Breaking stereotypes, women in Jharkhand have been opting for offbeat careers and are making their mark in all spheres of life. One such example is of Astha Kiran (43) who opened the first designer boutique- Aesthetics Boutique in Ranchi way back in 2003 when fashion designing was not considered a very lucrative career especially for someone coming from a city like Ranchi.
The boutique, which was started with just Rs 5,000 by Astha in 2003, today 16 years later, is a skilled team of 35 people.
“When I first opened my boutique in Ranchi, there was no fashion industry as such here. At that time it was considered as a trend only for big cities. My aim was to give the people of Ranchi a solution for all their fashion problems so that they don’t have to go to Kolkata or Delhi for designer clothes,” said Astha.
Born in Patna, Astha completed her graduation in political science. Before starting her boutique, she did a one year diploma in fashion designing from IIFT New Delhi, worked in an export house and was also a guest lecturer on fashion designing at Ranchi University. She strongly believes in being absolutely honest and transparent when dealing with her clients.
“My parents wanted me to become either a teacher or a doctor but I always wanted to do something different and stand apart from the crowd. When I decided to do fashion designing, it was not considered as a good career option with much scope. It was my Nani (maternal grandmother) who supported me when everyone else was trying to dissuade me in my chosen path. My style of dressing was also very appreciated in college and that is when it all started. Over the years my parents are now very proud of my work and my husband also supports me unconditionally,” said the designer.
The stylist does not just cater to the people of Ranchi but also has clients coming in from USA and Australia for fashion advice. Keeping abreast with the changing times, the designer intends to launch her brand online and go global very soon.
“Presently I have clients from Dubai, Detroit and Australia. I also want to open an Aesthetics Mall which will be like a one stop shop for all fashion lovers giving them the latest trends in designer clothes and accessories,” added Astha.
Looking back to where she started, Astha feels it is very important to remain grounded. “No matter where I have reached, I try and give back to the society as much as possible. I am a huge admirer of Prime Minster Narendra Modi and strongly believe in women empowerment. Taking inspiration from him, I have also taken up government projects for skill development on fashion designing for 40 students in Ranchi,” she added.
Expressing her thoughts on the changing fashion trends, she feels that fashion repeats itself every ten years. “In 2003 the trend was of Patiala suits which later moved to denims. Now the industry has again gone back to the old trend of palazzos and parallel pants, ruffled sleeves. To a great extent it also depends on the culture and society one belongs to. In a city like Ranchi one cannot opt for the same styles and cuts seen in Mumbai,” she opined.
“I don’t try to compete with anyone. For me applying a designing style on a given fabric, making the client happy and creating a market value is fulfilling the competition,” Astha said.
