Demira was designed by Kalavala Prapunya and Sakthisree S, students of BSc. in Fashion and Apparel Design at JD School of Design powered by JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru for JD Design Awards 2023. The collection paid tribute to Rukmini Vijay Kumar.

Rukmini Vijaykumar is an Indian dance choreographer, bharatanatyam dancer and actress. She is also an Artistic Director of her classical dance company, RAADHA KALPA, the director of her art space, LSHVA, and the founder of THE RAADHA KALPA METHOD, a pedagogical system for the practice of bharatanatyam. 

Rukmini’s primary training and rigorous practice of bharatanatyam was under Guru Padmini Rao, Guru Narmada Rao, Guru Sundari Santhanam. Her ideas of dance are influenced greatly by the movement philosophy of the Natyashastra, which has been preserved through the research of Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam. These codified movement structures, known as Karanas, were taught to Rukmini at a very young age by Guru Sundari.  Unlike, a typical Indian household where the focus is on academics, Rukmini grew up in a household that celebrated the classical arts. Her journey began when she was five years old and would insist on accompanying her mother to her dance classes. This was the perfect backdrop for her interest in the classical arts to take root.

The power dress collection inspired by Rukmini Vijaykumar’s unique style of contemporary dance and choreography and also her lifestyle was incorporated with embroidery.