Origin Story
Our Story
As immigrant children who arrived from South Asia (India and Pakistan respectively) we found our voice in America through Hip Hop, specifically Rap. At its core, the artform is rooted in an ad hoc spirit of necessity that reimagines pre existing music into something new and urgent. This ethos, similar to the South Asian spirit of “Juggad”, or making do with what we have--is very much alive in our work. We dig for deadstock fabrics, remix and reinterpret our aesthetic interests, similar to a producer digging through old records for new soundscapes. As products of transnational histories and experiences, we are always exploring and processing our intersectional identities. The expression of our multitudinal identities is at the core of what we create--to feel at home within ourselves no matter our physical, social or political location in the world.
“I understood from a very early age that home is not necessarily a permanent place, it is an idea we carry with us wherever we go. We are our homes.”
Zarina Hashmi
Philosophy
As children we grew up on “hand-me-down” clothing. We were taught to care for our clothes and treat them with respect, knowing that someone else would inherit them. We focus on creating staples that will serve you for years and with continuous wear will feel like second skin. Through it all we strive to leave a minimal carbon footprint and are committed to ethical labor practices. We are committed to creating intentional anti-racist, diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment. We would love to work with mission driven organizations, coops, and people. If this is you, please reach out.
Designed in New York. Manufactured in Downtown Los Angeles. Inspired by the World.
Glossary of terms
Chambray
The word "chambray" is an evolution of the term "cambric," which has been used for centuries to denote different types of fabrics. Cambric was originally made in near Cambrai, France, and its name comes from the Flemish word "kameryk." It’s a “plain weave” fabric that is woven with a mixture of white/ blue yarns.
Chillum
A chillum, or chilam, is a straight conical pipe with end-to-end channel, traditionally made of clay and used since at least the eighteenth century in India.
Dada
"Dada" is an informal term for a father in Urdu or Hindi.
Dead Stock
The use of deadstock is that it is giving a “second life” to fabrics which would otherwise be sent to the landfill. Using deadstock not only reduces textile waste, but saves water and emission of greenhouse gases which would occur in the manufacturing of new materials. It also reduces the carbon footprint of the goods, since the fabric has already been transported from the mill. Deadstock is typically available in limited quantity, allowing us to create a truly unique collection of limited edition pieces. We understand just because a brand produces clothing with deadstock does not mean it is sustainable. We do our best to trace the fabrics to their original manufacturer and promise to source deadstock only from reputable mills from around the world.
Grand Trunk Road
The Grand Trunk Road is one of Asia's oldest and longest major roads — founded around 3rd century BCE by the Mauryan Empire of ancient India. For more than two millennia, it has linked the Indian subcontinent with Central Asia. It runs from Chittagong, Bangladesh west to Howrah, West Bengal in India, then across Northern India through Delhi, passing from Amritsar. From there, the road continues towards Lahore and Peshawar in Pakistan, finally terminating in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Nep
A small knot of cotton fiber entangled in the fabrics as it’s woven creating a bumpy or snow like texture.
NEHRU COLLAR
After Jawaharlal Nehru, who wore jackets with such collars. At that time in India, the Nehru Jacket was also known as 'Bandh Gale ka Coat'. Till date, the real essence of the jacket shows only when it is worn in the traditional way. Another term used to describe a Nehru-style jacket is Achkan – a coat-like garment worn during high-end ceremonies by the nobility. The Nehru jacket is a variation to the Jodhpuri where the material is often khadi. Normally, the trousers match that of the coat.
Okayama
Okayama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on the main island of Honshu.It's widely considered to be the world capital of quality denim production.
PYJAMA
The word pyjama derived from the persian pāy-jāmeh lit. 'leg-garment'. The original pyjāmā are loose, lightweight trousers fitted with drawstring waistbands and worn by many Indian Muslims, as well as Sikhs and Hindus, and later adopted by Europeans during British East India Company rule in India.
Slub
A slubbed (not to be confused with nepping) fabric is created with slight knots, which can be seen as thicker, raised threads on the fabric surface. These 'imperfections' are either a characteristic of the yarn (particularly natural fibers), or created purposely with the intention of giving the fabric an organic, tactile look and feel.Answer
UREA
Urea buttons are completely organic and often used as an alternative to horn buttons such as Corozo. The Urea buttons are heat resistant and very difficult to produce.