Payal Singhal: Designer to the Stars

By Tanvi Rastogi @tanvii & online at: tanvii.com

Fresh from the success of her recent collection Lady Sahara at Lakmé Fashion Week, we spoke to Payal Singhal on what it takes to be in such a competitive field while balancing motherhood.

When Payal isn’t jet-setting between her homes in New York and Mumbai, she has her hands full as mother to a 5-year-old and as a successful designer who has styled Bollywood’s elite. She gives us a glimpse of how she manages it all in this interview I did with her on her career and motherhood.

What inspired you to become a designer?

My parents did. They were manufacturers of ready-to-wear Indian garments and I grew up in the midst of fabric and tailors and embroidery and loved it.

How do you juggle parenting and work?

I work out of home a lot and I also try to work while my son is at school or out to play. It’s not easy but having a schedule helps juggle it.

Why is working while being a mom important to you?

I think working keeps me sane and I love what I do so I don’t think I’d be happy if I quit working to raise my son. I don’t mind working a bit less so I have more time for him but I want to keep working for as long as I can.

What do you think holds South Asian women back when it comes to pursuing their dreams?

I think they always put their family before themselves and almost feel guilty if they want to do something for themselves. It’s a cultural thing I think.

What is the inspiration behind your latest collection?

I wanted to play with the idea of French fashion and Moroccan architecture. The idea was inspired by the time Morocco was occupied by the French in the early 1900’s.

Describe your style esthetics in 3 words.

Clean, Comfortable and Edgy

Who is your favorite designer?

I like the work of so many designers. It’s really hard to say who my favorite is but I wear a lot of Max Azria and love his fluid, clean and yet complex wearable cuts.

Whom would you love to dress?

I would love to dress Nicole Richie and Sienna Miller.

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What role has social media played in your life, if any?

Social media has played a huge role in my work life. When I started working out of New York 10 years back, we had absolutely no budget to market the brand, so word of mouth and emails were all we had to bank on and now we get instant gratification from social media. The minute any garment goes online or is posted somewhere, we start to get orders.

Lastly, any advice for the working moms out there?

I think I’m still a work in progress trying to achieve the right balance, but so far I think I will say, come to terms with how much you can realistically achieve being a working mom and be ok with that, is the best advice I will give.

You can check out Payal Singhal‘s  latest collection at www.payalsinghal.com

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