These women make sure that you never go to a party and cower in a corner because another girl has worn the same dress. Same pinch, they understand, is not always fun
These women make sure that you never go to a party and cower in a corner because another girl has worn the same dress. Same pinch, they understand, is not always fun
It has happened to the best of us. You put on that gorgeous dress that you ended up paying quite a stash of cash for. The party was going just fine when there she was, across the room, staring at you.
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| Black satin dress with net, lace and sequins (Rs 2,000) |
The reason for her glare is a slight commoness in the dress she chose to wear that night, with your ensemble. Your cheeks turn the shade of your scarlet dress but it's too lateu00a0-- comparisons are inevitable. Is she wearing it better? Is my butt looking awkward.
"Never let that happen to you," is the solemn advice Saumya Gupta gives you. Only in her case, it was a bagu00a0-- a pricey one that she had picked up from a store in Juhu. The woman across the room carried a duplicate off Linking Road. And because Gupta understands what an embarrassment a me-too can be, she gives you the choice of wearing something that no one else on this planet owns.
Twenty two year-old Gupta and her mom Ritu make one-of-a-kind garments. Their label Ten on Ten, offers dresses, tunics, tops, skirts and shorts; all standalone pieces. "Repeats and mass production is more cost-effective, but why would you want to do that to yourself?" asks Gupta, who found her calling in fashion after she was laid off while training to be a pilot.
When we browsed through the Versova-based duo's Facebook album, we fell in love with a gold satin dress with a mesh across the back. The women love their blacks and you'll find the monochrome in a lovely drape dress, an embellished skirt dress, and several of the pieces they design.
"My father is a garment exporter, and since mom had helped him out, she was an expert with fabrics. We started off by selling in-house designs made by our merchandisers but branched into manufacturing our own designs after someone asked for a dress that had to be made according to her specification and size."
The dup decided to use flowing chiffon in a dark shade, with a belt under the bust, to disguise her curves. It worked well and the two went on to do a lot more customising.
Though each Ten on Ten dress comes in just one size, the women make sure they have something for everyone ranging from size XS to L. "We also leave margins in all dresses so you can open them out," she says.
If a scan of their Facebook page leaves you disappointed at the thought that they are meant for the size zero ladies, Gupta says she'd be happy to have a specific style made to size. "We could change the colour and pattern a bit."
The Guptas also make the occasional menswear. Be nice to them and they'll make some for your kiddo too.
This month has been partial to purple and yellowu00a0-- a mix of shades that stand for the retreating cold and the onset of summer.
Log on to: www.facebook.com/tenonten.
Call: 9819009565.
Price: Rs 350 to Rs 2,800. They deliver all over the city. They also supply to Bliss (Aram Nagar 1, 7 Bungalows, Andheri) and have events with www.fashionandyou.com
The grandma is on it too
They also sell crochet clips that sport big blossoms, that are made by Saumya Gupta's grandmother. Sweet.
Same Same But Different
While we were browsing we chanced upon a website of a certain Amrita from Delhi who runs an eight month-old venture called Black Orchid. She believes in 'no fuss, no repeats'.
The Dilliwaali's website looks impressive, neatly segregated into dresses, skirts, steam-punk, tops and trousers, with pictures conveniently labelled 'Sold' or 'New'. We drooled over a butt wrap that comes as a cotton two-layered wrap with curved ends (Rs 600) that we are sure will be sold out before this copy reaches you. Another wow item is the Thai-style silk wrap trouser in maroon (sadly enough, it's sold to a lucky Ms Roy).
This girl seems to love her colours and prints, and as she says on her website is 'inspired by travelling across Ecuador, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius; living in India; and doodles in school notes'. We hit the Like button on her Facebook page. Now if only there was a Love one.
Log on to www.blackorchid.in
