Shoes, accessories, retail growth on Daniel Syiem’s radar

From readying the next Autumn/Winter range for Fashion Design Awards India (FDAI) in Jaipur, designer Daniel Syiem, Creative Head of the Daniel Syiem’s Ethnic Fashion House (DSEFH) is a busy man. “Most probably I would also be showing

in Dubai towards the end of the year,” he says. Syiem also has other interesting plans for the brand, which include, adding new products and expanding the brand’s footprint across India and beyond.

New retail points in India and

beyond

The brand’s forte is women’s wear. DSEFH has plans to start a shoe and accessory line too in the near future. “Right now, I am working on a bridal collection with a twist but that will take some time before it is formally launched,” explains the designer.

The fashion house is focused on promoting organic fabrics from the Northeast. “My Autumn/Winter 2013 collection is western in style so it does not cater to festive or wedding wear. However, it’s very international and works well for evening dos, those travelling abroad and of course can stylishly translate from daywear to evening wear with my lightweight jackets,” he explains.

Syiem points out that quirky prints are definitely staying along with checks and plaid, which he has used in his collection. “I also saw a lot of black and gold on both national and international runways. We have an interesting range of coats and jackets with different collars and sleeve detailing. The price range is between Rs 10,000- 25,000. There are short wrap skirts, easy shift dresses, clean-cut long dresses, fitted sarongs, tops and scarves. The price ranges starts from around Rs 3000 for a scarf and is within Rs 5000- 30,000 for the rest,” Syiem avers.

He takes personal orders at DS Ethnic Fashion House, Shillong. “We retail in TWIST at New Delhi’s Hauz Khas Village, Daniel Syiem Boutique, Shillong, Jongphi Boutique, Shillong and Bibusha in Guwahati. Soon, we will be present in Mumbai, Bangalore and internationally New York as well as London,” adds Syiem elaborating on the retail plans.

Journey so far

“I am a self-taught designer and learned through experimentation, hard work and experience,” he states, adding, I started out designing in college and doing fashion shows. Slowly I realized that I love creating with fabrics, working with design and had passion for this field,” he says. Syiem has participated in many shows both in the domestic and global platforms but his turning point was showcasing in the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2013. “Now with my Autumn/Winter collection out at LFW W/F 2013 I’m looking forward to a busy time ahead,” Syiem asserts.

“I enjoy the entire process when I turn fabric into an ensemble. I also have this ambition to promote my culture and revive traditional Northeast weaves by giving them an international and contemporary twist. The hero of my ensembles is the fabric and the silhouette,” he sums up.