Leaders

Ethnic wear is by far the most predominant choice of clothing for Indian women, so much so that Sari became inextricably synonymous with our fashion sense. Yet gradually, modern-day population is gravitating towards ethnic wears that are stylish, comfortable, and occasion-specific. Regardless of this inclination, India has fallen short of availability in the variety and affordability of classic ethnic wear. This is where Vedic Fashion by Pooja Shukla comes into the picture with ace-quality products that fit the taste of Indian women. 

Steve Jobs once said, “The way to ratchet up our species is to get better things to more people products with spirit and creativity”. The story of Pooja, goes in sync with this quote, as she has always been driven by her love for fashion and creative instincts. From a very young age of 11, she was capable of stitching dresses for herself. Today she has evolved into a woman brimming with creativity and skills in fashion, textile design, and more. Besides, she also realized that every person ought to have a career in life to remain happy every day.

What started as a boutique exhibition in a small rented building has grown into plush stores across the country and is available through e-retailers like Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Nykaa, and vedicfashion.com. In an exclusive conversation with Women Entrepreneur India, Pooja reveals her success was no bed of roses, but her ardent devotion and commitment helped to make the dreams a reality. Draw inspiration by reading below the experiences of this promising leader.

Throw Some Light On Your Foray Into Entrepreneurship In The Fashion Industry

Since my childhood, I always love to experiment and play with new fabrics, colors, and silhouettes. Though I studied geography, my passion for creating flattering garments didn't fade away. I got married and moved to Ahmedabad from Udaipur, but the urge to venture into the niche and start a brand continued. When I told my family about this, they felt I was crazy. Adding an edge to this, I just got pregnant when I decided to start a boutique.

Being new to the city, with no financial support, no elders to take care of, in a way all the odds were against my goals. I kept going and launched Vedic and had my son too. I used to take my little boy to the boutique. That's how my expedition as a businesswoman began.

In your opinion, what are some facets of your personality and leadership style that have helped you become a successful business leader?

I recently realized that the biggest trait I have as a leader is honesty. In the last one and half years, the stores were closed, and it was hard to operate. I tried my best to support the employees and people who trusted me. Similarly, I don't focus on increasing the margin just because we are a brand. I'm loyal to the customer to offer the best, outstanding, and worth the price products.

There are short-cuts for everything but the journey will also be short. But being honest and doing the right thing will take a long time and gives a fulfilling journey.

Give a brief overview of your brainchild and its uniqueness.

Vedic was incepted in 2008, envisioning to be engraved in everyone's mind when he/she thinks of classic ethnic wear. We are an aggressive and growth-focused brand selling elegant and pleasing best-quality cotton attires. With a team of creative minds, hardworking hands, and skillful administrative souls, we deliver an eye-catching and attractive collection every season.

“Forecasting, creating the right garments, connecting with customers, and managing the inventory in the best possible way is the success mantra of pooja”

We entered the market with fewer funds and three employees. Today, the stores are all across India, and the number is increasing at a frantic pace. Our brand is currently available at exclusive brand outlets, multi-brand stores such as Central and Reliance trends, and on all major online platforms. Everyone at Vedic is on a constant endeavor to make the brand reach new heights.

Speaking of uniqueness, we stand for pure cotton and comfortable clothes. In 12 years of rewarding journey, we have gained a list of loyal customers who vouch for our garments. The strength of the brand is its products. The designs, products, are customers service are our USP. Most importantly, we use technologies such as AI and others to deliver the best to our customers.

What's the core ideology of vedic's products? As a chief designer, what do you try to bring to the customers?

Fashion is a game of psychology. We understand the mindset of people and their expectations and add a happiness quotient with trendy garments based on seasons, festivals, new movies, and more. We trend creators should keep our eyes and ears open for people's tastes and needs.

We aim to inspire working women, enterprising homemakers, and ambitious girls to sport a new style and look each time they get dressed in our ethnic wear. Each garment offered in our collection will let fashion-conscious women dress up in style. The impressive cuts, attractive designs, and impeccable craftsmanship of our ethnic wear will ensure that fashion demands and needs are met.

Pooja Shukla, Founder, Vedic Fashion

Passionate and ambitious Pooja has deep knowledge of fabrics and printing. She develops sparkling, comfortable, and highest-quality fabrics. This apart, she learned digital marketing, mastered supply chain, automated operations, and created a strong backend structure for the company.