Essence by Monika was founded in Meerut in 2006 by Monika Arora, a designer who began from her home with a belief that Indian textiles deserved better than seasonal trend cycles. She was right.

Twenty years and hundreds of pieces later, Essence by Monika is a luxury women's wear label known for its rigorous approach to textile selection and the patience of its craft. Every fabric is chosen for a reason. Chanderi for its silk-cotton breathability and handloom provenance from Madhya Pradesh. Habotai silk for its year-round fluid wearability. Banarasi Munga, where Assam's wild Munga silk thread is woven using Banarasi techniques in Varanasi, for the weight and sheen that nothing else can produce. Tussar for its rough, earthy intelligence. Nothing is printed on polyester and called silk.

The Collections

Tarasaaz is the Essence by Monika zodiac edit. Twelve dupattas with the constellation and glyph of each sign printed directly onto pure Habotai silk. Mitti Ki Lakeerein is the Chanderi and raw jute embroidery edit, drawing from tribal and folk motif traditions including the Gudda-Guddi figure. Aurumora works exclusively in Banarasi Munga and Kora Munga, the heritage weaves combining Assam's wild silk with Varanasi's loom. Elyria is the formal Indo-Western collection in pleated Chanderi and Organza, built for the woman who dresses for consequence.

How we work

Everything at Essence by Monika is made-to-order from the Meerut studio. Small batches. Considered finishing. We do not carry ready stock of most pieces. We cut your garment after you place your order, in your size, in a fabric batch chosen at the time of your purchase. This allows us to maintain quality at every step and avoid overproduction. It also means you plan ahead. Cotton and linen pieces take 3 to 5 weeks. Silk pieces take 4 to 6 weeks. Bridal and festive pieces take 5 to 8 weeks.

We serve clients across India. The physical store is at Suraj Kund Road, Meerut. Online orders ship pan-India.

The Lotus, our signature

The lotus appears in Essence by Monika's jute embroidery, in the fine print at the hem, in the quiet centre of a back panel. It is born from water and rises unsoiled. It is not a symbolic decoration. It is the shorthand for what every garment should do for the woman who wears it.