Sheena Trivedi S/S15

Sheena Trivedi is a globally inspired fashion designer. With an upbringing spanning three continents, her aesthetic combines American ease, European sophistication and South East Asian exoticism.

I caught up with the designer backstage on the eve of her S/S15 collection, Lovers of Today, which explores the concept of love as it relates to the creative process. Having just celebrated her nuptials in India two months prior, Sheena designed a 32-look collection of womenswear and menswear, a monumental undertaking for any designer, let alone a newlywed. Read below for my interview with Sheena, behind the scenes photography, and my favorite pieces (so hard to choose!) from her S/S15 collection.

Runway photos by Dan Lecca
Backstage photos by Matthew Passiglia

You just debuted your S/S15 collection. How are you feeling?

Good! Just relieved, excited and happy. Leading up to fashion week in New York, it’s always stressful. This was my first runway show so that was even more ahhh, I hope the models don’t fall, I hope they don’t walk too fast, walk too slow, that they don’t step and break their ankle, there are so many things. I didn’t even think about myself and then I realized oh wait, I have to walk too! But everything fell into place. I’m just happy. And everyone is telling me it was amazing and I can’t wait to see the video and the pictures.

This is your second season designing menswear. What was the deciding factor that made you want to move into this area?

I’ve always loved men’s clothing and before I was a designer I used to style, I used to be a personal shopper, and I was a buyer for Saks, so I’ve worked in different subsects of the industry. I had my women’s line for three seasons, and for the fourth season because of friends giving me feedback, I designed things for my guy friends. They all said, “You should just do this. Why aren’t you releasing this?” I got all sorts of mixed reviews – you should focus on women’s, you should focus on this, you should go into that. I just followed my intuition and went for it.

Are there any particular challenges in menswear vs. womenswear that you hadn’t encountered before?

Not necessarily. I knew there was (obviously from the pattern) a different build, different ways of the fabric draping, different body types. But it was challenging. You have to tweak things here and there. As long as you don’t make the same mistake from the first time, you’re good.

You were a buyer at Saks Fifth Avenue. Can you talk about the transition from buyer to designer?

Well, I grew up with a fashion background in the sense that my mother is a designer. Growing up I watched her with her business from the actual sketching to selling and I would help her here and there. I also had an interest in fashion. I moved to New York for a buying position but I felt like there was a little bit of a void and I wanted to be more involved. After I left Saks I was a stylist, and then a personal shopper, and that “a-ha” moment was when I was working with another designer and decided I just wanted to launch on my own. It just happened. It’s like a light bulb going off in your head. And of course it’s very different, the buying end, the designing end, they’re completely different ends of the spectrum, but I love what I do.

I understand you manufacture in New Delhi. Was that difficult to source and research or did you have an idea of where to start?

I had an idea and some contacts. I actually just got married two months ago in India and have been going to India since I was born, essentially. I’m trilingual in Hindi, Punjabi and English so there’s no language barrier. Being Indian I’m used to the lifestyle, although its very different than it is here. There are challenges, the time difference for example, but everything works out.

What’s the most rewarding part about being a designer?

Honestly, when you see people walking down the street wearing something that you’ve created and they’re wearing it loudly and proudly that is the best feeling in the world. It’s something I’ve envisioned in my head and taken it from there to a sketch, to a tech pack, to a pattern, to a test fit, to a final sample and just seeing people wear it, sport it and own it, that’s the best; that’s priceless.

Who is the Sheena Trivedi man/woman?

Collectively, they are very confident, think outside the box, and aren’t afraid to take risks. A lot of the clothes I design can be styled differently so the girl wearing them can transition from daywear to nightwear. We’re all so busy in today’s world one of the easier decisions should be what we wear. It’s the most important thing we do before leaving the house, correct? So she should be comfy, classy, yet chic.

Any final thoughts on the eve of your amazing S/S15 debut?

I’m just really excited and I can’t wait for everybody to see what else I have in store.

A very special thanks to Sheena Trivedi and Eduardo Morales.

Share this: