When Abu and Sandeep joined forces, they realised they fit each other like a glove fits the hand. In many ways, they complemented each other to concoct some of the best designs for the Abu-Sandeep factory. Explaining their equation, Sandeep excitedly adds, “We are as different as chalk and cheese. He is a Gujarati (Bohri) and I am a Punjabi. So, my north Indian aggression, compared to his rather calm attitude, is quite a contrast. But, I think what has made us click is the fact that we’ve always almost never agreed on anything. But, once we come to a conclusion, our product is always bettered.”
When Abu and Sandeep joined forces, they realised they fit each other like a glove fits the hand. In many ways, they complemented each other to concoct some of the best designs for the Abu-Sandeep factory. Explaining their equation, Sandeep excitedly adds, “We are as different as chalk and cheese. He is a Gujarati (Bohri) and I am a Punjabi. So, my north Indian aggression, compared to his rather calm attitude, is quite a contrast. But, I think what has made us click is the fact that we’ve always almost never agreed on anything. But, once we come to a conclusion, our product is always bettered.”
Rewinding 27 years, struggles formed a major part of their growth as professional partners as well as companions. The only solace being that they met very early in life. They insist that their struggle is still on, albeit today, it’s a comfortable one. Living as paying guests, travelling in auto rickshaws and living off limited resources was what their start was made up of. However, Sandeep lets it pass nonchalantly, insisting that it was a struggle everybody goes through. “We both had only ` 15,000 each in our pockets; this was the money we had gotten from our parents. At that time, Ensemble was opening, so we used all that money to do a collection. And, you won’t believe it, but we junked all that money because we didn’t like the stuff we had bought. So, we started all over again with whatever we could,” Sandeep recollects. However, he adds that the struggle has only grown bigger with time and their mounting success. “The more you improvise, the more people you feed and the more your label gets recognised for a certain kind of quality, the more you have to achieve to please. So, it was a struggle then, it’s a struggle now.”
Over the years, Abu and Sandeep have seen the industry grow and nurture. From just a few names that once had a hold in the fashion industry, today the industry is seeing talent in abundance. However, despite the growth in the industry, Abu and Sandeep have successfully held their own ground. When they started out, the only names that resonated were of Rohit Khosla, Hemant Trevedi and James Ferreira, while brands like Ravissant and Ritu Kumar held veteran positions. “Apart from that, there was nothing known for fashion. One had to follow one’s own mind and do one’s own thing. In those days, films would lead fashion. But, around the ’80s and the ’90s, even films hit a very low mark in terms of fashion,” opines Sandeep.
Anybody who has closely watched and traced this designer duo’s lives will confidently vouch for their contribution to redefining luxury and affluence. It begins with the studio we are sitting in. Even though the exteriors are rickety and old, Abu-Sandeep’s factory can instantly transport you to a surreal world of gems and gold. From their glitzy clientele to the intricacies of their clothes, every thread of Abu-Sandeep’s garments spells luxury and opulence. Their list of patrons is sure to rate the two as inaccessible and larger than life. However, Abu breaks the myth when he says, “I must say that we started designing for everybody. Even today, what is seen more often is our couture collection, because it attracts everybody. But, we also do a regular line which doesn’t attract attention because it is much simpler.” The designer duo is self-supported and has almost 460 people working and training with them.