‘Why don’t we design our own?’: How a mother and daughter created a fashion label for the modern South Asian woman
For many South Asian women growing up abroad, getting dressed for a wedding or cultural celebration can feel surprisingly complicated.
Traditional outfits can sometimes feel disconnected from everyday life, while contemporary fashion often leaves little room to celebrate cultural heritage. It’s a balancing act many women in the diaspora know well—wanting to honour where they come from without feeling like they’re wearing a costume.
For Melbourne-based mother-daughter duo Amarjeet and Kheyaira, that experience became the foundation of a new business.
Their recently launched label, Kulture by K, is built around a simple idea: creating South Asian occasion wear that feels just as relevant in Australia as it would in India, while preserving the traditional craftsmanship behind every piece.
But the story behind the brand stretches back much further than its launch.
A legacy spanning three generations
Speaking at the launch of Kulture by K, Amarjeet shared that her inspiration came from watching her own mother work in India.
“My mother spent her life designing clothes and teaching young army wives the skill so they could become financially independent,” she said.
“I grew up watching her work, wearing what she made, and feeling genuinely proud of it.”
Although fashion was always part of her childhood, Amarjeet said migration shifted her priorities.
After moving to Australia, life became about building a career, raising a family and settling into a new country.
It wasn’t until years later—through her daughter—that fashion found its way back into her life.
A familiar challenge for second-generation women
As Kheyaira grew older, Amarjeet noticed something many migrant parents have quietly observed.
Her daughter loved being South Asian. She was proud of her heritage. But when it came time to wear traditional clothing for weddings or family celebrations, she struggled to find pieces that reflected who she was.
“Everything felt too traditional or too costume-like,” Amarjeet explained.
“There was nothing that felt like it belonged to the life she was actually living.”
It wasn’t about rejecting culture.
It was about wanting clothing that reflected a modern multicultural identity—one where heritage and contemporary style could exist together.
Then came one question that changed everything.
“One day she just said, ‘Why don’t we design our own?'”
“That one question became Kulture by K.”
Preserving craftsmanship, not chasing trends
While many fashion brands focus on fast production and seasonal collections, Kulture by K has intentionally taken a slower path.
The label works with a small team of artisans in India who continue to create garments using traditional techniques that are becoming increasingly rare.
Its first collection features Banarasi brocade silk, while another incorporates velvet with intricate hand-embroidered dabka work.
“These are crafts that are slowly dying because of mass production, and that matters to us deeply,” Amarjeet said.
“Part of what we’re doing is trying to keep that alive.”
Rather than producing clothing at scale, each collection is released in limited quantities.
“We’re not trying to mass produce,” she said.
“We want every piece to mean something.”
Fashion that reflects today’s diaspora
Beyond craftsmanship, inclusivity has also been central to the brand’s vision.
Kulture by K caters to a wide range of sizes, including plus-size women—an area where South Asian occasion wear has often lacked representation.
Currently operating exclusively online, the brand is designed for women looking for outfits they can wear to weddings, engagement parties, festive celebrations or formal dinners without feeling disconnected from their personal style.
In many ways, Kulture by K reflects a broader shift happening across diaspora communities.
Rather than choosing between tradition and modernity, younger generations are increasingly looking for ways to blend the two—whether through food, language, career choices or fashion.
Brands like Kulture by K are responding to that demand by creating pieces that acknowledge heritage while embracing the realities of life abroad.
More than a clothing label
For Amarjeet, the business has become something she never expected.
It represents not only a new chapter with her daughter, but also the continuation of a legacy started by her own mother decades ago.
“This brand carries a legacy in a way I didn’t plan,” she said.
“But now, I feel incredibly grateful for it.”
The response has already struck a chord with Australia’s South Asian community.
“We launched recently and the response genuinely moved us,” Amarjeet said.
“People showed up, they listened to our story, and they saw themselves in it.”
Perhaps that’s because Kulture by K isn’t simply selling occasion wear.
It’s telling a story that resonates with many migrant families—one of preserving tradition, adapting to a new country and finding new ways to express identity without leaving culture behind.
Written by
Mrinaal Datt
