Fashion Talk
Asmita Marwa
Designer
Asmita Marwa Design
Sustainable art jackets are conversation starter
Indian fashion designer Asmita Marwa has been rated by Vogue as one of the top nine up-and-coming international designers, also renowned for her sustainable collection. In a conversation with Fibre2Fashion, the designer shares her inspiration behind her zero-waste and eco-friendly designs.
Fibre2Fashion : What made you decide about starting your own label?
Asmita Marwa:
I consider myself more an artist than a fashion designer as I approach my work with a lot of passion and clarity. I started my career styling the biggest stars of the Indian film industry and that was when I realised what I actually wanted to say through my work.
I launched my label in 2005 and debuted at the Lakme Fashion Week in 2008 and subsequently have been doing shows for various fashion weeks including the Global Sustainable Fashion Week in Budapest 2017.
Fibre2Fashion : Who is the target audience? Where is the clientele majorly from (in terms of geographies)?
Asmita Marwa:
Our clothes are for the free-spirited world traveler who is bohemian at heart, dreaming of a world without boundaries. There is nothing more beautiful than a woman being unapologetically herself, comfortable in her perfect imperfection, that is the true essence of beauty. Our zen label celebrates wanderlust and the eternal traveler, bringing together various cultures and heritage art forms to tell a story, season after season. Our clientele is from all over the world.
Fibre2Fashion : What works better for your label--online or offline sales and why?
Asmita Marwa:
We at Asmita Design give our clients a complete experience and take them on a journey of sustainability and art coming together to tell a story which is unique and one of a kind. So, a studio experience is what works for us.
Fibre2Fashion : What is the main inspiration behind all your collections?
Asmita Marwa:
“Creativity in making something marvelous out of the discarded” Recycling turns things into other things which is like magic and that is what really inspires me. Creating art out of nothing!
Sustainability is an ideology, a state of mind and a concept close to my heart as a designer and a creative person. It is the crux and essence of my label and brand. Sustainability is about slow-fashion, timeless fashion, it’s about evolving a concept, re-inventing and re-interpreting it over a few seasons. Sustainable fashion does not believe in churning out collection after collection making the consumers feel that they are outdated because they don’t have the latest pieces. It is about adding separates to continue the evolution of a concept or design language.
Fibre2Fashion : Fashion industry is swiftly shifting towards sustainability and eco-friendly fashion. What is your take on it?
Asmita Marwa:
We at Asmita Design have always believed in timeless fashion and we evolve a concept over a few seasons. Our label is all about a sustainable fashion label creating and manufacturing garments in-house, using ethical norms and practices. We believe in ‘Cradle-to-Cradle’ design or re-generative design which is holistic. We create systems that are not only efficient but also essentially waste free.
Recycling, upcycling, and sustainable fashion is what we at Asmita Design believe is the future and have established ourselves as a brand that has given zero waste luxury a whole new dimension keeping sustainability and eco-friendly design at the heart and soul of the label.
Fibre2Fashion : What do you admire the most about Indian textiles and fashion industry and how do you like to experiment with the varieties of textiles?
Asmita Marwa:
Indian textiles and weaves are as beautiful and diverse as our country is. The colours, the textures, the weaves, the embroideries are so inspiring. I love collage art and that translates beautifully onto our one-of-a-kind jackets which fuse various cultures and art forms to tell a story and take you on a journey.
Fibre2Fashion : What changes have you captured in Indian fashion industry from past times till now?
Asmita Marwa:
There is definitely more awareness about sustainability and how our garments are manufactured. Our label has been championing the cause since our inception and we are really happy that awareness is finally coming about.
Fibre2Fashion : What is that one current trend that we see today, that can have the highest influence on the masses in the near future?
Asmita Marwa:
Mixing separates and creating your own individual style, making conscious choices, and investing in clothes which spark joy and tell a story, that you can cherish forever!
Fibre2Fashion : What are you experimenting with now with regards to your clothes?
Asmita Marwa:
We are experimenting with new textures and creating beautiful art jackets which are a one of piece.
Fibre2Fashion : What are the biggest fashion mistakes Indian women make?
Asmita Marwa:
Investing too much money on occasion wear and weddings and less on everyday fashion.
Fibre2Fashion : What tips would you like to share with the newly established designers and fashion enthusiasts?
Asmita Marwa:
Be mindful of what you put out there and represent as a brand. Be original and true to who you are. Create your own design language.
Fibre2Fashion : Lately digital platforms have become a level playing field for the fashion industry, how has this helped your label to grow?
Asmita Marwa:
Instagram and Facebook have been wonderful platforms to reach out to like-minded people across the globe. We are currently in the process of setting up our e-commerce store.
Fibre2Fashion : What is next? Will you be moving into any other clothes category like athleisure, menswear, kidswear etc in future?
Asmita Marwa:
Sustainable art jackets which are a conversation starter and one of pieces. Making separates which are timeless.