Alumni
Grad is a Top Indian Fashion and Bridal Designer
Born in Mumbai, India, Krésha Bajaj’s fashion journey began at a tender age. Her father ran the bespoke brand Badasaab and his tailoring shop was her personal playground as a child. “I have been extremely attracted to everything to do with cloth and thread and transforming my mind to paper and paper to reality,” says Krésha, who studied at London College of Fashion and Parsons in New York and Paris prior to arriving at FIDM’s Los Angeles campus. Since graduating in 2012 with a Professional Designation degree in Fashion Design, Krésha returned to Mumbai where she is a top fashion and bridal designer with an eponymous two-story, Parisian-inspired boutique. We recently chatted with the FIDM Graduate, who has been featured in Vogue India, Hindustan Times, Architectural Digest India, and Times of India, among other publications, to learn more.
What was it like being an International Student at FIDM? It didn't feel any different to me. I was very comfortable with the surroundings.
What were some of the most valuable things you learned at FIDM? The best thing that happened to me at FIDM was [former instructor] John Swiatek with his no-nonsense way of teaching. Everything I had studied in the past seven years started making sense in those seven sessions.
You famously designed your own wedding clothes. What was that experience like? I had no idea how challenging it would be because I wasn't just designing my outfits, I was designing outfits for my fiance, my parents, my siblings, my fiance's mom, and six of our friends who had no knowledge about Indian clothing. Every outfit worn by every single one of us at the same functions had to be different from the other, nothing could look the same or overlap.
As every outfit had to be beautiful and unique, I started to learn more about multiple kinds of embroidery and that could make every outfit stand out in a beautiful way. Because I was designing for so many people, from different age groups and even countries, I also understood what kind of silhouettes would compliment their body and designed the outfits accordingly. To sum it up, designing outfits for my wedding functions was challenging but also helped me learn a lot.
What do you love about working with brides and designing wedding pieces? The thing that I love most about designing bridal wear is how humbled it makes me feel. The fact that it's a bride's biggest day and that she wants to choose our brand to walk down the aisle, it is an honored feeling. However, the challenge is that no two outfits created by us can look similar. Every bride is unique in her own way and we concentrate on every detail of her personality while we design her outfit. We focus on things like her story, her fiance and what he would be wearing. We ensure that the colors we suggest to the bride compliment her undertone and that the silhouette is something that flaunts her body and the outfit that she chooses says something about her personality.
I myself have been a bride and I know how it felt when I looked for a wedding outfit and just couldn't find the right fit for myself, because everywhere I went I wasn't the one wearing the clothes, they were wearing me. My wedding outfit had to be heavy, but at the same time it had to speak about my personality. Designers would only suggest outfits that were pretty and pink. No one cared about my personality, or the fact that I am detail-oriented and my hidden side is rebellious. Being a bride made me realize what was missing from the industry and I now know that when a bride is looking for something, she wants to find an outfit that defines their personality and that is something we love to create for her.
How does it feel to now have your own store and brand? It has definitely been one of the most exciting experiences since putting my brand together and having a store is something I always dreamed of. However, over the years when I had this dream, not once did I realize how challenging this would be. When I started my first boutique, I wanted to do it in a big way that required me to go all in. Endless hours, losing sleep, and constant hustle finally made the launch a success. I had never thought that owning a brand would require me to be worried about looking into the smallest details like a coffee machine leaking, store shutters getting spoilt, or even ensuring the air conditioners are in good shape.
We try to make the entire experience of a client at our store magical and effortless, with a variety of silhouettes to choose from and personal attention given to everyone, not only the boutique, but Kresha Bajaj as a brand is about creating a unique and intimate experience for our clients. The boutique embodies a service which is highly attentive to each and every client. A client is welcomed with open arms and every query is attended to. Personalized relationships are key to our boutique as we strive to truly build a relationship with each person that steps through our doors and into the boutique.
Learn more at kreshabajaj.com and on Instagram @kreshabajajofficial.
Categories: Fashion Design Alumni International
