Name: Rhea Pillai Rastogi
City: Mumbai, India
Occupation: Fashion Designer
ST: Please tell us briefly about you.
Rhea: I completed my formal education in Fashion Design from NIFT
Mumbai and joined the esteemed fashion house of Falguni and Shane Peacock
as an Assistant Designer for a few years. During my tenureat FSP, I developed
entrepreneurial skills enabling me to start my own label around two years
ago.While my focus is creating premium prêt wear, I am also expanding into
creating a line of Indianfusion pieces. Iris Van Herpen and Alexander McQueen
being my style inspiration, my goal is to establish a mark in the international
ready-to-wear segment.
Mumbai and joined the esteemed fashion house of Falguni and Shane Peacock
as an Assistant Designer for a few years. During my tenureat FSP, I developed
entrepreneurial skills enabling me to start my own label around two years
ago.While my focus is creating premium prêt wear, I am also expanding into
creating a line of Indianfusion pieces. Iris Van Herpen and Alexander McQueen
being my style inspiration, my goal is to establish a mark in the international
ready-to-wear segment.
ST: Who is a woman that inspires you the
most and why?
most and why?
Rhea: Nirmala Sitharaman – she is the first woman Defense Minister our
country has seen. Being an army kid and after seeing all the male role models
in my family serve the country, having a woman hold a position like this for
the first time made me beyond proud of how far womankind has come.
country has seen. Being an army kid and after seeing all the male role models
in my family serve the country, having a woman hold a position like this for
the first time made me beyond proud of how far womankind has come.
ST: How are you celebrating this year’s
International Women’s Day?
International Women’s Day?
Rhea: The whole purpose of me
being an entrepreneur is to encourage women to break down certain societal barriers because most of
the women are concentrated in low-paid, lower-skill or domestic occupations.
I want to implement policies to fight gender discrimination and encourage
diversity in my own business. This is how I am going to celebrate Women’s Day
this year.
being an entrepreneur is to encourage women to break down certain societal barriers because most of
the women are concentrated in low-paid, lower-skill or domestic occupations.
I want to implement policies to fight gender discrimination and encourage
diversity in my own business. This is how I am going to celebrate Women’s Day
this year.
ST: What is the most important message
you want to send out to all the women around the world on this occasion?
you want to send out to all the women around the world on this occasion?
Rhea: I feel very happy to celebrating this day with the all women world
over. It’s great to feel that sense of honor, pride and respect for women in
every walk of life. Every woman draws strength from her troubles to fight and
face her challenges, smiles during distress to hide her worries, all women are
superwomen and I truly believe that. This Women’s Day I urge women
everywhere to support
transgender women, women of color and disabled women.
over. It’s great to feel that sense of honor, pride and respect for women in
every walk of life. Every woman draws strength from her troubles to fight and
face her challenges, smiles during distress to hide her worries, all women are
superwomen and I truly believe that. This Women’s Day I urge women
everywhere to support
transgender women, women of color and disabled women.
ST: What according to you is ‘women
empowerment’?
empowerment’?
Rhea: According to me, women empowerment is
to give impetus to women by promoting their participation in all areas
and sectors to build stronger economies; improve their quality of life and
bring about gender equality.
to give impetus to women by promoting their participation in all areas
and sectors to build stronger economies; improve their quality of life and
bring about gender equality.
ST: What would you say are the main
challenges facing women at present in India?
challenges facing women at present in India?
To a
great extent, women in India suffer from discrimination and different kinds of
violations of their human rights. Violence against women is widespread
regardless of the nation’s laws and legislation that are supposed to prevent
this.This
would be one of the major challenges being faced by women in India today.
great extent, women in India suffer from discrimination and different kinds of
violations of their human rights. Violence against women is widespread
regardless of the nation’s laws and legislation that are supposed to prevent
this.This
would be one of the major challenges being faced by women in India today.
ST: Where do you want to see yourself in
next 5 years?
next 5 years?
Rhea: I see myself being well and truly on
my journey, because I don’t see myself just aiming to reach somewhere and stopping
there. I see myself on a ferris wheel, a never ending view of what life has to
offer and getting down to make it a reality only to take up new challenges all
over again.
my journey, because I don’t see myself just aiming to reach somewhere and stopping
there. I see myself on a ferris wheel, a never ending view of what life has to
offer and getting down to make it a reality only to take up new challenges all
over again.
 |
| Rhea Pillai Rastogi, Fashion Designer |
