Giving back in style: AiSPi brings couture and accessories inaccessible in India

Fashion includes tangible material memory—it can be an heirloom passed on through generations or something that reflects the culture of a particular place. Either way, the item is cherishable, especially if it is from an exclusive brand available in a country away from home. At a time when almost every global brand is available at your doorstep, the experiential retail platform AiSPi brings you couture and accessories from a slew of international brands that are inaccessible in India.

By collaborating with international brands, Delhi-based AiSPi curates and brings their products to citizens. That apart, they organise a special trunk show called The Glam Garden, which is ongoing at the Cosy Box, Netaji Nagar. 

The three-day interactive exhibition—it started on Friday and will conclude today—explores every sartorial aspect of the upcoming holiday and party season. From clothing to accessories, the brand has brought more than 35 worldwide designers from over 20 countries such as Italy, the UK, and Egypt, under one roof.

In the spirit of the season, AiSPi has also hosted a special charity auction in collaboration with Italian luxury accessory company Rosantica. On day one, 15 limited edition pieces were auctioned off at an invite-only event, where guests were seen enjoying delicious food and fine wine while browsing through the stalls amid bright décor.

The start of a journey 
We met AiSPi founder Aisha Saraf Kothari on Sunday, who said, “I have always been fond of fashion and travelling. While ‘where to eat’ and ‘what places to see’ are popular, ‘where to shop’ always remains a big question when you travel to a new country. People always look for bigger brands. However, every country has not-so-popular stores that have great products at reasonable prices.” She explained that her venture began with a personal list, on which she added places to shop from. In 2017, Ayesha launched AiSPi as a  full-fledged retail platform. 

A philanthropic endeavour
This year, AiSPi has also collaborated with The Bigger Picture—a Delhi-based NGO that helps and empowers women and children from economically-vulnerable groups by providing education and basic needs to them.

Vani Gupta, founder of The Bigger Picture, shared, “We provide food and basic necessities to about 1,000 people in Delhi in a day, and sponsor education for children. We are also coming up with a new project that will provide skill development training to women to help them sustain themselves.”

When asked why they chose Delhi to host this trunk show, Aisha responded by saying that people in Delhi appreciate and enjoy fashion, and moreover ‘this place is home’. “So, if I decide to plan a charitable event, why not give back to India, my own country, and Delhi, my own city,” she signed off.

CHECK IT OUT
WHAT:  ‘AiSpi — The Glam Garden’
WHEN:  Ends today; 12:00pm to 8:00pm
WHERE:  Cosy Box, Netaji Nagar