If your fashion is on-point, this is a secret you are in on
You won’t find an advertisement for this one-year old brand, but if your sense of fashion is on-point, then this is a secret you are already in on. RITZ catches up with Urmilla Agarwal, the gorgeous lady who designs under her label Mint Closet.
Though a designer for over five years, Urmilla Agarwal has been in the business of making women fashionable through her label Mint Closet, for the last year now. After becoming a mother, this pretty lady realised just how much she missed designing. “That was when I decided to start making clothes not only for myself, but for close friends and family as well,” says Urmilla.
Urmilla’s been a trendsetter of sorts in the fashion circles in Chennai. “I do a lot of mixing of prints in my looks – something which I had to convince a lot of clients to try since the trend hadn’t hit the city as yet. Now clients seem to be warming up to the idea,” she tells us. “The first time I designed a cape dress, something the city had not seen at all, I recall hearing comments like ‘bat wings’ or ‘Supergirl’. But now clients who come to me demand the cape dress… it’s become a rage in the city!” She explains how she further encourages her clients to experiment with fashion by tweaking stereotypes a bit and mixing prints on cape dresses, thereby adding her own unique touch to the garments she creates.
It has just been through word of mouth and regular social media updates that have kept the customers coming and Mint Closet on its toes. A strong believer in custom and tailor-made clothes, the very thought of mass-production her designs is enough to put an otherwise peppy Urmilla off.
“People come to me and tell me they want me to work my magic and make them something special. And most of my clients give me a free hand to create what I feel will suit them,” says Urmilla. She describes how she appreciates being given a free hand to try new styles and designs and is thrilled that people have the confidence in her design and visualisation skills. Her designs range in price from as low as `4,000 all the way up to `15,000 depending on the intricacy of each style she creates.
While talking about what is in store she says, “I have already received orders from Hyderabad, Kerala and Mumbai. I have quite a big market in Bengaluru, but a store is not what I have in mind right now.”
Urmilla prefers to design western wear in comparison to Indian wear, but does offer both at Mint Closet. When asked about a style she likes and is in trend, she exclaims, “I love the anti-structure trend! Although most people think it looks like a sack, I absolutely love it. I don’t think the trend has caught on too much in India just yet though.”
She mentions a new concept she is working on with the help of her husband – an expansion project of sorts. However, seems like the designer would like to keep it all hush hush for now.
Looks like we’ll have to wait for the grand reveal!
