Ashraya Niketan, is a registered charitable institution set up with the goal to offer vocational training with an earning capacity to destitute women. The wards are housed under the care of the institution which provides free boarding, lodging and medical care in addition to vocational training in hand embroidery.

”The trust is not funded by government or private funds but run with income generated from the hand embroidery done on large quantities of garments from major export houses in and around Bangalore. These commissions are not regular in nature and are dependant on the vagaries of demand in the international market. As such many a times we are faced with a financial crunch and have to depend on loans, at high interest, for our existence”, says Nisha Deepak, Managing Trustee, Ashraya Niketan

Therefore a synergy between Ashraya Niketan and the design label ‘Plantation House’ was forged.  Fashion designer Shalini Subramanian, a graduate of the prestigious National Institute of Design has developed and commissioned a steady stream of embroidered projects that support as well as showcase the fine skill of Ashraya Niketan. Plantation House exclusive exhibitions strive to strengthen this important relationship while continually delivering the highest standards of craftsmanship, design and quality.

Plantation House is a refined handcrafted lounge-wear brand, which focuses on making a strong statement with colour and clean-line tailoring. Hand crafted clothing steeped in the luxury of the natural and an attitude of leisure. Folk inspired yet thoroughly contemporary, the style weaves powerful simplicity with the richness of fabric and bold embroidery. The label Plantation House was established in 2003.

Emphasising on silhouette and fabric, this collection is pared down to the basic using handmade textiles that are raw, yet refined in colours of dried flower tones. Layers of clothing are heavily folk inspired with large motifs and minute stitches. While ‘simplicity’ is the leitmotif of this brand – the separates combine effortlessly to make singular elegant statements to achieve an easy everyday look.

Shalini’s label Plantation House was established in 2003. Clothing under this label has been retailed at leading designer stores in the country. The label is currently sold at Amethyst in Chennai and being shown at independent exhibitions in Bangalore and Hyderabad.