A legacy of women and craftsmanship.
Founded by Alka Mattoo, designer and third-generation textile collector from Kashmir, India, Orvana is a tapestry blending care for our clientele, commitment to traditional craft, and sustainable practice.
Alka’s journey with textiles began in her grandmother’s living room. Surrounded by hand-woven silks and pashminas, Alka was inspired by pieces exquisite enough to belong in the MET or Victoria & Albert Museum. After earning her design diploma at Pearl Academy in New Delhi, Alka pursued her passion internationally, studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology, while working for Theory and in New York City’s Garment District.
Her global path eventually led her to London, where Orvana’s first studio found its home. There, Alka supplied collections to Harrods and worked with the renowned label Diane von Furstenberg on a luxury scarf collection. Orvana then migrated across the Atlantic and today, our storefront thrives in Princeton, New Jersey. Orvana’s first permanent store brings her vision to a core audience; our mission of sustainability and artistry continues to evolve and grow.
(organic) + (nirvana): Orvana
Our philosophy.
Every garment we design is intentional, with human touch crafting each piece with care. A majority of our fabrics are handmade in artisans’ homes and studios in India. There, we carefully source natural fibers through small-batch, low-impact production, blending rich Indian textiles with Western silhouettes. Our artists then use traditional handblock printing and handweaving techniques that have been passed down through generations to print designs onto the textiles. This meticulous approach not only ensures our garments timeless quality, but is not dependent on fossil fuels, commercial dryers and utilize a variety of natural dyes.
Alka’s background not only allows Orvana’s designs to uphold cultural integrity, but also celebrates women's uniquely changing bodies. Our adjustable tops and bottoms give customers room to alter and adapt their pieces to fit them best. We embrace the ideals of slow fashion, and through ethical craftsmanship and upholding time-honored traditions, every piece from Orvana is embedded with history that only grows as our wearers add Orvana into their own life story.