Atulyakala: a quaint Humayunpur boutique by the deaf…

Atulyakala is an Indian clothing brand which had an artsy outlet at the emerging fashion hub of Humayunpur in New Delhi. The narrow lanes are reminiscent of Shahpur Jat in its early days or Hauz Khas Village when they were comparatively lesser known places. Humayunpur is located adjacent to the retail hub of Safdarjung Area.

I happened to chance upon Atulyakala on the left lane of Humayunpur, while making a foray into the arterial lane in an attempt to locate Lha Kitchen. The place was tucked into a 12×9 ft cubicle, neat and minimalist, with their entire lineup on display. I interacted with the shop supervisor (Amit), also a visual artist and clothes designer, but he had lost his hearing and was supported by the initiative.

What makes Atulyakala unique?

Atulyakala began its journey in 2013 In New Delhi. Amidst the 16 million people was a deaf artist Amit who loved the art history of Delhi and was often seen creating art pieces while travelling on metro and bus. He although enjoyed the process but was always distressed with the lack of opportunities for his community. Amit accidentally met Smriti (Atulyakala founder) at a market and started conversing with her in Indian Sign Language. Amit is Deaf and he uses Sign language to communicate. That’s how he interacted with me at the shop. He had his descriptive notes ready to converse with visitors and shoppers!

Amit urged Smriti to find a better job for him as Smriti was part of deaf community from very long time, The founder Smriti worked as a news anchor for sign language news to being born in a family with deaf elder siblings.

She started Atulyakala at the age of 23 with a very clear vision – Inclusivity and opportunities.

The brand pivoted after few years and now is India’s first deaf run lifestyle brand. The brand consists of 90% deaf team members with Sign language as the mode of communication. Each department from Design to the sales are managed by team members who are deaf and mute.

Their goal is to works towards making India country more inclusive for the 18 million Deaf people who reside in the country. I am glad to have done my bit in supporting this journey in a small way!

Atulyakala Store: A peek into this delightful outlet

Here’s a little video capturing the interior of the store. You can see the collection is at par with mid-luxury brand offerings. The setup is neat and no-frills. Colors vibrant and cuts trendy. You can check the entire range of attires here. Their product catalogue is also rather unique in its palette, with the latest summer line-up.

Amit: “Chief Design Officer” at the brand

Amit interacted for over 10 minutes with me, sharing his life journey and how he uses his educational background in art to craft unique designs. He also felt comfortable enough to share the portfolio of his paper art. What a gifted designer indeed!

I believe the store has relocated or shut at the moment, but one can order online. The catalogue is not too vast but has wearable pieces with unique shades which caught my attention! The only limitation was the lack of options in sizes at the store however, with the online catalog, a wider range of options are available.

Atulyakala: Fashion for a Cause

Prices are reasonable or at par with other equivalent brand. The proceeds go to help the deaf artisans who work for the Atulyakala. By buying from the brand, you can affirm commitment towards a cause. I hope the brand grows and goes to empower the segment it caters to!

At the store, i picked 2 dresses in muted lilac and light purple + mustard shades. This is in sync with my personality and color preference. They offered a 10% discount beyond Rs. 3,000/-. The fabrics are easy to maintain with a simple hand wash.

You can also pick up accessories and other handmade products like handbags and candles. You can follow the Atulyakala Instagram page for availing offers and discount updates.