Founders of the label Margn, Ranjit and Saurabh Maurya, both graduated from the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru in 2019, with a dream to move away from the mainstream and enable change with their clothing line. Before their own label Margn was established, the duo worked their way through the industry, gaining knowledge and experience about how things functioned. ‘While both of us were still working professionals, we pooled our skills and knowledge together to conceptualise the World of Margn,’ says co-founder Saurabh.
The motivation behind the label comes from a time when they were in college and travelled across villages to study craft clusters. One such visit opened the duo’s eyes to the travails of the artisans. Saurabh recalls how they promised themselves to travel to the remotest village and help keep indigenous crafts alive, by collaborating with these artisans. Margn thus stemmed out of a deep desire to destructure the system, subvert workplace hierarchies and devise a transparent supply chain that is sustainable and ethical in terms of the materials used and the people employed. Saurabh adds, ‘When we mulled over the idea of forming a label in 2020, it took us a while to figure out what we wanted it to be. We came up with new perspectives, fresh imagery and a different thought process to create garments that don’t follow trends, but rather capture our emotions.’
Established as an attempt to explore the complexities of masculinity and what the identity stands for, Margn imagines a world without any demarcations or discrimination. The co-founder explains, ‘We wish to narrate stories of fresh perspectives and are a voice for many social issues. Dedicated to continuous development of ideas and products, the brand embraces innovative techniques and craftsmanship, which bring together our philosophy for a new world without any differences. Cut and finish are key in our unconventional silhouettes and layered designs.’ Designing pieces meant to evoke sentimentality, the label’s artistic translation of human symbols and emblems, works to curate design methodology anew.
When it comes to their creative process, it all begins with brainstorming, but with a Margn twist. They discount commercial acceptance right at the onset to be able to think freely. Saurabh explains, ‘We think of what we can do differently this season, what shock value we can add and what people don’t expect from us. It’s more about telling new stories and being truthful to ourselves. We take our time with mind-mapping and ideation, and freeze upon a concept that intrigues us both. From there, we develop colour palettes for the season, based on emotions that the chosen concept invokes within us.’ Once the duo has developed a solid concept, they move onto Saurabh’s favourite step — creating sample swatches. It is replete with illustrations as they explore varied ideas that come to mind. Sourcing fabric and then sampling are the final stages before the entire collection is brought to life.
Keen on observing their surroundings for inspiration, both Ranjit and Saurabh believe that even a mundane conversation between two individuals can kindle the fire of an idea for a collection. The Margn world was brought to life on the premise of what ifs. Saurabh ponders, ‘What if the world were upside down, what if humans had a different shape and form, what if every being lived harmoniously despite differences. The core of Margn lies within human bonds, beyond physical differences and societal divides. We try to see smaller things around us, as well as larger social and environmental issues through Margn’s lens, and translate what we see into our collections.’
Like many others, Margn also suffered through the pandemic, as a business that was just starting out when the world came to a halt. They had no parameters to measure just how much it could have affected them as a business enterprise. Considering the situation in the country has taken a turn for the worse in the recent months, they have postponed the launch of their next collection. In the future, the duo sees Margn being a part of multiple events and exhibits, and making a switch to completely recycled raw material in the supply chain, from their garments to packaging. On a parting note, Saurabh elucidates on their plans, ‘redefining the business model by removing hierarchy and ensuring fair-trade is in the pipeline, once our business grows. We see Margn not just as a brand, but as a channel to promote humanity, by helping and providing opportunities for those in need. Apart from social and environmental milestones for our brand, we would like to have at least one physical store by 2025, along with selling at prestigious MBO’s.’
Text Unnati Saini
Date 14-06-2021