“From an authentic life, grows a great one”, Sabbah Sharma
Noblivity Spotlights Emerging Designer Sabbah Sharma
Company/Designer Name: Sabbah Sharma
Designer Background Summary: Even though I was always inclined to creative endeavors, I graduated with a degree in business from Wittenberg University (USA), because according to Indian norms business people make money and creative people starve. To add color to my drab business life, I did a stint in advertising, but homesickness stirred me to come back to Mumbai. A mind-numbing year at my family business and being held up at a friend’s house during the treacherous floods of Mumbai, some how lead to a new company where we designed and sold clothes in and around Mumbai.
How did you get started? The little company we started really did well and my designs were really appreciated. Thus I went to Milan to study fashion at the Istituto Marangoni to increase my technical knowledge of clothes. After my return I started a small studio and started supplying to various boutiques in India. The cloths did well and started getting recognized by various magazines, so I decided to apply at Lakhme India Fashion week. Due to the fact that the brand was only a year old I could only show in the Gennext category.
What inspires your designs? I derive my inspiration pretty much from anywhere. Nature, culture, architecture, people are all inspiring. It depends more on the my mind set at that time
How would you describe your design style, design signatures and who is your targeted customer? I design for strong independent women. My designs tend to be a combination of fluid lines, architectural and ergonomic forms.” Simple yet multifaceted, strong yet feminine, independent yet rooted”
What designers inspire you? Lanvin, Givenchy, Marni, Vera Wang to name a few.
What obstacles did you have to overcome? The only obstacle I face is brand recognition. With so many designers, talent and design can get you recognition (eventually), but knowing the right people accelerates the process. That for me is the tedious part.
How did you overcome them? Still trying to overcome it one step at a time.
What has been your greatest moment on your journey so far? Fashion week and opening my own store
What has been the biggest change in your designs so far? I started of doing very kitsch designs and have moved to a more classic look. I am learning my strengths and am trying to stay true to them.
If money were no object what would you do right now? Traveling the world in style.
What are the best and worst things about being a designer? The best thing is that you get to express your self every single day. You get to create something that’s tangible that represents you. The worst thing is that, you expect yourself to create something new every day and that’s not possible. The creative lulls really bring me down.
Describe your typical day? I wake up; try to motivate myself to work out. Most of the time that doesn’t work, so I go to my studio, answer my mails, make a few calls to the stores I supply to, coordinate with magazines and my pr agent. Complete orders. Design if I feel inspired and head to my store in the evening to meet personal clients or just generally check up on things.
What’s your philosophy of life? “From an authentic life, grows a great one”
If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently? Work harder
When will you know you have made it? I don’t think will ever let myself feel like I have made it, because once you feel you have made it there is no room to grow, only to fall. There are always things to learn. The sky’s the limit.
