A body positivity advocate and entrepreneur, Akanksha Savanal is making her notable contribution in the field of fashion by creating inclusive clothing for all body types. In one of our candid chats with her, she shared her idea behind creating A Curve Story and a lot more.
While the talks around gender-fluid fashion for all body types is doing rounds, an entrepreneur and former celebrity stylist Akanksha Savanal is contributing her part in making fashion that is inclusive of every body type. She is moving away from society's idea of an ideal body type and the stigma attached to fashion being limited to some segments. She believes that everybody has an equal right to dress fashionably and feel their best in their own skin. Confidence is the ultimate accessory!
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Here is all Akanksha Savanal had to share about A Curve Story:
How did the brand 'A Curve Story' begin?
"I have been a fashion stylist in the film industry for over the last 9 years. I have worked with a lot of celebrities in the film, music and television industry. I feel fashion is something where everyone has an equal right to, without compromises. During this time, I noticed a major market gap for fashion options available for curvy women. With my experience, I had the know-how to create a range of products that would cater to this important segment of customers, and close the gap. I also saw a lot of curvy women around me struggle to find great apparel options in India, which further strengthened my resolve to create a brand of my own. That's how A Curve Story began!”
What kind of research went into creating your whole range?
“We did a lot of surveys initially with people who identify as female, across all ages and body-types. We took our time to understand all the problems they have with their fit, colours and patterns. We did a lot of R&D keeping our direct and indirect competition in mind. Our aim is to be a one-stop-shop for all bodies, inclusive in all ways. We aim at breaking a lot of stereotypes, whether its colour, sexual orientation, body types and shapes. So we did a lot of research to create a range that would eliminate any grounds for discrimination once it hit shelves.”
What kind of feedback did you receive from your customers?
"We launched only in April last year, so it’s only been about 8 months. So far the feedback has been overwhelmingly good. We’ve seen steady growth and we are extremely grateful for the same. We are a platform that fully believes in asking the customer what they want and giving them just that. So wherever we had feedback where they wanted a couple of changes or thought we could improve on something, we have been able to implement that with minimal downtime. We see A Curve Story as a safe space for our customers to be able to ask and get what they really want out for their wardrobe staples.”
Who would you describe to be your fashion inspiration?
"Self-love has been a very strong force in my life and I feel that contributed massively in the creation of the brand. For me, inspiration comes from multiple sources such as travel, people as well as experiences. I’ve been very fortunate to have found what I love doing and that’s inspiration enough. Our brand aims at motivating people to feel confident in their own skin and to come from a space of self-love”.
Whom would you like to collaborate with in the future?
"We are happy to collaborate with brands that have a good synergy with our brand DNA. We believe there is always room to be better and do more good in the world.”
When it comes to designing, what kind of fabric do you prefer?
"What we’ve come to realize is that when we researched for curvy bodies we realized that women prefer a lot of flowy fabrics or stretch fabrics. We tend to work with a large range of fabrics given the preferences of our customers which is subject to change as per moods, seasons, etc. The aim of it is to understand the needs of our customers at depth and work around it.”
What would you say is different in your collection from the rest in the market?
"We design keeping the curves of the Indian body in mind. The fit, fabrics and styles are made to flatter all body types. Each piece is carefully crafted to make each person feel beautiful & confident in their own skin."
Can you share your thoughts on inclusive and gender-fluid fashion now that the conversation around all body types and non-gender binary identification is finally out there?
“Compared to the social roles of past generations, we are riding a wave of social acceptance when it comes to gender fluidity & body positivity. As a brand, A Curve Story earnestly seeks to break outdated stigmas concerning gender roles and responsibilities of women and men, to develop a more fluid and inclusive future. Models who identify with different sexual orientations have worked on our campaigns and I think very few Indian brands have done that. Our aim is to create a brand that values self-expression and individuality above all.”
How important is it for any fashion label to acknowledge and provide for a plus size buyer?
"We believe each person has an equal right to dress fashionably and why should curvy women be left out? We design for all body types and shapes and eventually believe each label should have at least a collection, if not all products, that cater to the segment."
What is your vision for A Curve Story’s future?
"A Curve Story aims to change the way Curve fashion is perceived in India and all over the world. We intend to create a solid offline and online presence to serve customers better in the near future."
Check out A Curve Story that focuses on emphasising confidence and self-love.
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