Podcast Featured Inner Big – Blur The Border

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How does a brand stand out in today’s competitive market? You differentiate, reveals Dhruv Khurana, the founder of Almost Gods, a brand that has steadily attracted a loyal following for their ability to breathe a fresh perspective into India’s burgeoning streetwear space. Almost Gods is, however, not only a streetwear brand. Through Dhruv’s creative vision, the brand draws from mythological, historical, and cultural symbols to tell stories through their offerings. The why behind the brand is answered as Dhruv reveals his background story and what drew him to this space. With a goal of making clothes that have global appeal but are rooted in India, Almost Gods is a homegrown brand whose journey has just begun.

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro
02:01 How Almost Gods Has Built a Community
03:12 On Dhruv’s Entrepreneurial Bug
07:56 How Almost Gods Was Conceived
09:34 The Early Days of the Brand
11:14 On Building a Team
13:20 On Stealing Ideas
13:58 On Not Being Afraid to Reinvent
16:54 On How to Stay Relevant
19:31 The Story Behind the Brand Name
21:00 On How to Make Your Brand Ethos Connect with your Consumer
23:09 Balancing Commercial Success with Creative Integrity
25:36 On Patenting & Trademarking
28:04 Almost Gods Design Process
32:23 When Ranveer Singh, Diljit Dosanjh, and Machine Gun Kelly Wore Almost Gods
33:33 On Challenging Retail Design
37:00 Almost Gods’ International Expansion
38:33 Approach to Collaborations
40:38 Dhruv’s Go-to Homegrown Brands & Advice for Budding Brands
44:20 The Future of Almost Gods in the Phy-digital Space
47:13 Know the Founder

For feedback and suggestions, reach out to us at podcast@blurtheborder.com

As always, thank you for tuning in!

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It’s episode 7 of Backstage with Blur the Border and in this episode, we have with us Monica Shah, one half of the dynamic duo who lead Jade, a brand that has gained recognition for blending India’s artisanal legacy with contemporary and modern-day ensembles. Most recently, Jade has launched the Grassroots Artisan Project, with a focus of showcasing indigenous craftsmanship techniques through ready-to-wear collections. Monica works closely with artisans who have gained expertise in a certain craft style and through their ingenuity, turns it into a motif through the Grassroots Project. For the brand, their mission is to preserve crafts and challenge the way in which we’ve worn them in India, while making it relevant to a global audience as well. In this episode, Monica speaks to host Aishwarya about the idea behind this project, Jade, and how they approach brand-building with this very important mission in focus.

What We Discuss:

00:57 Monica Dives Into The Grassroots Artisan Project
03:15 Reinventing Traditional Crafts
04:52 Cultural Sustainability and Modernization
05:22 The Future of Indian Couture
17:20 The Spirit of the Jade Woman
19:50 Challenges in Growing a Brand
21:28 Balancing Tradition and Modernity
23:57 The Role of Digital Storytelling
28:21 The Inception of Jade
30:28 How Monica’s Background in Interior Design Informs the Brand
31:42 On Collaborating with Museums
32:59 Go-to Homegrown Brands
33:35 Elevating Indian Design Globally
34:49 Looking Ahead
36:15 Know the Founder

For feedback and suggestions, reach out to us at podcast@blurtheborder.com

As always, thank you for tuning in!

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OTHERS

In this episode of Backstage with Blur the Border, host Aishwarya Avalani sits down with Raul Rai, the co-founder of the lifestyle brand Nicobar. Raul shares insights into his entrepreneurial journey, beginning with his private equity and investment banking background to co-founding Nicobar with Simran Lal. The discussion delves into the brand’s philosophy of mindful consumption, creating timeless designs, and maintaining a balance between aspiration and accessibility. Raul also touches on the importance of learning from customers, the role of luck in success, and the personal growth that comes from stepping outside one’s comfort zone. The conversation is engaging, philosophical, and filled with valuable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro
00:51 From Ideation to Execution: The Birth of Nicobar
05:10 Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone and Embracing the Beginner’s Mindset
07:42 The Role of Design and Team in Nicobar
08:26 How to Make Your Brand Stand Out
10:12 Raul’s Switch from Private Equity to Entrepreneurship
13:33 A Day in the Life of an Entrepreneur
16:30 The Role of Serendipity in Brand Success
24:45 On Working with your Partner
30:59 Hiring for Passion: The Nicobar Approach
32:09 Key Insights from Launching an Omnichannel Brand
32:46 The Importance of Storytelling in Branding
36:08 The Customer Perception of a Brand // On Becoming the Go-to Brand for Gifting
39:29 On Staying True to Your Brand DNA
42:11 Balancing Brand Identity with Customer Needs
46:46 Future Vision for Nicobar
51:30 Know the Founder

For feedback and suggestions, reach out to us at podcast@blurtheborder.com

As always, thank you for tuning in!

