Nupur Sanon makes her debut in the world of fashion, with her homegrown clothing brand, NOBO – No Boundaries. The actor-singer unveiled the brand’s website surrounded by family, and friends at the brand’s star-studded launch hosted in Mumbai.
Exuding free-spirited elegance with a hint of quirk, Nupur, in an exclusive chat with News18, spoke about co-founding NOBO-No Boundaries with her mom, Geeta Sanon, Kriti being her guinea pig model and why no woman should be expected to fit into a fashion ‘type’.
As a size inclusive brand, Nupur wants women to feel free when they browse through NOBO’s varied styles. With a vision to have multiple stores one day catering to women who believe in No Boundaries, Nupur is ready to take you on a fashionable journey, one stitch at a time.
Congratulations!! What encouraged and inspired you to embark into the world of fashion?
Thank you. I think it was always there in me. Also, a big part of my inspiration comes from my mother. She is the co-founder of this brand. It started with my mother wanting to start an Indian label, and I wanting to create a western, off-beat, bohemian space. So, we decided to build one brand where we offer both under one roof.
Before me, I feel this was my mother’s dream. If not teaching [Geeta Sanon is an associate professor and has a PhD in Physics], I would have imagined my mother in the field of fashion. So, I feel this step has revived her creative mind.
Growing up, my mom used to have a sewing machine at home and used to make clothes for us. When we were in school and college, we used to show my mom an actress wearing a cool dress in a photo and mom used to make the exact outfit for us.
So have there been instances in your childhood where you and Kriti have ended up wearing the same outfit?
Both of us would make a conscious decision when it came to picking clothes. For instance, if Kriti has selected a Kareena Kapoor outfit, I would make sure I picked Preity Zinta’s. However, since I am five years younger to her, there have been many instances when I have worn her clothes. We have this very funny photo, where Kriti is on my father’s lap and she is very happy and is wearing a very cute sweater. Cut to some years down the line, I have the same ditto photo with dad wearing the same sweater but I am crying. [laughs].
Kriti Sanon is known for her unique style on and off screen. Did she share any tips?
Kriti has been my guinea pig model. We have both done this for each other. I remember when she launched her skincare brand, Hyphen, probably, every range, whether it is the acne range, I have tried and tested it. Nobody’s sister is as excited to see their sister having a pimple, as mine. She will say ‘Oh, you have acne, now is the time to try my acne range. So, I had a pocketful of favours I needed to take from her. So, every time, I used to bring a sample of a new design, she used to try it on and give her suggestions. I admire Kriti because she has a great sense of fashion.
What does NOBO mean to you as an entrepreneur and an individual who has an impeccable style quotient?
While growing up I had a different sense of fashion. I was someone who wouldn’t shop at malls when I travelled to different countries. I would scout for local boutiques and would find something off beat, something I knew nobody else would have. That would excite me. And at the same time, I would also be this person who would like to go and take a beautiful Banarasi saree from my mom’s wardrobe.
So, when people used to ask me what my type was? What kind of clothes do I like? I didn’t really have a type. I liked all of it. I felt there are a lot of women like me who do not have a fashion type. And I don’t want women to fit into this category of ‘Oh, she wears desi’ or ‘Oh, she wears western’. There are so many of us who want to wear whatever we want. So, when people go on to our website, I want them to feel free…
Size inclusivity is the USP of the brand, how have you explored it in the designs?
At NOBO, apart from the standard size chart, we also have introduced custom sizing.
Every woman has a different kind of body type. And no woman should be expected to fit in the standard measurement. Honestly, just because it makes a brand’s job easier, everybody puts that standard size chart. Not everyone wants to give customised measurements. I don’t think brands understand that nobody has a perfect shape. So, let’s keep no boundaries.
The launch edit collection of the brand was a sneak peek into a world of No Boundaries. For the launch edit, Nupur experimented with denim, brocade sourced from Banaras, crochet, macrame and applique work displayed creatively for guests to browse through. So, if you are going for a nice office dinner, or attending a festivities or a wedding, vacationing on a beach or heading to the airport, there is something for everybody under the NOBO roof.
Excited about sharing NOBO with the world, on a parting note, Nupur expresses how it would make her happy if people see the clothes for what they were and not who they were made by.