When did you decide that you wanted to be a designer, and what set you on your journey to sustainable fashion?
I come from Vandavasi, a small town in Tamil Nadu, India, and moved to Chennai to study architecture. My career initially took shape in the media—as a radio jockey, producer, and TV anchor for Tamil television and radio. Life took a different turn when I moved to Shanghai, where I pursued fashion design. My graduation collection was showcased at Shanghai Fashion Week and received recognition in Vogue China and Elle China. That gave me the confidence to fully embrace this path. I later moved to the US, presenting collections at Brooklyn and New York Fashion Weeks, and eventually settled in Dubai, where I studied Fashion Marketing and launched my sustainable fashion brand, now present in the UAE, India, and Singapore.
I see myself first as an artist. I design all my textiles, drawing inspiration from architecture, culture, and stories. Each garment becomes a canvas, and I collaborate closely with grassroots artisans, especially weavers from Tamil Nadu, to bring these visions to life. Their craftsmanship is at the heart of my brand. While I was once drawn to the glamour of fashion, confronting the industry’s environmental and ethical costs changed everything. That awakening led me to create a brand rooted in purpose, where design, responsibility, and human connection go hand in hand.
I don’t want to just make clothes—I want to tell stories, carry legacies, and build quiet bridges between tradition and the future.
How does your brand address conversations about sustainability and ethical practices in the fashion industry?
The fashion industry is increasingly talking about ethics and sustainability, but there’s still a long journey ahead. At Vino Supraja, we see sustainability as an ongoing process, not a destination. No brand can claim to be 100 per cent sustainable—it’s about learning, unlearning, and improving with each step. Our aim is simply to do better than we did yesterday.
We use GOTS-certified organic cotton and AZO-free dyes, minimise the use of plastics and polyester, and avoid mass production. Our packaging is eco-friendly and plastic-free. We work closely with artisans, ensuring fair wages, respectful working conditions, and long-term collaboration. Every print is designed in-house, with each collection rooted in storytelling and cultural inspiration.
One of the proudest moments of my journey was presenting my Purisai collection, inspired by the ancient Tamil folk theatre Therukoothu, at London Fashion Week—bringing a deeply rooted cultural art form to a global stage through fashion.
We also promote mindful consumption through our 30 Wears Incentive and encourage customers to wear garments at least 30 times before recycling them. After 18 months, worn garments can be returned for a discount on future purchases, and we recycle them into new fabrics, extending the lifecycle of each piece. We don’t view other sustainable brands as competitors. We’re all part of the same mission, trying to shift fashion toward a more ethical future.
How do you think consumers and designers/garment brands can contribute to an ethical fashion movement?
The ethical fashion movement is a shared responsibility between designers, consumers, and governing bodies—each playing a vital role in shifting the industry toward a more conscious future. As designers, we must move beyond aesthetics and trends to design with intention. This means choosing sustainable materials, working with artisans under fair and respectful conditions, and creating garments that are built to last, not just physically, but emotionally. At Vino Supraja, we root our collections in stories and meaning, so each piece holds a deeper connection.
Consumers also hold tremendous influence. Every purchase is a choice. Choosing fewer, better-quality garments and valuing their longevity is a powerful act. We encourage questions like: Who made my clothes? What are they made of? Can I wear this 30 times or more? Our 30 Wears Incentive was created to support this mindset, promoting mindful consumption and circularity.
But designers and consumers cannot do it alone. Governing bodies have a critical role to play, establishing clear standards, encouraging transparency, and holding brands accountable. Regulations around fair labour, material sourcing, and waste management are essential to support the industry's shift. Ethical fashion isn't about perfection; it's about progress. Together, through awareness, action, and accountability, we can reshape the future of fashion.
You received an award at the House of Commons in the UK recently. Tell us a little about the award and what it means in your design journey.
I was recently honoured with the Global Excellence Sustainable Fashion Trailblazer Award by the World Tamil Organisation. The ceremony took place at the House of Commons in the British Parliament, an incredibly powerful setting that added emotional weight to the moment. The award recognised my contribution to the field of sustainable and ethical fashion, specifically for bringing the ancient Tamil folk art form of Therukoothu to the ramp at London Fashion Week.
As part of the ceremony, I was given five minutes to deliver an acceptance speech. I chose to speak about what matters most to me—workers’ rights, the dignity of artisans, my roots, and the importance of cultural storytelling in a fast-paced fashion world. For me, this work goes far beyond commerce. As a social entrepreneur, my brand is not just a business—it’s my purpose.
I often say I’m running a marathon, not a sprint. And in that journey, awards like these are not the destination, but energy boosters that keep me going. They’re humbling reminders that the path I’ve chosen matters—but the real reward is always in the work itself.
You authored a book in 2022 and were featured in a documentary as well. What were these experiences like, and how have they helped create awareness about the brand?
With a background in media—as a television host, radio producer, and RJ—I've always believed in the power of storytelling. These experiences gave me the tools to communicate complex ideas in accessible, engaging ways. I now channel those skills into spreading awareness about sustainable fashion and celebrating our roots, culture, and craft.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, I wrote What is Sustainable Fashion? An Antidote to Fashion Pollution is a simple, illustrated guide for the everyday consumer. The fashion industry can be overwhelming, filled with jargon and greenwashing. I wanted to cut through that noise and offer a book that gently explains how fashion impacts our environment and the people who make our clothes. It’s not an academic text. It’s a conversation starter and a tool for awareness.
The documentary produced by DW (Deutsche Welle) was another meaningful milestone. It focused on our Therukoothu-inspired collection that was showcased at London Fashion Week, capturing how we translated this ancient Tamil folk art into modern fashion. Being featured alongside other Indian designers who are preserving culture through design was an honour.
Tell us about your theatrical improv - Landfills.
I come from a small town, where we didn’t have a television at home until I went to college. So, growing up, my earliest exposure to performance wasn’t through screens—it was through the raw, immersive experience of street theatre. That environment shaped my love for storytelling in its most honest, unfiltered form.
So, when we wanted to address the environmental impact of fashion in a deeper, more emotional way, theatre felt like the perfect medium. That’s how Landfills, our theatrical improv, came to life. We collaborated with Vaanmadhi Jagan, a renowned theatre actor from Chennai, who wrote and directed the piece. We produced and staged it at Fashion Revolution Week in Dubai, and later brought it to several fashion schools across the city.
Theatre, especially improv, makes the audience feel the urgency. There’s no screen to separate the emotion. Landfills helped us spark difficult conversations around waste, overconsumption, and accountability in fashion. It wasn’t just a performance—it was a call to think, feel, and act differently.
Can you tell us a little about the brand’s products, USP, and philosophy?
We work closely with the weavers of Chennimalai in Tamil Nadu, artisans whose expertise in cotton weaving has been passed down through generations. One of our most meaningful associations is with the Bavani Jamakkalam weavers. Traditionally used as floor rugs, jamakkalams are a staple of Tamil Nadu’s textile heritage. We've reimagined this iconic weave into luxury bags, transforming a humble craft into globally relevant design without losing its cultural soul. It’s been heartening to see our work received with warmth and respect by international customers.
Our upcoming collection—now in the design phase—will feature both garments and bags, each carrying forward our brand philosophy: to create pieces that are thoughtful, rooted in culture, and made responsibly. These new additions will, as always, tell meaningful stories and stand as a tribute to the artisans behind them. We don’t aim to follow trends—we strive to make timeless pieces that connect heritage with modern living.