Bibhu Mohapatra and Janavi India pay an ode to their Indian heritage at New York Fashion Week

The collaborative showcase is an ode to historical figure Nancy Cunard as well as the designers’ shared Indian heritage

As Jyotika Jhalani herself puts it, Janavi India’s collaboration with New York-based Indian designer Bibhu Mohapatra was meant to be. Janavi India is Jhalani’s 25-year-old homegrown label known for its cashmere shawls. “Often, when you’re not looking, opportunities come your way that help you figure your path. For me, working with Bibhu was just that; it was almost like a soul connection,” says Jhalani, whose brand debuted at the ongoing New York Fashion Week alongside Bibhu Mohapatra’s Fall 2023 presentation.

An organic collaboration

It all happened very quickly. Jhalani and Mohapatra met for the first time just a few months earlier, in November 2022, at the former’s factory in New Delhi. “I’m a very positive person. I walk around with a little boombox in my workshop, singing with my artisans and workers. When Bibhu visited my factory, he said: ‘I’ve never seen anyone orchestrate stuff like this, with the artisans at this scale’,” shares Jhalani. “The fact that we share a strong passion for what we do is what got Bibhu excited. There were no plans of working on a fashion week together, but here we are now,” she adds.

Mohapatra, too, shares a similar story. “Jyotika is a creative force to reckon with. Her brand’s products are of the utmost integrity, and share the same ethos as my namesake brand. A collaboration, then, was a natural outcome,” he says.

For this collaborative collection, Mohapatra drew inspiration from 20th-century British writer and political activist Nancy Cunard, who had fought against racism and fascism. The designer’s collection is steeped in history, combining his seamless tailoring with craftsmanship. “Nancy Cunard is one of my most favourite historical figures. Her style, her work, her poetry and her constant fight against social injustices, makes her an interesting muse [for me],” says Mohapatra. The collection itself showcased his signature styles of ultra-feminine silhouettes, handcrafted embellishments and modern elegance, many of which were styled with cashmere scarves from Janavi India.

“Scarves are one of the most important accessories, especially for those living in the western hemisphere, where they are worn for almost a quarter of a year. Nancy Cunard, being an experimentalist, used scarves as turbans, headdresses and shawls. So our Fall 2023 collection warranted the looks to be styled in ways wherein scarves can be worn innovatively,” explains Mohapatra.

This, in fact, was all the explanation Jhalani needed to pull off presenting Mohapatra with a collection of scarves in less than a month’s time. “Since most of his garments weren’t ready at the time, Bibhu shared his moodboard and inspiration with me. He wanted something contemporary yet very Art Deco, using elements from the 1920s with some sequins and lace. Because of a short timeframe, we had to work with what we already had from our own Autumn/Winter collection. It so happened that it was easy to juxtapose our collection with his, almost as if it became a part of an ensemble and not just an accessory,” shares Jhalani.  

A contemporary take on heritage 

Jhalani highlights Cunard’s eccentric style by incorporating her own take, featuring her brand’s signature motifs of butterflies, flamingoes and dragons in custom Guipure lace and contemporary Ikat patterns. In addition to cashmere, the scarves are created in a variety of materials, including vegan leathers, tulle and organza, upon which Janavi’s artisans have unfurled stories through embroidery. The opening look at the New York Fashion Week showcased a long white, fringed cashmere scarf, draped around the neck, over a white dress. “It has been smooth-sailing for us, without any clashes. It’s a strong confluence of both of our ideologies,” says Jhalani. For Mohapatra, this collection was also about incorporating and representing crafts from different parts of India. “My heritage is always present in my work, and that is what gives it an edge,” he says.

Looking forward

While Mohapatra basks in the glory of his collection, Jhalani is gearing up for her next project, a home décor collaboration between Janavi India and Shalini Misra—a multi-award winning interior designer based in London. Collaborations like these are what keeps Jhalani going. Last year itself, Janavi India teamed up with interior designer Sussanne Khan, British model and filmmaker Keira Chaplin and Indian designer duo Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla. “As a person, I’m all about energy. I’ve never actively gone out looking for something; it always comes to me when the time is right,” says Jhalani, who has marked a strong presence across the globe by retailing Janavi India at places like Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, among others.

As someone who dropped out of school at the age of 15, and chose to not pursue further education, helming Janavi India for 25 years has been a nurturing experience for Jhalani. While reminiscing about her childhood, she says. “I don’t come from this industry. So, for me, luxury isn’t an Hermès scarf; it is sitting in a meadow full of daisies or being in Kashmir. It’s definitely been a unique journey for me.”

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