Fashion, as one of the biggest industries, is also the most sensitive to trends and naturally the most prone to changes. And especially right now, the sector is undergoing some of the most daunting and surprising challenges, from changing creative directors who are shaping the brand’s vision to consumers whose preferences have shifted dramatically since the pandemic.
While the fashion and luxury industries grapple with post-pandemic dilemma, it has also opened doors for new talents who are carving their niche among consumers, both old and new, who are looking for something refreshing. One such label is Absent Findings. A globally-influenced brand with deep-seated roots in South Asia, Absent Findings is crafting unique designs embodying understated sophistication blending minimalism with daring innovation.
Founded by 27-year-old Shivin Singh, Absent Findings is the prime example of a young and passionate artist’s creative expression and its direct translation on the design. Being a marketing and luxury mentor at a fashion institute, I encounter driven minds daily. Still, it is truly rare to see someone as inspired as Mr. Singh. The clarity he brings to the artistic process for Absent Findings is truly unique.
The process of creative direction
Mr. Singh’s interactions with fashion probably started a long time back but primarily while studying fashion design management in Polimoda, Florence. “I studied fashion design management because it’s a course that is slightly different to fashion design, but it was very fruitful for me because, in the third year of my course, we learned how to work with leather goods, we learned how to make handbags, how to make shoes, and in fashion design, we don’t get this opportunity, so that was one of the key elements that kind of drove me to study fashion design management, and after graduating, you know, I was applying for internships, and I knew that this path that I’m on, it’s not going to be an easy path at all.”
It was his internship in the handbag collection merchandising at Gucci that really caught my attention.
It was his internship in the handbag collection merchandising at Gucci that really caught my attention. Mr. Singh animatedly adds, “Collection merchandising is something really interesting that made me a stronger designer as well, because collection merchandising looks at what was commercially successful in the past season, what are the trends coming for the next season, and how can we merge the two to create a collection that will be both commercially viable and also, you know, artistically further the story as well. The way I would describe it is, you’re in the middle of the business guys, and in the middle of the design guys, and you have to be able to speak both the languages, and understand both the things.”
Absent Findings started in 2024, but was launched commercially in April 2025. A global brand by philosophy and design, their atelier is based in Florence where the focus is on prototyping and product development, while the production is taken care of at their in-house studio in Dubai.
For the debut collection…I delved heavily into Le Corbusier’s architecture in Chandigarh
Curious about the name of the label, Mr. Singh took me through the thought process of him coming to the name ‘Absent Findings’. Inspired by the musings and works of Max Ernst, a prolific German painter and sculptor, Mr. Singh said, “When you’re in internal turmoil, you’re oftentimes away from what you’re supposed to be doing because you’re so absorbed within yourself. So you’re absent in a way. But then during this time, you’re finding something of true power, that you can then communicate through your art once you’re out of that.
“Absent Findings are those moments when you’re expected to be somewhere, doing something specific, but instead, you choose to be elsewhere—immersed in experiences that deeply resonate with your inner self. These are the moments when you find yourself hyper-fixated on unique topics, expanding your palette of references, and uncovering ideas that inspire more authentic and human stories. These moments fuel the creative soul; these moments are Absent Findings.”
From Le Corbusier to Led Zeppelin: Inspirations behind the label
The debut collection of Absent Findings, My Personal References, is an ode to Mr. Singh’s childhood and draws from not only his memories but also his parents’.
“For the debut collection that you’ve seen, I delved heavily into Le Corbusier’s architecture in Chandigarh, and the way that I found this was when I was flipping through my parents’ albums, you know, from when they were younger, from their college days. Both my parents studied at the University of Chandigarh, and they were standing in front of the Hall of Assembly, and I saw this beautiful building that looked nothing like anything I saw. I grew up and was born in Delhi, so I saw Delhi life too.”
The visual imagery from the first collection has an air of rawness around it, almost like something that you might find while skimming through the pages of an archival fashion magazine or looking at old covers of music albums.
A collection that looks almost frozen in time or belonging to a different era, the influences of vintage Indian fashion are very evident. As we were interrupted by Mr. Singh’s furry companion, he proceeded to explain his fixation on drapery and symmetry that stems from his mother’s sarees and Bengali culture. “Growing up, I saw how much attention my mom put into what saree she’s going to be wearing for what days of the Durga Puja, and it always was very fascinating for me because the fabrics themselves are so beautiful. The drape of the saree and the fabrics, the work that goes into creating these fabrics…because at the end of the day, it’s a simple garment, but it’s so beautiful because of its simplicity. All the intricate work goes into the fabric itself, there’s nothing about construction. The construction is just fluid. So that is a major inspiration for the first collection, as well, and that manifests itself in the pattern making of the collection.”
