Hemant and Nandita: Handcrafted Indian Artistry Under $250
Delhi-based design duo Hemant Sood and Nandita Sharma have spent over two decades quietly building one of India's most joyful and technically accomplished fashion labels. Their work is rooted in traditional South Asian craft — hand block-printing, intricate threadwork embroidery, and resist-dyeing techniques passed down through generations of artisans — yet the silhouettes they cut are unmistakably global: strappy midis, halter minis, relaxed shirt dresses worn loose or belted at the waist. The result is a wardrobe that travels seamlessly from a rooftop dinner in Jaipur to a summer terrace in the south of France.
What makes Hemant and Nandita particularly compelling right now is their commitment to keeping craft accessible. The pieces in this edit — all under $250 — carry the same hand-applied embroidery and hand-printed textiles found at far higher price points. Each garment is made in small runs in collaboration with Indian artisan workshops, meaning the floral motifs you see are never mechanically stamped; they are placed, pressed, and stitched by hand.
The Gul collection — "gul" meaning flower in Urdu and Persian — is perhaps the clearest expression of the brand's identity. Rendered in a soft, sun-faded dusty pink, the strappy midi above features floral embroidery worked directly onto a lightweight woven base. The thin adjustable straps and fluid midi length make it an ideal warm-weather piece: worn as-is for an evening occasion, or layered over a white linen shirt for a more relaxed afternoon setting.
The paisley motif — one of the oldest textile patterns in South Asian tradition, originating in Persia and refined through centuries of Kashmiri weaving — gets a modern treatment in the Dani halter mini. Here it appears in a multi-toned embroidered arrangement across a halter neckline, bringing colour and cultural depth to a silhouette that works equally well for a beach club lunch or a city rooftop gathering.
For those who prefer a less structured silhouette, the drop-shoulder shirt dress format — seen above in the same dusty pink Gul print — offers the brand's embroidery in a more relaxed framework. The self-tie belt means you can wear it nipped in at the waist or left open as a cover-up over swimwear. At $164, it is one of the most versatile entry points into the Hemant and Nandita universe.
Building a Full Look
One of the pleasures of this label is how well separates work together across collections. The Asma range, which uses hand-painted ombre palm motifs in a multi-tonal palette, translates naturally into mix-and-match dressing — pair the ombre bandeau top with the matching mini skirt for a coordinated resort set, or wear each piece individually against neutral linen or white cotton for a more understated effect.
At Lola Dré, we carry this edit specifically because the craftsmanship-to-price ratio is genuinely rare. These are not simplified or diffusion-line pieces — they are the same hand-worked textiles the brand is known for internationally, made accessible through careful curation. Whether you are building a travel wardrobe or simply looking for something with more intention and provenance than fast fashion can offer, Hemant and Nandita is a label worth knowing well.
