I started Kaasida with a simple purpose – to honour the slow craft of Chikankari, an intricate form of hand embroidery from my hometown in India. Kaasida’s handcrafted clothing carries the quiet power of Indian craftsmanship. Every piece is a tribute to the artisans who made it, and the women who wear it with intention.
It was about making things slowly, thoughtfully, and with soul.
Toward the end of 2024, a new chapter began to unfold. Fragrance had always been part of my life, almost like memory made visible. I found myself drawn back to it again and again. That pull became Mooshq - Kaasida’s line of alcohol-free perfume oils rooted in India’s ancient attar tradition.
For me, Mooshq is more than a scent. It’s a return to childhood. To Diwali evenings lit with warmth and ritual. If you were lucky, and had an aunt who liked to spoil you, you might receive a small box of attar. I remember the way it felt to open one - the weight of the hand carved wooden box it came in, the scent rising up, the slow dab on the wrists. It wasn’t perfume in the modern sense. It was something quieter. Something deeper.
That ritual stayed with me.
Attar (originally called Itr) is India’s oldest form of perfume - an oil-based fragrance made using a centuries-old process. In Kannauj, known as India’s perfume capital, artisans still distil flowers, herbs, and spices in copper stills over firewood, capturing the aromatic steam in oil using bamboo pipes and a water-cooled vessel.
It’s slow. Labour-intensive. Made in small batches. But the result is something rare: a perfume that stays close to the skin. It doesn’t project across the room – it whispers. It invites you inward.
Attar is not just a scent. It’s a reminder to pause. To reconnect. To indulge in the softness of your own presence. A fragrance for those who like to be discovered, not announced.
Mooshq was created for those who don’t follow trends but follow their senses. For those who value depth, quiet beauty, and intentional living. Whether through clothing or scent, my hope is that every creation at Kaasida reminds you of who you are and lets you show up in the world just as you wish to be seen.
If this feels like something you’ve been waiting for all your life, come along!
With love,
Akanksha
Founder of Kaasida
