Hailing from an enviable lineage, the fashion designer exudes a royal elegance. Her great grandfather was a Maratha royal
Hailing from an enviable lineage, fashion designer Kavita Chougule exudes a royal elegance. Her great-grandfather Yashwant Pratap Rao Singh Deshmukh Pawar was a Maratha royal, greatly respected even today in Nasik where she is from.
Her grandmother was a princess and her bua was married to the 12th descendent of Shivaji. So why didn’t politics figure as a career choice?
"I’ve always had a passion for clothes and no political ambitions," she smiles.
Married at 21, Kavita moved from her third year of psychology at Fergusson College, Pune into the culture shock, high-glam, society world of Mumbai as restaurateur and wine aficionado Vikrant Chougule’s wife.
"Initially, I felt out of place," she admits candidly, "I didn’t know anyone except my sisters and they’re not into the social scene. People in Mumbai make a big deal about who you are, what you own and how much money you have. It’s stupidity at the end of the day. But I’ve figured out who my real friends are.."
During her post-wedding adjustment period, Kavita took off to the London School of Fashion. On her return, she volunteered at the National Association for the Blind. Though she loved teaching she tired quickly of her ‘rich-idle-elite’ life.
With constant support from her husband, she and her fellow fashion student now partner, Pooja Saigal, launched their label Saigal Chougule. Beginning the arduous legwork, they sourced material, workshops and tailors. After a year of quiet effort (she hasn’t had a show yet) their label now retails at Kimaya in Mumbai and Dubai and Ffolio in Bangalore.
"Our clothes are very young, hip, bright, sexy yet elegant. We’ve fused Indian materials and embroidery with Western cuts. Our target audience is women within the age group of 20-40 years."
And who does she retail to? "I would like to do a very accessible prêt line because when I was studying I couldn’t afford to pay top notch prices. But for now, my line is more high end."
With her second collection going on display at an invitees-only exhibition in October, Kavita is flexing her creative muscles. As she aptly puts it: "There is so much competition - today every second person is a designer. Your product has to be really different if you want people to buy it."
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