As part of our new campaign, #IndiraGen, we’re highlighting up and coming industry
changemakers, creatives, and thinkers that bring something new and inventive to their respective fields.
#IndiraGen
Aparna Avasarala
In honor of International Women’s Day, we’re sitting down for a Q & A with female founder, Aparna Avasarala, of Denim Rush. Denim Rush is an artful fashion label dedicated to creating colorful tie-dye sweatsuits, accessories, and other versatile fashion-forward pieces. Read on for our conversation with Aparna, in which we discuss everything from self-expression through fashion, to being a woman of color in the industry.
Q: How important do you think it is for people to be able to express themselves through their clothing?
Very important! Our style is an extension of our self expression. Style today means wearing your independence.
Especially with so many people working from home, work and casual clothes have become intertwined so we now have the freedom to mix-and-match almost everything in our closet. At Denimrush we celebrate this freedom--each piece we create is one-of-a-kind to empower individual style.
Q: What drew you to sweatpants and sweatshirts? Is there something about these streetwear silhouettes that you find particularly inspiring?
Denimrush is all about comfort and color. I think people started to realize the importance of comfort and the market was only offering grey sweatpants at the time so I wanted to use the power of paint to create more mood boosting clothing.
Q: Can you talk a little bit about being a woman of color in the industry? Is there anything you’d want to share with other women of color looking to create their own fashion labels?
I find being an Indian woman in the fashion industry empowering! Before I launched Denimrush, I started my career in interior design, and even then there was a lot of doubt whether or not I would be successful in such a creative field because it wasn't the norm. At the end of the day I was just following my passion but I also felt this immense responsibility to set the example that it's OK to take a non-traditional career path. I'm proud to be working in this industry and I hope we can continue to embrace diversity because it makes us better when we understand and serve different perspectives. The biggest advice I can share is to just start - that’s the hardest part! No one knows what they are doing.
Q: How has COVID impacted your business? With everyone working from home, have you seen a greater demand for your products given that they’re so comfortable and versatile?
Yes! Denimrush was originally an event company and March 2020 was supposed to be our biggest month. Once covid hit that month we had to pivot to becoming an e-commerce business! Since we were selling sweats the demand was definitely high - especially during the first few months of us going into lockdown .
Be sure to follow along on Aparna’s female entrepreneur journey through her brand @denimrush!