A touch of glass

ISSUE: 141

What entrepreneurial challenges have you faced along the way?

SM: Exporting is a complicated paper-heavy process, which adds to the complexity of the workload with our international clients. Keeping up with social media, which today is bursting at its seams, is also a time-consuming challenge for the more old-school entrepreneur.

How do you source the materials for your creations?

SM: We have developed vast resources for our beads but over the years we have also developed our own style and identified client tastes and preferences and narrowed down our material preferences. We source materials ranging from glass to acrylic to stone and ceramic beads directly from bead craftsmen and factories in North and South India. We also use a lot of beautiful imported materials that offer us a wider variety in quality and design. The string we use is export grade and very high quality. Everything in our product sourcing starts from durability and the highest quality; a beautiful bead will not be sourced if it doesn’t stand up to our quality checks and standards.

How do you plan to expand your brand?

SM: While we are a niche brand and enjoy the stamp of exclusivity, I want also for Memories of a Butterfly to be accessible to everyone who loves the magic of beaded curtains. In this direction, we have been expanding our readymade collection. Interestingly enough, while exports have actually dominated our work in the last decade, I would truly like to expand our work in India. Perhaps the appeal of the beaded
curtain in India is limited by the impression that it is traditional and antique. I would love for the Indian interior market and consumers to recognize the beaded curtain in a modern new avatar.

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