Building Authentic Artisan Partnerships with Anjali Purohit
Brand Feature: Anjali Purohit & Studio Variously
Hi, Anjali! It was such a pleasure to discover your brand in Detroit and learn about your commitment to heritage textiles and the artisan experience. We are looking forward to sharing more about your work at Variously and the values of your company.
What are the origins of Variously and how did you discover that you wanted to start a brand?
Origins of Variously are deeply rooted in my previous work experiences that have been extremely diverse, as I have lived and worked in several places, with people of different cultural backgrounds. Having worked in the industry professionally for 15 years I learned that there are several people and factors involved behind the making of a well-thought, well-made product. The complexity of how to make a seamless product, especially in the artisan-based supply chain, has always intrigued me. Hence the name Variously came into being.
The need to connect more genuinely and directly to artisan-made techniques as always been on my mind, as I have worked on several industry-based production scale projects. Variously is an honest attempt to create an independent studio & label that keeps sustainable design at its core.
You’ve lived in numerous places around the world, can you share more about those experiences? How have these travels played a part in your life and influenced your brand?
Living in culturally diverse places has been the best teacher for me personally. I went to pursue my design education away from my hometown at a very young age and it taught me early to step out of my comfort zone and be more tenacious in my attitude. Learning by observation and adapting to new environments has been key to growth personally and professionally. These experiences hugely influence my brand Variously as I collaborate with diverse groups of artisans on a day to day basis for production-scale projects. It helps me work around the known and unknown challenges. It also teaches you to be more open-minded, receptive to changes in your ideas, and appreciate someone else’s cultural nuances and learn from them.
Also envisioning market placement for the textiles is something that my travel experiences always helps with, as you can see how the product will be used/placed in a completely different setup or personal space.
“It is extremely important for me that the artisan family involved knows me ... and I learn about them. I consider this a stepping stone to creating a sustainable relationship. ”
When did you start to explore ethics and sustainability on the production side of the fashion industry? How did that shape your business?
Exploring the ethical and sustainable side of fashion was a very organic process. In India, textiles especially have a legacy that goes back thousands of years. For example, a classic sari is handed down through generations, worn and cherished for its handwork. Walking down to local markets to explore fabrics, materials and giving it personally to your family tailors is a very common culture ingrained in our upbringing. This has always been part of the lifestyle there, long before any terms like fast fashion or slow fashion came into being.
I feel these personal experiences always stay with me. Even while pursuing corporate jobs and working with large scale factories as a designer, the organic path inspired me more. Understanding sustainable and ethical practices was also a large part of my design education in India and Italy, which is why I feel that the formal design education plays a very important role in shaping our thoughts and actions especially while pursuing an entrepreneurial path.
I have been very fortunate to get a lot of hands-on industry exposure while studying due to the way our courses were structured. Those experiences were impressionable. My professors also instilled a solid understanding and support towards how sustainable design needs to be scalable in nature. Having such supportive mentors early on has been instrumental for me for shaping my business in the later years.
Your brand is deeply connected with and works with multiple artisan families. Can you share more about how that collaboration came about and ethical production behind it?
I personally research and connect with every artisan partner involved directly, without any middlemen or agency. This is extremely important for me that the artisan family involved knows me, my way of working and similarly, I learn about them. I consider this as a stepping stone to creating a sustainable relationship. This is a very time consuming and slow process but ensures transparency in the production & sampling process as I know exactly every single step and person involved which is the core of any ethical practice.
Your brand does a wonderful job sharing the stories behind our textiles and the people who make your products. Can you share about your documentary series, Resa Threads and A Confluence, that was featured at Milan Fashion Film Festival? What you hope viewers will gain from watching them?
Creating short documentaries is very much like giving a hands-on visual experience to our customers, buyers, market and people in general who want to learn about the process involved. The beauty of the product is actually in its process and people involved, which is the main takeaway for making our documentaries. Our textiles have a deep connection to people, culture, and the materials that make them more unique. Creating awareness about how much genuine work goes into making 1 piece of handloom textile is the main intent.
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the fashion industry today? Is there anything you wish more people knew about?
There are several challenges. Excess of products available at consumers’ disposal, along with cheaper quality products is a big one. With cheap, I also mean the use of synthetic materials that is eventually heavily costing our environment. I wish people knew of better options available, which are always there. For smaller independent designers and brands spending money on marketing like big-box retailers is impossible. Which is also why many times people are simply not aware of the options available, which might cost more but will also last more and will be made fairly.
“The beauty of the product is actually in its process and the people involved.”
What advice do you give to brand owners who are looking to build ethical and sustainable practices into their brands?
Do your research well. Spend enough time as it’s a cost-intensive practice and there are no short cuts.
Running your own business can be a journey! What sort of challenges do you face? Does your focus on ethical supply chains add any barriers?
The main challenges are to do with cost and time. For example, logistics heavily drives a lot of cost & time which for a smaller business can be hard to manage. Focusing on ethical supply chain comes at a price, and to help the consumer understand that is a bit of a challenge as there is so much cheaper surplus available in the market. But when more people, brands, and businesses join this effort it surely catches up.
The stores I collaborate with have been especially so supportive in relaying this message to the end consumers. Also as a brand, we try to directly educate our consumers via social media, short documentaries, and by selectively participating in events year-round.
Threaded was built on the idea that Midwest is more than a flyover when it comes to a conscious approach to fashion. As someone who isn’t from here, but has recently called it home — What do you wish more people knew about fashion in the Midwest and what do you love most about living and working here in Detroit?
There is a great pool of talent in the Midwest and Detroit, that is creating jobs and creating inspiring lines of work which are getting a lot of appreciation globally. I admire the attention to detail in design and the need for things to last longer, which I feel is very midwestern in culture.
I especially admire the access & approachability to people and ideas in Detroit. Detroit is always building, creating, and adding to its strong legacy of manufacturing and this continues to inspire me as a designer.
When you aren’t teaching or working on your business, what can we find you doing? Are there any places in Detroit, or otherwise, that you love to spend your time?
As I manage everything myself I am constantly working, many times even on weekends. Cooking is therapeutic for me especially while learning to cook something new! Being with my family & friends, especially biking in nearby trails with my son & husband is my most favorite way to spend time.
What are your thoughts on how designers and industry professionals can shift the industry to one we can all be proud to be a part of? How can we support you and your work?
I think by creating platforms where independent designers can show their work effortlessly and having more stores & buyers aware of such designers is a productive & sustainable way to support the work we are doing. It takes a village for sure and every outreach matters. It's very encouraging when we have interior studios / stores / clients who want to re-order or online customers who reach out to us to update them with new lines, or simply when people want to learn more about how the textile is made. This kind of support truly ensures sustainability in ethical practices.
You can follow the work of Anjali at @studiovariously. If you’re even more curious, watch her documentary A Confluence, to get an inside look at how her textiles are created from start to finish.