NorBlack NorWhite was established as an ode to the exceptional Indian craftsmanship and culture. Working across textiles and human narratives, co-founders Mriga Kapadiya and Amrit Kumar have built a cultural platform. Their creative endeavours not only explore the depths of design but also work tirelessly to propagate diversity and prioritise women in all their glory along with POC voices. Mriga and Amrit let us in on their lesser-known side.
Contextualise yourself in one line.
Mriga: Earthy.
Amrit: Loyal.
Why do you do what you do?
Mriga: Brings joy.
Amrit: ‘Cause I secretly love it.
Do you remember the first design that you sold?
Mriga: Bandhani.
Amrit: It was called the Kaki Dress, made of this blue and yellow bandhani, where the bandhani had the shape of razor blades and the silhouette was based on all the kakis we met in Kutch. When working on the bandhani, it was the cut they all wore.
Favourite piece of clothing in your wardrobe.
Mriga: Garo Panel Dress.
Amrit: My Mango SZN Classic Embroidered Shirt.
What’s the best part of your job?
Mriga: People.
Amrit: The people that we get to build and work with.
And what’s the hardest?
Mriga: People.
Amrit: The system that we are constantly learning to navigate.
One ritual you can’t do away with.
Mriga: Chai.
Amrit: Listening to my favourite shabad in the morning.
Three people you’d love to dress.
Mriga: Rekha, Rihanna, Lisa Bonet.
Amrit: Rihanna, Rekha, RuPaul.
If you had a superpower, what would it be?
Mriga: Living underwater.
Amrit: Teleportation.
One lesson in life you’ve learnt and want to pass on.
Mriga: Stay rooted in your values and leave room to expand and grow in every moment.
Amrit: Slow and steady.
If you could be a fly on the wall, whose wall would it be?
Mriga: A tree in the Amazon.
Amrit: Rekha.
What excites you the most about fashion?
Mriga: Not too much.
Amrit: The real shift and revitalisation of handmade and craft.
If you had to collaborate with one person for a project, who would it be?
Mriga: Riri.
Amrit: Rihanna.
The next big thing in fashion is?
Mriga: People caring about who and where their threads are made.
Amrit: Circular fashion.
What was your first job?
Mriga: Printing photos at a photo lab.
Amrit: At a bookshop in the mall.
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Words Unnati Saini
Date 02.03.2024