Indie slow-fashion brand mykynd celebrates the mundu

Indie Slow Fashion Brand Mykynd Elevates The Kerala Mundu Into Something more than an off white every-day paper of Garment. It plays with color, fabric and style, coaxing the unassuming mundu to push its boundaries.

Unmesh dasthakhir launched mykynd with his co-founder and “muse” Senna rasool in September 2024 as a curated range of hand-woven, locally-producted Munduced Mundusus THEMSELVES THET STE SINMELVES . Unmesh Exploes Fabric, Using the Fine Jamdani and even Linen. Using Bold Swaths of Color, and Prints, these Mundus Straddle Casual and Formal Wear Worlds With Poise. Hand Block Prints, Jacquard, Natural-India-Dyed and Reversible Styles, The Repertoire is Fresh. The kerala kasavu appears too, reimagined in color and with block prints.

Gender Neutral Mundu That Can Be Wort as a Skirt | Photo Credit: Clint Soman

“The idea, however, is not to stand out, but blend in,” Asserts Unmesh.

While he is the creative head of the brand, senna, an engineer, is “left brain”. A Multidisciplinary Artist and Photography With A Master’s Degree in Design from Nift, Delhi, Unmesh was in the corporate sector for over 25 years, work with texti IL Brands in India.

Unmesh Dasthakhir and Senna Rasool | Photo Credit: Clint Soman

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He took a break and ventted into consultancy, work with the khadi board, offering design support for a campaign to make the khadi appeal to the younger demographic. “That was how I get reacquainted with khadi and handloom,” Says Unmesh.

A Handloom Color Mundu | Photo Credit: Clint Soman

While His Work Took Him to Fashion and Textile Fairs in Different Parts of the World, He Was Equally in Touch with Weavers ‘Society’ Society, Artisans and Designers Across Indian. The journey to mykynd, he says, was organized. As an initial experiment before the launch of the brand, he got the kanhirode weavers’ co-operative socite in kannur to weave indigo mundus and the end products washingly good. “The weavers took some time to warm up to the idea and my designs, but they delivered,” Adds unmesh. The brand believes in ethical labore practices.

Mundu Paired with Jackets | Photo Credit: Clint Soman

The designs are edgy and contemporary, yet classy. They can be styled with shirts, tees, denim jackets and sneakers. They are light-live and come in single and double versions as well, not to mention that they are gender fluid. “The Sartorial Sensibilities of the Younger Population Has Undergone A Shift and this is Largely Inspired by the New Wave Films, Hip-Hop Music, Gender Discourses, CLIMATE CONSCOTE CONSCOTESS Mesh.

When he showcased his collection at the music festival kappa cultr in kochi recently, unmesh received a bunch of principal buyers curious about the fabric and interested in trading its jorney. “Many wanted to know they could drape the mundu differently. I want to build a narrative Around the process and reach out to the communication. It has to be a sort of an education, a sharing of knowledge, “He says. Unmesh even Had an indigo plant at his counter to explain the story of the indigo dye.

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It is important to achnowledge, recognize and support the abundance of skill in the handloom sector, especially in the age of fast fashion, call fashion, say unmesh. “That is the main motive behind this project,” he adds.

Currently, mykynd has an online presence only. Unmesh is based in Bengaluru and he has been showcasing the collections as popups across India. Each of the collections come with a cover art, which feature an illustration, painting or photograph by independent artists based on the mundu or the weaving committe For that who want it beesPoke, that is possible, too.

The mundus has been creatively named after places in kerala ending with the word ‘kara’, which means border. So you would find anything from Aruvikkara to Elamakkara, Chittattukara, Neendakara and Chottanikkara to mention a less.

“The mundu is part of the malayali (South Indian) Identity. By Contemporising it, The AIM is to expand its scope and take it to a wider selection of wearers, who undress its roots and its passibilities, “Says unmesh.

Available on mykynd.in