Building KRTI Design Studio and Boutique

Hi, I am Shreelakshmi Kallur.

I am an entrepreneur by choice and a fashion designer by profession.

All through my career I have been driven by my passion for my work. Dedication and hardwork towards my work has always been my strength.

Accepting new challenges and giving my 100% to achieve them has become a second nature to me. i have always believed that nothing is impossible if you are ready for hard work and have a positive mindset. This has helped me accept and successfully complete many challenges in my career.

I have been in fashion and apparel industry and business for 15+ years and it’s been a wonderful learning experience and a transitional journey going through different roles and opportunity within the industry. I have been very lucky to have got an opportunity to work in different challenging roles and portfolios within fashion and apparel industry.

My career in apparel industry has been one of the best work experiences of my life where I got to play many important roles and portfolios which enriched my knowledge of apparel technology and also taught me how to deal with the most difficult of situation in the work front. It has been a very exciting one right from starting as a merchandising trainee to becoming an manager in merchandising and a senior consultant manager. I got the opportunity to work with some of the best companies.

I started my first job in 2007 as a trainee merchandiser with L N J Bilwara group of companies, which then underwent a merger with Bombay rayon fashion limited, for my first job I had to travel 60 km from my home every day to Dodballapur. But the thirst for learning and being independent on my two own feet was so much that it never bothered me.

In 2011 I got the opportunity to work with the leaders in quality and technology Karle international pvt ltd, where I got the opportunity to learn what it takes to be a leader in the trade. Here I got the opportunity to work with some of the leading fashion brands like VF and ANN TAYLOR, where my I got to learn and polish my skill in handling international buyer’s enquiry, price negotiation, meeting buyer gold sample needs, execution of bulk production orders following the international shipment quality standards

Growing further in the industry with more experience, skill and expertise in merchandising, I got an opportunity with two other technology and manufacturing leader in the industry Laguna clothing and raised on denim in a new role as a Manager Merchandising and Senior Consultant Manager. A much bigger merchandising role and a more bigger experience handling buying offices communication directly and managing the production and office team to ensure smooth execution of the projects. Buyers worked with Defursac, Lacoste, Dressman.

In my 15+ years career I consider myself lucky to have got the career opportunity to teach and share my experiences as a faculty and guest lecturer member in two of the finest colleges in Bangalore for fashion designing IIFT and KLE nijalingappa college. I enjoyed teaching and mentoring many young brains here.

In IIFT I got the opportunity to Organized annual fashion show as the main show coordinator in leadership of late Dr. B. Vedgiri sir (founder director IIFT). Here I worked with Mr. Prasad Biddappa (fashion choreographer) and team displaying 600 plus garments in a single show on the ramp.

• Successfully achieved 100% placement for diploma students of production technology.
• Worked with Regional office of textile commissioner for affiliation of diploma courses.
• Worked on developing and identifying infrastructure for setting up of training centers in regional districts within Karnataka.

In KLE college I worked as a guest lecturer where I got to share both my industry and entrepreneurial experience with the budding mind. It was a wonderful experience to work with the students and their inspiration as a mentor on their portfolio creation.

How I started KRTI design studio and boutique

It has been my aspiration from a very young age to be a strong, successful and independent women. I have grown up in a very open minded, progressive thinking yet traditional home. My father has always encouraged me as a small child to be independent, to be confident and always be positive no matter what. This was the strong hold of my home where I grew up.

As a child my interest was music, arts, life science and sports with my academics. I have always got encouragement from my family to learn arts along with my academics from a young age. I have learnt Hindustani music, I have completed drawing trainings and participated and won medals for sports when in school.

Growing up I understood I had a certain inclination and interest towards creative art and life science so I decided pursue my education in fashion designing after my schooling. I completed my bachelor of science in fashion and apparel design. And masters in apparel technology management from central college Bangalore university.

There were many learning experiences and events in my college days that was shaped my career later. Finishing my master degree I joined my first job.

I have always been an explorer by nature and a very enthusiastic learner. This has helped me grow, adapt and learn new things in my career with corporate world.

After a decade of experience in apparel industry I had to take a tough decision of quitting my job as my health condition demanded it at that time, as my son was about to be born so I had to take a small maternity break.

This break helped me reconnect with my dreams and aspiration of doing something on my own two legs, and I started working towards getting more clarity of what I should be doing next and I knew I was ready to start my dream project.

I call it small break because, even when I was pregnant, I was conceptualising KRTI working towards making it a reality. I started with designing my logo which is still unique in many aspects. In an years’ time when my son was about an year old the very next day of my son’s 1st year birthday 26th June 2015 I started KRTI DESIGN STUDIO AND BOUTIQUE. In the small garage space at my residence in Bangalore with an initial investment of 50,000 rupees. One single sewing machine, a table and one tailore. My journey with KRti has been full of challenges right from selecting the right team, training them to meet quality standards and managing the finances.

Initial days of starting my business way very challenging. Everything looked tough, some days there was very little hope, but all I knew was this was my baby too so it had to survive. So kept working hard on the few initial orders that I had with at most dedication and perseverance.

In about 6 years KRTI DESIGN STUDIO AND BOUTIQUE is a know name is a trusted name . With a separate production facility with automated machines and separate cutting worker and tailors, embroiderers, about total of 6-8 fully dedicated staff working full time to create various designer wear garments, children wear and bridal embroidered blouses.

We have served more than 15000 different customer individual customized orders so far. we are specialized in customized uniform making, dance performance dresses and dentist coats too.

We have many regular NRI clients from different countries like USA, Germany, UK, and Dubai coming to us for designer Indian wear.

Our privilege clients include artists from Film industry and TV serials, women entrepreneurs, leaders in corporate and home managers.

At KRti every day we start with new energy to make new clothing with most care and design precision and fit to satisfy ever customer need. We make most exclusive of fashion designs and embroideries customized for our clients in a pocket friendly manner with best of quality.

At Krti our brides are very special to us, so we design and execute our bridal wear with most care so with an intention of making it the most beautiful piece of art in the form of garment for her special day.

You can reach out to us at https://www.instagram.com/krti_boutique2016/ to know more.