Shweta Deliwala, Founder, Attic - A fashion and lifestyle store

If your taste in fashion leans towards designer wear, and Haute Couture is an intricate part of your world, then our Featured Entrepreneur is a person you might want to know better. Bringing fresh and quirky lifestyle products and designs from a plethora of designers is Shweta Deliwala’s entrepreneurial venture of choice. Her company Attic - A fashion and lifestyle store is a platform for fresh new talent. 

Shweta unveiled her work to Yourstory saying “Attic is a fashion and lifestyle store, conceptualized over a year ago. The goal was to be consistently innovative; to establish a place one turns to for fresh ideas; where one finds art in design.

One year later, I can proudly say that we achieved our goal and much more! We have managed to create an ambience that lets you explore, discover and lose yourself all at the same time.”

“Featuring over 16 designers and artists from across the country, Attic offers an eclectic range of fashion, accessories, furniture, and lifestyle products. It has come to be recognized as a platform for new talent, a place to find works of young designers who offer unconventionality in their art, attracting anyone with an affinity for the quirky.”

For the doubting mind who might think that they have seen this before Shweta states “Attic is a one of kind store that offers a varied yet unusual collection of products. The concept is very new for the Indian market and we plan to take advantage of this novelty and hope to grow into other cities very soon.”

“In a short period of one year, we have received an overwhelming response not only from our customers but also from the emerging designers in Mumbai and across the globe.

The fact that we have come to be known as a platform for new talent, a fancy portal of sorts for them to break into the top end of the market is being much appreciated by the young designers. And our customers can’t get enough of the ambience and the service that we provide at the store along with the abundance in choice of our products.”

“At the risk of sounding clichéd ‘We truly give our customers a complete and unique shopping experience’.” 

Shweta has delved into the mind of her buyers and walked a mile in their shoes. She says “What sets Attic apart from other stores is that we think from our customer’s point of view.

In today’s times, everyone is a jetsetter. Traveling all over the world with access to any and every new product there is to buy. We keep these jetsetters interested and coming back for more by being attentive to their needs, consistently innovative and always on the look out for new products. In addition to that we provide a great shopping experience by creating a pleasant ambience along with one-on-one interaction with our customers.”

While you might be fretting that Mumbai seems to be getting all the attention, Shweta eases our collective minds saying “We are working towards growing by branching out into other cities.”

For Shweta the entrepreneurial quest had been beckoning for some time. She says “It has always been a dream to have my own business. In fact I moved back to India to start my company, it was always the plan….it was only a matter of time. 9-5 jobs have their perks but it was never inspiring or challenging enough for me.”

However, Shweta has found out to her chagrin that ground reality is a hurdle in her path to delivering great fashion. She laments “I am most affected with how unprofessional people are in this industry. Nobody believes in keeping appointments or meeting deadlines! I am not sure if I have overcome this challenge, but I have definitely learnt to be patient and always have a plan B.”

Her work and her dedication have been recognized and adulated by those who know her industry best. She gushes with pride while revealing “Apart from being constantly featured in several of the countries top fashion magazines like Elle, Vogue, Verve etc, Attic has also enjoyed some great media coverage like Zee Business, NewsX, CNBC Awaaz – Smart Shopping and NDTV - Cool Q.”

“We have also been given the “AWARD FOR CONTRIBUTION TO FASHION INDUSTRY” presented by the Indira Group of Institutes, Pune. The Indira Group is Pune’s best Business School and believes in continuous innovation and change.” 

Shweta needs no more motivation aside from the competition that keeps nipping at her heels. She states “There is so much competition in this business and that is the single most driving factor to stay on top and hold your ground. There are so many stores aping to be like Attic, there is no time for slack!” 

Shweta has the blueprints to a bigger and better “Attic” ready for deployment. She shared her goals for the future saying “India has immense talent and we want Attic to be a platform for the new creative generation. In 2010 we are looking at taking this concept to the next level by experimenting with new varied products and promote art & design in every form.

We also plan to move to a larger space in Mumbai and introduce Attic to more cities in India.”  

Shweta has but a simple hymn to offer to budding entrepreneurs and she invokes it thrice saying “Never give up Never give up Never give up”

We wish to see the Attic and Shweta spread their wings across Indian cities, and eagerly await the day we can saunter into their stores.

Yourstory hopes to see Shweta leading the race and finding success with each new day