Five influential personalities from the world of fashion, luxury and entrepreneurship come together in a meaningful medley of outfits from Dash and Dot – the homegrown online brand that offers sustainable clothing echoing functionality, body positivity and the digital culture of shopping.
Nitya Arora, Founder of Valliyan
Known for her bold and quirky statement design with strong vintage influences, Nitya Arora is the founder of Valliyan, a ‘demi-fine’ jewellery label. Having graduated in Apparel and Jewellery Design from Parsons School of Design, New York, Nitya has always had a penchant for vibrant and avant-garde jewellery making. With a shop at KU resort Morjim, Goa, Valliyan also retails from stores such as Atosa and Ensemble. Valliyan reflects a sculptural textured aesthetic and is entirely handcrafted in India.
In conversation with founder Ashray Gujral on the genesis and evolving ethos of Dash and Dot and how it has ushered in a new language of stylish workwear, swimwear and smart co-ord sets. Dive into the Dash and Dot universe, which is rooted in the values of accessibility and conscious fashion for the new generation of Indian digital natives.
(Edited excerpts)
FL: Could you take us through the genesis of Dash and Dot, especially how the homegrown label was born in 2020 as a response, among other things, to the gap created by the pandemic and shifting consumer sentiments?
AG: Dash and Dot was founded in 2020 to actualise my vision of creating an accessible and sustainable brand that would be both functional and fashion-forward. I aimed to create a brand built upon transparency and accountability in our processes. As a result of which, we only use vegan leather, and mostly organic cotton and post-consumer recycled polyester.
I strongly believe that every paradigm shift starts with a conversation and in a country like India, the onus of the discussion of sustainability needs to shift from consumers to brands. Ever since its inception, Dash and Dot’s identity has been based on accessibility, conscious and functional designs, and modernity, which also make for the inherent elements that ignite the foundation of each collection created.
At Dash and Dot, we draw inspiration from stories of travels, diving, souks, markets visited, nature, and all things that may align with the thought process of a modern Indian consumer. We strive to become the go-to brand for non-couture Westernwear across the Indian market while working with our rich history of textiles and crafts.
FL: What have been the important lessons in the space of online shopping and the digital fashion zeitgeist of our times?
AG: Being born during the pandemic, we quickly realised that consumers shop with their eyes while shopping online, so creating relatable content that reflects the brand ethos is very important. During the pandemic, people grew more and more comfortable moving into the online fashion realm, rather than into physical spaces. This has been a great equaliser, I suppose, as several brands that make beautiful products but would not have reached the same pedestal as their global counterparts have been able to engage new consumers in a meaningful dialogue.
FL: One of the innovative offerings of Dash and Dot is the ‘Work-Play’ collection, which blends workwear dynamics into the ethos of activewear, understandably catering to the work-from-home culture of today. Could you tell us how it has disrupted the idea of dressing for work-play?
AG: Workwear has remained largely the same for as long as I can remember. The pandemic caused a tectonic shift in how people worked, blurring the line between comfort and work clothing. This trend has lasted even as people return to physical workspaces, and our work-play collection is an answer to the call for smart and comfortable work-appropriate clothing.
FL: Where lies the appeal of the co-ord sets and what are the design dynamics?
AG: From the perspective of a design house, it’s thrilling to have the opportunity to design outfits rather than individual pieces. It allows you the ability to be far more creative and experimental with your collections, playing both designer and stylist to our customer. For the consumer as well, oftentimes loving a piece is easy but building an outfit around it is difficult. With co-ord sets, we get to offer the customer the chance to mix and match separates or maintain the original vision of the designer, giving them the option to buy an outfit rather than wait to build one.
FL: Dash and Dot is on the radar of shoppers looking for gender-neutral clothing. What does this category offer and where lies its exclusivity?
AG: With Dash and Dot, we wanted to build a brand that would come to be inclusive and keep striving to build a larger tent that includes everybody, no matter what their demographics. Inclusivity is one of the key policies of our brand. One of our interpretations of our logo, the ‘-‘ and the ‘.’ represent the two ends of the gender spectrum, and the ‘oversized’ and ‘in the middle’ signify all the identities in between.
FL: Swimwear seems to be a popular category and with travel being back on everyone’s card – what do you feel is its evolving aesthetic and functionality?
AG: I strongly believe that the Indian consumer has become a lot more body positive and, as such, much more interested in experimental and fashionable swimwear. The Indian swimwear market was lagging behind the evolution of our society, and we felt there was a large opportunity for us to provide well-designed, functional swimwear made entirely of recycled materials. Our shell fabric is made of plastic from the oceans, which was a poetic way for us to see that plastic going back to the oceans transformed into our swim pieces! While high-waisted silhouettes in bikinis remain a trend, we have seen a huge interest in pop colours and embellished swimwear as well.
