Papreeka, a curated e-marketplace for consciously made South Asian products, showcased at New York Fashion Week in partnership with Flying Solo NYC on September recently at a SoHo rooftop venue. Presented over 2 shows,
Highlights
An entirely handmade collection, made from natural materials – clay, recycled metal, upcycled silver, glass, dhokra brass and responsibly sourced leather.
* As an accessories brand, Papreeka partnered with well-known clothing designers from New York to collaborate on the 2 shows. Flying Solo NYC is well-known partner for helping brands launch on the global stage and Papreeka is proud to be associated with them for this show.
“Our dream is to share a well-made piece of South Asia with every home around the world. Today we got one step closer, by taking our WOC-led brand to the most prestigious stage in fashion” said Dhanya Balasubramanian. “We wanted to showcase the rich history of South Asian artisan-led craft through a conscious lens. We wanted to enlighten the audience that fashion can be style first and still be well-made, paying heed to earth. Our mission is to encourage our customers to shop responsibly while thoughtfully curating their lives.
“Presenting the collection at NYFW is a surreal dream come true for Papreeka & its women-led conscious partners – Krithaa, Hydes Studio, Baka, Aadikara, Messiah, & Dhuri” said Dhanya. “I grew up in Madras, India and lived in Singapore for close to a decade before moving to New York 4 years ago. Life & friends in such varied cultures & cities showed me that the world was ready for South Asian products in a big way.. and that we needed to shape the design aesthetic in a meaningful way to fit a global audience. Papreeka is that dream in reality with a strong foundation of conscious people, place & product practices.”
Founded by Dhanya Balasubramanian, Papreeka brings together a highly curated collection sourced from brands that believe in the power of well-made. She envisioned Papreeka while attending a class on “Launching social ventures” during her MBA at Columbia Business School, New York. After taking the bold step of entrepreneurship, earlier this year, Dhanya & the team at Papreeka were proud to be part of a landmark experience at NYFW, bringing conscious South Asia to the world.
About Papreeka
Papreeka was started 10 years ago by Dhanya Balasubramanian, as a side gig to promote South Asian fashion & advise them on brand building. She launched the e-marketplace in June 2021, bringing a decade of experience in the retail space, running flagship stores for UNIQLO in Singapore, heading private label planning for e-commerce business ZALORA in South East Asia & most recently as Director of E-commerce for Burger King North America.
Papreeka is based in Madras, India & New York, US.
