Rimzim Dadu

Founder & Designer, My Village

New Delhi

Text: Border&Fall

Photography: Header: Namit Sirohi | Remaining: credited accordingly

The Beginning Born and brought up in Delhi, my family runs a small export house called DeeMan International making clothes for the European, Japanese and American markets for the last 25 years. Our factory initially used to be in the basement of our house so my favourite after-school hobby was to go play in the basement with fabrics, watch people cut, sew and embroider – basically, be fascinated. Growing up, I accompanied my dad all over the world for international trade shows such as Prêt-à-Porter in Paris, Premier Vision, Hong Kong Fashion Week and WWD Magic in Las Vegas. He’s a very creative person himself; we used to visit interesting boutiques, offbeat flea markets all over. Melrose Trading Post in L.A still remains a favourite for both of us.

Fashion was somewhat an obvious choice for me, although I do not think of myself as a ‘fashion’ person at all. In fact, I hate dressing up and am usually under-dressed on most occasions.

I studied Fashion Design and Technology at the Pearl Academy in New Delhi and for a couple of months post graduation in December 2006, I was still figuring out how to go about things and get a sense of direction. I was pushed to apply to Lakme Fashion Week’s Gen Next program by people around me. It was very last minute and I put my portfolio together least expecting anything to come out of it. I was pleasantly surprised when I was chosen and that really was a beginning point for ‘My Village.’ It got things rolling and my label was launched in October 2007.

On using thousands of different components to make one final garment I am not a cut-and-sew designer. I can never just pick fabric off the shelf and make something out of it. That’s also because silhouettes and shapes are not my strength. For me, creating my own textiles is more exciting. I like using fabrics while transforming their entire character. For example, I recently created a chiffon sari (my first sari ever) and I tried to use chiffon in a way that it loses its softness and fluidity becoming structured as a result. I tore chiffon into strips, made cords out of the strips, patched differently coloured cords to form a pattern and then sewed them together. The end result was a ‘not so chiffon’ chiffon sari. Breaking something down into smaller components, changing its structure and putting it back together is what excites me.

What’s meant for you will not pass you by. I love textiles, exploring and creating. I love making clothes.

People My father – I’m terrible with money and have zero commercial sense. He is someone I have learnt from, over a period of time, about how to grow commercially. He keeps pushing me to make my work more accessible, have simpler versions of my concept pieces shown on the runway, how to price my product and how to approach international trade shows. Anamika Khanna – I love how she does Indian clothes. LOVE! Kallol Datta – a super designer and friend. Every time we show together, he pushes me to work harder: “We’ve got to have the best show! We’ve got to kick ass!” I love our collective energy when we show together.

Digital references Mocoloco, Ellen Rogers, Fashion156, StyleBubble

Work History Designer of ‘My Village’, October 2007 – current