Anupama Dayal

Summary

Indian fashion designer Anupama Dayal is one of the nation’s ought-after resort-wear designers. With jewel-tone hand- dyed natural fabrics, personal take on classic resort silhouettes and revival of ancient hand-printing techniques, Anupama Dayal’s designs are pure bohemian glamour steeped in Indian textile craft. Fashion editors are of the opinion that she has done the near-impossible by achieving niche market domination as well as global recognition in resort wear. Dayal’s muse is a global Indian woman who puts effort into what she wears. Her signature style is bohemian- globally relevant and steeped in Indian textile craft that empowers the female rural artisan.

History

Indian fashion designer Anupama Dayal is one of the nation’s sought-after resort-wear designers. It is said that she has done the near-impossible by achieving niche market domination as well as global recognition in resort wear. Anupama Dayal received a great response in Paris and has showcased at Rosemount Australia Fashion Week. As per her official website- Australian fashion retailer Belinda Seper has been quoted as saying ‘with Anupamaa, you get the soul of India’. What’s more Vogue UK described one of her collections as ‘easily the prettiest’ and she was declared ‘London’s new best friend’.

With a focus on natural jewel-tone hand- dyed fabrics, modern take on classic silhouettes and revival of ancient hand printing and needle- craft techniques, Dayal’s designs are pure bohemian glamour steeped in Indian textile handcraft. Per Verve: “Over the years, the designer has mastered the art of presenting the same free-spirited vibe with a discreet difference each time. Her signature design style was evident through flowy maxi dresses, patterned sheer cover-ups and oversized shirt-dresses. She has seamlessly balanced colourful patterns with careful pairing and smart styling…”

Image: Anupama Dayal

Today she is proud owner of ‘Anupamaa Haveli’, her flagship in the Capital and an e-commerce portal which resonate her belief “to go global, we must become more and more local.” Per Elle: “Her e-retail section includes a selection of dresses, kaftans, tunics, cropped tops, resort wear, scarves, and then some, with prices starting at Rs 5,200. And don’t worry if you aren’t based in India; Anupamaa ships its eclectic designs all over the world.”

The label is reportedly doing brisk business in The US, Europe, Middle East, South East and Australia and all stores of Anthropologie. Recently she has diversified into fashion accessories, costume jewellery, home furnishing and designing hotel interiors. Her passion shines through as she explains to Explosive Fashion: “I do several different things like designing resort wear, accessories and jewellery, home line, designing interiors of resorts and much more because I believe leading full-fledged lives is useful. How difficult is it juggle different hats?! It’s a joy for those of us in creative professions, and in Fashion, in particular. Creativity can flood you with happiness and it’s a very healthy route to finding joy!”

Mission Statement

The fashion designer’s passion for the craft is underlined with social goals — empowerment of craftspeople, artisans and underprivileged women. Anupama Dayal’s mission is empowering rural women, particularly those in underserved communities, by providing them with meaningful employment in the fashion industry. Through her work, Dayal has focused on integrating social impact into her business, specifically in the areas of textile craftsmanship and artisanship. A key example of this is her initiative with women from Munirka village in New Delhi, who create fabric scrap Durga dolls and hand-made tassels for her collections.

At the heart of her fashion brand, Anupama Dayal believes in the transformative power of creativity and design, and she has made it her mission to support artisans and craftswomen in rural India. Dayal’s commitment to conscious fashion goes beyond aesthetics, as she uses her platform to foster inclusivity and ensure that women from economically disadvantaged backgrounds have a chance to contribute to the fashion industry. Through this, she also helps preserve indigenous textile crafts, while at the same time, encouraging sustainability in her business practices.

Vision

Anupama Dayal’s design philosophy is rooted in pure bohemian glamour and handcraft. Her vision for the brand is rooted in creating a global yet locally grounded identity. She aims to bring joy and empowerment to women through her collections that use vibrant jewel-tone hand-dyed fabrics and incorporate ancient Indian hand printing techniques. For Dayal, fashion is not just about clothing; it’s a means to uplift rural women by providing them with employment, dignity, and an opportunity to showcase their craftsmanship on a global stage. Through her work, she hopes to inspire others in the fashion industry to pursue both artistic and social goals in harmony.

Key Team

Anupama Dayal (Founder)

Recognition and Awards

Awarded the designer of the year by Cosmopolitan fun fearless female awards 2011 voted as outstanding by ELLE US and style.com while Vogue UK declared her Autumn/winter 2008 collection as ‘easily the prettiest and ‘London’s new best friend’. Anupamaa has created the epitome of timeless resort staples. They are an investment, but the quality and style means that it is something the wearers will cherish. Each garment is spun from scratch and painstakingly hand-weaved and hand-dyed in brilliant colours to become timeless staples that exhibit unparalleled craftsmanship.

Products and Services

Indian fashion designer Anupama Dayal designs and retails ready to wear, haute couture, bridal wear particularly for resort destinations, fashion accessories and home collections. For her showing at Delhi Times Fashion Week- her collection themed ‘Sundari’ was steeped in influences from the textile craft of Rajasthan: from the first look it was evident the showing was a sumptuous distillation of Anupama’s strengths — a contemporary take on classic textile craft! As the show progressed, guests and fashion editors loved the way she used gota patti and mirror work native to Rajasthan on short kurtas, lehengas and saris in pop colours—fringed with tassels handmade by women in Munirka village… the designers efforts to empower them with sustainable income.

Another landmark showing was at India Beach Fashion Week in 2015. Dedicating the show to the contemporary Indian bride, Anupama unleashed bright happy floral prints influenced by sun and sea. The languid silhouettes were a reflection of her brand aesthetic ‘we are global.. we are very, very local’ where her muse travels to distant lands and imbibes a slice of local fashion into her personal style. Sharara pants and skirts fashioned after lehengas hinted at an adventurous vibe while jamas and angrakhas, off-shoulder evening gowns, bikinis with sarongs and ponchos with layered slit skirts were other beauties on the catwalk.

References

• Official website Anupama Dayal
• Brand history Anupama Dayal
• Instagram profile of Anupama Dayal Instagram
• New address, old designs The Hindu
• Facebook profile of Anupama Dayal Facebook
• I want to liberate women: Anupamaa Dayal DNA
• Industry Talk About Textile, Fashion and Garment Sector Fibre2Fashion
• Anupama Dayal Fibre2Fashion
• Indian Fashion’s Northeastern Issue Voice of Fashion
• Honoured by PETA The Hindu
• Anupama Dayal goes online Elle
• Twitter profile of Anupama Dayal Twitter
• LinkedIn profile of Anupama Dayal LinkedIn
• Anupama Mangar Anupama Dayal
• Anupamaa by Anupama Dayal at Lotus Make-Up India Fashion Week SS 2019 Vogue
• Anupamaa by Anupama Dayal at Amazon India Fashion Week AW 2018 Vogue
• Why this designer launched her Spring Summer collection during Fall The Hindu
• Designer Focus Verve
• Anupamaa by Anupama Dayal at Amazon India Fashion Week SS 2018 Vogue