Entrepreneur's people
08-06-2026
"What inspired the creation of Kāli India, and how did the idea evolve from concept to luxury
brand?"
Kāli began with something that had bothered me for many years: why does India, with one of the deepest material and craft histories in the world, not have more globally recognised luxury houses?
India’s relationship with luxury is neither new nor acquired. Craft, art, adornment, architecture, metallurgy, textiles, jewellery, scent, and ritual objects have always had a close relationship with power,
patronage, beauty, and permanence here.
ET Panache
08-05-2026
Featured in ET Panache, Kāli India’s Maya bag was included in the publication’s Mother’s Day edit, alongside leading international brands, celebrating statement pieces that combine artistry with everyday sophistication.
mint
24-04-2026
Kāli’s feature in Mint Lounge is significant because it places the house within a serious national conversation on whether India can create its own enduring “it” luxury handbag. Written by Sujata Assomull, a respected fashion journalist, editor and commentator with over 25 years of experience covering the intersection of fashion, luxury and culture, the piece identifies Kāli as one of the few Indian labels beginning to challenge the perception gap in the luxury handbag category. The article foregrounds Mansi Saxena’s background at Sotheby’s and Lodha Luxury, Kāli’s made-to-order model, jewellery-led techniques such as filigree, lab-grown rubies on the handle, and its larger ambition: to create a recognisable Indian luxury object with global desirability, cultural depth and long-term iconic potential.
Indulge Express
16-04-2026
“I chose the name Kali because it holds a very precise understanding of time and transformation, cyclical time, destruction and renewal as part of the same continuum. That idea felt foundational to how I wanted to build the house, something that is not seasonal, but able to endure and evolve over time. Kali represents femininity and a very modern symbolism to it, the one that holds strength, softness, intensity and stillness together. That duality is important to how I think about form and proportion across the work,” begins creative director Mansi Saxena.
FPJ Luxury Journal
14-03-2026
Enter KĀLI, a contemporary luxury label founded by Mansi Saxena, which might be inching towards bridging this gap. Minimalist, sculptural, and devoid of logos, it’s a nod to quiet luxury that is finding favour amongst modern luxury buyers. Clean silhouettes, marked by subtle curves and structure, and jewelled hardware, make these bags quietly distinctive.
Free press journal
13-03-2026
Positioned at the intersection of heritage, craft, and contemporary luxury, Saxena envisions the label as a design house, producing creations that are design objects, crafted with longevity in mind, rather than seasonal fashion cycles. With just one collection planned every year, the bags can be customised with the buyer’s choice of stones, depending on the availability. Handcrafted with some pieces requiring more than 200 hours of craftsmanship, KĀLI India draws from India’s five-millennia-old metalworking traditions—from temple craft to the bronze Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-daro—to create objects that speak to a new generation of luxury collectors. Made in India through a network of specialised workshops and artisans, the brand works with different makers for leather, metal work, fragrance, or other parts that come with a KĀLI box.
mint
02-03-2026
One of the defining bag trends this year is the move towards relaxed, supple shapes that look effortlessly chic—slightly open, soft-top silhouettes that feel modern yet timeless.
This leather bag, called Maya, from Kali India features a serpent-like metal handle studded with lab-grown rubies, making it striking yet versatile enough for morning coffee runs and evening get-togethers
Robb report india
09-10-2025
“Every bag at Kali is an heirloom piece,” says Mansi. “These have been made to last. We want you to pass it on to your granddaughter with the story that it came with the craft. We are not trying to follow seasons, we're not trying to follow the fashion life cycle. Our pieces are intentionally slow built. These are classic masterpieces that are collectibles and therefore they will become heirlooms in due course which will be passed on to the next generation.”
Wall street journal - mansion global
Spring 2025 - 12-04-2025
THATHERA CRAFT
The Rhythm of the Hammer
Hand-hammered metal surfaces, recognised by UNESCO as part of India’s intangible craft heritage, are defined by rhythm, precision, and restraint. Their cratered textures emerge through deliberate repetition—irregular yet balanced, carrying a cadence machines cannot replicate.
At Kāli, we draw from this language of hammering to shape the sculptural presence of our brass hardware. Serpentine handles and textured forms echo the depth, weight, and tactility of hand-worked metal, refined to a precise balance of strength and elegance.
The brass claims no lineage it does not hold. Instead, it honours a vocabulary of making—where texture carries memory, and form reflects the intelligence of the hand.