There is no
denying that designer Anita Dongre is one of the most popular and
successful Indian fashion designers. Indeed she has been at the forefront of the
Indian fashion scene for over 20 years, but how did she succeed and get so famous?
First, as
she always loved fashion and style, she studied designing from SNDT, Juhu - a leading Indian fashion school in which she graduated in 1983 - and
Bcom from Narsee Monjee. Then to realise
her passion for design, she and her sister Meena Sehra, acquired two sewing machines in
order to create and supply clothes to a boutique called Saks which was
frequented by Bollywood stars. She made a line made from linen for the boutique which
agreed to sell her collections. It was a success and Saks wanted more of her creations and this
is what launched her career in the world of fashion. And then for few years
Anita Dongre not only supplied to famous boutiques in major Indian cities, but
also in other cities all around the world.
After these
experiences she finally decided to create her own label with fresh ideas. The boutiques thought that it will not work, but she travelled several
times and had seen that trends were changing. She wanted to design something
that urban women can wear and the only way to do it were to retail by herself and
so found her own business.
Supported by her sister and also her brother who left his job to join them, thus the company And Designs India Ltd. (ADIL) was created in 1998 and the ascent to success started here.
Supported by her sister and also her brother who left his job to join them, thus the company And Designs India Ltd. (ADIL) was created in 1998 and the ascent to success started here.
In mid-1999, the label “AND”, which offers a collection of western wear, was launched as an
answer to the growing needs of the Indian woman. Today the label remains and has
evolved to keep pace with its clients’ changing lifestyles.
At the core
of the fashion industry she was able to realise one of her dreams and launch
her couture design label “ANITA DONGRE”. It was launched in 2000 at IGEDO, an international forum.
Anita Dongre is the only Indian Designer chosen to showcase her collection at the Finale of the IGEDO Spring Summer Fashion Show. The signature label includes different sub-label that cover varied needs in the market: TIMELESS, IINTERPRET, GRASSROOT, MENSWEAR and recently launched PINKCITY which is a line of jewelry.
Anita Dongre is the only Indian Designer chosen to showcase her collection at the Finale of the IGEDO Spring Summer Fashion Show. The signature label includes different sub-label that cover varied needs in the market: TIMELESS, IINTERPRET, GRASSROOT, MENSWEAR and recently launched PINKCITY which is a line of jewelry.
The last of ADIL’s
high fashion brands launched in 2007 it is called “GLOBAL DESI”. It is inspired
by Indian heritage of colours, fabrics, prints etc.
Anita
Dongre's inimitable creations have reached award shows, global red carpets,
international catwalks and the pages of many other events. She acquired the
loyalty of everyday kind of people and also several celebrities such as Shraddha
Kapoor, Anuradha Mahindra, Juhi Chawla, Neha Dhupia, Urmila Matondkar and more.
Lakme Fashion Week 2013 and 2014 respectively
Anita Dongre at Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Ressort 2014
And now
more than a designer, she has been ranked among one of the 50 most powerful
women in business. With her dreams in mind she worked with passion and
perseverance and has built what we can call an empire.
If you want to see more about Anita Dongre, click here!
