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Devyani Kapoor, founder of the slow fashion platform Shuffling Luggage, talks about sustainability, educating customers and building community, and how the fashion industry is changing for the better.
When Devyani Kapoor discovered blogging, she realized that it was something she had been doing since 2013. “I call it my magazine,” she says of her fashion blog, where she shares her experiences with different clothes and trends. During this time she has worked with several major fast fashion brands, who provide her with specific information about their products. “My passion has always been to learn more, to ask questions.” But these questions about where her clothes came from and how the packaging was made remain unanswered. After some research, she learned about slow fashion and realized that this was where she wanted to work in the future.
In 2017, Kapoor concept Swinging bags, a platform that embraces slow fashion and builds a community focused on sustainable fashion. It was started as an experiment at the 100-year-old Calcutta Bungalow, a two-day event where 10 sustainable brands showcased their products. She kept about 50 men but lost about 2,500 feet. When you love fast fashion brands Zara And H&M They were making rapid progress in the country and when sustainability as a concept did not gain the popularity and popularity it has today, she was surprised to see many people who were willing to try more fashion. “I talked to people, I tried to convince them that we should change what we buy, what we eat, what we wear. She realized that people wanted to change, but she didn’t know exactly where to look. They could feel the difference between the polyester they were wearing and the hand-woven fabric.
Since then, she has completed 32 editions with close to 500 sustainable brands in major Indian cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and continues to work internationally in Sri Lanka and Singapore. She also plans to go to Dubai later this year. Apart from their online store, Shuffleing Luggage will also be opening their first physical store in Kolkata this year. “People come back because there’s no other place where they can get everything sustainable under one roof.”
For these bold edits, Kapoor has a strict vetting process, featuring only 15 to 18 brands in each city. “I’m not here for everyone and I’m very clear about that.” Among other criteria, she looks for products that are handmade, ethical, organic, vegan, zero waste, cruelty-free and locally sourced. The process involves asking for a wide range of brands, bringing samples and checking bleeding and other quality parameters, and visiting production units and talking to craftsmen.
Curating brands, is equally important educating consumers. Fast fashion has infiltrated the psyche of consumers to expect cheap clothes, not to repeat clothes often and to throw away clothes soon. A big part of the edits is connecting with consumers and building a slow fashion community. “It is not an exhibition where people come, buy and leave. It is a community where people come and spend hours because they want to understand and ask questions. Kapoor says it’s important to maintain transparency and encourage consumers to ask questions of brand owners and understand where their hard-earned money is going.
In addition to their editors, Swinging bags He also organizes small community meetings in an effort to educate the audience. These include swap parties where people bring old items they no longer need and exchange them with other people’s items. They also organize workshops where the audience can interact and understand the dyeing process with unique materials such as pink and banana textiles and vegan leather, among others. “One of our brand owners dyes fabric using onion peel. So we invited people to come, do it themselves and understand the whole process. Another startup she’s excited about is resale, where customers buy back old shuffling bags they don’t need and resell them at a low price to give these clothes a new home instead of sending them to landfill. “Reselling is happening now in India. People are getting more comfortable with second hand clothes.
From attending her edits and talking to people to answering questions on the Shuffling Luggage website, Kapoor does everything for customers. “I don’t want a bot to answer these questions. I am the one who suggested this question. In addition to talking about process and origins, she also answers questions about what suits a certain body type or specific brands. “If people believe in me and my treatment and come back to me when they want something permanent, that’s a big win.”
As sustainability becomes popular, it is slowly and thoroughly changing the fashion industry, changing fashion trends from materials and designs to cycling and shopping trends.
In terms of production, many brands are dealing directly with artisans, using natural dyes and ingredients and sustainable materials, reviving traditional knowledge and encouraging appreciation of indigenous arts and crafts. This is affecting taste and making room for new sustainable trends. Materials such as khadi and cactus leather, for example, have gained a lot of attention in recent years. Sustainability is also influencing design, with trends such as anti-shock clothing becoming popular.
The consumer landscape is also changing, with customers becoming more aware of their choices and asking more questions about where their clothes come from and what’s in them. Instead of throwing away used items, they recycle or resell them. They are respected and respected for their efforts in making clothes, and they are generally enjoying a long life. “People are very aware of thrift and hoarding. There’s a lot of change in people’s mindsets. Big fast fashion brands are also opening conscious lines and talking openly about the clothes they sell, so it’s clear to see a shift in demand. As consciousness grows, the mainstream fashion industry has no choice but to respond and evolve.”
“Fashion is truly changing for the better.”
Importantly, fashion is becoming a more compassionate and inclusive place. “Slow fashion is something created with a lot of love and kindness for both the planet and the consumer.” As the industry gives way to slow fashion, with a slow production and consumption cycle, the focus is on thinking long term rather than what’s trending in the moment. “Slow fashion is not a trend. It does not need to be a trend to stay in the market. He has no age. And it doesn’t require a specific body type. It is a very beautiful concept.
Success with Kapoor Swinging bags It is also a sign that the popularity of late fashion is growing. She only visits each city once a year. The whole idea is to keep people from hoarding things. What makes her happy is that many people wait a whole year to come back. “There were people who were hardcore fashionistas who have now completely turned into slow fashion evangelists,” she laughs. “People are really changing. This makes me very proud,” he said.
Arushi Agrawal is a cultural journalist who enjoys researching, reading, writing and spending time with her cat.
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