Ishani Kamat is a textile designer from Goa, with a specialization in weaving, surface design and prints. She is passionate about the ingenious techniques of hand-crafted and hand-woven textiles across India which drives her to collaborate on immersive projects one cluster at a time.

Currently at Nalli Silks, Ishani has had the opportunity to explore Benarasi, Kanchi, Jamdani, Chanderi, and Bhalpuri tussars. Her projects start with thorough market research and strong conceptualization, heavily driven by the nuances of the craft technique.

Nalli has also given her the chance to be a part of business economics—from budgeting, planning, and vendor relations to managing production timelines, marketing collaterals and shoots.

Previously, she undertook her graduation project with the Titan brand Taneira, focussing on redesigning a contemporary language for Pochampally Ikats. She worked on-field with the weavers of Jangaon to bring her collection 'Wabi Sabi' to life which launched in stores in 2023.

Additionally, she explored machine-embroidered sarees, studying the characteristics of modern fabrics such as Tencel and Liva.

A year of lockdown allowed her to do a consultancy stint with a small for-profit brand, Swara which provided employment opportunities to the women of Kerala. She also studied the mundane ‘lived’ garments of her grandmothers’ closets that often go undocumented. This later culminated into a publication 'Aalmaar'.

In her free time she enjoys swimming, rock climbing and listening to Nikhil Kamat podcasts which play in the background of an ongoing crochet or embroidery project. Curating spotify playlists and finding the best snacks in town is a side hobby.