There is no denying that Indian arts, crafts, and local traditions are unparalleled the world over, often inspiring global fashion trends. Bunaai, launched in 2016, is a popular Indian brand that has made its presence felt by creating ethnic fashion in a contemporary format. On the eve of the Independence Day, founder Pari Choudhary speaks exclusively to The Daily Guardian about her intrinsically Indian fashion label. Excerpts from the interview:
Q. When did you launch Bunaai and what was your vision for it?
A. My love for fashion began when I was a teenager; I would create beautiful versions of clothing for myself. At the age of 17, I dreamt of being an entrepreneur and even started my personal blog in 2014. Once I finished college in 2016, I launched Bunaai.
My vision with this ready-to-wear brand was to offer versatile yet powerful casual wear for women of all ages. Right from childhood, I have been inspired by the culture and traditions of my homeland—Rajasthan. Hence, experimenting with textiles, vibrant prints, and detailed craftsmanship, came easily to me.
As women, we have always been pitted against beauty standards set by society. As the female founder and creative head of a women-oriented brand, I create designs that let every woman look and feel beautiful, just as she is.
Q. Has it been difficult for you to set up your business in an overly competitive industry?
A. It hasn’t been a cake walk for sure! We retail exclusively on our website www.bunaai.com, and as an e-commerce business, we were up against other online stores as well as brick and mortar brands. Initially, this made it difficult to gain the trust and confidence of customers.
However, my amazing team worked diligently over the years. We learnt digital marketing techniques and left no stone unturned when it came to customer servicing. We have now delivered over a million orders around the world and are counted as one of the most trusted brands and an inspiration for others.
Q. What sets Bunaai apart from its competitors?
A. Our USP has always been to provide our valued customers, or the #WomenOfBunaai as we lovingly refer to them, the latest styles while remaining true to our roots and heritage. Collections crafted from traditional designs and prints in a modern format, set Bunaai apart. We believe in embracing the essence of our ethnic beauty.
Q. Indian homegrown brands are enjoying their moment in the sun. Have you seen a surge in growth since the pandemic? Why do you think that is?
A. Yes, this is true. We have witnessed a surge since the pandemic in terms of sales, crossing a million followers on Instagram, and numerous famed collaborations. Earlier, Indians were smitten by foreign brands but never really admired homegrown labels. Fortunately, this has changed. Indian fashion labels collectively came together to help the artisan community and preserve our heritage as far as possible.
Q. Which is your most popular offering? Why do you believe it is so popular?
A. Even though we have varied categories ranging from ethnic ensembles to home accessories to jewellery and footwear, which are all popular in their own right; our Suit Sets receive the maximum love from our customers.
We really love to experiment with these, while focusing on comfort and on-trend demands. Our Suit Sets are fabricated with the best available cotton, silk doriya, and georgette, and in a host of prints and designs from traditional Bagru to contemporary polkas or florals. I believe our wide range that is suitable for various occasions, makes this our most popular offering.
Q. How do you ensure that your pieces appeal to the younger generation?
A. In my opinion, being fashionable doesn’t mean shunning traditional prints and styles of clothing. Rather, it means carrying those styles with confidence and beauty. At Bunaai, we offer every woman, regardless of her age, a one-stop destination for exquisite style and the latest fashions.
With every collection, we try our best to stay updated with the market trends. So, whether it is traditional Suit Sets, new age Jumpsuits or Dresses, or quirky jewellery, we aim to cater to a variety of women.
Q. What celebrities have favoured your designs?
A. I feel Bunaai has been lucky in terms of receiving love from famed celebrities. Bollywood actresses like Sonakshi Sinha, Bhumi Pedneker, Shivaleeka Oberoi, as well as leading faces of television like Ridhi Dogra, Divyanka Tripathi, Dipika Kakkar Ibrahim, Shivangi Joshi, Nisha Rawal and many others have been spotted in Bunaai. Though each moment is memorable, I am particularly proud of our recent collaboration with actress Surbhi Jyoti.
Over the years, numerous celebrities have reached out to us, expressing their interest in collaborating with us. This is such a delightful feeling and takes me back to my 17-year-old self who dreamt of all this day and night.