How was last night?
To be honest, this was the first time I visited our new store in Hyderabad. We had a soft launch three months ago, but that happened right after I had my second child, my daughter Raga, so I had to oversee everything remotely. I was literally on Zoom calls in the hospital bed. So, it was really cool but also surreal to see everything up and running in person.
So many of our old clients, who otherwise would fly down to Delhi to shop, were there, so it was a really wonderful feeling. We have a good following in Hyderabad. The women there, right from the very beginning, understood the nuances of my work, the slight madness.
Tell us a bit about the store.
It’s very clean and minimal, because our clothes are so rich on texture and colour. One signature design element, though, is our sari wall, which we developed because our sari pallas are so sculpted—they can’t just be displayed on a hangar. When you’re designing clothing that’s experimental, you need to think of visual merchandising that’s a little experimental too.
What has been an unexpected bestseller since your soft launch?
Our more casual menswear. Pieces like the bomber jackets or textured shirts. Perhaps men are picking them up for when they travel? I’m not sure... Either way, it’s cool to see that movement on the shelf.
Was there an after-party?
Yes. We headed to a restaurant called Koko for drinks and dinner after the launch. It was great fun catching up with our Hyderabad crowd, and it must have been almost 1:30 am by the time I got back to my hotel.
And what was the first thing you did this morning?
I rolled out of bed to pack my bag and head to the airport for my flight back to Delhi. I’m not a breakfast person so early in the day; it takes me an hour or two before I can eat anything. At the airport I got coffee and cookies, and then the flight was a little turbulent, so that made me pretty nervous. It’s weird—we’ve all flown a gazillion times, but it just seems so much scarier to fly right now. I recently cancelled two flights just because I was getting anxious at the thought of getting on them.
Did you bring back any souvenirs for the kids?
I used to do that earlier—bring back presents from my travels—but I don’t anymore. I realised it might just be making them really materialistic. New-age parenting is a completely different ballgame. There’s so many more things for kids, so much that they’re exposed to, and it’s really hard to not spoil them. I’m trying to teach them to be happy with what they have, that every occasion doesn’t require something new.
Do you ever think of preserving something for them?
Not really. I don’t think my daughters will be interested in fashion. The next generation is going to have completely different priorities. They’re so much more conscious. At school, my older daughter Ose has already learnt about things like recycling, about what’s good and bad for the planet.
How do you start your Monday morning?
With my morning coffee, which is the Blue Tokai Vienna Roast.
What are you excited about right now?
Our upcoming showcase at couture week, which is less than a month away. It takes inspiration from the tribes of India, so that’s going to be really fun to see.
