Since the beginning of storytelling, there have always been beings that seem to belong somewhere beyond the world we know.
Across cultures and centuries, folklore and mythology have imagined creatures that exist between forms — part human, part animal, part bird; familiar, yet impossible. In South Asian and Southeast Asian traditions especially, the natural and divine have long been intertwined. Gods and goddesses are often accompanied by animals and birds — as their companions, guardians, symbols, or vahanas, their celestial modes of transport. These creatures are rarely incidental; they embody qualities, carry meaning, and become extensions of the deities themselves.
Perhaps this is why animals and mythical beings have occupied such a powerful place in the stories passed down to us. They inhabit a space somewhere between the earthly and the divine, the familiar and the fantastical, giving form to things that cannot always be explained.
Elsewhere is inspired by this world of beautiful impossibilities.
It looks back at the stories we encounter as children, when the boundaries between the real and imagined are still wonderfully blurred. A bird may speak, a human may grow wings, an animal may carry a god across worlds, and a creature need not make complete sense to feel entirely believable.
Long before we understand creativity itself, these stories teach us to imagine. They allow us to believe in worlds beyond our own and in possibilities that don’t obey the rules of reality. There is a certain freedom in that thought — a whimsy that stays with us, quietly shaping the way we dream, create and see the world.
For our festive collection, we translate this idea into clothing through a coming together of familiar CORD techniques — hand smocking, intricate hand embroidery, appliqué and delicate lacework. Silks bring richness and lustre, while cottons lend softness and ease, allowing the collection to move between the ethereal and the tactile.
Elsewhere is an ode to imagination — to folklore and mythology, to mythical beings and childhood wonder, and to all the worlds that may not exist anywhere but in the ones we create.
At Cord, our prints are a world of their own. Each print begins as a story — a flicker of nostalgia, a memory, a scene unfolding quietly somewhere in time. For FW25, the characters come alive to step out of their painted frames and into the real world. Every illustration, every brushstroke carries with it a universe of moments — of laughter, longing, daydreams, and whispers of a time that once was. Nostalgia has always been our compass — sometimes hidden in the muted hues, sometimes in the storyline itself — but always present, like an emotion stitched between the threads. Daydreamers’ is a celebration of that in-between space — where reality softens, and imagination takes over. A world where prints are not just seen, but felt. The FW25-26 collection is crafted dominantly in wools and velvets, and grounded with our signature linens and cottons, the collection carries the tactile warmth of the season. It features timeless techniques — hand smocking, applique, and intensive hand embroidery — each rooted in the craftsmanship of an era gone by.
Modern Archives is a call to reach out to our lost versions - the memories of all the people we have met, all the places we have visited, the books we have read, of all the good and bad that makes us who we are. It’s about connecting with our roots and real self to understand who we are and where we belong, while we embrace the new. This collection is a restoration of heritage, art and nature. It’s our version of bringing back the old world charm, age-old techniques and craftsmanship while keeping it in relevant with the modern times. SS 21 Drop 1 is a fresh breeze of earthen hues and print stories guided by abstract art, dream like water colour strokes, relaxed silhouettes in breathable cottons and linens to offer comfortable yet considered fashion.
