Encased in plenty of warm wood with giant light-rimmed mirrors, Aashni + Co which launched in India, at Mumbai, earlier this month, has a cosy feel. The close to 5,800sq ft store is located at Ador House in Kala Ghoda, which is enveloped in legacy vibes. The brainchild of Aashni Shah, a Mumbai girl who moved to London when she was 21 and then set up Aashni + Co at Notting Hill in London in 2012, with the 'best South Asian labels' like Sabyasachi, Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, Anamika Khanna, Anita Dongre, Manish Malhotra and Raghavendra Rathore, the multi-designer space has been designed by architect Sameep Padora.
(l-r) A fabric installation at the lower level is a conversation-starter, One of our favourite sections is this Sabyasachi accessories corner. #delicious
Spread over two levels, the curation is a mix of occasion wear, pret, bridals, footwear, accessories and jewellery. t2 was delighted to spot a number of labels from Calcutta. Led by Sabyasachi and Anamika Khanna, Aashni + Co in Mumbai also stocks Kiran Uttam Ghosh, Shantanu Goenka and Dev R Nil.
As Aashni got ready to welcome guests, the founder and creative director, Aashni + Co, sat down with t2 for a quick chat about coming back home, the curation and plans for her passion project.
What made you decide to get Aashni + Co to India now?
I felt truly that the timing was ideal. India is at its highest high and the Indian fashion industry is growing exponentially and looking at the demand and interest in Indian fashion, not just domestically, but internationally as well. We feel that it was the correct time to bring back the experiences we've had from the UK, in terms of customer service and our 10-year journey as such, bring it over to Mumbai and also have an extension of the UK store within Mumbai. We are not being able to showcase an entire collection back in the UK because the demands there slightly vary in terms of having heavier Indian clothes as opposed to more contemporary.
How have you curated this store vis-a-vis your London store?
The London store has predominantly a lot more established brands because the UK consumer is more well aware of those brands. We, however, do have a mix of the up-and-coming as well. That, however, caters to about 30 per cent of our audience. With India, it's pretty much a mix. We do have established brands like Anamika Khanna, Sabyasachi and Tarun Tahiliani. However, getting brands like Mimamsaa, Brih, Bunka, Rhua... it's absolutely stunning. Sheetal Batra... getting Rimple & Harpreet over here which is not very often seen in a city like Bombay, who is still heavily present in Delhi, a designer like Mayyur Girotra... that is something I wanted to explore... (get) labels which are not easily available for consumers in Bombay. The curation for Bombay is not keeping in mind all of India, but specifically for the consumers of Bombay.
Aashni Shah, founder and creative director, Aashni + Co
Why did you choose Kala Ghoda as a location? And, how did you transform the space as per your vision?
Kala Ghoda is the fashion hub of Bombay and there couldn’t have been a better spot. With the footfall being high along with tons of other stores around, it has the energy that is required for a store like ours. It was extremely essential for us that our own identity is showcased, that we have in the UK and it’s pretty much an extension of the London store. The first brief was to get down what originally existed. The basement had a lot of pedestals and columns which was the original foundation of the heritage building. So, we couldn’t touch that but there was a lot of scope on the ground floor. We gave a beautiful architectural ceiling because we had the advantage of the ceiling height and the entire store has a warm, homecoming feeling, with a lot of warm wood and brass that has been used across the two floors.
We wanted to make sure that we have got corners around, the little alcoves and pathways for people to explore the space along with the garments and accessories. We were able to keep a separate department of accessories and menswear as well, which was extremely essential.
One of my favourite spots has to be the tea bar as I believe it is the perfect juxtaposition of India and Britain, considering both are tea-loving countries. It also gives the client an opportunity to step out of their decision-making process in choosing an item, thinking about it and then deciding whether to move ahead or not. It’s a great place to have conversations and build relationships.
What do you think the perception of Indian fashion was when you started?
When I started off in the UK, there was no store like Aashni + Co. It was a lot of high-street Indianwear. Over the past 10 years, since Aashni + Co came into existence, a lot more brands were then showcased to our audience. The wedding show gave us the opportunity to showcase a lot more designers under the roof in one day.
People were accepting the newer designers who are as amazing in terms of quality and it’s always friendlier on the pockets. So, it’s an easier consumption for the people in the UK and in India in general as well. The (perception about Indian fashion) was Bollywood and I am very happy to have changed that slightly in my own little way because Bollywood doesn’t showcase the real India and a real size for the Indian women. Even in the Bombay store, we have kept size-inclusive dummies, a pregnant dummy... I feel pregnant brides shouldn’t be a taboo.
(l-r) The mirror-laden stairs add to the drama, Aashni + Co is made of several pretty corners that provide an essence of the curation
What have been the learnings like?
I have learnt everything on the job. I was an aspiring filmmaker and it’s a huge pivot from an aspiring filmmaker to an entrepreneur in the world of fashion. When I opened I was 26 and when you have youth by your side and your risk-taking ability is so high because you have nothing to lose, you can make decisions in a stronger way. The decision to open in Bombay was very well thought-out. To open in London was not a thought-out decision. It was like, there was a gap, let’s fill it. Over here in a way, there is no gap and it’s a crowded market, but it’s the journey of 10 years and we have created a strong rooting and we know the preferences. I am a Bombay girl, so I know the people of Bombay.
What are the expansion plans?
At the moment I am happy to be home and feel comfortable here and make sure my feet are warm enough. The plan is of course to expand into different cities and the UAE for that matter, but one step at a time. Retail is at its highest high... India has the consumption power that no other country has at the moment, not even the UK or the USA according to me. And, that is where I hope to be.