Rouka: A Corridor Between Textiles Past and Present
Rouka, meaning “bodice” in Malayalam and “corridor” in Japanese, stands for clothing that connects weaver and wearer, memory and modernity. Founded in 2013 by designer Sreejith Jeevan, the label first took shape in his grandfather’s Kochi bungalow, where red oxide floors and whitewashed laterite walls became the foundation of its distinctive palette. For Jeevan, the colours red and white marked not just a beginning, but a design language that continues to anchor Rouka.
Rouka "Red South" Handwoven Cotton Saree with Appliquéd Details.
A graduate of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, and the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, Jeevan returned to Kochi with a vision to create clothes that feel both “modern old” and “nostalgic new.” In 2014, Rouka debuted at Lakmé Fashion Week through the GenNext platform, announcing a philosophy of mindful fashion that celebrates Indian handlooms while reinventing them for contemporary life.
Rouka’s design language is deeply informed by Kochi itself – a city layered with traditions, eclecticism, and global exchange. From Syrian Christian churches with crimson drapes to bustling markets and colonial-era architecture, Kochi’s cultural tapestry threads its way into Rouka’s collections and its studio space, located a stone’s throw from the Durbar Hall Art Gallery, one of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale’s key venues.
Rouka "Wildflower Whispers" Pure Cotton Silk Kasavu Saree with Floral Appliquéd Details
Perhaps most emblematic of Rouka’s ethos is Jeevan’s reimagining of the Kerala Kasavu saree, a garment steeped in ceremony. After the devastating floods of 2018, Jeevan began working with the Chendamangalam weaving cluster, whose survival was under threat. By modernising the Kasavu saree while respecting its essence, Rouka not only revitalised a craft but also placed its artisans firmly back on the map of India’s handloom heritage. The result is a range of contemporary sarees that carry the dignity of tradition with the ease of modern wear.
The Rouka Flagship Store in Kerala, India.
The Rouka store itself extends this philosophy – an eclectic layering of objects, textures, and memories. Vintage chairs with embroidered typography sit beside red velvet curtains; reclaimed Art Deco furniture shares space with concrete flowers and jasmine garlands. The atmosphere does not preserve culture behind glass, but lets it breathe and evolve. As Jeevan puts it, “We’ve come to feel that sustainability lives in the idea of timelessness – in a rhythm that resists urgency.”
Rouka continues to serve as a corridor – a space of dialogue between craft and design, past and present, play and philosophy. It offers not just garments, but an invitation to carry a piece of Kerala modern into one’s own life: rooted, resilient, and quietly joyful.
The Rouka "Quiddity" wall hanging. Available as a prize in 'Win Win Win', Issue 126, Deco.
To celebrate the opening of their new Kochi store, Rouka is offering Selvedge readers the chance to win a wall hanging from their limited-edition collection. Crafted from repurposed remnants salvaged during saree production, this appliqué piece reimagines discarded textiles into a vivid red banana tree motif, and embodies Rouka’s belief in timeless design and mindful making. Worth £300, the wall hanging makes a bold colour statement while carrying the story of reinvention into your home.
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Further Information:
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Click here for the chance to win the Rouka Wall Hanging as part of "Win Win Win", Selvedge Issue 126, Deco.
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Image Credits:
Lead: Inside the flagship Rouka store, Kochi, India.
All other images courtesy of Rouka and as credited in image captions.