Kavya says her phone is ringing off the hook since Saturday. A couple of days into the launch of Laksyah, her label of ethnic ensembles, the actress-turned-entrepreneur is all smiles, thanks to the incredible response. “The server almost crashed because of the heavy traffic. We had lakhs of visitors on day one and within 48 hours many designs were sold out,” she says.
The actress, who is basking in delight of her all-new avatar, says the ‘businesswoman feel’ is yet to sink in. “It’s a real break from my film schedule where you have to plan each hour of the day in advance. Yes, it’s a little stressful compared to facing the camera, but I am enjoying it,” she muses. Kavya adds she has left everything else, including films, on the back-burner for Laksyah, “eight scripts are lying at my bedside, but I can’t find any time to go through them. It’s something that has never happened in my entire career.”
Being a part of showbiz from the age of 5, Kavya says she was not prepared for any nine to five commitment. “I first considered starting a boutique, but that would mean bidding goodbye to my acting career. I wanted something more flexible, a line of work that will not mess up my shooting schedules.”
Kavya says she is not just the face of Laksyah, but a partner involved in the entire creative and outsourcing process. “We went for countless shopping trips in North India. Outside Kerala there is no risk of getting mobbed and I walked the busy and narrow lanes looking for fabric and handwork. It was an all-new experience where I got the first hang of textile business. But I still need a lot of updation when it comes to the technical part,” she says.
Kavya says she wanted to launch her label at a time when she is still visible in the industry. “Now I have a busy career in films and in a sense it’s only logical to wait some more time to start a business. But I didn’t want to introduce my label to a generation who hardly knows who Kavya Madhavan is,” she says.
She adds the unconditional support from her family is the backbone of Laksyah. “It’s easy to start a business, but the challenge lies in maintaining it without loss. Films engage you only for short span of time, but a business demands constant attention. My brother, who is working as a fashion designer in Australia, took a break and flew down to help me with the groundwork. Then my parents have forty plus years of experience in this field. Without them Laksyah would not have been possible.”
Laksyah is not a label that exclusively caters to high-end customers. “I got a mail from this girl who said she is dying to wear a Laksyah and requested me to make the rates more affordable. So along party-wear pieces there are kurtis and saris that come with lower price tags,” she winds up.