In the mere 3 years that Aanchal Jain has been in the US,
she has unraveled the scope of opportunities that one’s talent and
determination can open up most succinctly. Exuberating flamboyance, a
powerhouse of enthusiasm, yet appreciating the simple joys of life, Aanchal is
making a name for herself in the design industry. In an exclusive interview
with DissDash, she tells us how her journey in the US has been so far.
Her favorite things to do while growing up were
sketching, painting and dancing. In her childhood, or even high school days,
she was not a very stylish person. However, as she got older, her interest in
fashion grew and she decided to chase her dreams and pursue a degree in the
field. She gave a name, Pastels By Aanchal, to her designs and
artwork during her 2nd year in college. She says, “As I have always been
very chirpy, vibrant and talkative, the same is reflected through the
outfits I design! My outfits speak for themselves. They are creative, colorful
and make you stand out from the crowd.”
Having come to the US on a dependent visa after her marriage
in 2014, she decided to decorate her own home by making paintings and creative
artwork (along with watching Netflix and traveling). This resulted in having
all the walls of their house filled with her creations, “Our friends used to
call it an art gallery!” she tells us.
Soon after getting her work visa, she was offered a job by a
tennis brand called inPhorm. It’s been more than 9 months that she has been
working with them. In the meanwhile, she along with her husband, Akhil, got
their clothing brand registered in the US as Pastels By AJ.
Her inspiration for developing her clothing brand arose from
looking at the glossy magazines sporting Kareena Kapoor in Manish Malhotra
outfits. “I had in my mind that one day I should see people proudly saying that
we are wearing Pastels by Aanchal and are feeling classy and the best!”
She is motivated by designers like Tarun Tahiliani, Manish
Malhotra, Elie Saab, Ralph & Russo (Tamara Ralph & Michael
Russo).
“Most of my clients are Indians, but recently a few American
women gave me the opportunity to design for them and it’s been really ecstatic!
It’s thrilling to see them respond to my outfits and Indian culture in such a
beautiful way. They love these stunning colors, patterns and they look
forward to my next collection! Since I design all the outfits I sell, it
makes them unique in every possible way.
I also have my own website www.pastelsbyaj.com and a small Etsy
shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/PastelsByAJ for
people to buy outfits from and to contact me if they want to get it
customized.”
Her mantra in life is to smile from ear to ear always. Apart
from all her other talents, she is also a Bollywood Dance Instructor in Dallas.
“Dancing is something I am passionate for and I have inherited those skills
from my Dad. Then comes cooking skills which I have in me from my Mom and I
started to bake cakes/desserts for my friends which in turn resulted in baking
for my clients. So there are multiple things which are keeping me on my toes
and I am enjoying every bit of it!”
She took up teaching dance as a fun activity in which you
smile and express yourself beautifully. “That’s what I teach my students as
well to try to release your stress if any and enjoy in that moment. Believe it
or not, but I have been teaching since I was in the 10th grade! Dancing is
something which I would never give up on. I started teaching at Blue Flame
Performing Arts and it has been an incredible journey! Recently my friend who
is an amazing classical dancer asked me to join her for some fitness lessons
with Dance Dallas Dance and that has been pretty amazing as well! I truly
believe in this – dance till you drop!”
Though she has received a spectacular response for the cakes
she bakes she is still unsure of leaving everything and doing only baking. “I
still want to explore the fashion world but I also want to continue with my
baker skills on the side. As far as my artwork goes I have made those for our
own home and personal use. But it’s amazing to receive appreciation and see
people talk about the same.”
She signs off saying, “If you have something unique to
offer, no matter where you are, and who you are, people will fall for your
work and you! It won’t be easy in the beginning, but it will definitely be
worthwhile in the end.”
Kudos Aanchal!
We just love your work and hope to see you get more success.
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