Seasonal Fashion, Timeless Style – January 2016

Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla met by chance but it didn’t take too long for them to realize that they wanted the same thing; to create impeccable fashion. The duo tells us about their journey and gives us their take on a career in luxury fashion

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO COLLABORATE WITH EACH OTHER AND CREATE YOUR OWN LABEL?
Abu and I met on 15th August 1986 at a common friend’s luncheon. We struck up an instant rapport and decided then and there to combine forces. I am a natural risk-taker, Abu the reticent artist. He had been offered a space in Juhu to open his own boutique by a client, but was hesitant about doing it solo. As the afternoon progressed we knew we wanted the same thing. To create the most fabulous clothes. Clothes that carried all the hallmarks of India. Our fabulous embroideries, colours, textiles. Mata Hari became our first boutique and collection. Our parents gave us the seed money of rupees five lakhs and it was every penny they had to spare. Their complete faith in us and the freedom they gave us to follow seemingly impossible and unfashionable dreams, because fashion wasn’t seen as a career choice then as it is now, is something we will be eternally grateful for.

YOU HAVE REDEFINED LUXURY INDIAN WEAR SO WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS USP OF THE AJSK LABEL?
The finest, that which is original, rare, exceptional, impeccably executed to the most minute detail. Unfortunately luxury like love is an over-used, misused and abused word/concept. Most of what passes off as luxury is mediocre, average, and missing many links. Products and services apart, the ultimate luxury is to live Life on one’s own terms. To be mistress or master of your own time and destiny. To bow before nothing except that and those whom you love. February will see the launch of our new diffusion label, ASAL by Abu Sandeep. Our mission is to make our personal brand of creativity and aesthetics more affordable, more accessible to a whole new youth oriented clientele and demographic. Because while we love Couture, we love the thought of so many more people becoming a part of our world, and ASAL is that dream brought to life in the form of fashion.

WHAT KIND OF MARKETING STRATEGIES ARE REQUIRED TO CREATE A STRONG FASHION BRAND IN TODAY’S MARKET?
For us, we let our work speak for itself. We don’t advertise nor do we ‘market’ ourselves in any strategic or planned manner. It’s not the best business move especially since one lives in a time of instant celebrity through promotion and propaganda. We are tremendously blessed that our work has found an appreciative audience and a loyal clientele.

2015 MARKED 28 YEARS IN DESIGN FOR THE TWO OF YOU. TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY SO FAR.
We believe in hard work. Blood, sweat, tears and big dreams. We have never allowed our circumstances to contain our ambition. But we haven’t planned or predicted paths either. It is highly gratifying to know that we have been blessed with a wide and loyal clientele, who have loved our creations, and bought our work in both India and across the globe. It is wonderful to have your work appreciated and coveted by so many discerning people.

Volume 5 Issue 7