Authenticity goes a long way. And that's why we love Rakhee Shah, Founder of Maisha Concept. In this short and sweet read, we chat with her about how colour inspires them.
Tell us a bit about Maisha Concept
Maisha Concept is a globally inspired fashion and lifestyle brand aimed at the
globally conscious consumer. Maisha Concept was launched to create awareness of various cultures and traditions across the globe through textiles and fashion. I travel extensively to different destinations, familiarize myself with the cultures and traditions in order to design a collection that truly and authentically represent its origins. Maisha is best known for its rich, vibrant fabrics, which have been physically sourced from various corners of the world. Every collection is handcrafted by local artisans using traditional methods to create unique and contemporary pieces.
You've had a colourful journey. What about the Maisha journey brightens up your day?
Maisha’s journey has had its share of successes and challenges. It has not
always been colorful but there have been so many joys in the path to make it
worth it. Maisha means ‘giving life’ in Swahili, so through Maisha we aim to create more life and awareness towards heritage art and skill, we aim to give life to
our artisans by improving their standard of living as well as their confidence
towards a skill that is so unique and at the same time giving some life to
peoples wardrobes where they are wearing a unique piece with a story to tell.
Seeing women from all parts of the world proudly wearing Maisha definitely
brightens up my day as it’s a journey where people are getting more
awareness and appreciating the skills involved in making a Maisha garment.
How do you approach colour at Maisha?
As a designer, colors are a big decision in the designing process. Every
season we first work on a theme that we are drawn to and we create designs
associated with that theme or story. Then we decide on the colors, which is a
crucial part of the design process. The design and colors are linked and that
inspiration comes from our travels, the people from various cultures that we
meet, recent global events or something experienced in our personal lives at
the time. Each collection we design has a story and a meaning to it.
Could you pick one or two colours and tell us how you recreate them for your wonderful clothes?
Recently we designed a collection called Utopia – where the prints were all
tropical and floral, and the colors used were a range of greens and blues.
Why did we choose those colours? Utopia means a paradise that does not really exist, but it's something we dream of anyway. When the seasons are harsh, we might imagine a Utopia full of swaying palms, warm breezes and sun-soaked beaches. Utopia is a symbol of hopes and dreams. To us, Utopia is those greens and blues from the ocean and tropical forests – and through those colors we hope to bring that paradise to you.
What would you say is your favourite colour and why?
Yellow and blue are my favorite colors.
I have always associated yellow with happiness and sunshine – I feel that
color brings positive energy and freshness.
Blue is a color I wear a lot and I have used a lot in our collections. I feel it’s a
color associated with calmness, bliss and brings a sense of Zen. It reminds
me of the sky and the sea – things that bring stillness and balance to my mind
and body.
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