Our garments are slouchy, comfy and anti-fit, as opposed to the current obsession to be a perfect fit
1. Your brand Resha's ethos seems to be a combination of traditional Indian materials and techniques with bold colours and modern trends. Is that correct? Tell us more..
Yes… We are a socially conscious fashion brand with the vision to re-evaluate the way fashion is consumed and bring the age old crafts of India to the mainstream. Our products are 100 % handmade with natural dyes and natural fibers, good for the environment and good for the soul. We aim to create and give mindful design choices for the customers as well as conservation & commercial opportunities for craftsmen. Each and every Resha product is a thread bearer of the stories passing down to generations since ages and a step towards their restoration. Fresh perspective along with the love for life and freedom forms the foundation of the brand. Fearless use of colors, form and innovation is an essential part of Resha’s design methodology. We are not limited to market trends and forecasts, instead we derive our inspirations from the people, surroundings, travel, mood and stories. Resha’s designs are a bold take on reminiscence and memory in modern times.
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2. What's your personal story? What inspired you to start Resha? Tell us about your co-founders.
My love affair with Indian crafts started when I was studying textile design from NID, Ahmedabad. We started Resha in 2014 to explore the scope of slow and conscious fashion consumption in India. There was no looking back since then. Resha is born out of immense love for craft practices of India and a vision to innovate them to suit the needs of a modern woman. As a consumer what we see is the final product and we forget that the soul of a piece of art is essentially in it’s pixels, in its Resha-s. Our brand Resha inspires to see design with an empathetic eye to appreciate the energy, skill and love involved in the making. Everything that is handmade or hand-woven can only be truly appreciated if we understand the process. These practices are from a long-long time back and craftsmen have sacrificed a comfortable living to keep them alive.
Me (Medhavini), Manish and Vidushi are the driving force behind Resha. Vidushi is an active illustrator, artist and a filmmaker from IDC, IIT Bombay. She has an eye to see a common ground between art and ancient craft techniques and brings in fresh ideas on contemporizing them to make them relevant for a modern woman. Manish, on the other hand works on sales and strategies to help us reach masses. Being an MBA from IIT Kharagpur and having worked for a substantial amount of time in the industry he knows what it takes to build something from scratch.
3. What is the dark side of the fashion industry today? How do you ensure ethical practices are followed?
Fashion Industry is with filled mindless copies of trends, designers these days do not try to create something that can stay and claim its presence. Because of such quick trend cycles a lot of unethical ways of production has become very common. Consumers need to be more aware of the clothes they are buying and where do the clothes go once they go out of fashion. Fashion industry is one of the biggest contributor of the land fills and depletion of resources.
Resha’s products are made of 100% sustainable materials and techniques. we don’t want to put out anything out there which can be harmful for the society in the long run. From our products to our photoshoots we take huge care of what kind of message we are conveying to the people who are consuming the information. Our products are made of natural fibers, which are breathable, good for the skin and the environment, waste- free and printed with 100% natural dyes extracted from the nature. A lot of attention goes in the rightful representation of women in Fashion through the brand as well, which in our opinion is a huge need of our time. The choice of models is very democratic; you will see all kinds of women as our models. We believe that fashion is not a monopoly of a certain body or skin type and celebrate the diversity in beauty. Resha does not confirm to socially constructed ideas of beauty and constantly challenge it as a conscious design choice. Resha’s garments are slouchy, comfy and anti-fit, as opposed to nation’s obsession to a perfect fit. Resha advocates freedom in fashion and not caring about others opinion and opting out of trends by choice. Resha works on the idea of dressing up for yourself in what feels good and comfortable. Resha hugs you lovingly rather than caging you, it's forgiving and accepting and doesn't ask you to be in a certain shape.
4. Where can customers buy your products?
Our products are available online at our website https://resha.in/
5. What are your future growth plans?
We are working on broadening our product range, in ready to wear we are planning to expand to men’s wear and kid’s wear. We will very soon enter home and lifestyle space as well. We have started making handmade stationary for artists. We wish to make fruitful collaborations with artists and designers to have a more experimental approach towards design. We are also working on making our presence in the global market both online and offline. We have made our own e-commerce website and trying to penetrate more in the market.
- TradeBriefs Bureau -