On a rainy August afternoon, I walked into designer Ateev Anand’s compact but charming studio located in one of the many quaint Bandra lanes. Double sliding doors led to a small plush seating area with accents of wood and wicker dominating the space. The studio space, much like Ateev, as I would eventually discover, is unassuming — a mix of cream and beige shades, mirrors and a single chest of drawers. But once the rack fills with re-ceremonial’s outfits and a hum-drum of clients, stories emerge in every corner.
As I settle down with Ateev for a chat, it becomes obvious that this seemingly quiet man has a plethora of narratives bubbling. As would be the case with anyone who grew up at a time when for most bright students the obvious career path was to join decorated professions of engineers and doctors. But Ateev chose to follow his passion. For the dynamic founder of re-ceremonial and TEEV, fashion didn’t happen in a moment of eureka, it was always a certainty. “I was sketching behind my science notebooks, and that's how I knew I was going to go into fashion,” he says as he thinks back to his early life. Initially enrolled for a science degree thanks to his bright 90 percentile score, he chose to let that option go and follow his dreams and went on to study fashion and textiles at LS Raheja Technical Institute in Mumbai and then went on to specialise in bespoke footwear making at the London College of Fashion.
Muted palettes and fluid silhouettes reflect re-ceremonial's softer take on contemporary occasion wear. Photography by Sarang Gupta
For Ateev Anand, embellishment works best when it complements the textile rather than overwhelms it. Photography by Savio Gerhart
At TEEV, relaxed tailoring and handwoven fabrics come together in clothes designed to be worn often and age gracefully. Photography by Sushant Chhabria
Soft colour gradations and lightweight fabrics reflect re-ceremonial's vision of wedding wear. Photography by Sarang Gupta
Texture remains central to Ateev Anand's design language, often shaping a garment before embroidery does
Fluid silhouettes challenge traditional notions of menswear without losing their sharpness. Photography by Sushant Chhabria
re-ceremonial revisits the romance of 1980s wedding dressing through modern colours, lighter fabrics and relaxed proportions. Photography by Sarang Gupta
Subtle embellishment adds depth without overwhelming the textile. Photography by Savio Gerhart
TEEV reconsiders classic menswear through fluid lines and tactile fabrics. Photography by Sushant Chhabria
A foot in the door
Ateev is a Mumbai-based fashion designer, who didn’t start off surrounded by fashion but is turning heads in the fashion world through his work. He started working as a fashion designer in 2019 but it wasn’t until he was discovered by GenNext in 2021 that his hard work paid off. That is where he designed his first collection for re-ceremonial, heavily influenced by the people who supported his journey to his true calling - his family.
“I am very fortunate to have people believe in me,” says Ateev, who attributes his family to be his biggest cheerleaders. For his debut showcase of re-ceremonial at Lakmē Fashion Week 2021, he paid them an homage by designing his first collection for re-ceremonial based on 80s wedding trends, specially his parents’ wedding video. It was charming,” he says, “I don't use that word very often to describe how we dress today for special occasions.”
Ateev runs two brands - re-ceremonial, founded in 2021 which focuses on wedding wear, and TEEV, founded shortly after, a tailor made menswear label that caters for direct-to-consumer.
The twin-flame
re-ceremonial came to life easily, with a clear direction to bring the simplistic allure of the 80s back to the wedding scenes. “I don't think about design rules. But for me, it's very important to have all the design elements. And one of my most important elements is texture. I can't create without texture,” says Ateev. The handwoven fabrics that find their wear to re-ceremonial’s designs are rich in texture instead of simply being driven by embroidery. “Our stories have been told by textiles for millennia, embroidery isn't the only way to honour tradition and craft. My effort is always not to crowd the fabric with embroidery.” Ateev’s aim is to create clothes that despite being dressy are light and not difficult to manage on some of the most important days of your life such as your wedding day. These fabrics, primarily cotton and silk, are plant-dyed and made to be reworn. The unconventional and daring palette consists of muted tones, with hints of vibrant greens and butter yellows making their way into the wedding wardrobe.
While Re-ceremonial is the vibrant older sibling, TEEV shines with the energy of a rebel second child. “It's [TEEV] my playground,” says Ateev as the latter is where he experiments more in the term of design. According to Ateev, sustainability has become a cuss word and it’s not a label he wants to necessarily associate with. The philosophy behind TEEV is to minimise waste and design only what is already sold. The idea is to make tailored pieces such as jackets, shirts, trousers and suits in a collection together using handwoven cotton “We only make it if we make it together, or we don't make it at all.”
One prototype is placed on sale and only when all the pieces are sold, every piece is tailor-made to the customers' measurements and their specific requests. “We decide how many pieces we will make before the batch begins.” This allows the brand to stay true to its values of conscious consumption, lasting quality, and equitable partnerships with skilled artisans. While widely considered menswear, the fluid designs can be considered unisex.
The finishing touch The focus remains on material and finish, with ornamentation treated as a subtle accent. Photography by Savio Gerhart
The designer’s vision
Much like every creative person, Ateev too found his mood board inspirations in the works of renowned artists and designers — Phoebe Philo from her time at Celine, Armani in the 80s, Ritu Kumar’s work from the 90s and early 2000s. “They taught me how aesthetics can be driven and how to think about women's bodies.” He looked at their work to borrow what could be articulated in his own story.
But one designer whose work stood out the most to Ateev was Haider Ackermann, “I love everything he does.” The nuance and fluidity Haider has brought to menswear during his time at Tom Ford caught Ateev’s fancy and he actively tries to bring in the same fluidity and subtle sensuality into his pieces at TEEV.
He wants to bring back “durable” clothes via his designs. His fabric-first approach that relies on the use of natural dyes allows the clothes to age gracefully. “The natural fibres age, like your body, like your skin, your clothes will also age over time.” But that part adds to its wearability, "It's nice to know that something you brought will become a slighter and a lighter version of its own.”.
This philosophy manifests very well in his latest re-ceremonial collection titled re-spire. It’s effervescent yet light, the outfits possess a ceremonial grandeur but are easy to move in. Detailing is brought in through embroidery but the naturally-obtained fabrics such as airy georgettes, saris with simple borders and ghagras which won’t restrict your movement while twirling, add an ease to the collection that is quintessentially Ateev Anand.
