DRAPED IN DREAMS

Nafisa Rachel William

We The Women’ is thrilled to bring to you the journey of another woman from the state who not only followed her heart and pursued her passion but also carved a new path for herself to do so. A graduate in English Literature from St. Stephens, Nafisa Rachel William is a journalist-turned-designer, with her eponymous label. Interesting much? Without further ado let’s learn more about her and draw some motivation.

Despite being a journalist, Nafisa ‘pursued her dream of creating clothes’; her inner calling made her switch to fashion world; a world where anyone can get lost in the whirls, Nafisa held her grounds and flourished from there. 19.5k followers on Instagram and 94k followers on her Facebook page (Label Nafisa Raschel William) is a little hint how much her label is adored and admired.
In 2010, Nafisa decided to start designing Sarees. She designed four to begin with and her sister, Delight Sarah William shot her while she modelled them, and later put up on Facebook. And to her enchantment, they sold out swiftly; we are talking here about the time when blogging, retailing online and all such things were not as established as they are today.
Nafisa has never turned back from that point; today she not only sells across India, but in international markets as well. She sells clothes mostly online; through social media and her website etc. Her clients connect with her via Facebook, emails, instagram, and more importantly word-of-mouth.
Such was her passion for design and fashion that despite no formal training or degree in fashion, Nafisa decided to start designing because this was something she found her heart in, being a soul drawn to colours and creativity.
And don’t you assume it must have been easy; we are talking with reference to learning about different kinds of fabrics and design elements and what not; she did it all by herself. Establishing as a brand in immensely competitive market is a feat in itself.
At present, Nafisa has a team of tailors and ‘Karigars’. While her initial venture revolved around Sarees but the demand has grew crazily, that Nafisa also involved in her enterprise, Indian wear (Kurtas, Shararas, Lehengas, Blouses) and Indo-Western wear.
Nafisa’s style is Indian, yet has a global appeal. Her collections are anachronistic and vintage yet unconventional and chic, which bends fashion rules, ditch what’s trending and serve with elegant evergreen attire. Don’t believe it? Go see it; check out her website and social platforms. But before that here’s an excerpt from a little chit-chat with the talented lady from the city.


What are the instances that led you into Fashion Designing and then coming up with your own label? Any childhood memory that reflects what you are today?
As a kid, watching my mum in cotton sarees and my grand mum with a sewing machine, left a huge impact on me. The dots connected, I guess and so did my love for clothes. I started creating sarees at the age of 22 in 2010.

You not only come up with designs, you also model in them. So can we say that you basically design for yourself and then share it with the world?
Yes! I am my own muse. Haha! Just kidding. To be honest, I create what I think will look good in general. Subconsciously, maybe yes! My style is very minimal. Clean cuts, neat lines, monochrome. And then suddenly you’ll see a lot of pop. There is a story behind it all.

What was life like before becoming an entrepreneur? What has changed now?
Life was great even then. I have enjoyed every part of my journey. I have no regrets. I worked with a National News channel and that in itself taught me so much. Today, a lot of news anchors are my clients. And it’s lovely to be still connected. Sometimes, the end is natural and time reveals the right things at the right time.

Any hardships you had to face to be in this field? How does it feel to pursue it?
I have never studied design. That technically should be the biggest challenge. But somehow I made it work for me. I never wanted to study design. I enjoy the space where my designs come from. That raw, untouched space. Second, being the first business woman in my family. There were things I had no idea about. But with time and experience, I have learnt it. Still am. Also, I am blessed with understanding parents.

Would you share with us something about your work in past as well as your ongoing projects?
So, lot has been going on. My latest collection, “Dekho Magar Pyaar Se”, was received with a lot of love. I'm shipping my sarees globally as well. I had my international debut in Dubai in 2016. The collection was called, “Alif”. I have been creating clothes for some of the best names in the film industry such as Neha Dhupia, Nimrat Kaur, Priyanka Bose etc. I recently showcased my clothes in Bombay. It was curated by a celebrated fashionista Shveta Salve. So, like I said, a lot has been going on.

Could you please share the whole process of getting inspired, coming up with an idea, drawing it and then making it become reality?
Well, life inspires me to create new designs. It could be anything. A thick bunch of bougainvillea on a white wall on a sunny day, a walk in Khan market in Delhi, a quaint street in Edinburgh, a beach, an island, my home. Anything! And then I just can't wait to put it to production.

What, according to you, have been your major achievements so far, both personal and public? What is most cherished compliment you have ever received and by whom?
Well professionally, every happy client is my achievement. That’s my high! The best compliment I ever received was when a client’s mother who had cancer wore my saree on her birthday. She wasn’t allowed outings but on her birthday she was. And she wore my saree! The daughter sent me a very touching e-mail. That has been one of my most beautiful memories. There’s another one, when Neha (Dhupia) called me for the very first time because she loved her outfit!! Haha. I was dancing!

Other than designing, what are your other interests? How do you unwind yourself at the end of the day?
I love travelling. I am either working or travelling. I love going back to Jammu to unwind. I absolutely love dancing too.

What is your ideology behind your professional and personal life?
To never compromise in quality, professionally and personally.

What are your future plans and what is the strategy to go about it?
I am a woman of today! There were no strategies then and there aren’t going to be. I follow my heart and instinct.

What is that one thing that keeps you moving on; that makes you do what you are doing?
I am passionate about what I do. I am built that way. The thirst keeps me motivated. That is the reason I am here.

What is your style Mantra? Any evergreen and universal advice for the women out there?
I am very minimal when it comes to dressing. But I love to dress up. On most days, I’ll either be my bell botts, crisp white shirts, anti fit dresses etc. You will find me in Sharara and Gharara too. But Saree is my first love. My advice would be to not try too hard. As far as clothing advice is concerned, I would say, 1) A saree is eternal; 2) A crisp white shirt with denim; and 3) And its absolute OK to repeat clothes.

Any suggestions for the aspirants who want to pursue the same line?
Dream big! Don’t ever let anyone under-estimate you or intimidate you. If you think you have it in you, nothing else matters. Take the first step and the doors would open up.

Where do you see women of Jammu & Kashmir few years from now? Any message for women out there?
The women of Jammu and Kashmir are immensely talented. They are already doing great everywhere in all fields. We have come a long way and this is just the beginning. Like I always say, "Ladies, we are sitting on gold, let’s start digging it”.