A RETURN TO ROOTS

NIKITA AND AKASH MEHTA are bringing back modern Ayurvedic formulations with their hair care line Fable & Mane.

- Karen Alfonso

Siblings Nikita and Akash Mehta grew up in the United Kingdom but have always remained rooted in their Indian heritage. Having recently launched Fable & Mane, a modern hair wellness brand, they took us through their plans for launching a truly global luxury beauty line.

ON STARTING THEIR OWN BRAND

Nikita Mehta (NM): It all started with seeing our dad as an entrepreneur; we knew we wanted to work for ourselves. I was earlier in luxury fragrances, that's where I got the visual storytelling. My brother worked in corporate, and we both felt it was the right time to launch our own brand.

Akash Mehta (AM): I am very against ideas born in boardrooms; you see with conglomerates that it often becomes profit over passion. Then Nikita came up with the concept of Fable & Mane. She showed me the initial presentation, and, when I saw the brand concept and the colours, I knew I had to be a part of it. At that time I worked with Dior, and I went up to my CEO and told him about it, and he said I could do both - he also mentored me. Finally, a few months before the launch, I quit to join the business full-time.

ON THE MEANING BEHIND FABLE & MANE 

NM: Indian hair is known the world over for being healthy and thick. It's used for weaves and extensions. To the western world, we wanted to reference this mane - so Fable & Mane.

AM: The name also references our childhood memories of our grandmother oiling our hair and telling us stories. It was such a great bonding experience.

ON THE ETHOS OF THE HOLI TRINITY IN THEIR PRODUCTS