Today we’d like to introduce you to Navya Kaur and Abira Kaur.
Navya, Abira, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
In hindsight, it seems inevitable that I ended up choosing fashion. I grew up roaming Delhi textile markets with my grandmother, laying on the couch while watching my cousin sketch beautiful designs, and going luxury shoe shopping with my father. Using clothing as a medium of expression and art was natural and more than often an avenue for me to escape reality. The idea that an individual could make a statement about their identity solely due to the cloth they chose to put on their body was incredibly intriguing to me. In my mind, that was how you truly gained control over your self-concept.
And just as fashion seemed to be my inevitable path due to my environment, so did the decision to use it as a platform for social consciousness. I’ve spent my life living in a pristine suburbia of Texas, where I spent my days sipping iced coffees and living in privileged oblivion. But then, every year or so, I was uprooted from my comfortable naivety and put in the complicated, beautiful chaos that is India. It was there that I first recognized the raw nature of humans – hope, greed, ambition, spirituality, ignorance, beauty. It was eye-opening.
It was out of the duality of my Indian and American identity that Kaahani was born. I had seen both sides. I had seen privilege, comfort, luxury. But I had also seen loss, need, and hunger. I felt an intense desire to use the lucky hand of cards I was dealt with in my life to uplift others along with me. With my exposure to handicraft markets and love for fashion, it seemed natural and obvious to create a brand that provided beautiful products that tell the story of real people who have just as many hopes and dreams as I do. Many of the artisans in India practice crafts that have been carried down from generation to generation, and they continue to sell their handicrafts with a common goal in mind: sending their children to school so that they can break out of the poverty cycle. It is my hope that through the efforts of our brand, we can sustain these hardworking, talented people. Rather than going through third-party vendors, our clients are able to purchase straight from craftsmen. We carefully curate collections of artisan-made products, allowing them to earn much higher margins on their craft than they typically would through third-party vendors. Kaahani is our medium of choice to showcase the artisan trade. It is their story and mine.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Two years ago, this company looked completely different.
I was only a sophomore in college with very little knowledge on what it meant to start a business when Kaahani first launched. Being a hungry, ambitious and naive student meant that I didn’t understand what it meant to run a company. I remember googling how to write a business plan!
All I cared about was saving the world and providing customers with beautiful things. Fashion is my love language, but if we’re honest it can be a dirty business. It is disheartening to hear the stories of large corporations exploiting low cost labor in sweatshops thousands of miles away. I made a very intentional decision that I wanted our platform to be different.
Choosing to work with a socially conscious mission is hard because you have a responsibility to not only sell your products for their quality but sell a value system along with it. Our perspective is that everyone has the ability to choose whether their output in this world will be positive or negative. I wake up everyday with the drive to leave the world a little bit better than the way it was when I was brought into it.
After college, my sister joined the team and she has been instrumental in making this company what it is today. We work together daily to bring Kaahani to its full potential. She spearheads marketing and PR while I focus on business development, and together- we are a dream team. At the end of the day, it’s about the people. We love interacting with artisan partners, customers, and being able to share our perspective on what matters most-whether that is in regards to ethics, sustainability or overarching themes that affect humanity.
This business isn’t easy or straightforward, but nothing lights us up the way the Kaahani mission does.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Kaahani – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Handicraft markets are tiny little ecosystems tucked into pockets of India. As you enter through the gates and follow the wrinkled cobblestone walkway to the open pavilion, scents of natural dyed fabric and freshly ground spices fill the open air. Small huts line the walkway and the senses explode with the sight of bright colors, ornate textures, and smells of powerful fragrances. A craftsman leans back on his chair with his feet propped on a stool, simply at ease behind his life’s work of hand-painted canvases. Covered in intricate lines and vibrant pigments, the paintings lay stacked within the booth.
He is the original innovator, artist, and entrepreneur of today. He is our Kaahani.
Here at Kaahani, we pride ourselves in providing small-batch goods, meaning that we only carry a handful of each style. This way, each product is one-of-a-kind and specially made for you. The artisans who create your products bring you authentic, wearable stories from India and gorgeous, fashionable pieces that will complete your wardrobe.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Our goal continues to be the same as it has been: positively impact as many artisan workers as possible. This means providing employment, fair wages, and a platform to showcase their incredible artistry.
Our world functions far better when we embrace each other rather than fear each other. I’m excited to meet new artisans, understand their story and expand our work in other countries.
Contact Info:
- Website: kaahani.com
- Email: hello@kaahani.com
- Instagram: @ourkaahani
- Other: personal instagram: @navyakaur @abirakaur
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