Abraham & Thakore

Abraham & Thakore is an Indian design label founded in 1992 by David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore. It makes womenswear, menswear and home goods built around handloom, ikat and brocade.

What is Abraham & Thakore?

Abraham & Thakore is an eponymous Indian label created in 1992 by David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore, both graduates of the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad. Kevin Nigli joined shortly after the launch as the third partner and creative lead. The studio is located in Noida.

History

The label launched with the London retailer Browns, which featured one of its shirts in its Christmas catalogues in the mid 1990s. For roughly its first decade the brand sold almost exclusively overseas before building a presence in India. It is now backed by a joint venture with Reliance Brands Limited, a partnership that has widened its retail footprint. In 2024 the three partners also took over the design direction of Satya Paul.

Products and positioning

The brand began with womenswear, and menswear has since become a major part of the business, from shirts and trousers to classic silhouettes and occasion wear. Home goods complete the offer. Its design vocabulary rests on Indian textile craft:

• Handloom fabrics, including handloom cotton blended with Tencel
• Ikat weaving
• Brocade

Why it matters

Abraham & Thakore is one of the longest running Indian design labels to have built an international wholesale business before scaling at home, and its work shows how traditional handloom can be translated into contemporary, minimal clothing.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded Abraham & Thakore?

David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore founded the label in 1992, and Kevin Nigli joined soon after as the third partner.

What does Abraham & Thakore sell?

It sells womenswear, menswear and home goods made with handloom, ikat and brocade textiles.

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