For Mohamed Hizqeel, the founder of the clothing label Bakr, it’s the process and not the final product that truly defines the brand.
In Fort Kochi, a place where art, culture, and creativity come together, Mohamed Hizqeel found the perfect place to begin his journey. It wasn’t in a fancy studio or a glossy workspace, but right on the terrace of his own house. That modest space became the birthplace of a venture he could truly be proud of.
The Beginning of Bakr
A graduate of NIFT Chennai, Hizqeel went on to work with the prestigious Delhi-based clothing label 11.11 as a designer. Like any other college graduate, he planned to go abroad for his master’s degree. But he later decided to stay back and work with 11.11 with the intention of returning after a year or two to start something of his own. Eventually, when COVID-19 hit and the lockdown left him stranded in his hometown of Fort Kochi, it gave him both the time and the push to finally make that idea a reality. It slowly began as a quiet experiment on his terrace and grew into something much bigger, a clothing label now known as Bakr, situated directly opposite the Kochi Biennale Foundation building.
Today, we see a lot of clothing labels lean on abstract numbers, colours, or minimalist catchphrases. Hizqeel, however, chose something different, simple and easy going. The name Bakr wasn’t weighed down by hidden meanings or intended as a marketing strategy, instead, it was chosen purely for the way it sounded, which he calls instinctive and unforced. But this simplicity is never compromised in their work.
What Makes Bakr Stand Out?
The quieter the label sounds, the louder its products speak through craftsmanship, detail, and a distinct creative voice. One might wonder what truly sets Bakr apart from other active labels in Kerala, or even across India. The answer lies in the brand’s foundational approach, the three core methods developed through a careful study and reinterpretation of traditional design practices, including Kalamkari and Ajrakh block printing. The three key methods that make Bakr stand out are screen printing, natural dyeing, and hand painting.
What makes the label even more distinctive is that it’s run by a tight-knit team of just four, Nowfiya, who handles all hand painting and detailing; Hashir, who manages printing and dyeing; Aboobacker, who takes care of packing; and Hizqeel himself, each of them committed to preserving these practices without cutting corners.
Despite the scale, there’s no compromise on technique or the quality that each method demands. This brings us to a larger question on how authentic age-old design techniques are in today’s world. And more importantly, the way Bakr manages to feel truly original in a landscape where many labels draw from the same centuries-old traditions.
For someone new to the field, having such confidence in the authenticity of their label, especially when measured against long-established traditional design methods, is no small feat. It’s something Hizqeel and his team take great pride in. This takes us back to the origin of Bakr, not as something that emerged on a whim, but as a vision that gradually took shape, shaped in part by the exposure and experience Hizqeel gained during his time with 11.11.
On Building the Craft of Bakr
While at 11.11, Hizqeel was in charge of the Kalamkari department. His main task was to create designs that brought together different crafts. In simple terms, he had to combine various traditional techniques through a planned design intervention. It was during this period that Hizqeel began working closely with Kalamkari artisans in Andhra Pradesh and came to realise the extent to which synthetic dyes had replaced natural ones in traditional practices. His goal was to revive these fading techniques, staying true to their roots while also creating a more contemporary design language that could speak to today’s audience. It was also during this time that Hizqeel became aware of how widely second copies of these age-old techniques were being produced, undermining the authenticity of the craft. For customers, it often felt like they were being misled, even fraudulently making the original art form seem fake or less valuable.
At this juncture, Hizqeel was drawn towards the idea of screen printing, taking cues from the age-old techniques of Ajrakh block printing. He went on to introduce this method at 11.11. Soon after, COVID-19 hit, and a house-bound Hizqeel saw it as the perfect opportunity to refine his skills in screen printing. He began training himself through YouTube videos and even purchased a small screen-printing machine to get started. What followed was a two-year-long journey of trial and error until he arrived at a final technique, one that now forms the very foundation of Bakr’s identity.
Unlike synthetic colours, natural dyes achieve their shades through chemical reactions. For two years, Hizqeel focused solely on screen printing, experimenting with natural dyes, searching for the right materials, and perfecting the consistency of each colour to make it suitable for printing. It’s a slow, demanding process, but when it works, it brings every element of the craft into balance.
Staying True to the Organic Movement
And when Bakr say they are organic, they mean it. Even the cotton that they use is completely organic and pre-shrunk, making it ideal and ready for the dyeing process. What’s even more surprising is that 95% of their raw materials are sourced locally from Mattancherry, known for its exceptional quality and the rich presence of ayurvedic elements in the materials that the region has to offer.
