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Jalandhar Lass does city proud!





Mandira Wirk is a very well know Fashion Designer who just held an exhibition in the Jalandhar Gymkhana Club. In an informal conversation with her, we try to sneak a peek into her life, her work, her passion and her philosophy.


The first thing that you notice when you meet Mandira Wirk is that she is drop dead gorgeous, though she probably thinks of her looks more as an impediment than an asset as far as her work is concerned. She has worked extremely hard to reach where she is today and she continues to fuel the flames with increasing fervour every day. Mandira is a fashion designer with experience from all over the world and her roots in Jalandhar. Born in an Air Force family in Jalandhar, Mandira did her schooling from Delhi. While she was in first year college, she started designing her own clothes and very soon to the horror of her mother, she had three tailors at home, cutting and making dresses for her friends and relatives. Buoyed by the success and the encouragement that she received from her friends, she decided to go ahead and adopt Fashion Designing as a full time career. Once clear in her mind about her objectives, she moved to London for education in London School of Fashion. Upon successful completion of her course, she did apprenticeship with several well known fashion houses in Europe. Says Mandira about her experience in Europe, " After my course, i spent quite some time working as an intern with many big names in fashion. The exposure in Europe with these fashion houses helped expand my horizons and gave me a feel of the way international fashion works. The professionalism and the dedication to work i saw over there helped me set my own standards very high."







After coming back from London, started her own line with her own name- Mandira. Because she is from Punjab, her first exhibitions were in Punjab and she got very good response here. Even today, in spite of her multiple commitments in Delhi, Bollywood and other places, she always finds the time to come back to her roots. Mandira has also been designing western wears for 'Miss India' pageant since 2004. Having showcased her talent at big fashion shows like Lakme Fashion week, Singapore Fashion Festival and Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week, she is now working on building up her brand recall in North India. What sets her designs apart from other designer apparel is the wear-ability of her creations. Her philosophy is simple, She says, " I design clothes according to my taste, The design has to appeal to my sense of aesthetics before it gets the shape of a fabric. While I do give wings to my imagination by creating extravagant designs, these are more like signature designs, the majority of my work can easily complement a woman's everyday wardrobe." Mandira continues, " The trend nowadays is "Investment Buying". Binge buying is out and women nowadays prefer buying clothes that will remain contemporary for a long time giving them value for money . We do try and deliver on that point but at the same time we also do a lot of customisation according to the client's specific requirements." When asked about her upcoming projects she says, " I have just signed up for a big Bollywood project. I will be designing the clothes for the entire cast but mainly for the leading lady and then there is a Fashion Week coming up in March which will keep me on my toes".
Not the one to rest on her laurels, Mandira is expanding her reach by opening up a new signature store in Mumbai very soon. She is also trying to find business partners/ franchisees in Punjab where she would supply the products for the retail market. A very hard worker, she shuns the page three crowd and lets her work be her mouthpiece. Reticent, almost to the point of being publicity shy, she wants to be known for her high calibre of work and her commitment to her profession rather than her looks. Mandira has also recently launched her pret' ( Off-the-rack) collection to a wonderful reception in India and abroad. In fact, she is currently in talks with one of the biggest buyers in international market to market her designs in Europe. On a closing note, speaking about the response she is getting in Punjab this year she says, " Coming to Punjab and especially to Jalandhar is always like a homecoming to me. My roots always draw me back and I am very thankful for the support, the response and the encouragement that i've been receiving from Punjab. I look forward to coming here again and strengthening my bonds with my birthplace".

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