Udaipur, the city of lakes is no less
than an art hub. From miniature paintings to marble marvels, ingenious
photography to traditional jewelry; the city provides dimensions for
every artist to explore the creativity that lies underneath and endows
with a platform that reaches far.
One such young, female artist of the
city is Nimisha Verma who quickly climbed the ladder of success through
her virtual boutique NimishaVerma.com that lays emphasis on hand crafted
elegant pieces, kids’ occasion wear, royal quilts, home décor as well
as wedding and corporate give away.
Soon to launch her new venture ‘Mini
Me,’ a designer label for the mother & kids, Nimisha has infused
craftsmanship with contemporary art.
A NIFT graduate in Masters of Fashion
Management, Nimisha struggled with her mother for the initial 3 years in
a venture called Awesome Attire during which she completed her post
graduation, worked with designer duo Shyamal and Bhumika and finally
chose to come back to Udaipur and expand the business with her mom.
Here is an excerpt of the interview ( Taken for udaipurtimes.com) took with the designer:
Q. From designing clothes for adults to now to toddlers, how has the transition been?
A. We used to design clothes for
children in Awesome as well. However, the focus was more on adults. The
decision to get into kids’ wear was a strategic one. I realized that
very few outlets actually design kids’ wear and that too for occasions –
hence, the decision.
The transition has not been that easy,
however, since I have experience in designing, it’s been a pleasure. I
lay a lot emphasis on detailing which actually brings in uniqueness to
the products I deliver. But of course the best part is their happy face
to get a new dress as compared to an adult.
Apart from catering to the kids’
category I am also experimenting with adult clothes range. For instance I
started something called Mini Me, which caters to mother daughter
combos. I also customize clothes which has driven me to take some bold
decisions, something similar to Mini Me.
Q. What inspired you to plunge into the sector (for kids) which is more of a ‘brand centric’ rather than ‘designer centric’?
Unlike the general notion, I believe
that the kids’ sector is more to do with design than the brand. Brand in
my opinion is an entity which needs to be built. Before that stage is
reached its about letting your work speak for yourself. I am on that
stage right now. I firmly believe that consequently I will be able to
carve a niche for myself in this industry.
Q. What has been the biggest challenge in the journey?
Whenever you plan to start something
new, there are always some people who do not believe in you. They will
try their best to pull you down. The biggest challenge was not to lose
focus and keep working towards the goal. But I am thankful to my parents
who really supported me through my thick and thin. My mother especially
who started her business from scratch understood my dilemmas extremely
well. I feel lucky to have her around and her guidance.
Q. The brand ‘Nimisha Verma’ has been highlighted in various publications across India. Tell us about that.
Well, I have been lucky to have come
across media opportunities often. A new comer on the block is usually
not considered as a suitable candidate for a profile. But, I have been
featured in Femina, my alma mater’s (NIFT) publication which will be
published next month as well as among the top 15 websites of Udaipur on
UdaipurTimes.com. There was one more article which appeared on an
online fashion magazine called Blah n More. I’ve also been covered by
Femina for a short blurb.
Q. What is that one quality of you that has made you reach at this point of your life?
I think the most important aspect has
been my strong will power to overcome the obstacles and not to lose
heart while dealing with professional and personal challenges. If you
live a vision, you shall only stop once you have attained it. I was
never afraid of taking risks.
Q. How do you see women entrepreneurship in the days to come?
Today’s woman is more empowered and
independent. History is a witness that women have always been subjected
to animosities, like staying at home and looking after the household.
This has helped us evolve as great managers. As you know
entrepreneurship is all about effective management, I think in
subsequent years women entrepreneurship is bound to expand and burst
through horizons as today’s woman knows how to set a perfect balance
between her personal and professional life and also, the families have
become supportive. In my case, my husband and mother in law were equally
understanding. They supported my passion for my work and motivated me
in the best possible way.
Q. What are your future plans?
Well my journey has just begun. All I
can say is that I look forward to a potential future filled with more
creative ideas. I see a targeted online expansion accompanied by
fulfilling aspirations of more craftsmen. The more the merrier, isn’t
it?
No comments:
Post a Comment