A Fashionable Journey through the Eyes of a Second Generation Boutique Owner

Our parents pass on several things to us. From our looks, our genes, to a stable life,  they build us as people and shape our personalities. Sometimes, parents pass on their love for a particular profession too.

It isn’t every day that a young budding designer is given the chance to make a difference at the family boutique. Being the third generation owner, that in itself is pretty magnificent.

RE – a store that has stood the test of time over the years in one of Mumbai’s busiest main roads, is a glaring example of changing styles, trends and generations, literally. Today we speak to Kavita Doshi, a young entrepreneur who joined her father in the family business and turned the story of RE around. Let’s hear her side of the story, in a conversation with Paroma Sen-Basu

You started your career in the financial advisory sector at Ernst and Young.  So what made you step into the world of clothing and accessories?

I was always interested in fashion. Since my early days, I was always passionate about new styles, changing trends and fashionable clothes. Since my father and grandfather were in the business, it just seemed like the most obvious thing to do. Being in Mumbai (erstwhile Bombay), the city of fashion, and a woman, probably helped carve a more passionate feel for the profession too in some ways. So all of these inspired me to enter the world of clothing and accessories through the family owned store.

Your grandfather was the founder of your store RE in Mumbai. As a 3rd generation, modern day boutique owner, how do you help transform the store to meet modern needs?

My grandfather founded RE several years ago. But when I stepped in, together my dad and I transformed the store. We first changed the interiors, and made it more modern and contemporary.  I think that good decor motivates clients in some way. Every modern day woman would like to shop at a ‘feel good’ place after all. While my dad handles the backend work now, I travel all over India, select and make all the outfits that we sell. When selecting an outfit, I always ask myself, would I buy this outfit, is it worth the amount, and will I wear it again? I think these questions help make my products a lot more unique and reasonable from the point of view of value and style. Why sell something you wouldn’t buy yourself, or wear yourself, after all? There has to be an element of personal choice in everything you do, as a businesswoman especially.