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Making resort wear for women using Indian hand-crochet was an unexplored idea until Diya Aggarwal launched Vitamin Di in December 2023. The label specialises in hand-crochet bikinis but also makes gowns, co-ord sets, trench coats, and jackets that feature in their latest fall-winter collection. A fashion designer and stylist, Aggarwal wanted to use traditional Indian techniques in unexpected ways.
“In terms of the gap that it's filling for resort wear, I don't think that there's a lot like it in the Indian market space,” Aggarwal tells Object. “I haven't seen too many crochet brands in India; initially, that was the USP that I thought up, because I love wearing these and I was like, 'I don't think anyone can buy these unless they have someone knitting it for themselves.'”
Vitamin Di is going for a “Bohemian chic” look, she says, and has now gone beyond crochet to explore modern designs using hand embroidery, atta work, tapka work, and other older Indian techniques previously used only for festive wear.
Besides filling a gap in the Indian market, Aggarwal also wanted her brand to be socially conscious and useful. That is why she made a conscious decision to employ rural women. These women were motivated to earn a living—and also to find news ways to express themselves and learn new skills.
It's been a fun, creative journey, says Aggarwal, unable to decide which piece in her collections is her favourite.
“Currently we have a fall-winter collection which is nothing like my resort wear. And that has a beautiful, grey velvet gown which has these silver dubka work flowers scattered all over, very time-consuming to make, very pretty, I think that's currently my favourite, but overall, I would say perhaps my bella dress, because I think that was one of the more intricate ones that I made.”
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