Five years into the business, Misha Lakhani creates Miraka – a more affordable line retaining the essence of her brand.
The Misha Lakhani brand has developed a strong signature since it launched in 2012. While other brands have dabbled in ‘boho chic’ lines, the designer’s silhouettes have become synonymous with her name, earning her both critical and commercial acclaim. Her mix of traditional with the modern, however is exclusive and has always come with a heavy price tag. Five years into her business, Lakhani has launched a line called Miraka, which aims to be more accessible to her brand patrons.
Under her main line, the dhotis come at a cool price tag of 8,500 whereas the kurtas are close to the PKR 13,000 mark and go up to PKR 32,500. Miraka starts at 4,500 and goes up till 18,000 making it more affordable for those who want to wear Lakhani’s aesthetic. She describes Miraka as a brand for the global nomad with a passion for the unusual who knows that geography is no boundary to style.
“The mission is to create works of art by combining unusual materials with ancient artistic techniques and to elevate the next generation of master craftsman. I still wouldn’t say we’re catering to the masses. It’s an extension of the existing brand to give more options to our existing customers, and at the same time catering to a different audience,” she shared with Instep.
What made her launch a line such as Miraka, when exclusivity was one of the main characteristics of the brand?
“I wanted to expand on handmade luxury, but make it available to a wider audience. I appreciate fewer better things and retail with a difference - something that has some soul and gives back to the hands that helped make it. In fact, this brand was born out of the desire to provide steady opportunities to skilled artisan communities, to take heirloom traditions from the heart of Pakistani villages to the rest of the world.”
The label focuses on sustainable fashion and that remains the heart of all lines under the main brand. Miraka also retains the essence of the designer’s edgy yet elegant reinterpretation of traditional silhouettes and techniques. One can find a plainer version of the signature kaftan as well as her quintessential draped jackets.
Her off-shoulder tops can also be found under Miraka proving that Misha isn’t one to follow trends (since the off-shoulder has seen its demise) and that if a silhouette appeals to her aesthetic it will be available at her store. The muslin and cotton tunics will appeal to the minimalist and offer looks that can easily be taken from day to night wear with the addition of a few accessories.
Misha opened her Lahore store in 2015 and had to create separate, heavier lines for the market because the ones that did well in Karachi’s market wouldn’t sell as readily. A couple of years later she shares, “I’ve found people with similar tastes in both cities. Things have changed a lot from what they were, there’s a lot more confluence now.”
