re-ceremonial is a quiet return to the beginning. An exploration of clothing as culture, shaped in harmony with the environment and guided by circular, respectful ways of working with nature. Each piece begins with innovation rooted in recycled textile waste, transforming what exists into something considered and new.
At its core, re-ceremonial responds to an ecosystem that asks us to create and consume with care. The clothes are imagined as cycles of trust, carrying value, kindness and a sense of belonging that lives on the body and lingers beyond it. We’re in conversation with the founder, Ateev Anand.
How did the idea for re-ceremonial first take shape?
The seeds were sewn long ago when I made a wedding ensemble for someone I met at the airport and then for my dear friend Sonam. I knew then, that the time and resources needed for consciously crafting pieces would be best understood by consumers looking for custom designed ideas for their weddings. The label was formally launched in October 2022 at LFW Gen Next in Mumbai.
What does working in a circular and respectful manner with nature look like in your day to day practice?
The handwoven, plant dyed and hand embroidered space requires patience and flexibility on a daily basis. For example, a lot of our colours come from temple offerings so dyeing results can often vary depending on the quality of flowers received. Sometimes that means repeating the process from scratch because we are committed to a design or altering the design because we are sensitive to the limitations of conscious practice. We have learnt to accommodate that within tight timelines and tighter budgets by staying simple with our approach and transparent in our communication.
What does sustainability mean to you?
Equality. When you consider yourself as keenly as everything that surrounds you
What does re-ceremonial bring to the landscape of Indian-wear labels?
Possibilities. We are trying to get ahead by going back to the start.
How do you hope a wearer feels when they engage with a re-ceremonial piece?
Confident, light and abundant.
What have been the biggest challenges in building a brand whose focus is to be in harmony with the environment?
I believe the brand was birthed at a time when it was most needed. It hasn’t been a challenge getting the word around because it feels like there are already consumers looking for what we bring to the table. Staying true to the values we began with is our foremost responsibility.
What are you working on now, what is the future looking like?
The practice seems to have gained more depth: A deeper investigation into what is possible on the handlooms to push the limits of skill and sustain livelihood. We are also developing more surface embellishment techniques in our quest to understand what heritage means in the present context, and exploring new shapes that the clothes finally take as our practice expands to interact with cultures without borders.
Words Neeraja Srinivasan
Date 6.1.2026