First person

I always knew I wanted to be a designer. I was a very creative child, cutting up my mother's saris and experimenting with them. That wa...

8220;I always knew I wanted to be a designer. I was a very creative child, cutting up my mother8217;s saris and experimenting with them. That was the easy part. The difficulty lay in transforming those dreams into reality. I trained at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandise, Los Angeles, and worked with a store called Fashion Destination before moving back to Delhi three years ago. The L. A. experience was great as I got both work experience and international exposure. In the end, though, all the training in the world can8217;t help you if you don8217;t have something within you.

The freedom of breaking away was wonderful, but it was also unnerving. When you invest everything you have, there8217;s always the fear of failure. I regained my confidence only when I began getting clients after my first show, Rasa, in 8217;97, and opened my outlet in Defence Colony last August.

I8217;m thrilled with my Spring-Summer Collection, Summer Wine, which was shown last Saturday at Hotel Imperial. It was inspired by the song of the same name which evokes images of soft pastels 8212; peaches, mushrooms and greens.

The L. A. influence is very much there, as the collection is inspired by old Hollywood favourites 8212; Gone with the Wind, Anthony and Cleopatra, Hello Dolly. My designs are very basic and clean, with minimum embroidery. I emphasise on the cut and flow of the fabric western cuts and drapes with Indian weaves. While I have always specialised in styling and detailing, my designs have changed over the past few years. I had to adapt to the Indian market, as I was used to Western designs. Initially, I didn8217;t experiment. After all, I was yet to establish myself. Now I8217;m much bolder, more confident.

Today, people are more fashion conscious. They expect better quality and designs at the right price. Trash no longer sells just because it comes with a huge price tag. Clients demand the best. I have won over many regulars since I opened my outlet since personal attention and interaction makes a difference. I understand the needs of each individual, so the colors and drapes are very personalised. I would never sell a woman an outfit if I felt it didn8217;t suit her. All the outfits at the show have been booked. When you invest such a lot of money, your biggest fear is whether you8217;ll sell, so it8217;s a wonderful feeling.

What I enjoy most about my work is the process of translating what I have visualised into a real outfit. I insist of perfection in every piece, even if it is turned inside out. Quality speaks for itself and when you see that smile on a clients8217; face, you know you8217;ve succeeded.

Whenever I get a little spare time, I like to spend it with my family and close friends. My mother, Akash Dharmaraj, who is a psychotherapist and Reiki Master, was my inspiration for a long time. My husband, Amit Lepps, is another person who8217;s been behind me through and through. Sheetal Mallar, who is a common friend, introduced us to each other about six years ago and we got married last February. He8217;s a former model and upcoming industrialist, and is the only man I design for.

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If there8217;s one thing I can8217;t stand, it8217;s going to parties just to show my face. I prefer to relax at home with my husband. I8217;m a movie freak, so we often watch oldies together, be it in English or Hindi. I also enjoy working out, so I8217;m at the Parkroyal gym as often as possible. But right now, I8217;m concentrating on work. As soon as one collection is over, I8217;ll begin working on the next. I8217;ve just got over my teething troubles, the real challenges lie ahead. I know there is a lot of hard work involved, but all I hope for is to be happy.8221;