January 2020 Edition Apparel January 2020 issue | Page 75

ENTREPRENEUR SPEAK
WHAT WAS THE IDEA BEHIND
STARTING THE SPLENDOR
OF KASHMIR?
The Splendor of Kashmir (SOK) started with an
idea of being a bridge between the well-deserving
craftsmen and admirers of this ancient art. I
think that we can term it as a combination of
various factors such as destiny, being in the right
place at the right time, and so on. Having lived
in Delhi, I was well aware of the kind of shawls
that reach the end consumer. After coming to
Jammu and Kashmir by virtue of my marriage in
2002, I started observing the drastic difference in
the shawls draped by the ladies in Jammu and
Kashmir and ones that were available in other
metro cities. The difference was astonishing,
and this was one of the prime reasons that
we decided to carry this renowned Kashmiri
handicraft to admirers and collectors elsewhere.
HOW HAS THE JOURNEY BEEN LIKE?
At the age of 42, I decided to be an entrepreneur.
The Splendor of Kashmir was started by my
husband Parveen Anand in November 2011.
He strongly believed that my knowledge and
past experience in textile designing could help
in promoting the dying art of shawl-making in
Jammu and Kashmir. I never thought I would get
so involved with my work and be so passionate
about it but over the years, I have learned many
life lessons as I slowly progressed in the field. I
learnt that there is no substitute for hard work;
it is the key mantra to success. Honesty and
dedication can make your progress gradual but
positively substantial. Selling is not just about
numbers; it’s a process of imparting what you
have learnt and making a place in someone’s life.
“SELLING IS NOT JUST ABOUT
NUMBERS; IT’S A PROCESS OF
IMPARTING WHAT YOU HAVE
LEARNT AND MAKING A PLACE IN
SOMEONE’S LIFE.”
Only when a client invests confidence in you do
they desire to buy from your collection and further
refer you to family and friends. This chain is the
building block of any brand’s progress.
CAN YOU SHARE A BIT ABOUT THE
PRODUCTION PROCESS?
Having been in Jammu and Kashmir for
generations, my husband’s family had its
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