Amit Shrivastava and Amol Upadhyay, Founders, Abstract

Tuesday August 25, 2009 , 3 min Read

Riding on the success of the two C’s - creativity and cuts, two young fashion designers from the cultural city of Vadodara are now eyeing the biggest stage that Indian fashion has to offer - the ‘Lakme Fashion Week’. It's been seven years since the designer duo of Amit Shrivastava and Amol Upadhyay set out to chase their dreams of designing trend setting wear. The journey so far has seen them become a desirous brand in Vadodara besides winning some loyalist customers globally. And as passion fuels their desire to create something still larger - their next goal is to to establish a pan-India brand.

Having met at the National Institute of Fashion Designing (NIFD) Vadodara, Amit and Amol become fast friends while pursuing their studies and decided to start their own entrepreneurial venture rather than join the regular-job-hunting-herd. Always looked upon

as stars amongst their peers for their creativity and vision, the dynamic designer duo decided to give wings to their dreams and started their journey of ‘Abstract’ - the ultimate boutique where one can find creativity in every dress. The unique part of their designs are their cuts which is the trademark of the two and the secret behind their stellar success.

The formative years of Abstract were very challenging for the two friends. “We borrowed money from some friends to start the boutique in a one-room apartment and often lived on a meal a day in order to keep expenses at a minimal", recalls Amol. "Word of mouth publicity and a whole lot of support from friends has helped establish Abstract to where it is today in the cut throat world of fashion business. Today we are proud to count renowned names globally as our regular clients", adds Amit.

With their different yet complimentary approaches and creative styles of designing clothes, the duo became famous in the city and slowly but steadily started its ride on the path of success. Abstract now boasts a roadside boutique housed in the poshest area in Vadodara, an incredible journey indeed from the one-room apartment setup seven years back. More importantly, the duos designs and talents have found a large appreciative audience in clients that swear by the duo's innovative dresses.

Gifted with mastery in designing ethnic and western wear for both sexes and across age groups, the designer duo has taken part in many fashion shows and are highly adulated for their creativity by famous models across the country. “Top models from the country like Katrina Kaif, Aditi Gowitrikar, Tejaswini Kolhapure and many more have showcased our designs in fashion shows which was a great achievement for us,” said Amit with a proud smile and glimmer in his eyes.

Called the "Manish Malhotra" of Vadodara, the duo has been profiled in the Femina magazine which was a major milestone in their journey and are now eyeing another major turning point this year. Riding high on their collective creativity and a different style of fashion, Amit and Amol are now eyeing to be a part of the Lakme India Fashion Week and wish to make a statement at the biggest fashion stage in India. “We wish to be a part of the Lakme Fashion Week in 2010 and rub shoulders with the best designers of the country. Our current topmost aim is to popularize our brand across the country,” remark Amit and Amol unequivocally.

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