PEAKLIFE

Founded in 2015, Rang Riwaaz aims to create heirloom saris and ensembles for women who are not just classy and confident but also aware of their heritage and history.

As heritage arts and vintage clothing have always been at the core of Rang Riwaaz’ philosophy, the label has a dedicated team for Legacy Clothing Restorations that has revived and restored clothes dating back to the 17th century. The division is always busy with restoring the grandmother’s and great grandmother’s trousseau sarees and lehengas which the families had treasured as an heirloom.

In an exclusive conversation with PeakLife we speak to the brand’s founder, fashion designer Jyoti Singh about her unique take on sarees and festive wear, in her latest collection that’s just been launched online with Royal Fables.

Could you take us on a journey of Rang Riwaaz and why did you choose this name?

I started Rang Riwaaz primarily to pursue my interest in paintings and test my entrepreneurial skills. As I wanted to approach things gradually I found sarees to be an easily marketable and scalable medium, so I started Rang Riwaaz with hand painted sarees and called them ‘Paintings on Pallu’.

As things progressed we grew starting with embroiderers, tailors and now we are catering to the entire spectrum of Indian ethnic wear with traditional embroideries and contemporary designs, with of course the hand painted sarees.

The journey so far has been very rewarding in terms of creating employment for my people and value for our clients, and discovering things and people I would not have come across otherwise.

On naming the venture as ‘Rang Riwaaz’, the idea was to pick a name which could convey the essence of the initiative, what is it about and at the same time it flexible enough to cater to any expansion in future. Rang and Riwaaz gave such a perfect effect…… ‘Rang’ as it was my love for paintings with which I started and then ‘Riwaaz’ to me is traditions and heritage as the idea was to keep the initiative aligned to the cultural history and traditions, both these words clicked together for us and we came to be known as ‘Rang Riwaaz’

What is the philosophy of your venture?

The philosophy of our venture is to create an organization which is ethical and sustainable at its core, with strict adherence to integrity. When I say ethical I mean ethical in terms of providing right customer service and working practices, making sure that we are creating appropriate value without overcharging and deliver best to our knowledge and capabilities.

And Sustainable for us means an organization which provides sustainable employment, sustainable support to indigenous artisans and creating jobs for a population which is not technically equipped in this fast-forward technology-driven era at the same time creating opportunities for young talent.

We try to train our people for upward growth like we look to hire at initial levels and groom in-house for higher roles.

How do you balance your work and personal lives?

Honestly, I am quite challenged when it comes to striking a balance between work and personal front, and I am extremely grateful for the immense love and support from my family. One thing, however, which I stick to, is if I am on personal time then I am 100% on personal time, I am the type who puts the ringer off and gives undivided attention to my family while I am with them.

What are the trends you are seeing in the Indian textile industry post the pandemic?

Post the pandemic I find that the textile and fashion industry has become more conscious and is trying to approach things in a more balanced way. The low cost and fast consumption fad is gone, people have become more mindful and selective about what they are adding to their wardrobes, which I think, is a good thing as it will bring back the artistic focus back in the fashion industry.

Do you have any favourite activities you like to do when not working?

With painting becoming a part of work with Rang Riwaaz, the next favourite activity is reading. So I usually pick up a good work of fiction when I have time, in fact at times I get down to read when things become too hectic as well, as it offers a good break.

What’s your best advice for other budding entrepreneurs looking to start a business?

My best advice to anyone looking to start a business will be to aim for the organic growth for first few years and take feedback from your clients very seriously and work on it.