The Papa Don't Preach Yearbook: Page 19

“Everyone knows how a lehenga looks but not many know how it’s made” - REGENCY CHORDIA

Most Likely To: Forget everything in 30 seconds.?

How did you get into fashion production?

“Production was never part of the plan. I have a Bachelor’s in Fashion Design and that’s always the route I wanted to take. Papa Don’t Preach was my dream fashion house; so much so that it was on my vision board. When I applied, they only had openings in the production department. I weighed my options and realized that production was a by-product and a very important part of design so it would give me the skills I need if I ever wanted to be a designer. Especially for a luxury brand, everything is made in-house, so production knowledge becomes imperative. I started off as an intern over a year and a half ago and then slowly moved up the ladder to production executive and then recently got promoted to assistant production manager.”

What does your role entail?

“It revolves around customizing a garment for a client. So it starts with fabric procurement for the outfit, vendor meetings for raw materials, detailing the embroidery needs and then working with the karigars and the design team to complete the garment. With production, we’re not creating an outfit but re-creating it because each outfit is tailored and customized for the buyer. A made to measure brand differs from fast fashion and ready-to-wear when it comes to production because most of their clothes are mass produced. Our processes and timelines depend entirely on the client’s customisation.”

What are some of the challenges you face in your role and how do you overcome them?

“There are quite a few challenges that come with quality checks, stitching repairs, fitting issues. We have a fixed way of taking measurements, even if the buyer is in a different country, we do a video call to demonstrate our process to ensure a perfect fit. When it comes to raw materials and quality checks, we maintain cordial and long-term relationships with our vendors to get the best products and prices. I did not come from a production background so there was a steep learning curve where I made a lot of mistakes. Sakshi Jain , our Head of Indian Garments showed me the way at that time.

The way I overcame a lot of challenges was by learning the product, the fabric, the design, details and description, which outfit requires what fabric and the silhouette that goes with it. When you know the product inside-out, the process of making it becomes easier.

At the production unit, we divide our team into embroidery and stitching. I handle stitching, which goes into repairs, alterations, threads, zippers and buttons. The little details matter like, how we increase the thickness of the material around the zipper to prevent it from getting stuck, how we level and drape a garment etc. We even sit with Taufiq Bhai, our embroidery supervisor and learn the basics of stitching from him. So it’s really all about refining your knowledge of the product.”

There are a lot of misconceptions about what goes into the making of a lehenga, how would you describe the process?

“Once the lehenga is designed, three masters (tailors) custom cut the panels (kalis) after which the base is put on the khat (embroidery board) where 15-20 karigars will work on the stencil to embroider in every detail. This alone takes between 10-12 days and 40 hands. After embroidery, finishing and quality checks, it goes into stitching. This takes about a week and two tailors. The timeline increases to allow for quality control when you add the intricate embroidery and 3D embellishments. Overall, it takes over a month to make the lehenga and then another month for the blouse and dupatta. After the final quality check, we send it to the client for approval and fitting. The entire process is rigorous but is pivotal knowledge for anyone in production and design. Everyone knows how a lehenga looks but not many know how it’s made.”

What is your current favorite Papa Don’t Preach lehenga?

“Definitely the Bradshaw lehenga. It's a Brick brown tulle lehenga with embellished flower motif in neon glass cut beads, and sequins. I love it because of how simple yet glamorous the design is.”

Over the course of your tenure at Papa Don’t Preach, what have been some of your key learnings?

“When I joined, we only had 12 tailors and a small production space. The first four months were the toughest for me because of the amount of learning I still had to do. By mid January 2022 we had shifted to a much bigger unit with a larger team - our capacity for production increased to 200-300 pieces a month. I suddenly found myself setting up the unit with the help of Divya Jain and Sakshi Jain , organizing the fabric stock room, the offices and the tools we would need. In the beginning we didn’t have basic facilities because of the move and we would manually set up a make-shift lunch table and eat together.? That shift was a game-changer for me because I learned the nitty-gritty of production, and I developed a personal relationship with our staff and team. Patience is the key virtue in the production unit because each team needs time for changes. I learned how to speak to vendors, how to communicate the design aesthetic to our karigars. I learned the importance of each person’s role and the ins and outs of our production process. Overall I developed an in-depth knowledge of the ‘behind the scenes’ of a fashion house, which is the cornerstone of becoming a fashion designer.”

What is your vision for the next phase in your life and career??

“I started my education with a goal to become a fashion designer someday so my vision has always been to explore the design side of fashion. This would include, designing, sampling and styling pieces. I have always found it difficult to find stylish clothes that fit and suit my body type so my hope is to design pieces for larger or curvier bodies that accentuate their figure. I love couture, structured pieces, drapes - that is what I would like to incorporate into my designs. I want to construct pieces that I find to be missing the market.”?