Tag: spotlight

Spotlight: Sherry Shroff


Meet model-turned-blogger-turned-YouTuber Sherry Shroff. Warm and bubbly, her #awesomesauce lies in her authenticity and genuine love for what she does. If you have caught even the slightest glimpse of her channel, you know exactly what I mean. From how to grow and sustain a channel to how she handles hate, she spoke to HHC about it all. Excerpts from a chat: 

Before we begin, can we take a minute to trace the history of hashtag awesomesauce?
I don’t remember where I saw it for the first time and I don’t claim to have invented it but it was one of those things that caught my eye in the digital boom. You know how some words just catch on? This one stayed with me because it’s pretty much the summary of my thought process: life is great and everything is amazing. Somewhere down the line, people began identifying #awesomesauce with me because I say it a lot. Let’s just say I am a big repeater of words!

How did you discover the world of video?
It all started when I was modeling. Friends started asking me for fashion and beauty advice so I began writing a blog. It was the thing to do and I enjoyed fashion but I had no intention to monetize it. Soon after, I realized that a blog would never be my strength. I was a terrible writer, my spellings were atrocious and it used to take me a whole day to write one post! I remember asking myself: Why am I writing this if I can’t write?
Around the same time, I was approached by a network for a video blogging format and I took it up as just as another modeling assignment. After about 9-10 months, I took a leap of faith and decided to start my own channel. I shot my first video on my webcam at a hotel in Rajasthan and that video is still on my channel! 

What is the secret ingredient in your #awesomesauce?
I have only one secret: Content is king. It’s cliche, but also true. You can buy as many followers as you like, but if your content is not good, you won’t grow. I’m also a big fan of keeping things organic, that’s the only way to sustain yourself.
I feel lucky to have my own channel. I wake up thinking about content to create. I don’t have a bank of videos and I don’t schedule anything. I don’t think of fancy brand collaborations or how many subscribers I want in five years. For me, it’s never been about numbers. At the end of the day, as a blogger or YouTuber, you are your viewership. So don’t be fake, stay organic, focus on the content and that’s the secret to #awesomesauce!

And lastly, how do you deal with hate?
It’s part of the process. You have to realize and acknowledge that you can’t please everyone. I am a people pleaser by nature. I respond to people even if they are being obnoxious. If anyone is abusive, I delete, block and report but only after letting them know that it won’t be tolerated on my channel. I don’t want to give that person the satisfaction of trying to bully me. Today it’s me, tomorrow it’s going to be a young 14-year-old creator who doesn’t know how to defend himself or herself.
Often, people don’t know if they are being rude or constructive. Haters think that if you are putting yourself out there, you better listen to them. There are no filters on the internet so it’s very easy to throw shade on someone with just a random name and email or picture. I think it’s important to take criticism constructively, but it’s more important not to be affected by the voices.

Images via Sherry’s Instagram. Check out her channel here.

  • Leave a comment

    Comment image 7

  • Like it? Share it!
1

Spotlight: The Fashion BARN


If you have a soft spot for the words ‘Made in India’ and are drawn to a minimal, contemporary aesthetic, you have probably heard of The Fashion BARN. The online shopping haven houses curated collections focusing on apparel and accessories for men, women and kids; home decor and select gourmet (there’s peanut caramel chocolate involved). Their brand philosophy is as unpretentious as the brands (seasoned or emerging) they carry: “The work has to be product of their passion, those who do not follow the path of large-scale mass production.” We chatted with Namrata Soni & Kavya Sheth, the talented duo of The Fashion BARN, to know more:

In this highly merched world, what makes The Fashion BARN stand out? 

Short answer: The TFB team! From e-commerce and fashion retail, to engineering and software, to design, our team comes from various backgrounds and that’s what makes us so holistically power packed. Our brands, the curation process, our stylists… everything sets us apart. On the business front, our focus is not just online, but also offline. Our calendar is packed with pop-up events and shop-in-shops across India and the US.

Let’s do a quick SWOT analysis of TFB:
• Strength: Fresh, unique and tastefully curated. Caters to both genders as well as kids/homes, offline events in India and the USA.
Weakness: No permanent offline presence yet although our goal is to do an offline event every month.
Opportunity: Extremely talented designers in India & a ready market of aspirational shoppers in India & globally.
Threat: Manufactures who themselves produce similar merchandise at lower costs.

Finally, for all the designers reading this, what does a label need to make the cut to reach your platform?
A label needs to be fresh, contemporary, minimal, and very finely crafted. It’s really just that easy to make the cut to TFB. We love onboarding brands whose products capture their talent, love and passion.

P.S: Look up Fashion BARN here.

Image credit: The Fashion BARN

  • Leave a comment

    Comment image 0

  • Like it? Share it!
2

Spotlight: Kalki


Filter coffee on a nippy day, the chatter of old grannies while you soak in the sounds of a temple procession in the street beside yours, the glossy textural patterns of ‘athungudi’ tiles, the sepia stained photographs of your distant relatives that somehow made their way into your old suitcases.

You are taking in the languid unfolding of the slow life as it happens. Savouring it.

Then you must be the girl who adores Kalki.

hhc-kalki-1

Kalki, is the brainchild (or should I say dreamchild) of Coimbatore based Karunya Rajan. A former engineering graduate, Karunya decided the desk life was not for her. She immersed in the familiarity around her to lead her onto what is her passion now: creating effortlessly chic clothing.

Kalki, is the go to label for pieces that make you feel light, unencumbered and free. Inspired by the khadhi and linen wearing men and the crisp cotton and Kashmiri silks wearing women of her family, Karunya wanted to start her own clothing label.

I love that Kalki rings true to it’s philosophy and is fashioned from natural fibres and organic cottons. Her latest collection ‘mere’ for example, was inspired by the ‘naar’ or aloe vera jute fibres she chanced upon during a weekly market visit.

hhc-kalki-2

The silhouettes and lines are simple and fuss free. We are talking A-line dresses and charming crop tops and gathered skirts, all with a very subtle feminine flair. The individual pieces can be layered to create ethereal looks. A lot of her fabrics have subtle texture and pattern play of checks vs. stripes. I also love the little, almost discreet details scattered through the garments… Karunya does a playful riff on embroidery with little patches here and there. I find myself drawn to Kalki’s aesthetic as I grow older because the idea of savouring life and its little moments appeals to me. I love that the garment I wear has had deliberation and thought gone into it. I love the sincerity of it.

Maybe this Diwali, I want to wear a different kind of luxury, one that is of pure good quality organic fabrics made with love.

To know more, email them at kalkidesignstudio@gmail.com or find them on Facebook here.

hhc-kalki-3

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Pavitra started her tryst with desi Art and Design at age 23, when she started her blog MASALA CHAI in 2007. She is an INK fellow, an amateur poet and currently resides in West Michigan. Follow her on Instagram here.

  • Leave a comment

    Comment image 6

  • Like it? Share it!
3