My journey started at NIFT Mumbai. I'll be honest, garment construction was never my strength. What I was good at, and genuinely drawn to, was ready to wear fashion, spotting trends early and staying tuned to what people actually wanted to wear.
That instinct took shape when I stepped into the retail side of the fashion industry, where I learned a truth about India that most of the country is deeply price-sensitive and great design means nothing if it doesn't reach people.
From there, I moved into luxury ethnic fashion, and everything changed. I learned that the smallest details matter the most, the colour of an embroidery thread, the fall of a fabric, the difference a few millimetres can make. It taught me a kind of precision I hadn't valued before.
Wanting to see the industry from a wider lens, I went on to pursue my master's in Fashion Management at Domus Academy, Milan. There, I discovered that fashion is so much more than design: it's buying, branding, storytelling, building campaigns that make a brand mean something.
And then, after meeting Harshil Bohra, a retail entrepreneur of menswear brand, everything came together. We started this brand with one shared vision: to create something meaningful. Garments that are made for everyday wear, thoughtfully, without losing the detail or the intention behind them.
That's how Oat Project began.