ELLE Exclusive: Nikhil Thampi Marks 15 Years With NAIA—A Comeback With A Couture Drop

After a quiet pause from the spotlight, Nikhil Thampi is back—and he didn’t just return, he resurrected. Celebrating 15 years in the industry, Thampi’s latest demi-couture collection, NAIA: Rebirth of a Goddess, is not a throwback or a greatest-hits moment. Instead, it’s a powerful reintroduction, an artistic reset that tells the story of a woman reclaiming herself, one embellished stitch at a time. Thampi calls it a rebirth. You can feel it, too. This isn't a brand looking back, it's one choosing to begin again, stronger and more sure than ever.

Myth Meets Now

NAIA is inspired by mythology, but not in the way you’d expect. There are no literal goddesses or borrowed costumes here. Instead, Thampi weaves together the spirit of myth—the idea of a woman who rises, transforms, and claims her own power and places her firmly in the now. “It’s not about a character from a book,” he says. “It’s about a woman going through life, going through change and finding strength in that journey.”

The clothes reflect that duality. Soft drapes meet sharp cuts. Earthy tones are sculpted into bold shapes. You see kundan-style beadwork sparkling next to clean, modern tailoring. It’s all emotion and intention designed for the kind of woman who feels deeply but never second-guesses her fire.

There’s a heartbeat under every piece in NAIA. “When I think of softness, I see a blush pink. Strength? That’s structure, shoulders, a strong neckline,” he explains. You’ll find outfits with a duality of armour and poetry. There’s a blouse covered in kundan-style embroidery that practically glows, a rich cocoa brown drape that hugs the body, a convertible neckline that moves the way you do. One look features a single earring reimagined as a strap which is a quiet metaphor for holding yourself together. And none of it feels showy or loud. 

Colour As A Storyline

The colour palette in NAIA speaks the story. Every shade represents a phase in the journey. It starts with ivory, a soft white that feels like early light. Then comes a delicate pink, hinting at hope and gentle strength. A fiery rust follows that is bold and full of momentum which is leading into a warm, earthy brown that grounds it all. And finally, black. A deep, enveloping black that feels like closure and power all at once. For Thampi, these aren’t just pretty colours, they’re feelings, phases, chapters of a story he’s trying to portray through this collection

One of the standout features of NAIA is how easy the pieces are to wear, no matter who you are. Thampi designed the collection to be fluid not just in silhouette, but in spirit. Gender-neutral details, multi-way necklines, outfits that can go from a red carpet to a destination wedding with nothing more than a change in attitude. “These are full looks,” he says. “They come with built-in jewelry, they travel well, they’re emotionally complete.”

More than anything, Thampi isn’t chasing trends; he’s building a legacy. Each garment is made to be passed down, to hold meaning, to carry a story. “They’re heirlooms in the making,” he says. “Pieces you’ll keep, not because you have to but because you want to.”

A Return, Not A Repeat

This comeback isn’t about repeating past glories. It’s about coming back as something new, something more whole. “I’ve evolved. The brand has evolved,” Thampi says. “NAIA is the start of a new era for me.” And it shows. From the thoughtful construction to the emotional layers, this collection is fresh, new and speaks volumes with intentional design.

The Indian designer has always had a flair for drama and detail, but this time, the drama is deeper. It’s quiet power. It's transformation. It’s a goddess, reborn, from her own choice to begin again, a story of the designer through his own collection.