Your summer will get better with this label!
From cottons to linen silks, this label's sarees are 😍
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New subscribers, welcome! I’m glad you’re here, and I hope you enjoy my recommendations and conversations with Indian brands and their founders. ✨
Talking about summer wear, handlooms have my heart! If you're someone who enjoys an iced coffee on a summer afternoon, make sure you're wearing Studio Postcard. Founded by Sakshi Nahata, Postcard works with Indian artisans across diverse art forms to create timeless apparel.
You'll find pieces with hand-block prints and embroidery, and the label gives the leftover fabric a new lease of life through accessories. I caught up with Sakshi to find out more about the label. 👇
Sunaina: Please tell me about yourself and what made you start Postcard.
Sakshi: I started Postcard to combine my love of sarees and crafts while working with artisans. Despite being introverted and extremely shy, I took a bold leap to establish my label. My academic background in fine arts and textile design provided the foundation. I've always been fond of sarees, and when I was little, I wouldn't let my mom discard even her old sarees.
My other passion is connecting with artisans, hearing their stories, and travelling to explore different cultural realities. These two passions made Postcard happen. At present, I handle every aspect of Postcard — from designing and photography to managing social media, creating the sarees, and collaborating with artisans.
It's a demanding role, but the joy and fulfilment I derive from it are unparalleled. My family, too, has been quite helpful throughout.
Sunaina: Can you talk about your label's design philosophy?
Sakshi: ‘घर को खोजें रात दिन घर से निकले पांव वो रस्ता ही खो गया, जिस रस्ते था गांव’
I read these lines by Nida Fazli in college, and they've stayed with me ever since.
That's what our philosophy is: to create slow, thoughtful, and timeless designs. These designs are not inspired or affected by fast-moving trends. We embrace change, strive to be contemporary, yet remain rooted in authenticity. I always try to incorporate a minimalist approach into our designs.
Sunaina: Why the name Postcard?
Sakshi: It might sound cliché now, but I wanted a name with a nostalgic, old-school feel. I narrowed it down to two options: Cassette and Postcard.
Ultimately, Postcard symbolised everything I envisioned for the label — postcards hold sentimental value like handcrafted goods, connect people across distances, and share unique experiences and travel stories. We aim to provide a collection of "postcards" from various artisans and their crafts.
Plus, Postcard has a sense of candour while feeling personal, reflecting the label’s identity.
Sunaina: Since the pandemic, we've seen a rise in Indian sustainable and handmade labels. What do you think about this, and how does Postcard position itself to stand out?
Sakshi: This trend is a positive shift because it promotes eco-friendly practices, preserves traditional crafts, and supports local communities. However, it also presents both opportunities and challenges.
On the one hand, it justifies our commitment to sustainability and craftsmanship. On the other hand, it means we face increased competition in a crowded market.
We aim to stand out through our designs and actions. To minimise waste, we create capsule collections in small batches. We avoid falling-over trends that only last a couple of months. Why add to the already excessive textile waste? Plus, we mention the names of the artisans on every tag.
Sunaina: What goes into the production of each piece?
Sakshi: We don't have a single location. We source fabric from different clusters; printing is done in Rajasthan, while embroidery and stitching happen in Gujarat.
We seek inspiration from our surroundings, memories and emotions. Each collection embodies an emotion. For instance, our well-loved collection Ceiling of Heaven, launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, celebrated the little things about the home we reconnected with. Similarly, Caramel Tunes represent the sweet moments and milestones in our life's journey, and Basket of Scents captures the nostalgic fragrances of summer.
Developing final designs takes about a month. Then, depending on the design, we get them printed in Rajasthan or embroidered in Gujarat. After they're made, I conduct quality checks, photograph all the pieces, and launch them online. This entire process, from design to launch, usually takes three to four months.
Sunaina: Do you remember the moment you sold your first product?
Sakshi: Absolutely! It was two weeks after I launched my Instagram page; I hadn't launched all the pieces. A saree blogger started following me and commented on a post featuring a coral saree. She instantly bought the saree after I shared the details.
It was incredibly motivating. This saree blogger, who had purchased from many well-known brands, appreciated and trusted Postcard enough to buy from it — even when we only had 300 followers! It felt like a validation of my hard work.
Sunaina: If you had to pick two best-selling products, what would they be?
Sakshi: Our best-selling products are Coral Blush and Forest Green. Coral Blush, from our very first collection, remains a customer favourite to this day. We also receive a lot of love for our shirts.
My personal favourite is Blooming Yard, though.
Sunaina: What is the first saree you made, and what went into its making?
Sakshi: The first saree I made is the one I'm wearing at the start of this conversation. But for Postcard, it was Coral Blush. I was obsessed with peach-pink shade for years, so it had to be the first. In the first attempt, the dyer got the shade so perfect there was no second guessing. The dark maroon colour in the print was accidental. The shade selected was a little different, but while sampling, Jaan Muhammadji (our printer) made this colour instead. When he printed it on the fabric, it looked so good, like a dried rose. So, we decided to move forward with it.
Sunaina: Got it! Two sustainable Indian brands that you look up to?
Sakshi: IKAI by Ragini Ahuja, for how she took one craft and completely transformed it. I like MANAN's design and style sensibility — it's pretty timeless. I also love Injiri's craft explorations.
Sunaina: What can we expect in the future?
Sakshi: As we move forward, I'm passionate about expanding our reach and bringing more crafts and artisan stories to light.
Secondly, we wish to provide more improved and assured quality every single time to deliver the best possible products.
Finally, transparency is essential. We aim to build a strong online and offline presence and encourage trust with our customers through open communication.
So, that was my conversation with Sakshi. Follow Postcard on Instagram and check out their website. 👇
I’ll be back with another brand story soon. 👋