In a space overflowing with imagination and fresh ideas, Neeta Lulla’s presence at Hamstech Creators Collect 2025 felt more like a homecoming than a celebrity appearance. She didn’t arrive with an air of glamour but walked in with the ease of someone returning to something dear. And rightfully so. “I’ve always felt fabulous being associated with Hamstech for the past 18 years. Every year, it has been an absolute delight to be part of the show. This time, the concept is refreshingly different; it brings together an amalgamation of all the courses Hamstech has to offer, and the platform looks wonderful,” she says, a soft smile playing on her lips.
You don’t need to know her entire portfolio to understand her passion; it shows in the way she speaks about young talent. When asked what she notices first in a designer’s work, her answer is refreshingly honest. “Honestly, I look at their affinity for craft; how much they like their craft, their technique, and also a touch of how they relate to what is being shown to them and what is being asked of them. So, essentially, relatability is the most important factor,” Neeta explains.
Her own entry into the fashion world didn’t follow a rulebook. “That’s a long story, and I think it just happened and the journey just unfolded on its own, and I’m here now. I get inspired every single day with every piece of work I do, with every project I take up,” she expresses.
There’s a certain sincerity in the way she views creativity: “What keeps you going and constantly creative is the aspect of passion and perseverance, along with the desire to do your work to the best of your ability.”
When she speaks of success, it’s not with grandeur. It’s thoughtful and deeply personal. She says, “See, success is very relative. I mean, it’s not some broad-spectrum work that you just bring into it. For everybody, it’s very personal. For me, success has been the fact that every day I’m learning something new; every day my craft is being appreciated, every day the projects I get are more and more challenging, and people have the respect for the work that I do, and for me. That is success.”
What keeps her rooted, even after all these years, is her bond with students. Neeta notes, “You know, there’s an exchange of thought processes and mindsets. There is an exchange that keeps you aligned with the current mindset. That is very, very interesting and appealing to me.”
Her advice for those just starting out? “It’s an ongoing process; a continuous cycle you learn from every day. You have to keep your ears and mind open to absorb whatever you’re learning. I think that’s what the industry has taught me, and I believe young students aspiring to be fashion designers should be the same,” she states.
After waving her magic wand in Pawan Kalyan-starrer Hari Hara Veera Mallu and now for Pawan Kalyan and Sreeleela-starrer Ustaad Bhagat Singh, Neeta is far from slowing down. Yet she confesses that she doesn’t have any favourites, sharing, “All projects are my favourite because each one comes with new challenges and new requirements, and that is what appeals to me. Like I mentioned earlier, for me, it is about the work and the craft.”
Talks around sustainable fashion lit something different in her voice, a quiet urgency. She observes, “There is a growing awareness among Gen Z consumers today, and I believe it’s very important for every designer to develop a consciousness towards sustainability and eco-friendly products, as the younger generation is actively seeking that. I feel that by adding more meaning to slow fashion, rather than focusing solely on fast fashion, we can move in the right direction. India, after all, is a place where we cannot rely on just slow fashion or fast fashion alone. Even if we are able to educate our Gen Z audiences about sustainability, slow fashion, and our Indian arts and crafts — which are on the verge of dying out — it would be a step towards reviving our heritage.”
And if you think she has any regrets about her early days, she doesn’t hesitate to say, “No way, I wouldn’t. I learned so much during my student days. I kept my eyes, ears, and mind open to everything I came across; whether it was from films, pop stars, or anything I saw in the library. I went to the library. I wouldn’t do anything differently because I learned a lot.”