Define fashion in your perspective
Fashion is personal. It’s not just about the clothes we wear, it’s that and every other detail we put into bringing the whole look together. The details can range from the cut and color of our hair, to how we like to keep our nails. I feel one can understand a lot about a person by their sense of “fashion”
When did you realize that you wanted to enter into the world of fashion?
Ever since I was a little girl, we had a tailor that my grandmother called home thrice a week to stitch clothes for all the ladies in the family, I would spend hours and hours with him just wanting to learn how to make my own garments.
What inspires your designs?
- How do you get unstuck creatively? (MUSIC!)
Apart from seasonal trends, our designs are deeply connected to my own personality. They are young, delicate, fresh and pretty.
How do you think the fusion of Indian and Western silhouettes are influencing today’s designing?
There is hardly any demarcation in Indian and western silhouettes anymore. In Indian, jumpsuits are all the rage, and we see traditionally embroidered gowns ruling the international runways. This marriage of cultures has given birth to many interesting silhouettes in Indian fashion such as draped saree gowns, crop tops with skirts, jackets with palazzos etc
What were the biggest challenges that you had to face during your journey in the fashion industry?
The biggest challenge was to design for women of all ages and sizes, as a newcomer I ended up designing for a particular age-group and body-type. It took some time to understand the variations in body types and to design collections suitable for a wider range of clientele.
Out of all the stunning collections, is there any one that is really close to your heart and why?
My first collection ‘Zaheera’ will always stay closest to my heart for obvious reasons.
What advice would you like to give anyone who is trying to get into the fashion industry?
- What skills according to you are necessary to thrive in the industry?
I see a lot of girls wanting to get into the industry just for the glamour and the fun, failing to see the hard work that goes into the design process, the hours spent on embroidery development, sampling etc. My only advice is to be ready for a lot of hours and sacrifices in the beginning. It takes years to develop a team you can trust with your work before you actually get out for all the fun and glamorous part of the industry.
Describe your creative process
I do my research on the seasonal trends, color forecasts for the year etc, We have developed certain classic silhouettes over the years which we like to reinvent every year, along with new silhouette development which we do a lot of, by draping, sampling, trial and error to see what works. The embroideries are then developed by sourcing new embroidery materials, mixing them with our classics and sampling new designs. Each outfit is sketched and passed on to the embroiders, and stitched.
Favorite part of being a fashion designer
Experimenting with new styles every day!
Your greatest strength and weakness
My greatest strength is by far my attention to detail and my obsessive need for perfection in everything that leaves our workshop, I also consider this my weakness as sometimes it hampers business growth but it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make. Quality over quantity always!
Something about background/upbringing that has shaped who you are today
Growing up with a feminist mom, has really shaped the woman I am today. She believes in equal opportunities, liberties and freedom for my men and women alike. There has never been a discussion like “you need to do things a certain way because you’re a girl”. So all these conversations about girls having to give up their careers after marriage/babies are luckily something I’ve never had the misfortune of experiencing. It is under my mother’s care that has taught me to be an independent, self sufficient woman.
How do you keep updated with fashion trends?
- What are some current fashion trends?
Social-media, keeping a track of all major fashion weeks, and also lots and lots of reading! My current obsession is turkish draped skirts, lots and lots of organza ruffles, and monotone outfits.
Do you use computer technology for the design process?
Yes, we rely heavily on photoshop, illustrator, InDesign for our moodboards, color boards, and trend research.
How would you describe your personal style?
My personal style is feminine and soft. I like to play with cuts/silhouettes rather than embroideries. I love the challenge of showing the right amount of skin at the right places to give a hint of sensuality.
Edited by Puja S.