Today on the blog we meet special guest Mrs Meenu Prasad.
We also ask Meenu some important questions about her career in the fashion industry, what confidence means to her, challenges she had to overcome in her career, and advice she gives to other women looking to pursue a career in fashion.
Meet Meenu
Meenu Prasad,Co- Director & Principal of International Fashion school, Istituto di Moda Burgo based in Qatar, (Headquarters in Milan,Italy), is a well qualified fashion educationist and fashion designer with more than 10 years of experience in the fashion industry.
After finalising her professional study, she began her career working with one of the leading buying house at Paris, Ana Aui as a fashion designer and senior merchandiser. Later she moved on working with popular international clothing brands like Zara, Ted Baker, Debenhams U.K., Tommy Hilfiger etc. She also found herself working for famous Indian Designers like Gaurav Gupta.
After spending some years in Qatar, she realised the immense need of fashion education in the country. She always wanted to support the rich heritage and culture of country, and knew that a fashion school would be her way of supporting this vision. She successfully introduced the idea of vocational and technical education in Qatar, by opening the first ever Italian Fashion school in Qatar, Istituto di Moda Burgo. To date this school has proven to be a great platform for amateur fashion designers, as well as helps to establish new industry in Qatar, and growth in the fashion industry sector and help women achieve their dreams of becoming a fashion designer.
Lastly, recently Meenu has been selected as Finalist in Mrs.India 2020 Queen of substance contest. she is currently looking forward to attend final rounds soon. We wish her the best of luck!
“After my number of bold years in the fashion industry ,I can conclude that the color of hair and structure of human body can fade...but your knowledge is eternal and scared forever !”
What does confidence mean to you?
"For me "Confidence" is the rhythm of self belief, compassion and chasing uncertain paths in life, perhaps ironically the best booster for uplifting your own lows."
What was one of the most challenging circumstances you were in as a designer that required you to increase your confidence?
"Well, I remember those days, where being one of the fresh designer in fashion house in beginning of my career, all the work around me was just like a another nightmare, getting tons of work and chasing my own abilities and deadlines of head designers, had driven me so low that I used to think why even I chose to be fashion designer, but as every story has some end,I worked on my confidence and strategy to chase these nagging circumstances. But I feel the best and appropriate remedy for certain situations is that we should have self confidence as our immunity power bank."
"Later I realised these suitaions are normal and these situations are just one step ahead towards carving your own career."
What challenges did you face in male dominated industries and cultures? What helped you to overcome them or what helps you even now on a daily basis?
"Well, I feel most of the men are great domination on women centric profiles which are traditionally meant for women only."
"Like a chef , a fashion designer, an architect etc. most of the women run to pursue career in such fields but even today if we see the graph, men are more dominated and accomplished in these very preowned field designated to woman in society."
"Now coming back on to your questions, since I already spend more than 14 years in fashion Industry, certain times when I am suppose to meet dominant male on my client list, I feel like why just because of gender equation, I have to follow whatever they say, there are ample number of situations where I got a bit discomfort when men try to offload my suggestions just on one base line that I am the only women in the whole clan."
"But now after realising this peer pressure, I started throwing back to accept them in a way where I am just pretending to listen their decisions and later posting and crafting those ideas in my own perusal, these self solution I found I use so often, even today."
Meenu Prasad with Legendary Mr. Fernado Burgo, founder of Istituto di Moda Burgo, Italy
What tips do you have for other women looking to pursue a career in fashion?
"This is the most appealing question."
"I advise all fashion aspirants to opt for their unique style to work in today's competitive fashion industry, and try to adapt all the updated progression in the world, fashion is revolutionary but it can be magnificent and exploring only when you are specific and passionate about it."
"As a career choice, it is one of the most alluring professions known till date to me but make sure you are not just crafting a design but you are living to all your buyer expectations at the end."
"Designs are based on exclusivity of designer's working style also,therefore, each detail matters in this very field."
"I feel if you are intelligent,practical and passionate then, idealising your thoughts into creations is no lesser than strawberry topping on sweet delights."