FL: From jumpsuits to kaftans and occasion wear to jackets/hoodies – what are some of the top trends for this season?
AG: I think value + comfort are the winners across categories. Even with some amount of revenge buying, increased vacation shopping and the return of large-format parties, the consumer is looking for value in every purchase, whether that be in terms of the workmanship, the quality of fabrics or the comfort/ease of wear. Today’s customer is aware of global trends through social media and is discerning about the products and brands they want to associate with. In terms of categories, hoodies and loungewear remain strong across menswear and womenswear, as does occasion/formalwear.
FL: How frequently do you stock new collections on the website and also do you pioneer the concept of trend-less, season-less clothing?
AG: All our collections tend to be season-agnostic, which is why we never label them by seasons. Ours is definitely a more design-driven process. We don’t really make timelines to launch new collections, and instead introduce new collections on our website when we get excited about new concepts and ideas, as we look to create pieces that can be worn throughout the year, for several years, irrespective of the season.
FL: What’s next and what do you envision for the future of Dash and Dot?
AG: We have definitely gathered a lot of international interest after our participation in the Paris Fashion Week. We have also seen a great amount of interest coming from Tier II and Tier Ill towns in India, a space we have not fully explored yet. The idea has always been to build a vast brand that stands on its own, is responsive to the needs of the Indian consumer, and harnesses the vast skill set of Indian artisans and workers to create a product that is affordable and accessible. We are constantly working very hard on our fits and quality. Coming from an export background, we have utilised our access to various databases of knowledge about fits, and for the first two seasons also used a lot of customer feedback to perfect our fits specific to the Indian consumer. We always felt that most of the beautiful workmanship that came out of India went either to the international market, or to high-end designer brands. We wanted to break that perception and provide highly worked on, designED (not just designer) products, first for the Indian customer, and then for the world. Eighteen months in, and we are only just getting started …
Akshayraj Singh Shaktawat, Hotelier, Entrepreneur and Content Creator
Born and brought up in Udaipur, Rajasthan, Akshayraj is the scion of the stunning heritage chain, Jagat Collection, while also working as a content creator, stylist and social media marketer. Having completed his college with a major in Philosophy from New Delhi, he moved to his hometown to carry forward the family business from where his association with hospitality and content writing led him to venture into content creation and designing. He is also the founder of Jagat Nikhar, a fashion label as well as the co-founder of Mister Sinister. In his free time, Akshayraj likes to travel, explore new cities and cultures, and also document his excursions.
Kalyani Saha Chawla, Serial Entrepreneur & Founder of Koi Communications
Kalyani, proprietor, Rezon Luxury Silverware is based out of New Delhi. Former vice president, marketing and communications, Christian Dior Couture, she is a serial entrepreneur, who is also the founder of Koi Communications, a strategic brand marketing firm with clients such as Dior, Bulgari and Fendi. Rezon, almost three years old now, has a manufacturing unit consisting of some of the best craftsmen. Having been an exporter of fashion and home accessories to some of the best brands internationally and having spent 12 years at Dior, an eye for design, detail and quality is paramount. Kalyani comes with a varied experience of buying, curating and selling in the luxury market worldwide.
Ajit Ahmed Sodhi, Entrepreneur
Belonging to a family of Arjuna awardees, Ajit is a sportsman at heart who loves the thrill of competition and, of course, football. Having trained in Krav Maga and prior to that Jiu Jitsu, and more recently boxing, he also has a strong love for martial arts. After completing his Business degree from Monash University, Australia, he dabbled in the world of cinema but then found his passion in real estate development. He co-founded Soka, a company developing high-end real estate, which is currently focused on premium Portuguese-styled villas nestled in the picturesque heritage village of Asagaon in North Goa.
Tarini Manchanda, Content Creator and Founder of The Initial Studio
Tarini grew up in Delhi with her grandmother, an art historian, and mother both exposing her to the nuances of art and design from early childhood. She studied Anthropology and International Marketing at SOAS, the University of London where she learnt the importance of understanding what the consumer wants. She also studied Graphic Design in New Delhi and is well-versed in design software. Though she is serious about design and has strong opinions on aesthetics, she believes everything must elicit joy. Tarini founded design and personalisation studio, The Initial Studio in 2017, and is also one of India’s top content creators, having worked with a multitude of brands across fashion, lifestyle and beauty industries.
Right: Co-ord Set