In short, over time, Bakr has evolved into a self-sufficient label capable of managing every step of the process, from ideating and sketching a design, to developing, printing, dyeing, shooting, packaging, taking orders, and finally shipping, all without ever leaving their terrace. Everything, quite literally, happens right there. What makes their work culture even more fascinating is that this close-knit team of four, excluding Hizqeel, holds no formal degree in textiles or fashion. This stands as a powerful testament to the value of hands-on learning, shared vision, and the kind of creativity that thrives outside conventional classrooms.
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Bakr Baby
In addition to their main label, Bakr also has a sister brand called Bakr Baby, which caters to children aged between 2 to 5. Unlike the parent label, Bakr Baby operates on a made-to-order basis, producing items only when they receive specific requests. Hizqeel explains that the line was launched after they started receiving multiple orders for kids’ clothing, but it remains a smaller, more occasional venture compared to Bakr. While Bakr Baby remains a quieter extension of the brand, it maintains its own presence with a separate Instagram handle alongside Bakr.
Interestingly, most of their customers discover the label online. Hizqeel notes that a significant portion of their orders come through digital platforms. About a year and a half after launching the brand, Bakr also introduced an official website to streamline these online interactions. Currently, they offer a pre-order system as well, limited to 12 pieces per drop, allowing them to maintain the quality and pace of their handcrafted process. In addition to their online presence, Bakr is also stocked in six stores across India, and in one store each in Japan, Tokyo, and London. Their main store in India is One Zero Eight by Save The Loom in Kochi, where Bakr’s pieces are displayed alongside other well-known clothing labels. A good number of their customers discover Bakr through One Zero Eight by Save The Loom, making it an important space for both visibility and community.
What More Does Bakr Focus On?
Beyond sales, Bakr also collaborates with One Zero Eight by Save The Loom to host workshops. So far, they’ve conducted around 15 workshops, either through One Zero Eight by Save The Loom or in private settings. Another unique part of Bakr’s journey is that their growth has come largely through word-of-mouth rather than paid advertising. In fact, Hizqeel shared that they’ve spent not more than ₹4,000 on paid promotions to date.
Over the years, Bakr has collaborated with various spaces, including cafes in Tokyo. However, Hizqeel is clear about maintaining the integrity of the brand. “We always make sure our logo stays on the garment,” he says, emphasising that Bakr does not function as a mere manufacturer for others. Despite receiving numerous inquiries from different places requesting production support, Hizqeel chooses to stay away from that model. “Sure, it might bring in more money, but I don’t want to reach a point where the quality we’ve built gets compromised and becomes just another mass product,” he explains.
At Bakr, one garment stands out the most: the T-shirt. Hizqeel focuses on T-shirts because he wants the brand to be known for making some of the best T-shirts in the world. He pays attention to every detail: how they fit, how they are made, the colours, the careful process behind them, and how well they age over time. For Hizqeel, the way these T-shirts get better with use is what makes Bakr special.
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On What It Means to Represent Kerala
Over time, he has often been asked to design traditional threads like sarees, mundu, and even shirts. But his response is thoughtful and clear: “Many people have asked me to create Kerala-style designs. But when I think about it, that kind of focus limits the people who can wear it. I wanted to create something more universal, something that anyone can recognise and wear, no matter what state they’re from, what language they speak, or even which country they live in. Think about it, people all over the world wear T-shirts. Old or young, everyone has at least one T-shirt in their wardrobe. Maybe they don’t wear it every day, or maybe not all the time, but it’s almost always there. Now, if you look at traditional clothing like sarees, not everyone has one, and they’re often worn in specific places or occasions. So, for me, focusing on T-shirts means creating something that reaches everyone.”
Hizqeel explains that his vision goes beyond simply using traditional items to represent Kerala. “I would like to represent Kerala through the work that I am doing. But I don’t want to represent Kerala with an item from Kerala.”
People often assume that the only benefit of Bakr’s products lies in their sustainability. But for Hizqeel, sustainability is more like a side effect of it. The actual quality of a natural dye is the way it ages and how it stays on the garment. According to Hizqeel, everything at Bakr is led by instinct. Most of the designs within a single collection don’t necessarily follow a fixed theme or connect to one another.
“It’s not like we assemble a team and build a collection around a specific idea,” he explains. Hizqeel doesn’t enjoy working in a rigid, structured way. Instead, he prefers to let ideas flow naturally, creating whatever comes to him, and later compiling those pieces into a collection that reflects that spontaneity.
In the future, Hizqeel hopes Bakr will reach a point where every design he releases sells out quickly, that is, 250 pieces sold within an hour. Bakr goes beyond the general understanding of what a clothing label should be. It takes pride in reviving traditions that were once forgotten but are now carefully brought back with intention and passion. It brings together heritage and craftsmanship to create something truly unique, blending the past with the present without ever compromising on quality or authenticity. More than fashion, Bakr tells a story, one that honours roots while pushing boundaries to make the best out of every piece.
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