Sew Chic!

Kanika Jain’s namesake brand ‘Kanelle’ is an apt reflection of her enduring passion for fashion

Tell us about your journey from marketing to design.

KJ: I grew up seeing my mother sew clothes for me, so creativity came to me quite naturally. I have always been very intrigued by her choice of textiles. Growing up in a creative environment led me to have an interest in fashion and explore my creative sensibilities. So, while I digressed from the creative path in my teens, the passion for creativity never left my mind.

After my Master’s in Marketing from Middlesex University, London, I couldn’t let go of my passion for fashion and decided to study further and get some insight into the subject. I completed a Diploma from the London College of Fashion (LCF). My experience at LCF was quite informative and helped me understand the basics of various aspects of fashion. The type of exposure one gets by working closely with people from different cultures makes you learn a lot.

After my return to India, it was quite challenging for me to dive into the industry, as I had no information about the fashion industry here. I did various projects including fashion journalism, styling projects, working with a designer duo for fashion week, etc. I still consider myself a ‘self taught’ designer as I learnt everything on the job. There is something new to learn everyday and that truly has been the best learning. My education gave me a perspective about a few things in fashion, which of course have been fruitful to my trade as it gave me some understanding but I truly believe that the key to great learning is actually doing things yourself.