Anju Modi carries the kind of calm, rooted energy that makes you lean in and listen. Sitting with her at the Jaypore X Anju Modi Designer Edit, an evening celebrating design, crafts and karigari ki kahani, felt like stepping into a world, where colours have memories and clothes hold stories. She talks about her craft, new collection and more.
Talking about her latest collection, she remembers how instinctive the decision felt: “When Jaypore approached me to collaborate, I looked into their history and realised they shared my vision for craft and artisanal work. It felt like a great opportunity to reach a wider audience and create collections together.”
The idea behind the new collection: it should look happy with bright colours, vivacious and celebratory. The palette is full of jewel tones: reds, maroons, mustard yellows and greens; but the silhouettes are kept contemporary and wearable. “I gave the trousers along with the tunics, a very beautiful hand embroidery because we are talking about the craft. Our embroideries are a part of the tradition and heritage,” she shares.
The inspiration for her karigari comes from the old museum pieces, and are translated lightly onto the fabric. “We wanted to make them more wearable for day-to-day people, since no one wants heavy clothing. Instead, they prefer something minimal that still carries a timeless appeal. I borrowed artwork from museum jackets, reimagined it on the garment, adding elements like pockets because everyone needs an easy place for their phones. These practical points made me think that as a designer, I should incorporate what people need while bringing together old traditional ideas with modern elements,” she narrates.
Hyderabad, she admits, feels almost like a second home. “Hyderabad has felt like home to me for nearly 40 years now, because this is where I was introduced to woven regions through my brother, who worked in exports. India’s beautiful fabrics such as ikkats, silks, narayanpet and gadwals, drew me in. I travelled to remote areas, lived with artisans and absorbed their culture until it felt like part of my DNA. Those long drives from Hyderabad to Narayanpet still stay with me, which is why the city holds such a soft corner in my heart,” she shares with a smile.
Looking back, she refuses to frame her journey as a tale of difficulty. “Even if I face certain struggles or challenges back then, I don’t realise it because I’m already immersed in the work,” she says. Only in hindsight does she acknowledge the effort. “I had to go to the weaver’s place multiple times to set the right colours and proportions. I will not say they were challenging times, I would say they were exploration times. And that gives me energy. When I see these beautiful crafts, I feel very indebted to them. A sense of gratitude comes in because we are giving them our own version of the design, but the real technique and the crafts are what they are providing,” she adds.
Anju’s eye for history frequently shows up in her pieces too, like the dusky rose saree that has been a bestseller at the store. The colour, she notes, flatters many Indian skin tones. The bhutas scattered across it carry a story of their own. She remembers seeing similar aari and marodi work in an old museum in Gujarat. “Previously, keeping the royalty and the kings in mind, it used to be very heavily made. I just took a few of them, sprinkled them and made it affordable. There is a little bit of history and royalty ,” she notes.
Storytelling lies at the heart of her design language. “Throughout my journey, wherever I went, the artisans recited stories of their lifestyle and culture. Whether it was the authentic work of dogra or the beautiful ikkat in Hyderabad, each craft spoke of its roots and their meditative, soulful way of working turned every piece into a story,” she expresses.
But she isn’t anti-technology, she shares, “AI is a boon if you use it as a tool, because when you expect it to copy, cut and create everything, it becomes noise. If we create the graph work for any woven textile by hand, an artisan takes a week or 10 days to finish it. AI completes it in 15 minutes and saves time without causing any problem. With the internet and technology expanding our reach and our products can now be sold anywhere.”
Cinema brought her craft to a different kind of audience. Designing for films such as Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram Leela and Bajirao Mastani allowed her to step into the lives of these characters. “A movie reaches far more people because it tells a story, which means the costumes must align with the character’s emotions and background. When designing Leela’s look for Ram Leela, for instance, Leela was vivacious and rebellious yet rooted in Gujarat. Her layered colours, authentic borders and backless choli had to reflect that. Every costume depends on script readings, relationships, settings and situations, since a character cannot dress festively while running away. In Bajirao Mastani too, Priyanka Chopra’s royal peshwai look differed from Mastani’s Persian-inspired attire. As a designer, I step into each character and the director’s vision, allowing creativity to guide the colours, textures and expressions,” she shares in all honesty.
Her own creative process begins by clearing her head — travelling alone for a holiday with a sketchbook, colour books and a camera, often to a place close to nature or the coast.
Sitting amidst vivid sarees and embroidered tunics, Anju Modi comes across as someone who is still curious, still listening to what garments and artisans have to say.