January 2020 Edition Apparel January 2020 issue | Page 64

BRAND PROFILE
have simple and understated designs. Although
the internet user-base is rapidly expanding in
India, there are not enough channels available to
women where they can find a large collection of
saris that also meets their design expectations.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO WORK
WITH INDIAN HANDLOOMS?
I think Indian handlooms represent a lot more
to people than just products. They are deeply
rooted in our tradition and history. I feel that
this tradition is worth preserving. While I am
absolutely in favour of globalisation, I feel that
it is also important to preserve something that
connects us to our roots and gives us a sense
of individuality. I can personally connect with
the feeling because I inherited an old Benarasi
heirloom from my mother that holds a very
special place in my heart and I know this to be
true for many women. I wouldn’t want future
generations to not feel that same sense of
belongingness.
WHERE ARE YOUR SARIS SOURCED
FROM?
We source saris from all over India but
specifically focus on Benarasi and Chanderi.
We also get saris from Jaipur, Bhagalpur,
Kanchipuram, Kota, and some other places.
WHO OR WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
The fact that the work we do has an impact on
the lives of those who toil endlessly and are less
fortunate inspires me and my team the most.
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I APPAREL I
January 2020
We do our work with a sense of responsibility and
ethics. In the long run, we want to scale up the
platform and thus, provide significant economic
opportunities to Indian craftspeople.
DO YOU HAVE SARIS WOVEN
SPECIFICALLY? HOW DO YOU CHOOSE
THE WEAVERS YOU WORK WITH?
Currently, we do not have saris woven specifically.
We rely on the creativity of the craftspeople,
most of whom come from a long line of weavers
possessing a huge repository of designs and
techniques, and are continuously innovating.
We choose weavers based on their aesthetic
sensibilities and techniques. We focus on simple
but traditional designs and work with those who
have a similar approach.
HOW RECEPTIVE ARE CONSUMERS
TO THE PRICE PREMIUM FOR
HANDLOOM PRODUCTS?
I think that most of our customers understand the
hardwork that goes into producing a handloom
sari and are fairly receptive to the prices. That
being said, we try to price our saris in a way that
is fair to both our customers and weavers.
SARIS ARE SEEING A HUGE REVIVAL
TODAY, HOW CAN PLATFORMS LIKE VIA
EAST HELP?
One big way that I can think of is by making
sari-shopping easier. It has always been difficult
for women to buy saris; one has to go through
a large number of designs to find something