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In the late 1990s, Vivek Sahni, the founder of Kama Ayurveda, discovered the efficacy of Ayurveda. Since then, his mission has remained steadfast: to bring traditional Indian remedies with proven efficacy to a global audience. In 2002, this vision culminated in the launch of Kama Ayurveda in India. However, behind this success lies a wealth of insights. In this episode, we delve into Vivek’s journey, uncovering invaluable lessons on building a successful brand. He shares essential tips on establishing a successful store, staying connected with customers, perfecting your products, and maintaining uncompromising quality. For aspiring entrepreneurs, this discussion promises to be a masterclass in brand building and growth within India.

What We Discuss:

00:47 Intro
01:48 Kama’s Launch in the UK
08:13 Vivek’s Journey: From Graphic Design to Founding Kama
15:45 On Simplifying Your Brand Messaging
17:01 Vivek’s Take on the Difficult Moments
24:05 Kama’s USP: Designing their Stores
30:27 The Power of Sampling
31:35 The Kama Store No One Would Enter
35:28 Vivek’s Thoughts on How the Industry has Evolved
36:53 Vivek’s Homegrown Brand Picks
38:40 On Working with Regional Influencers for Marketing
41:35 Know the Founder
47:20 Kama Over the Next 10 Years

For feedback and suggestions, reach out to us at podcast@blurtheborder.com

As always, thank you for tuning in!

In this sixth episode of Backstage with Blur The Border, we speak to Divyak about the difference between styling for ad campaigns and editorial shoots, and his advice for newcomers in the industry

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Talent, a sense of humor, and honesty is how we would describe Divyak D’souza. Divyak is a stylist, costume designer, and the host of Say Yes to the Dress India. He has worked with GQ, Elle, Femina and has been the Fashion Director for Harper’s Bazaar India. In his work as a stylist, he has been behind the looks of Kareena Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar, and Tabu.

In this episode, Divyak talks to us about how his foray into fashion was serendipitous (0:45), the difference between styling for ad campaigns and editorial shoots as well as his approach to celebrity styling (7:36), on dealing with criticism (17:14), and advice for those who are just starting out (22:35). As always, we dive into the homegrown segment where Divyak tells us about his go-to labels (24:47), wrapping it up with our AMA (37:14), where we discuss trends Divyak predicts for the industry as well as his love for Asha Bhosle.

Tune in to a really fun yet insightful episode of Backstage with Blur the Border.

For feedback and suggestions, reach out to us at podcast@blurtheborder.com

As always, thank you for tuning in!

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Here are Divyak’s recommendations for homegrown labels:

Resort Wear and Swimwear

Rey & I, Coco Palm, Shivan and Narresh, Nidhi Muneem, Verandah, Savio Jon, Pero, Urvashi Kaur

Dressed Tabu in:

Manish Malhotra, Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, Bodice, Lovebirds Studio

Bags:

Tann-ed, Chamar, Nappa Dori, Mokobara, Square Loop

Shoes:

dmodot, SKO, Aprajita Toor, Needledust

Jewelry:

Misho, Rangeela, Lune, , Suhani Pittie

For precious stones: Sheetal Zaveri

In this second episode of Backstage with Blur The Border, we speak to Meagan about her multifaceted role as a stylist and how her work goes far beyond curating the perfect outfit

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What does it mean to be a celebrity fashion stylist? We often consume the final looks curated by stylists on social media but behind these looks is a process and approach that marries an actor’s personal style with looks that complement and elevate.

Meagan Concessio is a master at this, particularly in her work with young Bollywood. She has been behind the looks of Janhvi Kapoor, Ananya Pandey, and Tara Sutaria, among others. In this episode, she speaks to Surbhi about what the job of a stylist entails (4:50), the inflection point in her career as a stylist (6:39), dealing with criticism in this field (9:22), and of course, our signature Blur the Border segment where Meagan tell us about her go-to homegrown labels (13:10), wrapping it up with a short AMA (25:05).

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Homegrown labels recommended by Meagan:

Bags:

Tiger Marrón, Mistry, Behno, Nappa Dori, Cord

Jewelry:

Minimal Jewelry: Tula,

Statement Jewelry: Radhika Agarwal, HerStory, Amrapali

Fine Jewelry: Angana Nanavaty, Tara Fine Jewels, Shachee

Resort wear:

Tizzi, Sea Biscuit, Guapa, Sand by Shirin

Power Look:

Ura Maku, Bloni, Lovebirds Studio

In this first episode of Backstage with Blur The Border, we dive deep into both her work as a costume designer and stylist and how she started her styling company Team E.

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For Eka Lakhani, fashion is a medium for communicating stories. This finds its roots in her experience as a costume designer for films and web series. But it also translates to her role as a stylist, in the looks she curates for the actors she works with.

In this first episode of Backstage with BTB, we dive deep into both her work as a costume designer and stylist (1:12) and how she started her styling company Team E (11:11). She speaks about the demands of the job and the need to slow down (14:33) and finally, we move into our signature Blur the Border segment, where Eka and Surbhi discuss the growth of homegrown labels (20:55), and what’s to come as Indian fashion takes the stage globally (26:45).

We have new episodes for you each week. Follow this show to stay updated when a new episode drops.

Thanks for listening!