JADE by Monica and Karishma. I’ll be honest I was not at all familiar with their work prior to this journey of fashion finds. They have quickly become one of my new favourite finds. They have all the traditional aspects of ethnic wear, with a modern twist, and without looking garish. It’s hard to get that combination right without looking like ‘inspired’ Indian vs. embodying the ‘Indian’ in clothing.

Celebs have taken a liking to JADE and I can totally understand why. There’s something for everywhere, with little quirks added to classical pieces. They make extremely feminine ensembles, ranging from heavy embroidered works to lighter, patterned, colourful looks.

The typical Indian silhouettes are available, but so are those with a little flair. JADE has a gravitation towards ruffles and it looks absolutely fabulous with a traditional look. I wouldn’t have thought so at hearing the idea, but looking at pictures of the outfits being worn, I’m totally sold. They play with colors and fabrics, never staying in just one lane. But they do all the lanes so well.

Styling an outfit by JADE needs to be done carefully. There’s so much going on with the clothing, it’s easy to become a Christmas tree with too much being done with accessories. Most ensemble are a very nice monochromatic and seamless vision, so it really isn’t too difficult to match embellishments.

The embellishments on the fabric are so striking and feminine. They are never too overpowering and always compliment the fabric and take into account the individual wearing the piece. The fit is always flattering and elegant and never is the individual overpowered. But that’s the power of fashion, the fabric should never be wearing the model, the model should always be wearing the piece of art.

The blouse cuts are very common but not repetitive within their collections. The pattern work is exquisite with the tiny details creating a flawless overall piece. There’s everything from beading, patchwork embroidery, and almost what looks like rogan embroidery. Theres elements of netting and lace strategically placed, the sarees are to die for.

One of the standout moments of JADE is their mixture of ethical influences with western silhouettes. It almost looks editorial to an extent. Sometimes fusion pieces look incomplete because they have too much Indian influences, it leaves you thinking where’s the rest of the lengha? This doesn’t happen with JADE, they maintain their feminine look in their more western pieces and add touches of the ruffles and embroidery as well. The color selection probably has a lot to do with why their fusion pieces work so well, they’re never too much and always subdued or rich.

JADE is one of those brands that may be very popular among the fortunate and famous circles, but it’s not as well known in most households. I absolutely love this find, it fits right into my aesthetics – feminine, dainty, with lots of pop of color or completely monochromatic. I know it’s chaotic, but it works.
If ethnic were to meet chic style – that’s how I would describe JADE. I hope it becomes more and more popular among the masses, it definitely would make us all look like a well dressed bunch of people.