Do working women have to look like their male counterparts? Nazia Erum does not think so. She founded The Luxury Label in 2015 with the aim of giving working women more clothing choices than a pantsuit, or a sari. Her two-fold mantra is to make ethnic wear work in a corporate setup and to keep workwear comfortable without compromising on chicness. “We are trying to cut down the time and energy women spend on deciding what to wear, so that they can focus on their professional goals instead,” says Erum. To help her message reach the target audience, she has working women modelling her clothes on the website and all promo material.
The entrepreneur has a tiny team based in Noida, which designs, creates and curates several capsule collections (apart from regular lines such as Roseate, Claret, Elvan and Adele) every year. The repertoire includes lightweight sherwanis, salwar pants, structured kurtas, embroidered waistcoats, and gilets. Sticking to black and white and pastels, the outfits are designed for Indian body shapes and have a contemporary aesthetic. “Our capsule collections have five pieces that can be mixed and matched to create different looks. Plus there is a range of wrinkle-free workwear,” she says.
Priced at Rs 4,000-8,000, the clothes are available at theluxurylabel.in. Those who like to try before they buy, and live in South Delhi, Gurgaon or Noida, can put in a request for the clothes to be sent home for a trial. Erum doesn’t mind. She is out to break the mould, one sherwani at a time.