THE SUMMER HOUSE

## Short form In a world saturated with fast fashion and transient trends, The Summer House offers refuge for those who want something more: clothes that feel good, mean something, and honor the hands that made them. It’s about preserving craft, reducing waste, reviving old techniques, and giving women garments that speak of identity, beauty, and respect—for themselves, for makers, for the planet. ## Long form The Summer House was founded by Rekha Datla and Shivangini Padhiyar in 2015. The impulse came from a shared yearning : for purity, simplicity and the kind of craftsmanship that existed in the older times. Shivangini had memories of living among the hills with her grandmother, in a lifestyle rooted in slower rhythms and carefully made things. Their ambition was to combine that nostalgia with modern sensibilities. What we stand for : Sustainability & Ethical Craft : The Summer House believes that fashion should respect both people and the planet. Materials are selected carefully: natural fibres dominate, with a preference for handwoven cloth, organic cotton, ethical Tencel, and even regenerated materials like ECONYL for swimwear. We ensure fabrics are dyed in facilities with proper wastewater management, avoid harmful chemicals (e.g. use azo ‑ free dyes), and favor undyed or minimally processed textiles when possible. Artisan Partnerships & Traditional Techniques : A central mission is keeping alive traditional textile crafts across India—not as museum pieces, but as living, evolving practices. We work directly with rural artisans or through NGOs, across around 17 craft clusters, to develop handmade textiles, block prints, smocking, hand weaving, embroidery, etc Timeless, Minimal Design : Rather than chasing fast trends, The Summer House creates garments meant to endure—both in style and in build. Silhouettes are airy, graceful, thoughtfully detailed yet not overly adorned. The design philosophy is minimalism, slow ‑ living, timelessness.