Rising Star

Fresh from her International Woolmark Prize win, Ruchika Sachdeva talks to Bazaar about the importance of detail, and what keeps her going

 

- Divrina Dhingra

DESIGNER RUCHIKA SACHDEVA is walking room to room in her bright new studio that has been headquarters for her label, Bodice, for just about a week. There are several racks of clothes, a few pieces of sleek, mid-century furniture, and a lot of space. Set on a lush 1.5-acre farmhouse on the outskirts of New Delhi, it’s surrounded by towering mango trees, flowerbeds, sunshine, and peace—a far cry from the noise, dust, and odours of Hauz Khas Village where the brand was situated previously.

The studio is quiet now but, once set up completely, will be a hive of activity with a workshop—Sachdeva’s team is between 40 and 50 people—and possibly a retail space as well.

“I wanted a place where I could be close to nature. It calms me down,” she says. “I was in the earlier space because I didn’t have much choice; it was what I could afford. But over time I have realised that it is important to also spend on your lifestyle because everything seeps into your work. All of it contributes to inspiration.”

She has worked hard to earn her peaceful corner. The change in circumstance is thanks in part to her most recent achievement: Winning the International Woolmark Prize for Womenswear, 2018. Sachdeva, 30, is the only woman from India to have won the competition, which had over 65 designers from 60 countries contesting, with regional rounds followed by a final. The award puts her in an elite league alongside past winners (Yves Saint Laurent, Rahul Mishra, Karl Lagerfeld, and Gabriella Hearst to name a few) and in practical terms, it translates to having Bodice stocked at important international retail chains, mentorship from industry veterans, and of course, prize money.