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Sitting pretty on the success of her brands — Anita Dongre.
boho Chic Seamstress Anita Dongre addresses fashion in as many ways as one would like to wear it – the trendy AND, the young and vibrant Global Desi, the exclusive and fashionable Iinterpret and the high couture bridal Timeless are all highly successful labels. Dongre shares the secret of her success
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Interviewed by Sapna Khanna
nita Dongre started her label AND in 1998, at a time when women used to get their outfits tailored as a norm. Dongre desired to give them a ready-to-wear affordable brand, offering western contemporary wear that they could visit and pick up outfits straight from the shelves. And so she did. AND as a fast fashion brand caters to the changing style and trend requirements of the modern contemporary Indian with new styles on offer every few weeks, and the affordable pricing helps the purpose. One success followed the next – quick on AND’s success trail came the launch of her signature, premium label that carries with it, her reputation and name – the Anita Dongre Iinterpret – a high-impact, globetrotting, mix and match western wear, fashion brand. With her love for luxury and lifestyle, Dongre launched her one of a kind couture line Anita Dongre Timeless. The label caters to custom-made occasion wear where Anita Dongre meets clients personally to conceptualise and design exclusive outfits to the tastes of the buyer. Global Desi was founded in 2007 and within six years established itself as a fashion forward brand with 48
standalone stores and presence across 130 multibrand outlets including Pantaloons, Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle and Central to name a few. The beginnings go all the way back to 1981 when Dongre while pursuing a Commerce degree, simultaneously enrolled into the prestigious Indian fashion design school SNDT. Making a career in the fashion industry was definitely not a common choice back then. She had to face fair share of opposition from her family who were resistant to the idea of her becoming a fashion designer and did not take her aspirations to become one, seriously. Add to it the fact no woman in Dongre’s family had worked before and even that was an unheard of concept when she broached it more than two decades ago, made the dream only bigger and her path tougher. “My conviction and relentless pursuit of my dream changed their mindset,” she shares. Read on the tall tale of success. Define the signature style / fashion philosophy of Anita Dongre the designer. How much of that are AND and Global Desi? My creations bear the stamp of simplicity and timeless elegance. Over the years, I have cultivated my own signature aesthetic which transcends across all my brands. I feel all the labels are the extension of what I felt I needed in my own wardrobe, bearing the signature stamp of elegance | FDD | November 2013 | 31
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and versatility. I keep in mind the woman I’m designing for - a woman who seeks versatility and comfort in whatever she wears. I wear AND in the day, wear Anita Dongre Timeless when I go out in the evening, and at times wear a boho chic Indian tunic or a maxi from Global Desi. How do AND and Global Desi coexist? Both brands have a very distinct sensibility and flavor yet are bound by the common thread of fashionable and trendy styles that are high on comfort and utility. And both are equally accessible and affordable. While AND offers contemporary westernwear with clean and elegant silhouettes, Global Desi packs a colorful punch with its boho chic sensibilities and beautifully marrying Indian silhouettes with western cuts. Both brands address today’s modern urban woman’s varied sartorial choices alternating between smart westernwear for a day to evening look and fun vibrant colorful ensembles celebrating the woman of today! What was the turning point(s) in your career? How did that impact your approach as a design professional and as an entrepreneur / label owner? The turning point in my career came with the launch of AND in 1998. My designs are meant for real womenwomen of today who regardless of age and size enjoy my designs and flaunt them with confidence. It gives me immense joy and pride to design fashion forward outfits f or wom-
Global Desi packs a colourful punch with its boho chic sensibilities.
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en across age groups and body types, offering a veritable mix of styles and colour that appeals to everyone’s fashion palate. How did your label Global Desi come about? Relate the beginnings of the brand. Fashion is always an expression of self, one’s individuality and personality. I have always believed that fashion has the ability to make a powerful statement. Global Desi is in a way a reflection of me in my 20s when I dressed in boho chic dresses, colourful skirts and bangles. So in a way, the brand recaptures the boho gypsy in me in my 20s and is symbolic of the new age woman wants clothes that articulate her individuality, which is why she experiments with different styles to stand apart. How many stores do you have across the country? What is the retail format? Anita Dongre is my signature brand with sub brands Timeless – high end bridal couture, Iinterpret- contemporary label that uses Indian fabrics and teams them up with western cuts, and a menswear line. My flagship bridal store is at Phoenix Mills and altogether we have nine Anita Dongre exclusive stores across India. AND has 40 exclusive stores and it is also present across 200 multi brand stores. Apart from that, Global Desi has 50 exclusive outlets, as well as its presence in 130 multi-brand outlets like Pantaloon, Central, and Lifestyle etc. We have a mix of self-owned and franchise stores across AND and Global Desi.
AND retails from 40 exclusive stores and 200 multibrand stores.
| FDD | November 2013 | 33
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Global Desi retails from 50 standalone stores and 130 multibrand stores.
“my vision is to go global with all my brands – AND, Global desi and anita dongre. this endeavour is taking shape with the recently opened first global desi store in mauritius.”
Global Desi is about fun vibrant clothing.
Where all are you selling overseas? Which all stores? We have recently expanded the reach of Global Desi to Mauritius, and are planning several more stores overseas over the next few years. What is your next season’s collection all about? Styles, fabrics, cuts, colours... give us the highlights? The upcoming season’s collection is in tune with the festive season. Global Desi being true to its boho chic spirit brings forth a lot of colour in the collection. Tunics, pallazos, jackets, anarkalis in colourful hues and vibrant prints are the focal point of the collection. Subtle embroidery, print on print, and elegant embellishments lends a festive look to the collection. AND resonates the trending colour palette of the season, with hues of burnt orange, deep reds, hot pinks mixed with earthy tones taking form in jumpsuits, skater dresses, sheer tops, maxis, abstract print dresses- perfect for a day or evening look. What is your turnover today? By the end of this financial year 2014, we expect to have a revenue of Rs 350 crores with 125 exclusive brand outlets.
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What kind of infrastructure do you have in terms of design studio and manufacturing unit? The company headquarters and factory is in Andheri, where we have a manufacturing and design unit. Each brand is spearheaded by a team of one brand director, and a design and merchandise team under them. What’s your future vision for your labels and what are your expansion plans? On my wish list was a bespoke jewellery line, and after a year of creative labour, my wish was granted. I launched a line of jadau gold jewellery called Pinkcity in association with Pradeep Jethani of Jet Gems. I started out designing jaali work inspired gold buttons and cufflinks for men, and eventually did an entire collection for both men and women. Pinkcity is a natural extension of our fashion line as jewellery forms an integral part of the wedding trousseau. On a larger scale, my vision is to go global with all my brands — AND, Global Desi and Anita Dongre. This endeavour too is taking shape with the recently opened first Global Desi store in Mauritius.
Anita Dongre plans to go global with all her brands.
What factor(s) would you attribute your success to as a designer, and as an entrepreneur? Hard work and passion is my success mantra. If you’re passionate about what you do, working towards your goals is an effortless exercise, and the roadblocks seems like minor obstructions leading to a glorious satisfying destination. | FDD | November 2013 | 35