Harmeet Bajaj launches womenswear brand Bunka

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Sep 20, 2021

Fashion consultant, stylist, and editor Harmeet Bajaj has launched Bunka as a new womenswear brand with the aim of promoting conscious fashion and giving crafts people across India employment opportunities.

Bunka has launched its maiden collection on multi-brand Indian fashion retailer Ogaan’s e-commerce store. The new label mixes a relaxed and modern aesthetic with Indian heritage craft techniques and garments include loose dresses, blouses, and kurta sets.

“In the midst of the lockdown, it was incredibly distressing to see how many people had been laid off in the fashion industry,” Bajaj told Vogue India. “I received so many calls to help, but after a while I realised that I wanted to find a sustainable way to support these talents. With the help of a friend, who has an export house, I reached out to my network of weavers, craftsmen, tailors, and who came to work twice a week, and we started the ball rolling.”

The brand’s first collection is designed to, “bring together craft, culture and textile, and approach fashion in as conscious a way possible,” said Bajaj. The collection features textiles made from plant-based fibre and handloom weaves from Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh.
 
Bunka will soon launch a collection of dresses, kurtas, and kaftans for the pre-festive season. For the line, the brand has teamed up with Disha Shekhawati, a Rajasthan-based organisation which employs around 400 women. 

Harmeet Bajaj has worked in fashion for the past 30 years and was part of the launch team at the National Institute of Fashion Technology. Bajaj has also worked as a stylist, editor, fashion consultant and choreographer for numerous brands.