions. Whoever said environmental sustainability and luxury fashion couldn’t mix?
Nayana Kodesia was born and brought up in New Delhi, India. Kodesia has always been fascinated by fashion, particularly clothing in general. Growing up Kodesia was surrounded by embroidery artisans and fabric because her mom owned a boutique. She recalls, "I was not a very outgoing kid; I was shy and very quickly embraced fashion as a way to express how I felt." A few decades later, Kodesia went from designing clothing for her dolls to designing for real women.
Kodesia completed her fashion education from the prestigious Central Saint Martin’s and London Collage of Fashion in England. Of the experience, Kodesia says "I always wanted to go there since most of the designers I looked up to went there. It was everything I had hoped for, I was surrounded by incredibly talented peers that motivated me and pushed me to find my own voice as a designer."
While Kodesia was studying at London College of Fashion she was fortunate enough to be a part of and win a competition that pushed students to work with artisans around the world. Knowing what India had to offer, it was easy for Kodesia to go back to her roots. She says, "I decided to work with the artisans from India of course and was able to appreciate the time, effort and skills that the Indian traditional handcrafts had to offer. I saw the beauty and the potential in the handcrafts but I also saw a dying art and industry due to fast fashion. I wanted to use the everything I learned to help support the artisans back home. Promoting artisans became my mission so I decided to create a slow fashion, ethical and sustainable brand promoting and celebrating artisans. This is how NYNA was born and our mission always been to create high quality products while putting the spotlight on Indian handicrafts for modern women."
Photographed by: Shivamm Paathak
Kodesia has always been aware of how fashion has harmed our environment. "Before I even started my fashion education, I always knew fashion was a polluting industry but soon realized we as an industry are one on the biggest polluters. Coming from a South Asian household, sustainability was never an effort, rather it is woven into our culture and everyday lives. I have seen my mother meticulously take care of clothing that was passed down from generation to generation, they are heirlooms." When launching NYNA, Kodesia says, "it was a no-brainer that it had to be ethically created and sustainable. NYNA really focuses on creating less (smaller quantities) without compromising quality. We also use natural fibers that have a smaller impact on the planet."
To maintain being sustainable and ethical, NYNA practices slow fashion strategies by creating only two lines per year. Kodesia explains, "all of our production is by ‘made to order’ so we do not have a very large inventory and that reduces waste by creating less and also reduces our returns. Our products are made using high quality natural fibers, which has less impact on the environment. Each piece is created by hand using the highest quality standards in order to last our clients years. Each product is made specifically for the wearer."
Because NYNA was conceived to promote Indian artisans and the dying handicraft industry it had to be produced in India. Kodesia says, "It was very important to me that all of our products are created ethically, so currently everything is sampled and produced from our little studio in New Delhi, where we maintain a strict code of conduct that we put together ourselves. We want to be completely transparent about exactly who made our clothes so when an item is purchased it will come with a note identifying by name who did the stitching/ embroidery along with a little thank you note. Since everything is made by hand no two pieces are exactly the same and that’s what makes them special." Kodesia has always been aware of how fashion has harmed our environment. "Before I even started my fashion education, I always knew fashion was a polluting industry but soon realized we as an industry are one on the biggest polluters. Coming from a South Asian household, sustainability was never an effort, rather it is woven into our culture and everyday lives. I have seen my mother meticulously take care of clothing that was passed down from generation to generation, they are heirlooms." When launching NYNA, Kodesia says, "it was a no-brainer that it had to be ethically created and sustainable. NYNA really focuses on creating less (smaller quantities) without compromising quality. We also use natural fibers that have a smaller impact on the planet."
To maintain being sustainable and ethical, NYNA practices slow fashion strategies by creating only two lines per year. Kodesia explains, "all of our production is by ‘made to order’ so we do not have a very large inventory and that reduces waste by creating less and also reduces our returns. Our products are made using high quality natural fibers, which has less impact on the environment. Each piece is created by hand using the highest quality standards in order to last our clients years. Each product is made specifically for the wearer."
Because NYNA was conceived to promote Indian artisans and the dying handicraft industry it had to be produced in India. Kodesia says, "It was very important to me that all of our products are created ethically, so currently everything is sampled and produced from our little studio in New Delhi, where we maintain a strict code of conduct that we put together ourselves. We want to be completely transparent about exactly who made our clothes so when an item is purchased it will come with a note identifying by name who did the stitching/ embroidery along with a little thank you note. Since everything is made by hand no two pieces are exactly the same and that’s what makes them special."
Photographed by: Shivamm Paathak
Kodesia notes that most Indian brands are not sustainable "not yet but more and more newer brands are adopting sustainable practices. I believe it is all about educating the consumer. If consumers start demanding sustainable products then bigger brands will have to adopt new practices."
For now, Kodesia wants to grow NYNA's presence in the North American market. "We want more women to feel their best in our clothing, so we want to partner with more stores in the Western part of the world. We are completely self-made and have limited resources and as we grow, our mission will be to do more for artisans back in India. In the future our hope is to not only employ them but also start training and promoting more women artisans to learn the craft, currently dominated by men."
Website: https://www.nyna.co/Kodesia notes that most Indian brands are not sustainable "not yet but more and more newer brands are adopting sustainable practices. I believe it is all about educating the consumer. If consumers start demanding sustainable products then bigger brands will have to adopt new practices."
For now, Kodesia wants to grow NYNA's presence in the North American market. "We want more women to feel their best in our clothing, so we want to partner with more stores in the Western part of the world. We are completely self-made and have limited resources and as we grow, our mission will be to do more for artisans back in India. In the future our hope is to not only employ them but also start training and promoting more women artisans to learn the craft, currently dominated by men."
Website: https://www.nyna.co/