Meet the region's leading fashion designers
Indian-born fashion designer Shakun Godhwani studied liberal arts at the University of Bombay. She began designing clothes as a hobby in 1994, and turned her passion into a successful business when she launched her label, Zooni, two years later. The collection features Indo-western inspired designs, including T-shirts, chiffon kurtas, georgette trousers, stretch churidars (traditional Indian attire) and denim, accentuated by Indian embroideries and chikan work.
Have you always wanted to be a designer?
Not really, but I've always enjoyed fashion. When I started in the mid-90s, there was a lack of simple, elegant and reasonably priced clothes for modern women.
How did you set up the company? It took almost two years to turn my hobby into a commercial enterprise. I even converted my garage into a showroom. The label grew quickly, and I soon opened a store in Breach Candy, Mumbai's popular shopping district.
What's the company's structure? It's an incorporated entity and we employ more than 50 people, including contract tailors. I have three design assistants, but I'm responsible for design and fabrics.
