
Severe Agarwal
Graphic: Mexy Xavier digital imaging: Kapil Kashyap
Harsh Agarwal | 27
Founder and innovative director, HARAGO
On the early morning of October 8, 2021, Severe Agarwal noticed a spike in the range of followers and a flood of notifications on his trend label’s Instagram account. On scrolling down, he uncovered photographs of popular English singer Harry Types donning Harago’s hand-embroidered carrot farm shorts whilst arriving in Florida. Agarwal was ecstatic to come across the trend icon validating his label. The founder of the Jaipur-primarily based label considers himself an outsider in the planet of trend.
A liberal arts graduate from Symbiosis, Pune, majoring in economics, Agarwal focussed on sustainable enhancement in his school times. Throughout his internship at the United Nations headquarters in New York, he met different people functioning on sustainable fashion and noticed an option in India. He realised trend and textiles ended up his calling and returned residence.
What started out out as a homegrown menswear label with the assist of his mother and sister, and one particular tailor in 2019, is now a crew of 20, comprising tailors, junior designers, and a production-in-demand with stitching currently being outsourced to factories with an increase in the quantity of orders.
“Harsh styles for his area of interest clientele instinctively. Whimsical embroidery finds its way onto its cuts for the adventurer, and clean up handwoven fabric with tasteful aspects marry outfits for the specific who sports activities a more typical glance,” states Hema Shroff Patel, textile practitioner and founder of Amba (a textile innovation task). “He is dedicated to quality do the job and constructing prolonged-phrase interactions with his artisans.”
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Agarwal suggests, “When I was starting Harago, I resolved not to endorse it as moral or gradual vogue.” He believes trend, with its changing developments and seasons, and with an insatiable need for newness from potential buyers, can under no circumstances be 100 per cent sustainable. “My thought was to just focus on craftsmanship and on showcasing India’s artisanal heritage. I am hoping to assistance artisans keep on the legacy of their craft. It’s that very simple,” he clarifies.
“I’m regularly performing on new types and there is constantly a new sample staying made just about every working day,” says Agarwal. “Whenever we have at least 105 items prepared, we drop it on our social media web page for pre-orders. We do 4 drops in a calendar year.”
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Throughout the Covid-19 lockdown, although rummaging and sorting as a result of the heirlooms of his mother and his grandmother, Agarwal observed a new source of inspiration for the label. Following the lockdown, he also received a good deal of queries from international prospective buyers to inventory his new assortment. That was a tipping place. Nowadays, the label retails to London-based mostly apparel retailer Matches Manner, Montreal-primarily based multi-model retailer Ssense, LMDS Shanghai, and Boyhood, Korea, to name a couple of.
Tan France, tv host and trend designer, suggests, “I had followed Harago for a few months ahead of achieving out to Severe Agarwal to talk to to use the model on my Netflix show, Queer Eye. When I obtained them, I fell even much more in like with them. The high quality is great, and the items are so unique.” He provides: “Harsh has such a good eye for structure that incorporates lovely, common craftsmanship, teamed with extra modern-basic silhouettes.”
Agarwal has a lot to appear forward to. “We are launching our 1st womenswear and bags selection exclusively on Matches Fashion this summer months,” he claims.
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(This story seems in the 10 February, 2023 challenge of Forbes India. To go to our Archives, click below.)
