DESIGNERS
Priti By Design
Designer Name: Priti Bali-Kahn
Label Name: Priti By Design
Website: www.pritibydesign.com
Origin: New York City, USA
I’m super-excited about putting my concept forth with an organization that has similar values to my own. Nolcha's ability and commitment to creating a valuable stage for independent designers inspires me, and allows me a chance at my dream. There is no gift more important than that.
Background: I am researcher and style maven at heart. Style has always been a personal passion, until I decided to make it a professional passion. I am of Indian descent, and grew up in NYC. That combination of factors defines my style and fashion very deeply. The Indian in me seeks flair and drama, while the New York in me seeks sophistication and efficiency. My only formal education in fashion came from a year's worth of classes at FIT as a continuing ED student, and an apprenticeship I undertook with a costume designer. Outside of that, I have let my love for style guide most of my design. I also possess a strong background in business management that I bring to bear on this adventure.
Vision: My goal is to make Modular Clothing a reality. I'd like folks to make decisions from a place of "do more with less". Sustainable fashions, accessible by multiple socio-economic levels, is my ultimate vision. I want women to feel empowered through my clothing to make better decisions about style and the environment.
Signature style: Modular clothing. I love the beautiful silhouettes the greats of our industry have made real. I want to take those beautiful silhouettes and present them in an innovative way. Allowing my woman to unhook, unzip & unsnap her life, and take one look into the next, depending on her day.
Influence: I have many influences. Alexander McQueen, Sonia Rykiel, Nanette Lepore are some key influences. But also, the beauty and elegance of Audrey Hepburn has inspired me for a long time. Sustainable design is a major influence. I want to keep going at it till we can find a sustainable format for manufacturing, and using clothing. The use & throw society has been a major influence in what not to do.
Brand philosophy: Live and let live. Women need to express themselves through their clothes, and we should allow them maximum leverage to do just that. I want modular clothing to be something women think about as a gift, to themselves. A way to go from ball-gown to little black dress in one deft move. I want my brand to stand for dignity of labor, sustainable manufacturing and giving back. I want people to understand that our mass consumerism isn't creating the type of world we'd like to leave behind.
Making it happen: I have been blessed in that I have found the people, and things, I need to keep moving forward. My own career provided me with the key financial stability I needed to keep prodding forward. But it was the amazing people who have joined my cause, and put their heart into it that are making the dream a reality. My team is my greatest bragging right.
Celebrity crush: Audrey Hepburn. She was an elegant woman, supremely talented, with a heart of gold. While she mesmerized us on the screen, it was her humanitarian efforts that made her the ultimate goddess. I see those traits in others of my generation too. Charlize Theron, Rosario Dawson being just two amazing examples of the kind of woman I have a celebrity crush on.
What does New York City mean to you? New York City was, is, and always will be home. It's my foundation. My roots. It's where I learned to be the confident woman that I am today. It is my heart and soul. It also happens to be the center of the world, in every way. New York is the place where chances are taken, and dreams are attained. While the American dream seems a figment in today's angry world, I still meet people everyday who make their way to New York because dreams still come true here. How awesome is it to have a chance to dress the women that are chasing their dreams, and attaining them!