"It started with a realization, a move home, and a simple cotton mask."
Hi, I’m Vandy.
If you’ve visited our store in Panampilly Nagar, you might know me as the curator behind the racks of hand-block printed kurtas and plant-dyed dresses. But before House of Vandy existed, my life looked very different.
I am a fashion designer by profession, but I have always been a conscious creator at heart. My journey began in the classrooms of NIFT, where I was trained in the technical art of design. Fresh out of college, full of energy and dreams, I landed a placement in a leading export house. Suddenly, I was designing for some of the biggest international brands in the world.
It was exhilarating at first—the pace, the trends, the sheer volume of it all. But it was also eye-opening. Behind the glamour, I saw the other side of the industry: the mountains of fabric waste, the relentless speed of fast fashion, and practices that felt increasingly unsustainable.
Something in me shifted. I realized I didn't just want to create beautiful things; I wanted to create meaningful things.
The Search for Meaning Driven to explore fashion with more depth, I packed my bags for London to pursue my Master’s at Central Saint Martins. Living and studying there gave me a new perspective—one that valued innovation but also questioned the "why" behind what we make.
After returning to India, I settled in Mumbai and resumed working with global brands. On paper, it was a dream career. But somewhere deep inside, I knew I wanted more than just a job.
The "Mini Me" Moment When my daughter was born, everything changed. As any mother knows, you suddenly start looking at the world through a different lens—what kind of future are we leaving behind? I wanted to build something of my own, something honest, for her and for me. That’s when I started ‘Mini Me’, my own kidswear brand in Mumbai. It was my first step into entrepreneurship, fueled by love and a desire for better quality.
Coming Home to Kochi A few years later, we made a life-changing decision: to move back to Kochi. We wanted a slower, more intentional life close to our roots. We wanted our daughter to grow up surrounded by her grandparents, breathing in the air of Kerala rather than the rush of a metro city.
But life has a funny way of guiding you to your purpose.
The Spark in the Pandemic When the pandemic hit, the world paused. Like everyone else, I was at home, surrounded by uncertainty. But I was also surrounded by something else—leftover fabrics I had saved over the years.
I couldn't sit idle. I sat at my sewing machine and began creating pure cotton masks. I wasn't trying to start a business; I was just trying to help. The response was overwhelming. People found comfort, joy, and safety in something as simple as a well-made mask.
That small spark reignited my purpose. I realized that people valued conscious creation. They valued the story behind the product.
House of Vandy: A Reflection of Belief So, I took a leap of faith. I opened my store right here in my childhood home and named it House of Vandy.
This isn't just a boutique. It is a space that brings together design, sustainability, and stories from across India. Whether it's the Ajrakh from Kutch, the plant-based dyes of Hibiscus Heroes, or our own in-house designs using breathing textiles, every piece on our shelves is chosen because it is kind to the planet and kind to the people who make it.
House of Vandy is not just a store; it’s a reflection of everything I believe in. It is proof that we can love fashion without hurting the earth.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Welcome to my world.
— Vandy