People Make Sustainability Sound Like a Big Task, It’s Not a Gym Workout, Says Fashion Designer Nithya Chandrasekhar

In a world where you can be anything, be kind. And that’s exactly what drove fashion designer Nithya Chandrasekhar to create her label Anyà which celebrates body positivity and sustainability.

Designing contemporary silhouettes for the new-age woman that mirrors responsible fashion, Nithya speaks to News18 about sustainable fashion, body positivity and why following a sustainable life is not a big task.

Sustainable fashion has been a hot topic for many years now, but how much of it do we really understand? “People make sustainability sound like a big task. It’s not like your gym workout. People shouldn’t make sustainability a huge project in their life. The word that is usually synonymous with sustainability is that it is very expensive. It looks very drab. Like for that much money it looks very plain. I would rather buy the same top from H&M, that’s what most people would say. I couldn’t agree more. I would be like why would I spend so much. I wanted to change that. I wanted to make it [sustainable fashion] approachable.”

In a world where fast-fashion clothing is given preference over highly priced sustainable clothes, we wonder if sustainability is a luxury or an essential. Busting myths about sustainable fashion, Nithya says, I saw this video of a young girl who had picked up a top from a fast fashion brand which was about INR 599, and another higher quality brand top. She asked which would be more expensive. Obviously, the answer would be the brand which is also more expensive.”

She further adds, You will wear a fast fashion brand outfit for about 10 times, because after 10 wears the quality is going to give up. Paying more for a sustainable fabric and higher quality, it is going to last you more than 50 wears. So ideally, it is a smarter investment and is sustainable on your pocket and for the planet.”

Nithya who entered the industry by becoming a stylist first credits celebrity stylist Ami Patel for the exposure and opportunities. But it was her passion for fashion that encouraged her to create her sustainable fashion label Anyà. So what inspired her to follow the sustainable route? “I watched the documentary The True Cost, which was based on the Rana Plaza factory incident [in Bangladesh]. And that really shook me. I was opened to a whole new world when I watched the film. I don’t think anyone should die or the environment should suffer because of what…. clothes? It is horrifying to see what fashion is doing to the planet,” expressed Nithya.

While researching for her label, apart from sustainability there was another thing which Nithya wanted to incorporate in her design ethos and that was body positivity. Being body-shamed her entire life for being petite, Nithya expressed that the fashion industry boosted her confidence in many ways. “Being petite, I was body-shamed my whole life. When I was in the industry, I got a lot of validation and acceptance. It was new to me when people started complimenting me for my features. People in the industry had nice things to say, not only about my looks, also about my work. It was very welcoming to me,” says Nithya, adding, “I wanted to change the whole idea of ‘You have to fit your clothes’. I cannot change my body. It is heartbreaking to put yourself mentally and physically through that. I want to make clothes that fit me and that person. Why should I alter myself for clothes? You can add extra cloth right, I cannot cut off my cute fat handles that I have.”

According to Nithya, sustainability has always been present in our Indian culture and system. Take our mothers for instance, don’t they use our T-shirt as a rag cloth after a few times we have worn it? The first rule to sustainability is make use of what is existing in your wardrobe and be creative about how differently you can style it. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t shop. Nithya is of the opinion that one must shop, otherwise how will sustainable brands survive right?

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