Inspired by the memories of vacations spent in Europe, Gunjan Borad’s Endless Summer redefines vacation wardrobe with accessible and easy-to-wear apparel. In her collections, Borad takes a quality-first approach, insisting on using natural, locally sourced cottons and linens over cheaper alternatives. As a design graduate who honed her entrepreneurial skills through both formal education and self-directed learning, Borad’s collections offer breathable bottoms, maxi-dresses, lightweight tops, and more for all your summertime escapades-whether you are jet setting off the Amalfi Coast or exploring Cappadocia’s breathtaking landscapes.
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Gunjan's Picks
Who is the one influencer you wish to see using your products?
Aarushi Mehra
Is there a podcast/book/social media handle that you’ve found helpful for your business?
Book: Not necessarily for my business but in general about life, Manifest by Roxie Nafousi
If you could collaborate with any Indian or international brand, who would it be?
Probably a limited collection with Shivan & Narresh or collaborate with Jacquemus
BTB: What inspired you to start a brand revolving around the essence of summer and travel?
GUNJAN: The first thing that inspired me would be the family vacations to Europe every year during summer since I was in kindergarten. I got extremely drawn towards the beaches, most of the time I just wanted to be there. Later, during the last year of my college in Italy, I travelled a lot, which really added to the initial thought of building the brand around this particular narrative. We do have labels like Shivan & Narresh but they cater to a certain niche. I wanted to come up with easy-to-wear styles that are accessible- and also remind you to step back and relax. So I think, I have combined my love for travelling with the notion that everyone needs to take a holiday once in a while.
BTB: Describe your creative process - from ideation to the final product.
GUNJAN: Learning the process of design in fashion college has settled into me. I have incorporated the teachings into my work- which begins with reading the current reports on WGSN, being well-informed of the current market, and remaining well-acquainted with the fabrics that work for the season, before starting to work on my collections. Browsing through the internet or even looking at older collections also informs my sketches. Then I proceed with sampling where I put a lot into experimenting, making at least 30-40 samples of sketches to be later filtered out into final designs. Giving this process a lot of time, allows me to decide what fits in and what doesn't with Endless Summer’s sensibilities. Once I am convinced the designs fit together, I start making the collections.
BTB: What are some challenges you’ve encountered so far? And what are your biggest takeaways?
GUNJAN: The first challenge was knowing nothing about working in the industry since I do not have any work experience because I graduated during COVID-19. It also hasn’t been easy to find professionals or Interns living in a small town like Jaipur. To grow a brand you need a strong team, which I am still working on that because you need to see who fits right in your team and who doesn't and who understands your creative mindset as well. I would also say that in India it's still difficult to work with people when it comes to timelines and deadlines so everything always gets pushed around since you have to rely on a whole network of vendors when you have your manufacturing unit.
My biggest takeaway has been my personal development. I have learned so many things in just one year of starting Endless Summer and will continue to learn as the brand grows - from team management, and organizational skills to being patient in letting the brand reach the right customers. It's a tedious process of starting a brand from scratch but at the end of the day, it's satisfying because I genuinely love doing what I do.
BTB: Tell us more about your products and what sets you apart from the competition.
GUNJAN: Our designs embody an effortless and breezy aesthetic. We prioritize natural, locally sourced fabrics like Rajasthan Cotton, renowned for its organic quality in Jaipur, which is integral to our label's ethos. While keeping silhouettes simple, I infuse each piece with my personal touch and originality. For instance, our ocean-themed collection features prints sketched by me, reflecting a blend of creativity and craftsmanship.
My last purchase from a homegrown brand was …
Cord Studio
What is the show/book/song you are currently obsessing over?
Book: I am on the second edition of Manifest
Song: Stardust by Zayn Malik
In my spare time, you’ll find me…
My spare time is also Endless Summer or probably dreaming about a trip to the beach.
Name a few other homegrown small brands you are loving right now.
Cord Studio & Rkive City
Your personal favourite from Endless Summer?
Our flowy chiffon printed top from the ‘Kai’ collection
BTB: How do you decide the kind of fabrics you want to work for the designs you create?
GUNJAN: Since we are a summer wear brand, I use as many natural fabrics as possible and always prefer pure linens and organic instead of mixed ones. It’s simply because they need to do the job right, even if they might be cost-effective, look good or might be flowy in their drape, or perhaps even easier to manage but they defeat the purpose of being summer-friendly. This is why I emphasise on locally-sourced materials. Fabrics might be cheaper in Delhi or Mumbai but I try to source everything from Jaipur because the brand promotes sustainability and I want to keep the essence of it as much as possible even if it’s difficult to achieve 100% of it. A lot of technicalities also matter during the process such as which colour goes with which fabrics etc.
BTB: How do you maintain a balance between the trends in the market and your own artistic vision?
GUNJAN: Trends have never really occupied a big space for me. Even for my personal style, I have never really blindly followed a trend because I know that they are temporary - nor are they sustainable. But at the same time, whenever I am designing a new collection for Endless Summer, I do acknowledge that trends do matter, in a certain way, to know what people are looking for. Even though the designer in me doesn't want to follow a particular trend, being a business owner I need to incorporate certain design elements or the season’s colour palette of what is currently in trend so that people can relate to my collections in a way.
BTB: What are some of the proudest accomplishments in your journey and some non-commercial victories that have helped your business?
GUNJAN: There are a lot of stylists who I look up to like Anaita Shroff Adajani, and Shaleena Nathani. The most rewarding aspect for me was when they organically approached Endless Summer for multiple shoots. That gave a huge validation because even though customers like our brand and designs when someone in your profession approaches your work and appreciates it, it means a lot.
Since Endless Summer is my first work experience, in the past two years, I have developed a strong sense of leadership skills, teamwork and how to clearly delegate tasks and manage people - which isn't always easy, especially in a creative field. In the past year, I have also built a network and done things that have brought me out of my comfort zone and contributed to my personal development. I have completely changed as a person, which I think is a victory in itself.
BTB: What do you think the next five years look like for Endless Summer?
GUNJAN: The first step would be to establish ourselves as a resort wear brand, which I think is happening at the moment. The next step would be to take the label to more places and open a physical store. I would also like to do some fun collaborations with other homegrown swimwear brands to create some fun cool prints together and also create some beachwear jewellery. I would also like to participate in pop-ups around the world, probably on a pretty island in Italy or Greece.
FOLLOW ENDLESS SUMMER'S INSTAGRAM @endlesssummer.shop