Regina with Aanika
Dear Aanika, we met at the Austrian Yoga fair last November and I instantly loved your yoga clothing. I chose for myself a yoga pant, lovely hand painted in India with a wonderful stretch garment, easy to wear in Yoga classes as well as on my travels. When did you have the idea to build your own Yoga brand?
In 2009. When I was doing my yoga video,‘The flow within’ it occurred to me that I should design some practical and beautiful garments for my students. A very dear friend of mine Meha helped me with the video and the designs and it took off from that I guess.
As many of my mental training clients aim for changing their life, quitting their jobs and making “their own thing”, you did it and are independent with your label “Yogamasti” since 2009. You have been on many international fashion shows, you have made it from London to the rest of the globe. What is the best part of it and what are your biggest challenges?
Creating something from nothing make me feel good. Also making practical yet beautiful clothing inspires me and makes me happy to see yogis wear it as they look absolutely beautiful in them.Biggest challenge is creating a supportive garment. Also to create unique goods you need to have a very open mind and go through lots of painting and printing processes. To find and market to the right audience is very challenging indeed.
If there is any advice you could give to all of us, who want to start their own business, what would that be?
Go with your heart and just do it. Don’t think about it, simply start and carry it through. It is your baby so treat it with tender loving care
As you might know, I am a big India enthusiast, and next year I will conduct two group tours to South of India, which is a big dream coming true. What is your favorite spot in India, if there is any?
Hey cool! Nayyerdam in Trivandrum ,sivananda ashram, varkala beach and Ammas beach ashram near allepe,rishikesh, hampi, mcloud gunj, Mysore… Need I go on! I love India myself but only when I am on a holiday:).
I carry my Yogamasti Yoga pants on my travels with me, I really love them, but I am not a big fashionista. I just go for unique, comfortable and fancy style. Are there new trends in Yoga clothing? And do you try to follow them?
You have to follow some trends as you are in business and have to compete, but really I like to produce a unique and holistic garment which is practical for practice. I see people make a garment where it will ride up a lot in inversions etc. and I don’t favour that. If you are producing a yoga garment it should serve a purpose.I like to make sure that most of my products are supportive.
Thank you very much, Aanika for this interview. One last question: If you have a wish, you´d like to come true, what would that be?
Have my own retreat in a sunny quiet place with a huge kitchen garden. I really miss my teaching. And I would love to work for a charity with children. I definitely will do that.
Thanks a lot regina.
All yogamasti designs are there for you to enjoy on www.yogamasti.co.uk
