Aki Narula

Place of Birth: Kolkata
Label: AKI

Among the new generation of fashion designers, Aki Narula has effectively carved a place in this fast paced industry. His brand label "AKI" was launched in 1996. Comfortable in creating both Indian and western designs, for men and women, Aki has registered his place in some of the most premium stores throughout India, in a short span of time. His clothes have modest look, with the variation of texture and drape. His versatility and creative flair has made him a popular designer among the biggies of Bollywood.

Early Life
A commerce graduate from St. Xavier's College of Kolkata, Aki Narula worked with the Lintas Group, as a management trainee, for a period of ten months. Thereafter, he went to Arizona State University, for a course in communications. He was back in the country in 1992 and started with the cost accountancy programme. In his college days, Aki was involved in designing clothes for concerts, college plays and Xavotsav. His passion for apparel designing did not leave him even after his higher education. It was his in-built creativity and zeal for designing clothes which made him a designer, leaving his chosen field.

Career and Success
In the year 1994, Damania Airlines introduced a fashion designer award in the five metros. Aki took part from Kolkata and ended up winning the award. With this, came the gush of work from the fashion extravagance. Aki had his first show with "Melange", Mumbai, at Opera House. He started on a humble ground, with only one store, and has now expanded to eleven stores throughout India. In the year 2000, he participated in Lakme India Fashion Week and the attained an overwhelming response. In February 2002, he was appointed as the Design Director at "Sheetal Design Studio" and exactly a year after, he went international and started retailing at Zingara, at Cannes and St. Tropez.

Brand and Clientele
Not only has Aki Narula worked as a stylist for various fashion shoots and ad campaigns, he has also designed costumes for theatre and even a national award winning Bengali film. In the recent past, Narula has also taken to designing lifestyle linen, candle stands and screens. His designs feature in some of the finest designer salons of the country, like Esemble, Melange, Camelot, Ogaan, etc. His flagship store in Delhi caters to people who have a flair for wearing designer clothes.

Filmography
Aki Narula's creations can be seen in the following movies: