Hyderabad has always had a soft spot for the label Jaykirti, even before it had a physical store in the city. The brand's charm lies in its understated elegance, the comfort of pure cottons, and the timeless craftsmanship that speaks volumes without needing to shout. Founder Rani Jaykirti Singh has been quietly building this connection for years through exhibitions and loyal customers, long before the label found its home in Hyderabad. After more than two decades of dedication, she has finally arrived in the city.
Rani started her journey over 20 years ago, creating clothes that reflected her personality — unhurried, unembellished, and deeply rooted in traditional craft. There were no advertising campaigns, no trend forecasts, and no aggressive expansion plans. Just handcrafted cottons, hand block prints, and garments that spoke for themselves. “I’ve never advertised or anything. The garments speak for themselves,” she says with quiet confidence.
The Jaipur-based label has built a loyal following across India and beyond, not through noise, but through genuine quality that sustains word-of-mouth recommendations. Hyderabad, it seems, had already been listening. “Whenever I’ve had an exhibition in Hyderabad, I’ve sold very well. People love the article and I already have a good clientele there who keep ordering online with us or through WhatsApp,” she shares. The new store feels less like a business decision and more like a natural progression of a relationship that was already in the making.
A practical factor also played a role in her decision to open in Hyderabad — the weather. “Hyderabad is a little warmer than the rest of the country, and I deal basically in cottons and hand block prints,” she explains. Her research confirmed what she had sensed all along. She adds, “I realised you don’t really have a store like this here with pure cotton and hand block prints; most things are blended or screen printed.”
She also believes there is something about Hyderabad’s sensibility that mirrors her own. Having traveled extensively across India and abroad, Rani has developed a keen understanding of how different audiences relate to fashion. “North people are very bling. Whereas South Indians are subtle and they prefer quality over bling. Hyderabad people are very nice and they have rich taste,” she says.
At the heart of Jaykirti lies the ancient craft of block printing, and Rani’s relationship with it is one of deep, instinctive familiarity. Her color choices, she admits, are driven by feeling rather than strategy. “Actually, I do what I like,” she says, laughing. The craft itself shapes many of those choices — block printing, she explains, demands lighter grounds. She adds, “You can’t really do it on dark fabrics. So it has to be white or very pastel shades.” What could be a constraint becomes, in her hands, a signature — soft, luminous, and immediately recognizable. And when it comes to quality, there are no shortcuts. She highlights, “Every piece goes under me. I check and approve everything. We don’t compromise on quality.”
The label has evolved over the years — chiffon sarees, hand-painted collections, velvet jackets, embroidered capes, and winter layers have all found their way into Jaykirti’s offerings — but the evolution has always been gradual and seasonal rather than trend-driven. “We are not introducing completely new silhouettes. We just change prints, colors, and designs every season,” she points out.
For all her success, Rani describes herself with a refreshing lack of corporate ambition. “I am a very laid-back person (laughs), so I don’t really have a roadmap. Now my daughter has joined the business, so she definitely has a roadmap. We want to explore other parts of the country and maybe open more stores. We already export, so maybe expand that too,” she concludes.
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