In a world the place a ’gram-worthy aesthetic is a necessity, success is outlined by the variety of followers you have got, and blue tick badges outline your clout, what’s it that actually defines the success of a clothier? Especially since we’ve come a great distance from the time when mastering inventive pondering was sufficient? The reply, it seems, is a truism in the present day: aggressive advertising and marketing, influencer collaborations, immersive storytelling, and progressive PR methods are all a part of the making of a contemporary-day trend model.
However, Vaishali Shadangule doesn’t care. The 43-year-outdated clothier has defied many of those norms, and but has been capable of pave a path for herself in an business the place packaging usually trumps the product. Her most up-to-date accomplishment was an invite from the Fédération de la Haute Couture to current at Paris Fashion Week in July of this 12 months. In doing so, Shadangule grew to become the primary Indian lady to showcase her work alongside world trend giants like Balenciaga, Dior, and Jean Paul Gaultier. She can be the second Indian designer, after Rahul Mishra, to obtain this honour.
Cutting by way of clichés
“Maybe you’ll think I’m old-school, but I was taught that when you do good work, people will talk about it. I understand that the world is different now. But my journey is different. Marketing is important—businesses now depend on it. But I am happy with slow growth. My clients are happy because they see beautiful designs, and the fact that they are sustainable and support weavers is a bonus. I don’t want to create something that’s use-and-throw,” says Shadangule.
India at Paris
“Right now,” she provides, “There’s too much happening on social media. You don’t see the real things. If the packaging and marketing are good but the product is not strong, the life of the brand will be short. Maybe I’ll improve my marketing skills, but I still think the product should be the focus. If you are only investing in other paraphernalia, then the client won’t return. My growth might be slow but it goes well with my philosophy, my way of working, and my way of life.”
Craft meets couture
Staying true to her philosophy of gradual residing, Shadangule’s debut in Paris unveiled a group that’s in contrast to most Indian couture. Titled ‘Shwas’ (breath), the showcase put Indian textiles—Murshidabad silk from West Bengal, merino wool produced in Maheshwar, the light-weight khand material together with jamdaani and chanderi—on the worldwide map.
Asymmetrical, curved silhouettes cocooned the physique with out being constraining. And she used her signature strategy of cording to create progressive, nature-impressed shapes.
Vaishali says that when she began her profession, many believed Indian weaves and drapes was not glamorous; you can’t put on these garments to events, whereas she believed it was and is actual luxurious; Purple twine shirt made with khunn, paired with a handwoven Chanderi silk saree (Prabhat Shetty)
“The Fédération was looking for a designer who presents innovation, craftsmanship, and sustainability. What helped me stand out was that I have never chased trends or business. If you look back at India’s costume history, every small detail was design-oriented, and sustainability was a way of life for us. We are now losing out on that. When an Indian designer goes international, the West expects layers of embroidery. However, I wanted to show them a balance between design, aesthetics, textile, and texture. We have the luxury to create our fabrics in India—I wanted Indian weaves and fabrics to be my focus.”
Post-pandemic challenges
A profitable debut at couture week doesn’t imply Shadangule didn’t face any challenges. For one factor, she acquired the invitation whereas she was nonetheless recovering from Covid-19.
“I was super stressed because the whole world was on lockdown. Mumbai was also at a standstill. I had 1.5-2 months [to put together a collection]—and I was not even in India at the time! I came back to Mumbai and called my kaarigars to my studio. Fourteen people agreed to come, and all of us stayed at my store. The fabrics were to come from various villages but courier services were not working. I did not even know how to send the collection to Paris. Somehow, I managed. It took me 14 days to reach Paris, crossing six-seven countries. I arrived one day before the show. But, it was all worth the effort.”
Vaishali’s time within the business
New world, outdated values
After her Paris success, does Shadangule now have a distinct roadmap in thoughts? “People are now talking about weaves and sustainability—something that has always been an inherent part of my brand DNA,” she says. “My dream was to take Indian weaves to an international platform. I used to see international designers using our skills, embroidery, fabric in different ways. I never understood why we were always behind the scenes.”
She provides: “While make-in-India is a great concept, I’ve always wanted to put Indian weaves and drapes on the global map. In fact, that’s what I started with when I opened shop in 2011. At the time, many believed this was not glamorous; that you can’t wear these clothes to parties. But I believed this is real luxury. So, while I’ve never changed my way of thinking, the world around me is changing,” she smiles.
From HT Brunch, November 28, 2021
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