The visual imagery from the first collection has an air of rawness around it, almost like something that you might find while skimming through the pages of an archival fashion magazine or looking at old covers of music albums. With techniques like color blocking, flared silhouettes, pleating, and even the piping details on trousers, shirts, and jackets, the collection brings together the ethos of sophistication and self-expression with a hint of diverse nostalgia. Mr. Singh adds, “I grew up listening to a lot of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd music, so I think the silhouette was kind of ingrained in my mind. And subconsciously, when I started designing the flared trousers, I thought how can I encapsulate, something that is so traditional and so close to my personal history, and how can I make that contemporary. I don’t want Absent Findings to be known as just a brand designed by an Indian designer. I don’t want that, because that’s not who I am either. It’s about keeping everything that I’ve witnessed growing up, and everything that I’m still witnessing, putting it through the lens that I have, of my personal references.”
Around 70% of the collection is crafted using high quality unused, deadstock fabric from around the world, adding a layer of sustainability and uniqueness to each piece.
The name of the collection lives up to the concept as you might notice the attention to detail even in the props of the visuals. A Max Ernst catalog book, a vintage camera, paintbrushes in jacket pockets, and an album cover of Miles Davis’s Bitches Brew, are some of the many noticeable props stemming from Mr. Singh’s journey that spans continents and eras.
Sustainability and craftsmanship
The word of the year, or rather for the last five years, has been sustainability. And its association with luxury was emphasized very strongly ever since the focus of discerning consumers shifted from affluence to purposefulness during and post the pandemic in 2020. While the jury is still out on what sustainability means in the luxury sector, it is no surprise that statistically, there has been a shift in consumer preferences, especially by Gen-Z and millennials who are factoring in sustainability as an important driver behind purchasing luxury commodities and experiences.
Luxury has always been about endurance and timelessness – to own or experience something which is far from fleeting and most importantly, has a story behind it. Sustainability, by definition, aligns perfectly well with this concept. Vivienne Westwood’s iconic quote ‘Buy less, choose well, make it last’ perfectly represents the sentiment that Mr. Singh is bringing forth through Absent Findings, where every piece has a narrative and is truly one-of-a-kind. Around 70% of the collection is crafted using high quality unused, deadstock fabric from around the world, adding a layer of sustainability and uniqueness to each piece.
Mr. Singh’s philosophy comprises reimagining and reusing everything that he has, going beyond the ideology of fast fashion and instant gratification that persists today. He adds, “There is a toxic cycle of overconsumption that exists only for vanity and I am starkly against this. This idea of buying something new for an occasion is something that I really don’t love, because it also hinders your creativity as a person dressing up, going into the world and showcasing who they are from the way that they’ve styled themselves.” He relays a thought process of preservation and admiration for the vintage, with an anecdote of a vintage watch gifted to him by his father, a prized possession, and a much loved Helmut Lang jacket that can be styled in multiple ways. He also showed the label’s mini gallery handbag, an everyday accessory that will not only elevate your outfit, but also has functionality. It definitely looks like a high-quality staple you would love to have in your bag collection. I know I would!
Mr. Singh strongly believes in the power of vintage and thrifting, making things and even buying things that are made to last for a longer time. He adds, “Older garments, more often, used real cotton. There was nothing plastic about older garments. If it’s silk, it is silk, it’s not polyester. But if you go to any fast fashion brand [today], you’re getting polyester, you’re getting plastic, you’re getting fancy plastic. And even those things, the moment you machine wash them once, they will start peeling and disintegrating. What is the point? You’re still spending a lot of money on that. Instead you just go to a vintage shop, get something high quality, and it stays with you forever, if you take care.” The enthusiastic designer strongly believes that this mentality shift has hit the design and consumer space very hard, where everyone is moving away from the traps of overconsumption.
A label for personal expression
As the luxury and fashion industry scrambles to find its footing in a very diverse world, Mr. Singh is voicing a rare creative expression that has a superlative storytelling inspired by his own personal journey.
Absent Findings’ collections are available on their website. It is also currently stocked by two stores in the UAE: Closet Case in Dubai Mall and Ether at Yas Mall Abu Dhabi. With plans for expansion soon, the label is in talks with various partners to sell their designs in India, Italy, and the USA.
This young brand has a blend of all the elements that form a great recipe for a contemporary luxury fashion label. As the luxury and fashion industry scrambles to find its footing in a very diverse world, Mr. Singh is voicing a rare creative expression that has a superlative storytelling inspired by his own personal journey. He takes his roots and expresses them through timeless aesthetics and craftsmanship.
