The art of authentic storytelling is the real measure of any project, and what feels truly remarkable is when a designer pulls you into a world entirely of her own making, carrying you into her creative space and sharing the story behind every detail. That’s exactly how it felt stepping into 14A Hay Hill in Mayfair, where Astha Garg held a private viewing of her graduate collection Linger Longer, an extension of Linger, which she debuted in February at London Fashion Week. The collection revolves around themes of memory, intimacy, and the traces left behind by people and places, where every piece felt like a story in itself, carrying the essence of true Indian craftsmanship.What stood out most is how deeply Astha is embedded in her own textiles, material innovation, and conscious production. Carrying forward her family’s textile legacy, her process is entirely hand-led, working closely with traditional weaving clusters while developing her own textiles from natural fibres like Himalayan nettle (girardinia diversifolia). Banofi’s banana-waste leather made its way into bags and jackets alike, proof that sustainable materials can hold their own structurally as well as aesthetically. She hopes one day to own her own textile farm, producing the fabrics for her designs in-house, a long-term vision that speaks to just how seriously she takes sustainable production.
The palette, running through reds, pinks, whites and browns, felt feminine, earthy, and spiritual, an ode to Indian artistry and beauty, landing just in time for South Asian Heritage Month. Alongside the clothing pieces, Astha showed hand-carved wood pieces, masks and jenga sets, an extension of her ongoing work treating wood as a textile and she’s currently focused on developing a bendable wood lattice. The evening was rounded out by a live performance from Dev K Watson, one of BBC Asia Network’s rising stars, and negronis courtesy of Polarity Gin, making the evening as much a sensory experience as a sartorial one. Watching Astha’s vision take shape, it’s clear she’s exploring the relationship between people and the natural world with real intention, and we’re already looking forward to seeing where she takes it at London Fashion Week this September.
