Though her elder sister Aishwarya Arjun decided to follow the footsteps of their parents, actors Arjun Sarja and Niveditha Arjun, 26-year-old Anjana Arjun decided to tread a different path. A nature lover and self-confessed connoisseur of art, she went on to pursue a degree in fashion media and industries at LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore. She also studied fashion marketing at Parsons School of Design, New York. Her repertoire includes working with renowned fashion labels such as Elie Tahari and Proenza Schouler in the US. And recently, she turned an entrepreneur as she launched Sarjaa, a homegrown premium plant and fruit leather-based handbag brand, which became the first in the country to use apple skin leather.
In an exclusive chat with News18, sibling duo, Anjana and Aishwarya, who will soon be making her Telugu debut opposite actor and filmmaker Vishwak Sen in a film directed by her father, talk about Sarjaa, sustainability in fashion and the need to opt for a more environment-friendly lifestyle. Excerpts:
Anjana, apart from your passion for fashion, was it your love for nature that gave rise to Sarjaa?
Anjana: Yes, definitely! Since I was a child, I loved nature and animals a lot. I always wanted a dog, go to the farm and stuff like that. When I was in New York, I got into the zero-waste lifestyle and changed a lot of things in my kitchen. If there was a lot of non-reusable plastic stuff like food wraps, I would change them. I got into organic farming because of the issue of soil depletion, which is very bad for the environment and increases carbon footprint. Naturally, I didn’t want to be a factor adding to land and ocean pollution. That’s how Sarjaa was also derived.
What was the kind of response and support you received from your family when you told them that you want to become a fashion entrepreneur?
Anjana: Everybody has always been supportive of whatever I do. I was an average student when I was in high school. I was very much into sports and my parents have always supported that. They supported me even when I decided to go to fashion college. It came about in the most natural and seamless way. Sarjaa came from a very little idea and I got a very positive feedback from them.
Aishwarya, how do you feel about your baby sister turning an entrepreneur at a young age?
Aishwarya: I always knew that she had a good eye for fashion but I honestly never thought that she would become an entrepreneur. So, when she told me her idea and that the products would be made from fruit leather, I was very skeptical as to how they would turn out. I’m into handbags and I had never seen anything made out of plant leather. But she not only focused on the sustainability bit but also on the design because she wanted it to appeal to everybody. I’m glad that she could bridge that gap. When she showed me the samples, I realised that they are better than leather handbags. I’ve been using her bags now and the quality is great. She, along with her team, has done such a nice job! I’m very proud of her.
Products made from apple skin leather is unheard of in India. Anjana, did you face any challenge while sourcing it?
Anjana: Yes, it was extremely tough. There were a few different sources I was looking into. When I got one of the samples from a particular source, I just couldn’t work with it. We tried to work on its development and with the material. Another source I tried reaching out to didn’t even have a website! My family was in the dark about most of the things I was doing (laughs). But pineapple skin leather is heard of now and a couple of brands are implementing and using that material. Finding apple skin leather was quite a challenge but what was more challenging was working with the material. The kind of thread and needle you use really matters because the material is fragile and different. To make that strong and fitting them into each design was tough.
So, what went into creating something that’s both sustainable and chic?
Anjana: Design was something I didn’t want to compromise on because I was trying to bridge the gap between sustainability and fashion. My team really pushed themselves and we somehow made it work and I’m glad about that.
What do you think is the simplest measure that can be taken towards creating a more sustainable world?
Anjana: Recycling is the most important thing for any industry in today’s world. There’s a lot of waste out there and it’s getting into landfills and oceans. We should focus on buying quality material and not go into fast fashion. We shouldn’t be buying 10-15 clothes in one go and throw them away the next month and then repeat the process! As a part of the fashion industry, that’s my only concern for the world right now. Governments should implement stricter rules on recycling all kinds of waste including plastic.
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Aishwarya, what’s your take on sustainable fashion?
Aishwarya: To be honest, whatever little I know about sustainability has been introduced to me by my sister. I was one of those bad examples and have learnt things from her such as reusing things rather than just throwing them away. It’s so nice to see that even big fashion brands are adopting sustainability now. Along with leather handbags, they are also compelled to make canvas or other sustainable products. The world is definitely shifting and people are way more conscious of what they are using. In fact, I have met so many people who only use cloth masks for the reusability factor. Sustainability is the way ahead and all of us should be more responsible. Anjana has put me on the right track and I’m way more conscious of what I use today.
Anjana: Changing habits is one of the toughest things.
Aishwarya: When Anjana and I were talking to people about the handbags, most of them were already vegan in terms of their dietary choices. But to implement a sustainable lifestyle is so difficult. We aren’t accustomed to having eco-friendly options even when it comes to the most basic things. Making small lifestyle changes is extremely tough but I think if you’re aware, you can be conscious of what you’re using. It’s a slow but steady process.
Anjana: We implemented the same motto in Sarjaa. We aren’t forcing anything on anyone… this isn’t a brand that’s saying that you shouldn’t be using animal leather. We’re just giving people an alternative and saying that it can also be just as good if not better. We’re trying to push a nice story that impacts the world in a better way.
Anjana, having been born in a family full of actors, was there no plan of acting?
Anjana: (Laughs) I don’t think so. I was always into sports.
Aishwarya: She used to punch all my friends and they used to get hurt!
Anjana: I was a tomboy. Then I just went into the field of arts with fashion being at the top of the list. I was also interested in photography. Thereafter, the industry part of fashion began fascinating me and I went to study fashion marketing. My brain kept telling me that I need to do what I’m good at and what I’ve learnt so far. So, that’s why I picked up this industry and I enjoy it as well. Sustainability is something that’s close to me and I did many projects on sustainable materials. I don’t think movies never really sat well with me.
Aishwarya: But Anjana is very good at acting. When she used to act in plays as a child, I would be floored! I was so sure that if she, at all, makes up her mind to act, she would be really good. But I’m glad that she chose her passion, which is the right thing to do.
Anjana, are there plans of expanding Sarjaa to other verticals in the near future?
Anjana: Yes, definitely! I want to do clothes and that’s something I want to start off with. But then I was brainstorming with my sister and I came to the conclusion that I would start with bags. So, yes, I want to get into apparels. I love interior designing too and I would love to design pieces of home furniture. I also hope to use more upcoming sustainable materials.
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