Often dismissed as a slow, old-fashioned “granny’s pursuit” that’s too staid, simple and homey to be part of modern outfits, crochets are ruling the roost in today’s fashion world with big-shot designers, celebrities and influencers donning handmade crochet apparels and accessories, thereby lending a unique charm to the overall look.  Be it Instagram, TikTok, online stores, designer boutiques or ramp walks – crochets are making their presence felt everywhere! What makes them so popular are the vibrant thread colors, the fine loop-like patterns, the striking designs, and the heartwarming simplicity that contribute to their unmatched appeal. women entrepreneurs

Here’s introducing an 18-year-old entrepreneur whose love for crochet has not only transformed her life but also emancipated a lot of financially-distressed women around her. Launched on 18th April 2021 by Dehradun-based self-taught crocheter Ananya Malhotra, Enchanted Intarsia is a rising new startup that’s making quite a splash with its eclectic collection of handmade crochet pieces! The brand aims to promote the beauty of crochets while ensuring many lives are changed along the way.

How did crochet come into her life?

Ananya was first introduced to the wonders of crochet by her maid who had been a constant companion during those formative years of childhood. It was only when her class 12 exams got postponed thanks to the pandemic, the gutsy girl decided to give wings to her long-cherished dream. Ananya elaborates “I roped in my childhood maid and her three daughters to work on this startup. During winters, we introduced a new winter daisy shrug which turned out to be our best-seller.” Due to a surge in orders, Ananya had to employ more women, all of whom were skilled crocheters facing joblessness due to the pandemic. She felt happy to be able to provide them an extra source of earning.

Call of a creative mind

It’s the creative mind that challenges convention by thinking and acting differently than other people. Fueled by intense curiosity and restive spirit, Ananya began exploring the finer nuances of crochet patterns and implemented them on scrunches, sling bags, hair bands, keychains. She was keen to play up her crochet magic on crop tops but was apprehensive to start a clothing line as “you have to be very precise with the sizes.” However, her doubts were laid to rest when an Instagram reel showcasing one of her crop tops garnered an impressive 361k views. This inspired the feisty youngster to start creating apparels with crocheted fabric and there had been no looking back since then.

Crochets are cooler than you think (women entrepreneurs)

For those who believe crochet to be an obsolete craft, Enchanted Intarsia is here to bust that myth. The brand combines contemporary designs with traditional crochet motifs to render a timeless appeal. Even high-end labels such as Zara and H&M haven’t come close to emulating the trendy and authentic apparels created by Enchanted Intarsia. The products are customized as per client requirements. With more than 450 orders to date, the startup is making all the right moves. So quickly place your order online and add uniquely designed crochets to your wardrobe!

Collaborations with influencers like Sejal Kumar, Ritvi Shah, Ankita Chawla, Anushka and Aroshi have helped popularize the brand and made it a household name among crochet lovers.

Startup with a cause

When asked about future plans, Ananya says “We are drawing up a plan for brand expansion since it’ll generate more employment and contribute to the safety of animals through donations.”

She organised a drive for Samarth India Foundation, where all the proceeds that she received for a week were donated to them. This foundation supports the safety of animals. From this foundation itself, she adopted a paralyzed dog “Buddy”, taking care of his full expenses without batting an eyelid.

Website link – https://www.enchantedintarsia.com/

Instagram link – https://www.instagram.com/enchanted.intarsia/

To read more Startup Stories on The Business Press, visit – https://www.thebusinesspress.in/categories/startup-stories/

KreedOn – A Sports Media-Tech Startup is Revolutionizing the Indian Sports Ecosystem 

“Fashion is a language that creates itself in clothes to interpret reality.”-Karl Lagerfeld

The Next Wave in the Indian Apparel Market

There has been a significant shift in the customers’ fashion choices and they now prefer apparel that offers the right blend of traditional and contemporary styles. This has prompted retailers and designers to adapt their business models to accommodate this demand. Both demographic and psychographic transformation is causing a noticeable shift in fit, preference, and product uniqueness in the Indian apparel industry. This was previously deeply rooted in the vastness and richness of Indian culture.

Custom clothing offers buyers the satisfaction of knowing that they own apparel that is unique to their style and personality, as opposed to ready-made brands.

The emergence of fusion wear has revolutionized the Indian fashion industry. Women, today want contemporary styles and vintage charm to blend and thus Indo-western wear is fast catching up. The segment primarily stands as an amalgamation of ethnic and western styles to offer an innovative solution to the changing fashion taste of Indian women. This genre refers to silhouettes that are inspired by western fashion trends and patterns and yet rely heavily on Indian fashion sensibilities in terms of prints, fabrics, and overall styling.

