Spotted by the beach

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Nidhi Munim, a graduate of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Kolkata, seems to be choosing to take the path less travelled — and currently, that path is leading to the beach. The designer who is a founding partner at K Design Studio has unveiled a range of swimwear, cover-ups, bikinis, hot pants and flowing gowns crafted out of flashy solid colours and classic ikat while also using delicate patterns, filling the niche that she thinks there is for clothes for a ‘resort lifestyle’. Nidhi has apprenticed with leading designers Anita Dongre, Anamika Khanna and Sabyasachi Mukherjee and been featured on several
fashion weeks.

Fashion sense:
Colours and clothes were a passion, I have always had a strong sense of style. My biggest inspiration has been my mother at home where all my offbeat ideas get hatched.

Waterwear fetish:
I wanted to promote swimwear beyond the pool. A swimsuit is multi-functional as it can be worn on the beach with shorts or tucked under a sari like a bikini. The idea is to awaken a sense of resort lifestyle in India. Falling in the tropical climatic belt, this country is the perfect fit for it.

Catering to clients:
My roots are Indian, and that helps build client confidence for they know I understand Indian body types from tip to toe.

Core challenges:
To break into the mindsets of Indian consumers, to get them inured to a beach lifestyle of dipping, diving, swimming, water skiing in style.

Celebrity wearer:
Dita von Teese, Armenian-American burlesque dancer, model and actress, could carry off my creations with panache.

Under the USP:
Creating Indian prints and motifs on swimwear fabric is my forte. I want to connect Indian fashionistas to their ethnic culture and make them feel proud of their rich heritage. My designs would ideally be for those women who have a strong sense of identity, grace and glamour.

On The Anvil:
In the near future, I would like to include kidswear on my list. There are many designers in the west who are presently exploring children’s cupboards, and we need to echo similar sensibilities by bringing the domain of minor fashion to our table. Our approach to this arena will obviously be different from the realm of adult garments. I have plans to parade a collection which will be a medley of classic and contemporary with a hint of India’s ethnicity.