Sir Alistair Rai - The Knight of Conscious Fashion
Kiran Rai is the radiant, witty and beautiful woman behind the Sir Alistair Rai line. I sat down with her last week, for a relaxed and wonderfully informative conversation. In an age when it is our duty to be conscious of the world around us, the message of Peace, Love and Hope behind the coveted line makes wearing its accessories the perfect declaration of our own enlightenment.
Their Mission Statement reads: “Will Sir Alistair Rai’s collections change the world? Probably not, but it could remind the person that wears it that their actions can. After all, beauty, truth and love never go out of style. That said, live truthfully.”
So, because their shawls and T-shirts have been flying off the shelves of stores and onto the necks and torsos of all the trendiest celebrities around, Sir Alistair Rai gets awarded the official title of “Lord of Fashion”.
CHIC TODAY: Kiran, would you talk a bit about your background?
KIRAN RAI: My parents are both Indian - my mom from Bombay, my dad from Delhi - and I grew up in London… Sir Alistair Rai is from that… I went to boarding school in Switzerland and then my parents eventually came to the States.
CT: Where did you grow up in the States?
KR: We first came to NJ and then we ended up in Los Angeles.
I have been in the fashion industry all my life, and I went to work for Walt Disney, The Gap, I’ve been a Bebe’s buyer… I’ve been around all the major supplier chains.
CT: Do you think that you have an LA sensitivity?
KR: Yeah… I’m a hot weather person, I live in Phoenix. I grew up mostly in Los Angeles. I am not your typical East Coast dresser in any way, shape or form.
CT: What is your style?
KR: Bohemian. I would not know how to dress in the cold and I design clothes for the hot weather.
CT: What was the catalyst to you starting the Sir Alistair Rai fashion line?
KR: I had kinda pseudo retired, so I was home for a couple of years. The Gulf War had just started and Bush had been in office. I had always been doing this - make my own clothes, do my own thing - but my son had been asking me questions about Gandhi and I had been reading his biography. And then, out of nowhere, it just happened. I thought I would make a couple of T-shirts, then I thought “What if I could sell these T-shirts?” I tried to and got picked up by a great store and that made me think I could do this full time.
CT: Do you think the [Gulf] War had a lot to do with it?
KR: Yeah, it did for me. I have always been politically active and then the message was good, it was the right timing. And I think it has taken off for the timing. The synergy of what happens in the world and the synergy of what we do for the fashion line is perfect. The challenge ahead is that we have to grow with how everything else goes.
CT: I don’t think peace will ever go out of style!
KR: Well, as we’ve seen, it seems to! At least the message will keep going.
Related Articles:
Pages: 1 2
Filed under: Happily Unmarried Ever After
We and our customers cannot get enough of Sir Alistair Rai scarves. Maybe that is why Jessica Alba, Julia Roberts, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Nicky Hilton and others love them as well. All available with great customer service at http://www.UnusualThreads.com
This is inspiring for a person like me…..I love making my own clothes and expermenting with painting fabrics and dyeing.
The new Mantra scarves have just hit theboutiques! Inspired by the Bazaars in India, they are a striped viscose and absolulutely gorgeous! There is of course the message of Love, Peace and Karma, and will definitely sell out quickly. I got mine at UnusualThreads.com