Cut From Memory: Erayana On Her Own Terms

From crochet lessons at her grandmother’s side to a trademarked label of her own, the designer behind Erayana is proving that made-to-order elegance need not come with an inflated price tag.

Before Manik Mangalmurti ever enrolled in a design course, before the trademark, before the label — there was a small stitching machine, a grandmother, and a skein of crochet wool. “I learned the basics of stitching and fabric work from my grandmother. That early hands-on exposure gave me a real love for the craft long before I thought of it as a career.” They began with crochet blankets and sweaters before moving to the machine, on which her grandmother made blouses and uniforms for the community — a lineage of making that runs through everything Erayana produces today.

When passion hardened into ambition, Manik completed a professional designing course — and then made the decision that would define her. “I decided to start my own designer studio rather than working under someone else’s label. I wanted to build something that reflected my own design aesthetic from day one.”

That something began, in 2022, from her own house — every piece designed and made in-house, no shop, no outsourcing. “The customers didn’t come rushing in, so I had to be very patient.” She treated the quiet years as an investment, sharpening her skills whilst building a visual identity and a voice on social media — so that when walk-in clients arrived, “they found a label that already felt defined and consistent.”

Her first customers were friends and relatives, whose referrals rippled outward through Pune’s social circles. The label launched as Eraya by Manik and was rechristened two years ago — “I changed it to Erayana because I wanted to trademark it” — and trademark it she did.

Ask Manik for her design philosophy and she answers without hesitation. “My philosophy is simple. I focus on making gorgeous, well-made clothes that shouldn’t come with an inflated price tag.” The Erayana wardrobe spans dresses, shirts, frocks and the label’s newer corsets, alongside suits and shirt-pants — Western wear and formals for women and college-going girls.

Sustainability is the foundation rather than the garnish. She works primarily in linen, cotton and sometimes hemp, and Erayana does not do standard sizing — every piece is made to order, with minimal wastage, cut to the individual customer’s measurements. Inclusivity, for Manik, is not a slogan on a swing tag but a tape measure in hand. “I make sure my sizing is inclusive, so more women can wear and feel confident in my designs. I want occasion wear and formalwear that feels good and elevated to stay accessible to all.”

The horizon is already widening — her designs are now showcased through erayana.com, carrying the label beyond its Undri studio, hopefully one day international. By 2031, the ambition is unambiguous. “My goal is to become a recognised name in the affordable formal wear space, where my label Erayana is trusted for both everyday elegance and special occasions.”

“It started with a needle, a thread, and a promise to myself” — a mother rebuilding her life one stitch at a time. “Somewhere between caring for my children and starting again, Erayana was born.”

“When I look at this picture, I don’t just see a mother and daughter — I see my biggest reason for never giving up, the little girl who watched me work, dream, struggle and start again, and the journey we’ve shared: one stitch, one outfit, one customer at a time.”

Erayana is proof that dreams can be rebuilt no matter when you start — and for every woman who thinks it’s too late to begin, this story is for you.