Everyone has a happy place, and Suman’s is when she is surrounded by fabric. Her eyes light up and you can actually see the cogs moving. It is inspiration at its purest. Her childlike enthusiasm is so infectious that you can’t help get excited with her. Oodles of talent coupled with a single-minded focus like no other, once inspiration hits, she gets it done. Fluid as much as structure, like the yin and yang of her own existence and design identity, Suman reflects herself blurring the lines between the strong concepts of contemporary design and a classic, luxe aesthetic.
Naming her label Lola by Suman B after her most prized possession: her sewing machine inherited from her grandmother, Suman has always wanted to be a designer, with a fierce singular minded focus. Her strong style sense reflects in her clothes, setting her apart. Her colour palate emotional, her prints feminine and silhouettes tapered or voluminous. Precision and fluidity two elements that have come to be identified with her work, deriving a fresh outlook on femininity from her awareness of surroundings and her understanding of today’s millennium woman. Suman B let’s us know a little more on her upcoming launch in Goa.
What makes your new collection ‘Dolce’ special
‘Dolce’ is a sweet and soft transition from ‘Spring I Summer’ and ‘Resort’ to ‘Fall I Winter’ 2017. This season marks new beginnings for Lola with the upcoming launch of the label’s own flagship store. From the colours of ‘Spring I Summer’ transforming to jewel tones. Re-inventing the metal loop details from ‘Resort’ to create fasteners, to symbolize the strength of our bond with our clientele. ‘Dolce’ – the Fall I Winter collection is dedicated to the Lola Lovers and is inspired by our clientele.
On your flagship store in Goa
When I thought of opening my very own store I never wanted it to be very far from home. What makes me the designer that I’m today is heavily influenced by Goa being my home. My aesthetic mirrors my environment and the store is at the core of that environment. Through the store I wanted to do a ‘tip of the hat’ to my hometown for being a continuous source of inspiration.
The woman you design for
I design for women with strong personalities and a distinct sense of self. While I design, I picture the woman wearing it to be the one with the brightest smile in the room; she’s the one you want to get to know better because there’s just something about her that’s magnetic.
Know Lola by Suman B better
A luxury prêt design label based in Goa since 2013, the brand has been creating women’s wear that believes in maintaining quality, design and fashion forward silhouettes. The ethos of the brand, as Suman says, “has always been a serene balance between clean and structured, form flattering silhouettes that exemplify contemporary luxury making it accessible to the woman of today.”
With a quick climb into the market, Lola by Suman B now retails at some of the biggest stores in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata and Hyderabad including Aza, Atosa, Ensemble Mumbai and Peppermint Diva. Along with worldwide e-commerce websites such as Pernia’s Pop –up shop and Rock n Shop – on the same platform as some of the biggest brands in fashion including Alexander McQueen, Chloe, Celine and Victoria Beckham.
Since August of 2015, the label has made its way into a lot of celebrity closets with industry stylists working closely with the label. In October 2015, Lola by Suman B was invited to be a apart of Amazon India Fashion Week Spring Summer 16’ by ELLE India magazine, where the label showcased a 10 piece collection that were booked by buyers across the country straight off the runway. This lead to the label being booked by TSG International to create exclusive lines in the future for their worldwide online e-commerce portal, Rock n Shop as well as their Delhi based store KITSCH.
Lola by Suman B has been a part of the Dhoom Dhaam Wedding Trunk shows in Mumbai and Delhi from 2016-2017, and also took part in the Indian Couture Experience in Hong Kong in March 2017. Constantly innovating, creating and contributing to the retail and fashion industry, while still being grounded and believing in quality, Suman has driven her minimalistic feminine designs in a short span of time. Goa and me look forward to her dressing up.
Store Address: Lola By Suman B, Bento Miguel, opp. Down the Road restaurant, near head post office (Panjim), near old Patto Bridge, Panjim, Goa – 403001
Follow her on Instagram @lolabysumanb
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