Both met at a children’s school and two months later, Akiva (which means, shelter) was born. Businesswomen Roopa Ravichandra (37) and Neetu Gupta (37) now have a partner in progress. They have shared their expertise with designer Raj Kumar Shroff of Arachne to introduce Ravage Classic, their fall/winter collection for 2003. And they are doing it in style at their store off Primrose Road with a fashion show by Prasad Bidapa on August 19 at 7.30 pm. “We used to design our own clothes,” says Gupta, “so when people complimented us for it, we decided to make it our full-time job.”
The duo has sold over 5,000 pieces, even retailing through Design Studio in Mumbai, Espee in Kolkata and Oorja in Hyderabad. Former Ford supermodel Vidisha Pavate has also modelled for their clothes for a Femina centrespread. “We make Indian clothes for Indian women with a contemporary edge to it,” says Ravichandra, “using international elements like styling, cuts and embroidery.”
Aimed at women between 25 and 45, Aviva is for those who are ‘in touch with fashion and who want to make their own statement’. And that usually takes the form of Indo western salwar kameezes, formals, semi formals and partywear. “We come up with three collections in a year, ranging from linen to georgettes to pure silks,” says Gupta. “This monsoon, it’s appliqué, patchwork, threadwork and lots of skirts. The colours that are ‘in’ this season include mauves, greens, orange, off whites and blacks.” And their inspiration is from everywhere: movies, architecture, nature and people on the street.
Ravage Classic came about when the duo happened to run into Shroff at his boutique in JP Nagar. “We retailed our clothes through his store by first launching them through a fashion show by Prasad Bidapa in May this year,” says Ravichandra. “A few months later, we decided to come up with a label between prêt and couture, something that’s striking, ready-to-wear and easy to maintain.”
The duo trip on textured garments that are stylised but with minimal embroidery. In Ravage Classics, it’s more of shirts (for men and women), kurtis, sarees, skirts, trousers and corsets. And the price ranges from Rs 800 for a linen shirt to Rs 10,000 for an embroidered georgette saree.
Given to themselves, Gupta prefers to sashay around in skirts, corsets, shorts and ‘interesting’ ensembles that are more Indo-western. And her favourite colours? Beige, blue and black. Ravichandra is more adventurous. She has a fetish for trousers and salwar kameezes in greens and reds.
The dissimilarity doesn’t end there.
If Gupta digs autobiographies of Van Gogh and Woody Allen, Ravichandra curls up with tomes by Osho Rajneesh and Robin Cook. She is a shyster and enjoys solitary cooking and travelling with her two children. Gupta is more outgoing, resilient and hardy. If Ravichandra is a south Indian Tamilian Iyer girl complete with poojas and a mother-in-law, Gupta is a North Indian marwari and a single parent. If Ravichandra dribbles on the basketball court (she trains her children on weekends), Gupta is always in the midst of a gang of friends.
They also have their similarities. Both love to go out on long drives and chill out at the Cha Bar at The Leela Palace. Both have been learning odissi for the past year at Nrityagram and will be taking part at this year’s Vasantahabba.
The road ahead? Says Ravichandra: “We would like to get into the bulk purchase market and also start exporting our stuff.”
WE, US, OURSELVES
Roopa Ravichandra and Neetu Gupta, both aged 37
Run Akiva, a clothes boutique off Primrose Road
Introducing Ravage Classic, a new line in alliance with designer Raj Kumar Shroff
Also retail their clothes through stores in Mumbai, Kolkata and Hyderabad
(First published in City Reporter, 2003)