Q & A: An Interview With Aishwarya Lahariya On Jiwya’s AW26 Collection
Unveiled during Paris Fashion Week, the India-based brand has the savoir-faire to properly design for the female form…
During Paris Fashion Week in March, Indian based brand JIWYA unveiled their collection ‘Lata’ that’s all about celebrating femininity, resilience, and nature. In just five letters the brand’s meaning is capture perfectly. In English, Jiwya means caring for each life, soul and spirit on this planet.
Founded by Aishwarya Lahariya and her husband Adhiraj Shinde, the duo was actually working in the US when they knew they wanted something more out of life. Textile scientists by training, they wanted to start a fashion brand of clothing that was 100% plant-based, made with zero-waste fabrics and natural dyes that come from agricultural waste- all handspun and handwoven by artisans in India.
We caught up with Aishwarya to talk about the collection, the brand, and why the brand turned its sight to the French market.
Seele: When did you know it was time for you to leave the US and return to India to launch JIWYA?
Aishwarya: Both of us, founders, are textile scientists. We have been behind the curtain where all materials for fashion are prepared and the reality of it is very nasty. The same is true for the fashion once it is thrown by the wearer. Being textile scientists, this would bother us to the level of unrest. That the industry we are from is the 3rd largest global polluter, it creates more harm than good, that something as simple as our clothing was becoming the source of major health problems in the world.
We decided to move back when we simply couldn't bear the business as usual model of fashion. The unrest deepened us enough to demand change. This reality stays with us every day since we took the leap of faith to build Jiwya. This reality is the result of business as usual. Hence, what fashion needs today is a conscience. We are building that not just with our products but with every word we utter.
S: The fashion industry is saturated, what does JIWYA bring to the table of brands out there? Why is it needed?
A: Jiwya did not start because fashion needs another brand. It started because fashion needs change. This change for us is our soil-to-soil ecosystem. Being 100% plant-based is our very foundation, so it has now become the very DNA of everything we do. Beyond us as founders, it has seeped within every inch of our atelier and everything is vetted to ensure it does not use any plastic or animal products, only plants. This requires time beyond anything else, and we are willing to put that effort, while proclaiming loudly that this attention to detail- in material, in making, in designs is what true luxury is. The natural feel of a fiber is what true luxury is, not the plastic-coated version of it.
S: What was the inspiration behind the collection that you showed during PFW?
This AW26 collection is named Lata. In Sanskrit, Lata means a climbing plant/vine/creeper. In the plant ecosystem, a climbing plant is the most delicate of the species, eternally feminine with its curves and beauty. Yet, it grows. Through dilapidated buildings, deserted lands, sprawling gardens or small planters. This is the will of the most delicate plants that grows at all odds and spreads hope no matter what. Thus, this collection-Lata is an ode to the strong will of feminine and its eternal resilience to grow while being delicate in its very nature.
But to me, personally, Lata means so much more. It is an ode to my grandma-in-law, Adhiraj’s grandma. In the short span I knew her, she left a lasting impression on my life. Just like her name - Lata, she was a woman who wouldn’t leave her empathy no matter what turn life took. Her strength lied in her care and will. In every sense of the word, she was synonymous to what we do at Jiwya: caring for each life, soul, spirit.
S: How did it feel to unveil this collection in Paris and how was the reception?
A: It was honestly an unparalleled feeling. This was our debut at Paris and the reception was beautiful to say the least. The audience had genuine curiosity, awe and joy to see plant-based fashion. They were encouraging and sheer joy to present to. We are eagerly awaiting press which shows up anytime now but the early coverages have been positive of the ethos, inquisitive of the collection and very supportive of what we represent as a brand.
S: Is there anything else you want to say about the new collection or the brand?
A: I can just say one thing-the message: This collection is made as an ode to the strong will of femininity. That's how life is made, for all of us. Yet, the feminine is always deemed weaker. If you extrapolate this statement, you will notice this sentiment to be true for almost every problem in the world. In today's day and age, where every day we wake up to read more hurt, this collection is my way of sowing hope and solution-feminine and her strength. That there's strength in delicate, care and empathy.
We saw the collection up close and personal in Paris. There’s something about it that draws you in. The way that the dresses fit the feminine form in a classy and elegant way is inviting. Women know women’s bodies and Aishwarya and her husband have designed a collection that women can feel comfortable yet confident in, while at the same time feeling good about being eco-conscious. We touched the textiles that make up looks in the collection and the quality is palpable. The price point of looks starting around $450+ is a fair one due to the quality, craftsmanship, and design. Jiwya is a breathtaking brand that needs to be on your radar.
View the full collection
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