For a generation spurred on by the aspiration of perhaps beating the speed of light in their quest to conquer the world, one 5G-click at a time, being “still” is a luxury that many can’t warrant. Home-bred luxury fashion brand Good Earth, with their latest summer collection titled Still, is here to remind us about the beauty and luxury that “stillness” exudes, with their range of apparel and homeware. Pivoted around the present stillness of being, which has left us appreciating the little things of profundity that were otherwise relegated to the status of mundane, Good Earth’s Still also examines its various connotations in motion, mind and life through a series of three artistic collaborations.

While the first one with dancer Shivani Varma explored stillness in motion through the languorous thaath anga of Kathak, the second collaboration saw artist Joya Mukherjee Logue delving into the stillness of mind and its serenity as she put her paintbrush to paper. The final instalment of this collaboration saw poet and co-founder/creative director of Huemn, Pranav Misra, reflect on the stillness of life through his poetry. In a chat with The Telegraph, Anita Lal, founder and creative director, Good Earth, gives us a peek into their latest collection.

How was your latest summer collection of apparel and homeware conceptualised?

Our Summer ’20 collection, Still, is inspired by the moments of stillness and their subtle charm, the quietude and unhurried languor of the season.
The Sustain apparel collection, Chaya is a line-up of classic Sustain silhouettes and loungewear for a relaxed time, largely spent indoors. Easy kurtas, chogas and kaftans in soothing whites are crafted in diaphanous Chanderis and the softest handloom cotton, uplifted with hints of tonal embroidery.
Chand Bagh, the Home collection, is a range of home linen in soft ivory. Crafted from fine linen and cotton, this all-white bed collection, is highlighted with tonal embroidery in a floral jaal pattern, to create the perfect vision of summer along with textured and embroidered cushions in bright prints and neutral tones.

What led to the predominant use of white in it?

Still encapsulates the serene spirit of the season. It was conceptualised keeping in mind the current times, the slower pace of life and the need to stay indoors. Our designers delved into a slower rhythm to create a sublime range of apparel and home linen that captures the stillness of summer. The focus of the collection is on an all-white palette to usher in an essence of calm, which is further accentuated by the choice of fabrics, relaxed cuts, tonal embroidery and delicate handcrafted details.

Good Earth is known for its practical silhouettes and wearability, along with keeping it stylish. Take us through the design elements of the apparel in this collection and how it figures within the aesthetics of the brand.

The design philosophy behind Sustain is to use natural fabrics and create elegant daily-wear in timeless styles rooted in the textile traditions of India. Similarly, Still features an array of traditional ensembles which are contemporised by our designers such as cropped farshi pants, and kaftans with modern interpretations of kimono sleeves, uplifted with hints of embroidery, modern pleating, scalloped sleeves, and crochet and lace-detailing, for everyday comfort and simplicity.

You have also collaborated with artistes for this. What led to this amalgamation of the arts for this collection?

With the shift in the scenario and our audience mostly interacting with us through digital mediums, we had curated three exclusive Instagram experiences with artistes in diverse fields exploring “stillness”, through their craft to understand connotations, interpretations and significance of the concept. Through a video series, we delve into the ideas of stillness in motion, stillness in mind and stillness in life through a mesmerising Kathak rendition with Shivani Varma, a still-life painting session with Joya Mukherjee Logue, and a profound poetic recountal with Pranav Misra.

The consumption of fashion is staring at crossroads now with many willing to change their buying habits. What do you foresee in the industry and how does Good Earth plan to tackle that?

With changing times, we do foresee a shift in buying habits and the redefining of fashion as a concept. Focus on new collections will reduce and more versatile clothes will be in demand — something that you can wear from morning to evening with minor tweaks. On the retail front, we are encouraging our customers to shop from the comforts of their home through our web boutique. Our personal shoppers and customer care team are available all day to assist them via WhatsApp and calls, with product selection, placing an order, and facilitate contactless payment and home deliveries.

Still encourages one to look within during this period of flux. Personally, how have you dealt with this time?

At a time like this, we are reminded that it is fine to step back sometimes so that you can see the world more clearly and love it more deeply. I believe one should enjoy the simple pleasures of life.