Niha Elety launches clothing brand Tega Collective

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Jul 26, 2022

Designer and entrepreneur Niharika Elety has launched sustainable clothing brand Teha Collective with the aim of promoting traditional Telegu handicraft techniques. 

Tega Collective has just launched with a dedicated e-commerce store. Eleti has built up a network of craftswomen from around South India and beyond and aims to use her new brand to provide them with support and employment. The brand has a particular focus on the traditional Lambani embroidery technique, carried out by craftswomen of the Ballari region of Karnataka.
 
“I started educating people on different regional textiles of India through my Instagram page via body paintings and I saw so many people excited to learn,” Elety told Vogue India about the genesis of her interest in textiles and fashion. 

“Our current fear of pattern and colour is due to the pressure to aspire to western standards of wearability and modernity,” said Elety. “For indigenous communities colour, pattern, and embroidery are integral to culture, freedom, and self expression.” 
 
As part of the new brand’s commitment to sustainability, Tega Collective colours its clothing with natural dyes including indigo, marigold flowers, and madder root. The brand also uses handloom textiles and hand embroidery. 
 
A first look at the brand’s debut collection shows a gender neutral approach and a mix of traditional classics such as full skirts paired with modern staples including button-down shirts, shorts, and hoodies. By translating heritage craft techniques into versatile garments, Tega Collective breathes new life into these traditional art forms.