Tell us about yourself. Where are you from and where do you live now?
Designing clothes has always been an insatiable addiction for me. As an emerging Indian designer, I'm making a name for my eponymous label that marries the best of Indian influences and South east Asian craftsmanship to produce silhouettes that are unfettered by clichés such as traditional femininity.
I was born into a Bengali family in Kolkata and moved to New Delhi when I was 6 along with my family. I am inspired by my everyday activities, and my life spent across four countries – India, England, Singapore and Myanmar. I made my debut with London Fashion week in 2021 and I regularly showcase my collections.
My designs are a confluence of the two cultures in a way that represents me as well, and my vision from art in everyday life. Traditional artistry is transformed into modern-day luxuriant easy-to-wear ensembles, each sporting an inimitable story of its own.
I am self trained and I picked up a credible amount of my design training and literature from my spouse’s grandmother - the family runs a boutique in Lucknow, India, specializing in chikankari embroidery amidst other hand embroidery work.
During my maternity leave, I lived in Burma where I studied and completed crucial short term design courses and would also travel to India where I would spend long hours observing my (now) head seamster’s daily undertakings with clientele.
Juggling my baby boy with my studies, I launched Sruti Dalmia as a one-person label out of my storeroom from my own savings. With my first collection sold out in 20 days, I have not looked back since. Sruti Dalmia’s collections are not stocked with coveted stores worldwide. Cross cultural integration is what I believes in as I now operate through a very transparent supply with clear and conscious goals of creating garments sustainably. I love indulging in my hobby as a water color artist and spending quality time with my family.
What did you do career wise before starting your brand?
I was a corporate HR professional with a Masters degree turned designer, but I always knew that my real self would come true only when I took up my true passion - that is fashion designing! During my maternity break, I left my old avatar and trained myself from scratch to gain technical knowledge and expertise of designing. Juggling my baby boy, I launched Sruti Dalmia as a one-person label with a very small support team. My extensive knowledge of running teams in a multi national companies has been of great use and it has helped build the foundation of my entrepreneurial venture.
Describe your brand. When did you launch? Where are you based? Why did you start it?
An emerging luxury women's wear brand launched in 2021, Sruti Dalmia, which marries the best of East and West influences. Born into a Bengali family in Calcutta (Kolkata), India, I grew up watching women of the house wearing Sarees that were locally crafted. The Sarees of beautiful east and northeast Indian origin were carefully passed down and worn over decades by the women of the house as they were luxurious yet understated. Hence I envisioned a brand that is young ‘forward looking,’ yet rooted. Garments that speaks of heritage & history but at the same time has a global appeal and wearable by women of diverse backgrounds.
Our silhouettes are made with a combination of artisanal Indian handicrafts and international raw materials alike. The final ensemble is a reflection of her personal experience - my life spent in four countries - India, England, Singapore and Burma. Our home grown garments aspire to bridge the gap between ‘what we were’ to ‘who we want to be.'
Traditional artistry is transformed into modern-day luxuriant easy-to-wear ensembles, each sporting an inimitable story of its own. The brand has been featured on multiple editorials and magazines, and recently showcased its formal debut with its Spring Summer ‘ 22 and A/W ’21 collection at London Fashion Week. Sruti Dalmia’s collections are produced responsibly in well-regulated quantities to respect the environment and her craftsmen’s capacities and culture.
The product range is versatile: from light summer florals in delicate silhouettes to pliant and protean winter apparel, all ensembles are introduced as capsule collections for the conscious consumer. Each collection comes from extensive research and development to bring new products previously unseen in the market with an aim to create silhouettes flattering to women of diverse backgrounds. Along with two collections introduced annually – Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer – the label also features a resort line and a pre-fall collection.
A ‘Made in India’ brand, we make sure ‘Designed in India’ and ‘Made in India’ is synonymous, and we present this personal interpretation of our Indian craft culture with a lot of love to the world.
Congratulations on launching your latest collection! What was your inspiration? Favorite piece(s)?
A special capsule collection, for our customers who know there is always a ‘summer somewhere’ – we bring gorgeous feminine styles for our beloved beauties. Beautifully intricate ‘bird jaal’ and hand-sketched depictions of the ‘kaner’ flower strangely, albeit seamlessly fuse to form a mesmerizing display of versatile feminine silhouettes in pretty aquas, whites, reds and blues. The silhouettes are mismatched yet perfectly so. Festive in their being, they pay tribute to flora and fauna whilst following a life trail.
The color palette of the collection deliciously switches from iridescent shades of blue – ice, turquoise and royal – to aqua greens, rich blacks, and glossy reds that aid the modernized drapery of our colorful resort wear selection.
Light on the skin, yet steeped in traditional craftsmanship, the end result is an elegantly luxurious beachwear collection for the upcoming holiday season, perfect to languish on any beach in the world.
Hand painted and then printed on GOTS certified organics cottons and responsibly sourced satins, the collection aims to make you feel comfortable be on your holiday, a brunch out with the girls or any other occasion.
We love all of our pieces, but some of our favorite ones are surely the Kaner flower one shoulder dress in Aqua, the charcoal black Kaner flower long dress, and the Off white Love birds wrap dress in Satin! As always, the aesthetics of every Sruti Dalmia creation respects skilled authentic craftsmanship at its very best, and keeps tradition alive, adding the unique contemporary twist that is eponymous to our label.