FOR AMITA GANERIWALA, it all started with the confluence of the traditional art of kantha on bedspreads, 20 years back. The appealing linear single-stitch embroidery of Bengal on soft furnishing egged her to start making elegant ethnic wear for women and soon, Karigar & Co took tangible form. Having a keen eye for perfection and detailing, Amita has a strong grip on traditional techniques like bandhani, shibori and leharia and embroidery, and creates beautifully structured ensembles for the women of today under interesting names like Adaa, Afreen, Tabeer and Jharoka.
The homegrown prêt couture designer was handpicked by the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh to represent India in Parbon, a celebration of friendship between the two countries. She has also curated a fashion show for FLO, the ladies wing of FICCI, and her refined aesthetics led her to judge emerging designers at NIFD, alongside ace designer Anamika Khanna. Not having any formal degree has its disadvantages, but that never came in the way of Amita’s dreams. She explains, “It was exhaustive at the start. With no proper training or exposure, I was learning at every step. Armed with my passion for fashion, I had to create my own path to reach success.” The additional challenge for Amita was her Marwari backg round, where stepping out to work was a big challenge. But she dared to dream and balanced work and family quite brilliantly. Amita has now been joined by her 31-year-old son Abhishek, and the brand is on the threshold of starting a new menswear line.