After an exhausting day at work, don't you sometimes wish for a vacuum cleaner that would suck away all your aches and pains and sore muscles? It's not entirely impossible, thanks to Reshma Merchant and Priyanka Kaul Lakdawala's 'healing garments'. We're not saying you'd feel completely rejuvenated, but you're likely to feel less tired and more relaxed than usual.
Founded by Reshma Merchant and Priyanka Kaul Lakdawala, House of Milk is all about wellness, luxury, purposeful design and the intention to revive and sustain the cottage industry drive. The brand comprises of two categories: 'healing garments', which combine minimalistic designs and Ayurvedic herbs and 'wearable art' – a collection of hand-painted jewellery in 18 carat gold.
Ancient Ayurvedic traditions are woven with the healing properties of herbs, flowers, seeds, pulp, fruits, gums and roots into these lightweight fabrics of cotton, linen and silk. Some of the ingredients used are neem leaves, aloe vera, nochi leaves, curry leaves, turmeric, adhatoda and jasmine. "I stayed in an Ayurvedic hospital for two months to get treated for my asthma and experienced the benefits of Ayurveda first hand," shares Reshma Merchant, wife of Bollywood music composer and director Sulaiman Merchant.
Creations from House of Milk's latest collection
"Then, for five years, we researched about this project before launching early this year. In a tropical country such as ours, this pure fabric, seeped in therapeutic herbs, is great for the mind, body, spirit and hormones, as the fabrics are processed without toxins."
These chemical-free, odourless fabrics are then transformed into elegant, easy-to-wear pieces with nature-inspired detailing and embellishments designed by Merchant. She works with a muted palette, favouring shades of white and cream, in keeping with the soothing qualities of the cloth itself. Utilitarian yet chic pieces for women, scarves for men and wraps for babies are a part of their collection.
"The production process is elaborate," Merchant tells us. "Creating a healing garment takes between 90 to 120 days".
To wrap yourself in such wellness and luxury, one would need to shell out almost ₹20,000 to ₹50,000. If you follow the instructions that come with each garment, these clothes should last long. Using mild organic detergents or laundry prolongs the therapeutic effect of the garment.
As co-founders, Merchant looks after the creative, design, production and marketing of the brand, while Lakdawala is immersed in the expansion details of the company. With four collections in hand, House of Milk is set to unveil the Leaf DNA collection in Paris at Who's Next 2016. Pieces from their latest collection are embellished with line drawings of leaves, inspired by microscopic illustrations of their botanical DNA.
