Sweaters with four sleeves, Benarasi weaves with zari seahorses, and delightful, gender-fluid, non-binary ensembles...these are the recent imaginations of New-York based designer Ikshit Pande, who has caught the attention of independent-minded dressers across the world. For each of India-based label QUOD’s wonderfully engineered, handwoven and hand-knit separates, paired with gold-plated jewellery, is a statement in itself.

"The outspoken actor plans to stay vocal about the values she believes in, despite the any naysayers that try to stop her."

Each season Ikshit Pande, founder and designer of fashion label QUOD, mines the four-letter name of his brand—derived from the Latin 'quod erat demonstrandum'—for design inspirations. In the Cereal shirts and dresses, part of the Spring/Summer 2022 collection, illustrated prints depict a girl eating cereal shaped like the letters. The brand name pops in an acid green hue on a black pullover, in black typography on the pockets of a white shirt dress or as leitmotifs in QUOD’s pearl-sprinkled jewellery. For Autumn/Winter 2022, Pande has taken the visual language further, working with weavers in Varanasi. “The fabric is handwoven brocade and the signature QUOD wreath motif is crafted from double ply Banarasi zari,” he says showing photographs (banner image, top right) from the collection over a virtual call. 

Founded in 2019, QUOD takes inspiration from the Latin phrase ‘thus it has been demonstrated’. The label is an amalgamation of experimental tailoring and modern elegance coming together in timeless styles. Founded by New York-based Ikshit Pande, QUOD beautifully exemplifies its founder’s infectious creative energy. In a conversation with ELLE, the 32-year-old designer talks about his influences and the creative process.