Umbara Designs- clothing- be spoken!

  For decades, fashion has been associated with image. It was an empowering tool that women used to project a larger version of themselves. Be it researchers, socialites, home makers, they all used fashion to embody themselves in certain ways, building their own self esteem. For example, a working woman would use sun glasses, make up, well cut clothing to play her role effectively. I have elaborated more in this video .  Have women spent more time and effort honing professional skills than self presentation skills? Umbara works with women who need help in reflecting themselves in an authentic way in their clothing.  The interesting part is that the Umbara staff themselves are empowered too, in the process. It has been my experience that the process of making clothes helps a woman break out of her situational challenges much in the same way as a well-tailored outfit instills confidence in a lone woman in the boardroom. The empowering is two-fold, transforming both the...

  The inspiration for young women is largely the fashion industry, one does see models on the ramps and actresses at social dos dressed in what may be considered outrageous garments. For impressionable teenagers and young women, clothing is a critical element of self-expression and independence - they do not see anything wrong in ‘wearing what they want’. This is despite the all prevalent male gaze, which research and personal experience shows is quite different form the female gaze. Advertising has numerous examples of the male gaze: the elegant outline of a car’s form is compared to the curves of a woman. (I have elaborated the point here .) The ‘Me-too’ movement threw up narratives of women being at the receiving end of inappropriate behaviour. The oft-cited excuses have been the ‘provocative’ garb of women. In contrast to the ‘body objectivising’ that happens when a man is in the picture, is the sheer body positivity that young women feel, which springs from within. There...

      Decoding Fashion Psychology             There has been a buzz recently on social media about   fashion psychology. Having spent a good part of the five  decades of my life in this industry, I am asked very  often about my views on this. I decided to do a series  of videos that you can find on  YouTube: THE SCIENCE OF FASHION PSYCHOLOGY and WHAT IS FASHION PSYCHOLOGY with more coming up. In case you are more comfortable with that medium!  Else, stay on, read and reflect.    Let us get definitions out of the way.  The word ‘fashion’ implies styling, the way one chooses  and wears clothing (primarily) to make a statement  about oneself.  Psychology is the science of emotions.  Though most people cannot articulate it, psychology is  reflected in personal fashion. Take, for example, a  teenage boy whose ‘go to’ outfit is a black hoodie.  In choosing this p...

  pic courtesy: https://ditterderdatter.wordpress.com/ Why we do what we do.......... Head Heart and Hand -I There is a gap between the potential and the animate. many times, it is a large gap. For some us, the potential remains unexplored. For many of us the potential needs a push to get started. For some of us, who are lucky the push comes because we needed it so bad. The World realigns itself for those who aspire. Umbara style, this story is an offering for valentine's day to our followers. A story that could be a leaf off  of anyone of our own journeys. A sister's tale................ Prateebha is a young mother. Much like most of us. She dissolved in her roles as a wife, daughter and daughter in law and now as a young mother. Dissolve as she may, her identity persisted through   all these roles and asked, nay begged to be noticed....... How was one to help herself?  Her memories of  being a working woman, a young aspiring des...

CONCEPT NOTES DTD. 05/02/2013 The seed of how and why to make this a business Social upliftment is integrally in the hands of women. A happy and joyous woman will spread comfort and joy in the house and be warm and understanding in bringing up the children. This onus lies with women to make a house a home and provide a grihastha a grishasthashramam. A haven where people who come and go can live and feel peace and contentment within the matrix of social structure. Among the multiple issues that Indian women face some of the most obvious and unconscious issues are faced by the lower middle income and lower income groups. Unable to understand their needs and address them, unable to ask for support and help, they are struck by social lifestyle and demands to have a position in the social structure.This makes them push their spouses to earn more, push their children to perform better but they increasingly feel incapable of reaching their desires. Women need the...

How to order for your ready made blouse? We have made basic blouses in a few designs to kick start the ready made blouse orders. Get into a well fitted bra. Note the size listed on the label. This has 2 components- say, 38B. 38 is the chest size and B is the cup size. To cross check the label measurement in your bra, you may want to measure yourself too Look up the Umbara blouse measurement chart, match the blouse size that is closest to the chest measure. The blouses chart is made for B cups. However, cross sizing works here just as it does for bras. So, if you are a 38B,  you could also pick a ready made blouse which is a 36C or a 40 A which can be worn after minor sewing adjustments.