JUGGLING SEAMLESSLY

WOMAN TO KNOW : MAANSI GUPTA

In today’s edition of ‘We The Women’ we have brought to you journey of another well known name in the city. She is a fashion designer with her own label, an entrepreneur and an educationist. We are sure that the odd combination of professional branching must have made you curious. Read on if you are interested in knowing how Maansi Gupta is making it happen.
Maansi Gupta has been associated with the field of fashion and design for the past 20 years. Her journey in the fashion world started when after graduating she went on to pursue Post Graduate degree from National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi. After finishing which she came back to Jammu and launched a design studio by the name of ‘Fashion Planet’. Maansi also has her own design label by the name of StudioMG.
This accomplishment was followed by another milestone in her professional life when she started JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Jammu Centre. As of now, more than 1000 successful fashion and interior design pass outs from the institution are working in and out of the state, which is a substantial feat for Maansi.
Maansi has launched fashion and Interior courses under the MG label as well. She expresses, “It feels awesome to pursue my passion; while educating young talented students gives me immense satisfaction as well as keeps me feeling young, working in the design studio gives me a vent for my creative urges and keeps me creatively fulfilled.”
Opposite to the assumption based on her success in the field of Fashion Designing, it is a surprise that it was not her first choice as a career; it was merely the first entrance test that she cleared and then decided to give it a shot.
“A very distinct recollection I have of my inclination towards designing is playing with my mother’s dupattas, I used to drape them around myself creating some modified version of a draped gown. Though is funny and embarrassing for me to share but I guess in a way that was the first sign that hinted towards this path in life,” shares Maansi.
According to Maansi her journey in the field, starting from learning the technicalities of fashion and design at NIFT to having her own label, has been beautiful and enriching.
For those curious about a day in the life of Maansi Gupta, she shares, “Usually my day begins with me preparing Tiffin for my School going children. I head for office by 10 A.M. “
Since Maansi is managing two businesses, she tries to divide her time equally between the two. She says, “I head straight to the Studio first, after overseeing the work there, I go to the Institute, where I spend most of my morning and afternoon. If possible, I try to be home for lunch, if not then I head back to the studio by late afternoon. Evenings are for the family and friends.”
Revealing about how she unwinds at the end of the day Maansi says, “Sometimes cooking helps me unwind, at times I prefer reading other times having a crazy time with my friends.”
Despite all the hustle, according to Maansi she is not doing anything extra-ordinary and humbly declines having any achievements. Still she expresses, “It feels nice when I see my students doing well in their lives. Some of them have actually had their lives transformed after joining the institute and that gives me immense satisfaction and a sense of achievement.”
For Maansi accomplishments lies in little things of huge relevance like, taking her students to participate in fashion shows in Delhi, to being a part of India fashion week, to bringing in International models to Jammu for fashion shows and other such events.
Accomplishment is how you touch others lives. On being inquired Maansi shared one such instance. She shares, “Lately, I received a message from my student, she had just won accolades for some fitness related event and she told me that I was the one who motivated her to take charge of her life and that was an awesome feeling, especially because she had graduated years ago and now amassed quite a success; for her to remember and sharing how I had actually touched her life even after such long time felt really great.
Speaking about the process of Designing, Maansi says, “Inspiration can be channelled from anything or anywhere. One can be inspired by a colour or a silhouette or even a monument.”
Explaining it she further adds, “In 2014, we did a fashion show and the inspiration was taken from our state of J&K. From Kangri to samovar to copper Kandkari to Gota work to Ladakhi masks, beautiful collections were presented by the students.”
Maansi believes that both in personal and professional life one must be honest and real; you should live and let live.
Future Plans is what drives Maansi. In her own words she has always had a goal in her life. This is revealed by the zeal oozing out of her response about future plans. She expresses, “Currently my full focus is on establishing the brand MG. There are a lot of changes that I have already brought about in the institute. We have always strived and maintained to be quality education providers in the field of fashion and now we are taking it to the next level with MG institute.”
Maansi’s current centre of attention is launching a whole new bouquet of courses like beauty and make up etc. Her enthusiasm towards it surfaces when she says, “Every year I get a fresh new batch of young aspiring student designers and with them every year a brand new journey starts for me and that’s what drives me on and keeps me young.”
Maansi’s style Mantra is very simple but efficient- Be Confident in your Style, don’t rush for brands or what other people are wearing, have your own style and carry it confidently. Her advice to each woman is to realize that she is beautiful.
Talking about the women of the state Maansi says, “I would like to see the women of J&K to be more careers oriented and self reliant. Rather than fading and wasting their talents sitting at home, they should find ways to be more useful and realize their worth.”
Maansi’s message to the woman out there is, “Before being a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, you are a woman first; do something for yourself before anyone else and the rest will fall into place automatically.”