Beyonce, Gwen Stefani, Paris Hilton, Britney Spears. Those are the names they have been dressing over the last decade. Designers Shane and Falguni Peacock. The Telegraph caught up with the creative brains of Falguni Shane Peacock India ahead of FDCI India Couture Week’s digital showing, on their pandemic learnings and the secret to two decades of being together.

Falguni, when did you last take a flight?

Falguni: The last flight was on February 19 back from New York. Typically by now, I would have at least taken eight-10 flights. I would have gone to US at least thrice and to Europe at least once (laughs).

What haven’t you missed?

Falguni: We have made use of this lockdown period in a very positive way. There were a couple of issues that we were pushing under the carpet. We worked on our logos, designs, concepts and marketing strategies. I think we have scarves ready for the next 10 years!
We spend time with family. (Before the pandemic), we were just running. Every alternate week I was travelling to Delhi or taking flights to the US. I think it was a good time for all of us to be together and introspect. Now we are back to work and it feels really good.

Shane and Falguni’s Marry Me in Jaipur is their ode to the Pink City and features Shraddha Kapoor Falguni Shane Peacock India

What was the easiest bit about working from home and the most difficult bit?

Falguni: The easiest bit was we saved a lot of travel time, plus we would spend time with family and be at ease and still do productive work from home. The kind of work we are in, however, like we need to sample and create swatches... we need to be physically present at our workplace. After a point, working from home is difficult. Creating things happened once we were back to work.

Considering you have a global presence, was the lockdown a bit of a concern?

Falguni: I think globally everything was affected. We did a big show in New York in February. We have an office there and a showroom in LA. Now slowly things are picking up and as we have an office over there, things were getting managed. So, it was not much of a concern but yes, with a lot of retailers, there is a stress, because they are in a bit of a situation. I think sooner or later, we will all overcome it.

A lot of designers have opened their e-commerce portals now. You were ahead of your times. Was that an advantage?

Shane: As a brand we have always been very quick to adapt to technology. The pace at which technology is moving, if we don’t keep up with it, we’ll be left behind. That’s one of the reasons why we always had our site. For the last two years, we have shoppable videos on our site and interactive videos, too, which you can click and the model will wear what you want her to wear. Virtual styling has been there on our website for almost a year-and-a-half. Most of our clients are global. We have brides from New York, South Africa, Singapore. For everyone to travel becomes a big problem. Pre-pandemic, people would take appointments when they would come down. Now people have started accepting that they could get a virtual session done but I don’t think it would be a long-term thing. People still want that shopping experience and they still want to go and buy.

Falguni: With us using technology as a best friend has always been there. We have used it so that we could be ahead of everything. Internationally, this has always been a trend from buying the most expensive watch to a bag to a couture outfit which would be $10,000+. Because we were doing so much work internationally, it was imperative for us to be on a par with what they were doing. What we did in the pandemic is to strategise to make the site a little bit better.

What is your take on couture post-pandemic?

Shane: If people are buying couture for the wedding, engagement or birthdays, they all want to make it very special and I don’t think they are going to compromise on that. Couture is going to become more special, but it is not going to be an investment buy.

Falguni: I think couture is timeless. In India, it is mainly bridal couture. For her wedding, she wants to look the best. It is all about creating memories for a bride. In terms of spending, she may be a little cautious. Yes, creating couture has become more expensive as opposed to normal times when we could make things overnight. Everyone is working out in quarter capacity right now. Soon everyone will have to smartly price everything.

As a brand we have always been very quick to adapt to technology. The pace at which technology is moving, if we don’t keep up with it, we’ll be left behind. That’s one of the reasons why we always had our site. For the last two years, we have shoppable videos on our site and interactive videos, too, which you can click and the model will wear what you want her to wear. Virtual styling has been there on our website for almost a year-and-a-half. Most of our clients are global. We have brides from New York, South Africa, Singapore. For everyone to travel becomes a big problem. Pre-pandemic, people would take appointments when they would come down. Now, people have started accepting that they could get a virtual session done but I don’t think it would be a long-term thing — Shane Falguni Shane Peacock India

What are you showing at the FDCI India Couture Week…

Falguni: We are showing a bridal couture line. The film is called Spectacle Prive and the collection is Marry Me in Jaipur. It is inspired by all our travels to Jaipur. The tapestry, the beauty, the walls, the motifs of Jaipur… this time we have also done a line of reds. So, it’s a special line.

Has anything fundamental changed with the pandemic?

Shane: It made us realise that planning doesn’t help. Initially, we used to act on impulse but now we have CEO and a COO sitting on us (for the last two years), we have been chained.

Falguni: I feel there is a lot of structure now to the whole business at this point and I think we are doing what we are really good at. It is just a good feeling that we get to be more creative and not think of other issues. We are being able to devote time to everything now. It is a new concept.

Shane: Once you change your outlook from a designer to a brand, the working nature also changes.

So, you have let go, which is a big thing…

Falguni: It has taken us two years to even accept that we have to listen to a third person! (Laughs) In a way it is a boon.

And you have been together for two decades…

Shane: Forty years! We have been married, leave for work together and come back home together…. (laughs).

Falguni: We have known each other for 20, married for 18 and last year we celebrated the 15th year of the brand.

What are the pros and cons of working together?

Falguni: The cons are you take your work home and the pros are you take your work home (laughs).
I am looking at his face now and wondering! (Laughs) And, he is singing What a Wonderful World! I think wanting the same things out of life and working towards the same things in life (has kept us together). Falguni is the one who always gives in (laughs), then we go a long way!

Shane: Falguni is my mirror. Shows me reality.

Falguni: We’ve also had our ups and downs and fights. We agree to disagree. If I am correct, he will not shy away from saying I am correct and if I am wrong, I will not shy away from saying I am wrong. If you have that acceptance and the willingness to make it work, then any relationship can work.

What are you working on next?

Falguni: We were going to launch our pret store in Kala Ghoda (Mumbai). That got pushed. We should be ready by mid-October. We’ll also look at one in Delhi. We always had pret but we never pushed pret as a separate brand identity.