It’s never easy to launch a new brand, but that especially rings true in the indigo-soaked denim world. However, the challenge was motivational for Vaishale Mittal, a textile designer and the founder of Cross A Line, a luxury denim line out of New Delhi.
“Everyone is doing denim nowadays, but it’s all [the] same,” Mittal said. “What was important for me was to enter the industry with a new angle.”
Fabrics were Mittal’s go-to point of differentiation. “The three main things I look for in denim fabrics is exclusivity, quality and sustainability,” she said.
Cross A Line launched in January with a spring collection that Mittal describes as “versatile yet minimalistic.” Made with khadi denim, silhouettes range from basic crop tops to an indigo-dyed trench coat. The collection retails for $150-$900 and is available online.
Along with bringing something new to the table, her vision for the collection is to empower women.
“Cross A line has minimalist androgynous silhouettes with a contemporary edge,” she said. Delicate and purposeful detailing, naturally dyed handloom and khadi denim fabrics, floral embroidery and textures and finishing with a treasured element are some of the brand’s design signatures.
Mittal’s previous experience working for the interiors-based French label, Plume De Panache, helped her come to the realization that denim was her fabric. “I used to develop a lot of textile samples for them using embroidery and knotting,” she said. “I could visualize all my textile developments on denim and it was then when I realized that I am more of a denim designer than fashion.”
New Delhi, Mittal’s hometown, also helped spark her interest in textiles.
“India and its rich textile culture have influenced my work. I am a textile-oriented designer. Having a good design is not the only key point that runs in my mind when I design a collection. Exploring different crafts and also having a very good quality fabric as canvas are essential for me,” she said.
For Fall ’19, Mittal says the collection is inspired by her belief that “the power is not in the flower but the one who is wearing it.” The garments will have a lot of overlapping details, floral-printed handloom denim and hand-embroidered 3-D denim flowers.
“You can also expect a lot of experiment with handloom and khadi denim,” Mittal said. “Especially with the colors—it’s a very colorful winter collection with denim colors not commonly found.”