Q. Do you anticipate this year’s Diwali festival being exciting for you? How will you celebrate?
I’m pretty excited about Diwali this year as last year Diwali celebrations were greatly curtailed by the pandemic. My plans would include spending quality time with friends and family and of course, working!Q. How would you pair your Diwali outfit with accessories?
I would opt to dress up well and show up in Indian attire paired with my black glasses and of course my smartwatch.Q. How has the low-key celebration and people’s tendency to shop less affected your business?
It adversely impacts us in many ways. Primarily, we end up bearing the costs of inventory.
Q. How did your new collection come about?
My new collection is titled The Strawberry Thief as it draws inspiration from an artwork of the same name by William Morris.
Q. What type of technology does your business use today?
Ours used to be a brick and mortar business primarily until a few years back. However, in the recent years and in light of the pandemic, we are going all out to go digital. We are shifting from a primarily brick and mortar model to a hybrid model. We have tie-ups with several multi-designer e-commerce platforms and stores.
Q. Which parts of technology do you intend to retain?
I wish to retain the ease with which you can now spread the word about your work and share it with millions of people across the world.
Q. In what way do you enjoy the festive preparations the most?
Being a designer, I enjoy most seeing people dressed up in flamboyant colors, beautiful silhouettes, textures and embroideries.
Q. When organizing the Diwali party, what will be taken into consideration regarding the pandemic?
Inspite of mass vaccination, it is not appropriate to discount the pandemic. Special emphasis would be on keeping it closely knit and intimate.
Q. Low key and intimate weddings have taken over big fat Indian weddings now with a limited number of guests, and hosts are not spending money on related fields like catering, decor etc. Do you think funds are being diverted towards jewelry and clothes more now?
Certainly, there has been a surge in the number of people who want designer products for their weddings and trousseau.
Q. Is it likely that things will be back to normal within a reasonable amount of time?
One cannot know for sure as it is an unprecedented situation. However, things are picking up.
Q. In what ways do you imagine the fashion industry changing ?
I envision increased spending on statement pieces and slow fashion and more eco-friendly technologies of production.