Meet Designer & Curator Megha Rao
It is no surprise that fashion is constantly changing, evolving, and transforming: what was popular last month may be old news tomorrow. For one particular designer, 2022 is all about invention and reinvention.
Born and raised in the fashion capital of the world, New York City, holiCHIC by designer and curator Megha Rao is sensationalizing Indian fashion. The entrepreneur left her corporate job last year to transform her side hustle into a successful business while still being a full-time parent. Her sense of fashion is the delicate balance between East meets West: it captures the essence of Indian tradition while still providing a modern flair to the pieces.
Indian fashion is having a moment around the world. In fact, fashion brand ShopKYNAH by Aisha Rawji, was featured twice on the Emmys. Now is the time to globalize how Indian fashion is perceived and give it a more permanent place in the fashion world.
We spoke to Megha about her overcoming imposter syndrome, fusing Indian styles with modern Western designs, and what’s next for her and her brand.
- Tell us a little bit about your brand holiCHIC by Megha and your mission.
Growing up, I was sometimes embarrassed by wearing Indian clothes. When I got older, I realized how much I wanted to showcase Indo Western looks. holiCHiC is about encouraging people to overcome their self doubt and embrace themselves and their sense of style. Our clothes take Indian fabrics and combine them with Western silhouettes. It’s all about embracing your individuality.
- How do you manage to balance your brand with your personal life?
I realized that life doesn’t end for me after being a mother. I have two kids and I genuinely believe women can do it all. I want to be an inspiration for mothers and women everywhere to follow and pursue their passions. My partner Pooja Desai Shah also recently quit her job. Although others have a solid network of investors or connections, we don’t have anything. I like to think we are “self made” and truly want to empower others to take control of their lives by overcoming imposter syndrome.
- Tell me about your products. What makes them unique?.
All of our products are available at our website here. What makes us different is that we are breaking barriers. In fact, last September during New York Fashion Week, holiCHIC in partnership with Flying Solo NYC showcased our exclusive collection for the first-time.
The holiCHIC NYFW collection features a selection of womenswear and accessories
created by Indian artisans using century old hand embroidery techniques. We had a series of eight looks from the brand’s collection that highlighted the ‘New York meets Mumbai’ fashion aesthetic the brand proudly represents. We’re not just creating garments in India-
we’re making sure the designs you see on stage represent the heritage and culture
we’re so proud of.
- What are you currently working on?
We just launched a collaboration we did with popular online retailer SHEIN. Just like Indian food or chutney music, I view contemporary South Asian fashion as a blend of culture and differing worlds. We decided to do this limited time SHEIN collaboration because we also wanted to create products that were available at a price point that is accessible to all, including young millennials and Gen Z population who are excited to wear our clothes. After all, we want to give everyone an opportunity to celebrate diversity. SHEIN is known all over the world so we hope this reaches more people.
- What’s next for you?
For the first time we are introducing men’s wear in the upcoming future. There is a lack of options for men that have an Indo-western flair but we had first generation men in mind who are interested in fusing different aspects of their identity. We are also creating gender neutral/unisex products like kurtis, blazers, tops. This is to show that every person can style our products for themselves! We constantly undertake independent studies and assess data to see what is selling and what is not and to cater to our customer base.