BOND BEAUTIFUL
The relationship between a mother and daughter is one of the most beautiful relationships – they love each other, they argue, they fight and they also learn a lot from each other – it’s an ongoing process. We managed to catch up with the lovely and talented mother-daughter duo of Jacqueline Kapur and Ayesha Kapur, who not only share a special bond of love and respect, but also inspire each other.
“I learn from my mother, not only in the workplace but in every aspect of my life. She teaches me how to be my own woman, to be strong and independent. What I appreciate and learn from her most is how she manages to balance being such a successful businesswoman (strong, organised, disciplined, and gutsy) and also such a warm, loving, gentle human being”, says Ayesha, an actor and entrepreneur. The mother-daughter duo talks to us about their new venture Ayesha Accessories, passion and upcoming films.
So, how did you come up with the idea to establish a new brand? What were the initial hiccups and obstacles which you came across?
Jacqueline:Ayesha and I always liked accessories and we used to source together for our department store Casablanca. The jewellery section always got Ayesha most excited and when I saw that we seemed to be able to create an exciting range, it didn’t take much longer to come up with the idea of a brand. Especially since until 5 years ago there really were no accessory stores in the Indian-organised retail market.
Ayesha: My mother and I have always loved to shop and source together for as long as I can remember. I noticed that as I was growing up and wanted to start accessorising, I couldn’t find an Indian accessory brand that would suit my tastes as a young teenager. The idea of the brand Ayesha came about because together my mom and I felt we could create a fun brand with a fusion of both Indian and Western designs that would not only satisfy young Indian customers like me, but a woman of every age.
You were already running a brand, how do you find time to manage Ayesha Accessories?
Jacqueline: I stopped working with my husband’s brand Hidesign about 5 years ago, but I still run the department store in Pondicherry. I am in charge of the menus in the hotels and last but not least still run a horse riding school in Auroville. So my days are sort of full, but as long as one loves what one does, this is not a problem but a blessing.
How has your journey been so far?
Ayesha:I have really enjoyed working together with my mother and also having the responsibility of being a part of a business at such a young age. Of course it gets stressful at times, but I love our team and the spirit with which we run the company.
Surely your experience would have helped her a lot.
Jacqueline: I am still learning from my daughter every day. She is much more focussed than I am; I get bored very easily and tend to jump from one thing to the other. Ayesha often brings me back on track.
How have you defined your respective roles in the venture?
Jacqueline: I am the person who deals with the daily crisis which engulfs you when you run a company. I lead the team of designers, the marketing and warehouse people and the other business operations. Ayesha is working with the designers on giving trend ideas, doing a lot of trend research and is the face of the company and our brand ambassador.
Ayesha: My mom has answered that pretty well for me.
What do you keep in mind while designing /selecting the products under your brand?
Jacqueline: We are trying to create a range of accessories, which are as trendy as a similar brand would offer you in Paris, Tokyo or New York, but with an Indian style sensibility and price.
Ayesha: We try and keep a wide range of products, so that any woman of any age or background can relate to our brand. In terms of our style, we vary from funky and bold to subdued designs.
What is your style statement?
Jacqueline: I usually wear black, black and some more black. This way I don’t need to worry about whether my clothes match and the clothes become a perfect background for all my different accessories. And I love to mix “real” jewellery with funky stuff from our brand.
Ayesha: I dress to the way I feel. Accessories and clothes are means of expression for me. If I feel like being girly, I love a cute A-line dress that ends just above the knees. I’d accessorise with our diamante studded earrings and neckpieces. If I am feeling very happy and I want to show it, I would choose my favourite pair of jeans, a colourful top and funky jewellery to go along with it. And I can’t go out of the house without a pair of Ayesha sunglasses!
What’s the trend this season?
Jacqueline: Hats, statement necklaces, and ear-cuffs in gold and silver are still the hottest sellers.
What are your future plans for the brand?
Jacqueline: We have widened our product range by bringing in bags, hats and sunglasses. We will very soon have a range of belts and flip flops coming to the shop. At present our business model incorporates both multi-brand outlet and exclusive stores
You are playing the lead in ‘Paani’. So you certainly have plans to rock Bollywood as well?
Ayesha: I have signed on with Yash Raj Films and have a three-film contract with them. They are looking at several different projects for me, but nothing has been decided yet.
About Ayesha Accessories
Ayesha started along with her mother a fashion accessories brand called ‘Ayesha’ for young women. The brand offers a range of accessories from hats, bags, flip-flops, fashion jewelry, scarves and sunglasses. Ayesha is not just the face and the ambassador of the brand, but is involved in concept, design and research. An Ayesha accessory has picked up quickly and has opened 29 exclusive stores across India already. The accessory brand has recorded fantastic sales with high footfalls. It is increasingly being viewed as a fun brand for young women with a great fashion sense.
