Across & beyond borders

Out to cultivate a vintage culture in India, stylist Kanika Karvinkop tells Shilpi Madan what it takes to redefine traditional fashion in diverse cultural contexts

Kanika Karvinkop

Vintage is the greenest form of fashion,” says Kanika Karvinkop, the force behind No Borders, a Mumbai-based concept store hinged on celebrating the diversity of culture, fashion, and design. It is more of a passion-infused project for Kanika, with the store erasing boundaries between nations by bringing together a wealth of sheer craftsmanship drawn from a cross-section of cultures.

Of course, it is her eclectic style and a keen eye for fine detail that makes her curate a superb cornucopia of locally made creations in her labour of love, centered in the quaint Kotachiwadi area of the city.

Kanika has just wrapped up the daily release of love on the No Borders website in the form of a series of articles chronicling the various relationships between women of colour: friends, siblings, couples and more. “Our first jewellery line, in collaboration with the Bengaluru-based Bohemian collective Bhavya Ramesh, is in the making and debuts soon,” she reveals with a smile. Going by the Insta peek, and in perfect sync with the soul of No Borders, it is an intriguing play of detailed, handcrafted trinkets for gypsy souls and free spirits.

What made her come up with the store? “There is an absolute lack, and yet a tacit need for vintage stores in India. I want to cultivate the vintage culture here, such that it becomes cool to thrift-shop and saves the environment,” she says, tracing a nouveau trajectory from her days as a fashion stylist with leading magazines to subsequently freelancing and creating mood boards centered around Indian designers. “I pitched one such mood board to several publications, and then finally shot for it in Pushkar. It got me thinking that we know so little about our neighbours as well. I began to source creations from all over South Asia, met amazing designers who shape stunning pieces evocative of their own country’s culture.”

No Borders then truly zaps distances globally as Kanika’s store brings in fabulous clothes, accessories, art from Peru, Philippines, Bangladesh, Israel, Africa, India, Sri Lanka... for instance the legendary Chitrali topis of Pakistan in silk threads comes to the fore with a Pakistani-American designer generating local livelihood in Chitral. Then there are handpainted buttons on silhouettes by EKA, treasured handlooms from Suket Dhir, and more. “There is so much that is unknown in terms of fashion aesthetics and craftsmanship. Sustainability is the prism through which I curate the designers and bring forth the best.”

Kanika’s travels through the length and breadth of the country broadened her perspectives too during her early years. “My father’s work took us from Delhi to Trivandrum and that exposed me to diverse cultures within India. I believe fashion gives people a platform to showcase their creativity. I am constantly on the lookout for designers who tell stories inspired by roots and heritage, through sustainability, transcending language barriers. It is important for the world to know,” she says, the glow evident in her voice as we chat.

“The current pandemic has brought home the realisation that everyone is affected in different ways, but it is a privilege to be safe at home,” she says. Subtle and soft, the images of No Borders carry her signature raw, real touch. “I began shooting the pictures myself, following my own gut and instinct. I have always wanted organic growth,” says Kanika.

“My anthem in life is never to give up, no matter what the challenges are in life. I launched my store during the time when I lost my father to cancer. I let my sadness out and kept going, channelising my energies into No Borders, just as he would have wanted me to. This helped me to survive my loss,” she adds.