Introducing Easy breezy Indian silhouettes to elevate your aesthetics

Freesia a symbolic flower of vibrant hues and auspiciousness depicts purity, innocence, and luck. Bringing the same vibe to everyone’s life is a startup brand named Freesia by Saumya. It is a clothing brand that provides ethnic wear with a modern contemporary touch of styling. It is the perfect choice for all sassy women who want a fusion of traditional & modern outfits. The idea is to experiment with cool and breezy colors and make the outfit pop, making it stand out.

The uniqueness about the brand is that, unlike traditional Indian Wears, their clothing is light- weighted, breezier and comfortable. They not only restrict to self-designing but also customize according to customer needs.

How The Brand Got Conceptualized

Saumya Srivastava has been working in the IT industry since 11 years and has always carried an innate passion to design clothes on her own. Even for her wedding, she wanted an exquisite piece of her choice and even the most sought after and expensive designs did not satiate this fashionista. She did frequent apparel designing for her friends and showcased some of her work on the Instagram page too.

After brainstorming and discussing the business plans with her friends and getting good responses and follows on the social media platform, she finally launched her brand with an investment of 1.5 lacs in March 2021.

The Surging Demand & Goals Ahead

So far, the brand has fulfilled many orders in a mere span of a year since its launch and has witnessed a growth rate of 60%- 70 %. Presently they get orders through Instagram and in near future, they aim to open physical stores in Bangalore.

Instagram link – https://www.instagram.com/freesiabysaumya/

To read more Startup Stories on The Business Press, Visit – https://www.thebusinesspress.in/categories/startup-stories/

“Give a girl the right jewelry and she can conquer the world.”

Often considered the most important accessory that a girl can possess, jewelry has the power to transform, not just the outward appearance, but also the real individual beneath the personality. As they say, never underestimate what the right piece of jewelry can do to elevate your style quotient and inner confidence.

Given its undisputed popularity and timeless appeal, jewelry continues to be most women’s go-to accessory when it comes to expressing their style and creativity.

Let’s talk about a brand that’s redefining fashion jewelry in its own distinct ways.  Launched in January 2019 by Gurgaon based entrepreneur Ramika, Moirra offers a unique collection of eco-friendly, handcrafted jewelry that strives to incorporate the beautiful motifs and embroidery into their creations, thus rendering an unmatched charm into each of their statement pieces.

All that Moirra aims for is to be able to depict the richness and purity of Indian heritage as also the incredible craftsmanship of Indian artisans.

Carving her own path, just like her mother

Like any other independent enterprise, Moirra is a culmination of extensive planning, hard work and a strong desire to do “something different”. Ramika started her entrepreneurial journey on the sidelines while still working in another company. It was during the pandemic that Moirra became her sole focus.

But how did it all begin? As Ramika grew up watching her mother run a boutique for kid’s clothing, she felt inspired to follow in her footsteps and create her own venture.

Ramika’s love for fabrics and designs can be traced back to her childhood when she watched her mother create magic with fabrics of all kinds. Later on, it was Ramika’s sister who first recognised her creativity and passion. She suggested “Why don’t you put your interest in a professional way in doing something unique?” That’s how a startup was born.

Moirra: Jewelry with an embroidered twist

What makes Moirra irreplaceable is its exclusive range of fabric-based, handcrafted jewelry inspired by India’s rich legacy and classic art works. The eternal charm of Indian embroidery, described by Ramika as “paintings with needle and thread”, is skillfully utilized in its jewelry collections.

A Moirra jewelry can lend beauty and elegance to even the plainest of attires, thus making you stand out from the rest. So whether it’s an ethnic look or a contemporary one, Moirra never disappoints.

The brand firmly believes in the enduring appeal of handmade art developed painstakingly by talented local artisans. Furthermore, Moirra walks the path of sustainability and zero wastage. 

Ramika points out “We try our best to use waste fabric as our base. Also, we try to ensure zero wastage so we utilize them as either the back of our products or as earnings and broaches.” Its latest collection is inspired by beautiful Kashmiri motifs that are deftly infused with embroidery and metallic zari.

What lies ahead

The Gurgaon-based startup launched its website in August last year. It has collaborated with some prominent stores in Bangalore. Talks are on for extending its operations in Mumbai. Among its customers are a few eminent YouTubers and social media influencers who have showered love on Moirra jewelry.

Before signing off..

The pandemic turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Ramika and her startup. During this period, the company witnessed a steady growth and by the end of 2020, “business started picking up considerable pace”. Ramika is confident of overcoming all hurdles that her dearest Moirra may encounter in future.

Website link – https://www.moirra.com/categories/ghazal

Instagram link – https://www.instagram.com/moirra.art

To read more Startup Stories on The Business Press, visit – https://www.thebusinesspress.in/categories/startup-stories/