Everything today feels overtly dictated by algorithms that we often end up spending hours searching for pieces that feel personal yet let us dress differently from everyone else. No one is necessarily looking for an outfit that screams for attention, and yet we are all, in some way, searching for a quiet statement. A piece that may remain minimalistic, but whose details and character give it the kind of presence that always finds its moment. The Summer House exists exactly at that threshold.

When Shivangini Padhiyar and Rekha Datla launched The Summer House in 2015, they began with loungewear at a moment when the category barely registered as mainstream on the Indian fashion map. However, its story didn’t follow the standard blueprint that brands tend to follow, but with an intent to become a ‘good fashion business’. Instead, it took shape as an extension of the founders’ own lifestyle, which is rooted in simple and organic living. The result was a label that became sustainable not through ‘strategy’, but through instinctive choices during its inception. 

The Summer House has since evolved into a multi-dimensional brand spanning a wide range of clothing that includes tops, jackets, sarees, skirts, pants, swimwear, and a growing home category with serveware, cookbooks, and card decks. With Shivangini and Rekha coming from backgrounds entirely outside fashion, the breadth of the label becomes even more striking. Their collective impulse was simply to create in a way that felt clean, correct, and true to their sensibilities.

At the time, the market was split between traditional wear and Indo-fusion, neither of which resonated with their personal aesthetics. Their desire to dress themselves, and women who shared those instincts, became the spark for The Summer House. What makes this journey particularly noteworthy is their approach, rooted in clear intent, research, and an understanding of gaps in the market. It shows that purpose and insight can be just as vital to building a meaningful fashion business as design or scale.