MIUNIKU
In an industry dominated by embellishment, embroidery, and craft, Miuniku offers a refreshing visual break. Founded by sisters Tina and Nikita Sutradhar and named after their childhood nicknames, “Miu” and “Niku,” the label is recognised for its deft tailoring, bold colour blocking, and a graphic yet minimalistic appeal. Rooted in both Mumbai and London, the brand draws from the versatile aesthetic the designer duo developed during their time at the London College of Fashion–bringing in an approach to design shaped by women, for women.
There’s much to be said about Miuniku’s elaborate approach to design, right from the silhouettes and colour palette to fabric and pattern–everything captivates from the very first glance. The precision of the cut, boxy coats, pleated skirts, and straight trousers feels almost architectural and remains unmissable. Another hallmark that runs through their collections is the brand’s masterful use of colour: primary hues that remain true to tone without ever feeling camp or over the top. Anchored in black, white, and tan, saturated blocks of cobalt, red, mint, and green create a sharp, striking contrast.
A closer look, however, reveals the complexities of the craft in each of Miuniku’s designs. Familiar suiting fabrics, typically reserved for structured garments, take on unexpected fluidity in skirts. Take, for instance, their collection ‘The Routine' juxtaposes pinstripes with pyjama stripes, symbolising the dialogue between work and rest, effort and ease. Meanwhile, the interplay of pleats, panels, and yokes creates a visual rhythm that might seem complex in concept yet feels remarkably cohesive in execution. Despite the many elements at play, each ensemble retains a polished and clean finish.
In more ways than one, the label continues to break from tradition, rejecting not only the notion that certain fabrics must be used in specific ways—pushing materials to their unexplored potential—but also challenging the idea of limiting oneself to a similar series of inspirations. Looking back at their early work, particularly the AW14 collection, even the Bauhaus aesthetic seems to have been a clear reference that is evident in the strong use of red, yellow, and blue, and the celebration of structure and construction. It’s interesting how such diverse sources of inspiration feed into their practice, and yet a “Miuniku piece” remains instantly recognisable. Complementing them are Miuniku’s campaigns, often shot in raw, minimal settings, featuring models posed in sharp, androgynous stances that mirror the brand’s own vision.
Global recognition has naturally followed the Sutradhar sisters since the beginning: from the LVMH Special Jury Prize and H&M Design Award shortlist to a place on Forbes 30 Under 30. Uninfluenced by trends, every collection circles back to the brand’s core ideas of repetition and the everyday, anchored by their signature primary hues and angular, androgynous tailoring. The language rarely shifts, yet each collection is recast just enough to feel fresh. The founders of Miuniku might be one of the few designers who are designing beyond the familiar mould of homegrown labels today, and one can surely predict that their approach will serve as a reference point for more designers to come, leaving the industry eager to see what follows from both Miuniku and the next generation of creatives.
