Do you think Indian women’s evolving lifestyles are pushing designers to rethink silhouettes faster than ever before?
Sort of, yes. A lot of women work now. I was just talking about draped sarees — women today are driving, riding scooters, studying overseas, and even wearing sarees for their graduations without anyone to help them drape it. Necessity drives invention, and that’s exactly what’s happening in fashion too.
What does fashion mean to you?
Fashion, for me, is a collective sensibility — of style, personality, emotion, and thought. It’s not just about what you wear. It’s also about what you think, what you’re exposed to, and what you create.
You’ve been in this industry for years. How has it evolved over time?
There’s far more competition now — many more players, options, and copies. But retail has also grown tremendously. We didn’t have this kind of network earlier. Today’s customer is very discerning, and it’s not just the metros anymore — it’s Raipur, Vijayawada, Jammu, Visakhapatnam, Nagpur. There are no boundaries now. It’s a great time to be a designer. We don’t need global validation to feel successful, the opportunity base in India itself is immense.
