Karishma Shahani क श



Karishma'scollection in progress


What is your name? Karishma Shahani

What is the name of your label?
KARISHMA SHAHANI (LABEL क श)

Where did you study and when did you graduate? I graduated from the London College of Fashion, University of the Arts, London with a BA (Hons) in Fashion Design Technology June in 2010, before which I completed my BA(Hons) in Economics from Pune, India in 2007.

What inspires you as a designer? My surroundings. Influences are immense from the homeless person on the road, to cultural images across borders, my inspirations come from everyday things, anything that catches my eye, captures my imagination. It is just about falling in love with what I see. I am obsessed with collecting things, whether it is interesting pieces from travel or found objects they form a large inspirational database alongside a lot of photography of all things beautiful.

Who is your favorite designer? Why? There are many – Dries Van Noten for his beautiful cultural aesthetic in a very contemporary context. Manish Arora for the bold use of colour and textures. Christian Lacroix for how he puts pieces together with such contrasting qualities to make them look effortlessly classic. Issey Miyake for his innovative simplicity. Prada for the sheer respect the brand demands.

What can you bring to FASHIONCLASH Maastricht 2011? Contemporary Indian sensibilities and richness of craft from Asia along with a lot of drama and bucket loads of colour.

What do you expect from the FASHIONCLASH Maastricht 2011? An accepting audience.



Karishma's workplace



How did your experience with fashion started? When did you decide to be a fashion designer?

I can never pinpoint exactly when this happened it was an area I developed an interest in with time. I did want to be a pilot and then an archaeologist too. I have books in which I have been trying to draw figures with clothing that go back to when I was around 11 so it was always present somewhere sub- consciously. The simple fact of creating new things determines my passion for design. Fashion in particular because it is so close to our daily lives. I love how contextual it is and how it is a key indicator of changes in society over time.

What are your goals concerning your career? What are your ambitions? Where do you see yourself in the future?

The brand has only just started. I would like to see the Karishma Shahani label stand as a valued fashion label, creating a global Indian brand.





Karishma in her studio



 Edited by Natalia Serwanska