A beautiful two-storeyed bungalow, painted in the hues of turquoise and surrounded by greens, stands tall near the crossroads at Ramdev Nagar. An antique red wooden door opens up to Foram’s Fashion Story, a fashion brand whose narrative transports one to part Marrakech and part Grecian vibes.
An alumnus of JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Mumbai, Foram took her big leap of faith with the opening of this retail space. Catering to customers of varied taste and who value ambience, décor and design of the product, there is a paradigm shift in her approach.
It wouldn’t be wrong to say that they have got the ambience perfectly right. At the entrance on the left, white walls are adorned with decorative ceramic plates. A distressed red bicycle adds to the quirky quotient of the space. Colourful planters with different type of foliage, houseplants and flowers makes you want to sit and breathe in. The staircase is welcoming with kitschy hand painted Moroccan tiles whereas macramé decorative hangings and eccentric tapestry in reds and greens takes you on a ride to the bylanes of Morocco, Greece and Spain. Aah the vacation vibes!
In a candid interaction with Ciceroni, Foram shares her entrepreneurial journey, her tryst with fashion and what does she have in store for scorching summers of Ahmedabad…
Ciceroni: How did the idea of becoming a fashion designer come to your mind?
Foram: I was always inclined towards fashion during my childhood days. My love for fashion was undying, so I opted for a Diploma course in JD Institute in Mumbai. After I got married, my family supported and encouraged me to start my own venture. That’s when Foram’s Label happened and I did my first fashion exhibition in 1997.
Ciceroni: How has the fashion scenario evolved in last two decades? Has the consumer demand changed?
Foram: I believe fashion is cyclical. What goes around comes around.
Talking about the changing scenario, designers have to step out of their comfort zone and come up with innovative ideas. Consumers are demanding now. They want to wear exclusivity as a badge of honour. With the advent of digital media, it’s important for designers to go beyond designing. They now have to focus on even marketing and reaching out to more people while breaking the geographical barriers.
My first collection was based on knits. Knits were very limited in the market then. They were only meant to cater to Small and Medium sizes. So, I introduced loose knits which could fall on the body and also catered to Large and Extra Large Sizes. The collection had scarves, pants, kurtas, tops, kaftans, etc. and people really enjoyed it. The next collection was wedding wear that had more about silk dresses, kurtas, dupattas, etc. From then to now, we have changed the way consumers have too. Our designs focus on breathable fabrics and comfortable fits.
Ciceroni: What does Foram’s Fashion Story specialize in? What kinds of colour palette do you like working on?
Foram: Foram’s Fashion Story can be termed as a one-stop destination for family wear. I design clothes for Navratri, wedding, pre-wedding functions for kids, men, and women. The product repertoire consists of sarees, chaniya cholis, kurtas, bridal gowns, brunch wear, Indo-western dresses, etc. My clothes are tailored to give the customers the individuality they want to carry.
I have designed homecoming clothes for mother and baby too. It’s really fun to see them twinning after they return from the hospital. I have even designed birthday dresses and festive wear for kids. Here, I take particular care of individual comfort.
If you look around my store, you will see I have used all kind of colours. I consider colour palette as my biggest strength. Whether it is colour contrast or monochromes, I love playing with colours.
Ciceroni: What does your Summer Line 2018 comprise of?
Foram: My Summer Line includes cotton dresses, comfortable pants, jumpers, asymmetric tunics, flowy gowns, short dresses, sleeveless tops, dungarees, shift dresses and layered dresses. The fabric is mostly cotton, mul, rayon, crush cotton and Dobby cotton. Dobby cotton is a kind of woven fabric which is very soft, fine and thicker than cotton and mul. It is an ideal choice for men and women. I focus only on weather-friendly fabrics. I’ll be unveiling my Summer 2018 collection with other designers at a Pop-Up show happening on 13 April 2018 at this studio.
Ciceroni: What is your personal style quotient?
Foram: I’m a free-spirited soul who loves to travel. Thus you will notice that I love dressing in casual easy breezy clothes. Since I work from 9 am to 9 pm, I like to keep my style comfortable. I hate putting on body hugging clothes.
Her love for travelling and collecting artefacts is quite evident from the moment one steps in Foram’s Fashion Story. Memorabilia from Morocco, Spain, Greece, France and Portugal make you want to wear those summer dresses hung on the stands while you secretly make your own vacation plans. Foram’s Fashion story is here to give Ahmedabad a new sensory experience with their experiential store and comfortable designs that keep you stylish from morning to evening.
Weekend plans anyone?
We say call up your girlfriends and head to Foram’s Fashion Story to explore their summer collection. Also click dozens of pictures to post on Instagram because, hey you are in Morocco-ish space!
Foram’s Fashion Story
16, Hatheesingh Park, Ramdevnagar Road,
Opp. Courtyard Marriott lane, Ramdev Nagar,
Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380015
Store Timings : 11.00 am – 6.00 pm
Contact : 09227215710
