A 21-year-old moved to London, about 16 years ago, aspiring to become a filmmaker. Little did she know that she would end up in the world of fashion, with a store in the UK paving the way for modern Indian fashion and designers in British land.
It all started when Aashni Shah was looking for her dream dress for her engagement and she couldn’t find anything good, Indian traditional-wise, in the UK. So, she had to fly back to Mumbai in search of her perfect wedding dress. And she started thinking ‘What would the brides in the UK do when they get married? Where would they source their Indian wear from?’
“I realised that the UK has nothing like what India is now. It has the India that existed 20 years ago,” said Aashni. Taking a break from her filmmaking career, in 2012, she opened up her first concept store in London’s Notting Hill.
And now in 2023, the entrepreneur finally made her homecoming as she launched her flagship store Aashni + Co in Mumbai’s Kala Ghoda. Located at the iconic Ador House and designed by architect Sameep Pandora, the luxurious retail destination brings the essence of both India and the UK in one place. Telling us the logic behind opening a shop in India, Aashni stated, “I think now India is booming. It’s the most ideal time to be in. The fashion industry is at its peak.”
“I personally feel I could have explored more international locations as well, like the USA or Australia, but I understand that India is such a crowded market. The amount of designers and the amount of silhouettes that are coming out, which didn't exist, is astonishing. I think as long as pieces are classic, as long as pieces are beautifully done, there's always going to be demand that's not going to diminish very soon,” she added.
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Aashni + Co’s repertoire features a mix of couture, luxury pret and ready-to-wear for women and men along with accessories. The store showcases collections from prominent names like Dev R Nil, Ashdeen, Gaurang Shah, Torani, Mimamsaa, and Shweta Kapur, in addition to Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Tarun Tahiliani, Anamika Khanna and more. Also coming shortly will be a capsule addition of labels from Britain and the Gulf.
“I think bringing the best of the best is what the idea is behind the store. Coming soon in Spring/Summer 2024, we are going to introduce designers from the Gulf.”
Talking about her vision for Aashni + Co in India, Aashni said, “I am hoping to build a luxury, timeless and classic brand over here. I am hoping that the majority of the pieces that we have curated are not heavily trend-based. And to bring in the best of the best to give a chance to the upcoming designers.”
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