Celebrating 15 years of Shivan & Narresh

Designer label Shivan & Narresh has been growing in the holiday dressing space in India for 15 years. From swimwear and loungewear to demi couture, founders Shivan Bhatiya and Narresh Kukreja have expanded their resort chic offerings, with a generous use of vibrant prints and colour.

To mark 15 years in the business, the brand hosted a fashion show on 7 March in Gulmarg, presenting its skiwear range featuring art prints from the brand's archives.

The collection included sculptural ski suits, statement ski separates, fluid après-ski dresses and winter layers for women and men.

In an interview with Lounge, the designers talk about their journey and what keeps them inspired. Edited excerpts:

How has the brand grown over the years? 

Shivan: Over the years, the brand has expanded across multiple dimensions—from target categories to new geographies. It has consistently achieved strong double-digit growth, with its retail footprint steadily increasing as new stores continue to open across India post-pandemic. 

Beyond growth in fashion, the brand has remained true to its vision of cultivating a distinct cultural identity rooted in its artistic universe. This commitment has led to exciting ventures into home décor, interior design, and celebration design, crafting immersive experiences that resonate with its connoisseurs and elevate the way they live, celebrate, and express themselves.

Also read: Why India needs its own ski wear

Shivan & Narresh has always been synonymous with holiday dressing. How do you interpret the art of holidays?

Narresh: The brand embraces the art of holiday living from the very start of its design process, drawing inspiration from artistic movements, iconic artists, and various art forms. These influences are then reimagined through its signature painterly aesthetics, shaping the distinctive prints that have become a hallmark of its identity. 

This artistic philosophy extends beyond design into merchandising and retail strategies, curating an indulgent lifestyle that invites consumers to immerse themselves in a world where fashion, art, and experience seamlessly intertwine.

Why did you choose to host a ski wear show in Gulmarg when the brand has always been about swimwear and loungewear?

Shivan: What began with swimwear soon expanded to include resort wear, then menswear, followed by couture. After mastering these categories and becoming synonymous with summer holidays, it was only natural to take the next step—venturing into winter holidays with the launch of ski wear. 

Narresh: Holidays have always been at the heart of our brand, and embracing winter escapes was the missing piece. To mark this milestone, we are celebrating 15 years with India's first-ever ski and après-ski showcase in Gulmarg—right here in our home country. Having skied across Europe, we can confidently say that Gulmarg’s beauty is unparalleled, making it the perfect backdrop for this next chapter. While the past 15 years have been about defining summer holidays, the decade ahead will be about owning winter holidays.

Who’s buying ski wear in India? India doesn’t really have a skiing culture.

Shivan: Fifteen years ago, people said the same thing about swimwear. When we launched, we constantly heard, 'Who wears swimsuits in India? Indians don’t like to show skin, they avoid the sun, they want to stay fair, they don’t want a tan.' These judgments were thrown at us time and again. But look at India today—travel has become a way of life, with people jetting off to beach destinations every few months. 

Narresh: The mindset has shifted entirely. Now, as India begins to embrace skiing, the slopes are just starting to open up. And just like with swimwear, we believe that in the next decade, consumption patterns will transform, and Indians will actively indulge in the après-ski lifestyle—just as they did with beach culture.

Who’s your customer? 

Shivan: Our customer is across age groups. Our clientele isn’t just limited to urban metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi and Chennai, but extends deeply into Tier 1 and Tier 2 towns such as Nagpur, Raipur, Surat, Ludhiana, Coimbatore, Jalandhar, Chandigarh and Pune. The sheer scale of consumption from these regions is both astonishing and inspiring. Beyond India, our reach extends globally, with a strong presence in the US, Europe, South Africa and Southeast Asia. 

Narresh: There is a growing community of international consumers who appreciate and embrace the vibrancy of colour and prints emerging from India, reinforcing the brand’s influence on a global stage.

How was it working with wool for ski wear?

Narresh: Most ski brands prioritise technical fabrics for both durability and functionality, and we’ve done the same with our ski collection. Our ski jackets and separates are designed to withstand temperatures as low as -8 to -10 degrees, while our ski suits and pants are perfect for milder conditions between 0 to 5 degrees. No matter the type of winter holiday you’re planning, we have options tailored for different temperatures. 

Shivan: Beyond ski wear, our après-ski line features cozy woollen jumpers, hand-knitted sweaters, mufflers, and dresses—perfect for unwinding in style. And, of course, no ski holiday is complete without swimsuits, because after a long day on the slopes, there’s nothing better than relaxing in a heated pool.

What makes you constantly look at the art world when you're designing?

Narresh: Fashion thrives on a unique point of view—it’s the foundation of originality. Art, in particular, is an endless universe of distinct perspectives, each shaped by an artist’s personal lens on the world. 

When we draw inspiration from an artwork or an artist’s vision, it provides us with a powerful starting point—allowing us to reimagine subjects and forms through a fresh, creative lens. This approach fuels our design process, leading to innovative silhouettes and striking, one-of-a-kind prints. 

Ultimately, this commitment to originality ensures that every creation allows our customers to stand out, embodying the same uniqueness and individuality that define our brand.

Is there a method to your creative process?

Shivan: Our approach is always rooted in openness—the belief that inspiration can come from anywhere. We don’t set out on a trip with the intention of finding inspiration; rather, we travel constantly, immersing ourselves in different experiences without a predetermined outcome. It’s only months later, when we sit at the design table, that a particular memory, moment, or detail from a journey reveals itself as the spark for something new. 

When creating a collection, we revisit photographs, experiences, and emotions from our travels. Sometimes, a single image or feeling lingers, shaping the direction of our designs. But that emotion only resonates if we’ve truly embraced the destination—allowing it to leave an imprint. By following that emotional chord, we craft pieces that are not only original but also deeply evocative, capturing the essence of a place and translating it into fashion.

Also, do you make sketches or just prepare mood boards and share with the design team to execute?

Shivan: Our design process always begins with sketching. At any given time, we create a minimum of 100-200 sketches, which are then refined and evolved into a curated selection of 40-50 looks per season—this forms the foundation of our silhouettes. Meanwhile, the printmaking process follows a completely different approach. 

Each element is individually developed—whether through hand painting or sketching—before being meticulously prepared and layered together. This intricate process results in entirely original works of art, ultimately distilled into four to five iconic prints that define the season’s collection.

Do you see yourself venturing into couture/beauty categories anytime soon?

Shivan: We have already made our mark in couture, having been in this space for the past four years. It’s one of our fastest-growing fashion categories, and it’s here to stay. Our focus is on evolving and expanding couture further, continuously pushing its boundaries. 

Narresh: What makes our couture unique is our distinctive approach—working with hand knits, textures, and a bold, graphic language of surface techniques which is also reminiscent of our print focused ready to wear. As for beauty, it’s definitely on our radar. When the time is right, and with the right partners and product development in place, we look forward to exploring it in the future.

Also, any possibilities of any corporate alliance in the future since some of your contemporaries have taken similar routes and launched bridge-to-luxury labels?

Shivan: No, we don’t have any such plans at the moment. Over the past 15 years, we’ve successfully demonstrated how multiple categories and price points can coexist under one cohesive identity. From swimsuits to stationery, home linen to couture ensembles, wallpapers to ski suits—our brand encompasses a diverse range of offerings without the need to create separate labels. That’s the essence of true brand building—expanding thoughtfully while maintaining a strong, unified identity. 

Narresh: The real challenge isn’t launching multiple brands for different price points; it’s ensuring that every new category aligns with the brand’s DNA, keeping the experience seamless and distinct for our customers.

Manish Mishra is a Delhi-based writer and content creator.

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