Aki Narula

Aki Narula, Kolkata based fashion designer is known for his crazy and wacky style of designing clothes. He has been in the fashion business for many years. He was a commerce graduate from St. Xavier's College, Kolkata. During his college days itself he had a passion for fashion designing and was involved in designing clothes for concerts. He went to Arizona State University for a course in communications and returned back in 1992 thereafter started with the cost accountancy programme. Aki Narula worked with the Lintas Group, as a management trainee, for a period of ten months. But his inborn creativity and urge for designing made him leave his chosen field in accounts and management and become a designer.  

Aki started his career as a fashion Designer when Damania Airlines introduced a Fashion Designer award in five Metros. He took part from Kolkata and became the award winner. He had his first Fashion with " Melange" in Mumbai at Opera House. His collection are innovative, wild, humorous, and modest in look with the variation of texture and drape. Within a short span of time, Aki carved a place in Fashion Industry with his new idea, new energies and new directions. His clothes are always fun, bright, cheery and cool with an accent towards leisure wear. He started his filmy career in Bollywood by designing outfits for Mira Nair's film "Monsoon Wedding. His versatility and passion for designing made him one of the established designers in Bollywood.

Aki launched his own label "Aki" in 1996. Well-heeled in creating both Indian and western designs, for men and women, Aki has registered his place in some of the most premium stores. Started on a humble ground, with only one store, he has expanded now to eleven stores throughout India. In 2000 he participated in Lakme India Fashion Week and the response was overwhelming. In the all the shows, he has been proving the excellent combination of fashion and colours. He also went international and started retailing at Zingara, at Cannes and St. Tropez. Currently Design Director for Sheetal Design Studio, he retails under his label under 'Aki Narula for SDS'; also works on his main label ' AKI' from his studio in Delhi.