Farm To Fashion Wardrobe

Inspiration awakens us to new possibilities by allowing us to transcend our ordinary experiences and limitations, says Namrata Lodha, founder of Myaraa. She claims that her inspiration came from her own backyard in Madhya Pradesh where she grew up, in Harda. There are many wheat farms in the area and after the grains have been harvested, the local artisans use the remaining wheat grass to create baskets, simple tools and handicraft items made from it, she shares with S&A in an interview.

- Namrata Lodha

You are operating in a very niche market. What was your source of inspiration?

In a culture obsessed with measuring talent and ability, we often overlook the important role of inspiration. Inspiration awakens us to new possibilities by allowing us to transcend our ordinary experiences and limitations. Similarly, my inspiration initiated from my own backyard in Madhya Pradesh where I grew up in Harda. There are many wheat farms in the area and after the grains have been harvested, the local artisans (or karigars) use the remaining wheat grass to create baskets, simple tools and handicraft items made from it. When I was travelling to the US to visit my children, I saw many people wearing hats made of the exact same wheatgrass which were moulded and styled in different shapes and sizes.

Give us a picture of your journey since the beginning. Also, share with us some of the challenges you have faced and often face.

To achieve success in this niche market we had to start at the beginning, just like in the alphabet you start with the letter “A.” Success was not an event for Myaraa, it is a process. To finish any great endeavour you must first start. It was not the start of a new business but it was the start of a new idea, a new path of creating personalized hats for travel and fashion connoisseurs. To be a standout success we had to take a new beginning and follow it through to the end.