Akhila Shaha: Designer with a difference

Everyone is a "fashion designer" nowadays and there are countless "boutiques" and "fashion outlets" opening up every day, especially online. What sets you apart from others?

In case of both AKHILA SHAHA and YOURS MAMMAMIA, we customize each of our designs according to the customer’s requirements and have it tailor-made to ensure best fit for any body type.

At YM, we have a dedicated team to help expecting moms understand the cuts, the fabrics and special features we design to make this journey easier and to flatter their curves throughout their pregnancy journey.
I still don’t think anyone else is offering such services online within such a reasonable price range.

Tell us about your business.

AKHILA SHAHA is a casual wear brand for women. We work with basic colours and explore different types of fabric with each pattern that helps any body type speak a language of its own.
Our products are made to encourage women to be bold, be brave and be themselves which is also our brand motto. We avoid adding much external value to the product, like embroidery, in order to let the fabric and the pattern speak for itself and the body language of the person wearing it.

YOURS MAMMAMIA (YM) tells the story of motherhood. Pregnancy is a time to celebrate your amazing body, and we are here to celebrate that fascinating journey. At Mammamia we create charmingly fun and functional designs. If a design could emote, the patterns of our maternity wear are quite bright, happy and unconventional. We also select the fabrics very thoughtfully - ensuring that only the soft and breathable fabrics make the cut. The market is still very niche in Bangladesh.

Moreover, we understand that a wardrobe overhaul only for the duration of your pregnancy can be exhausting and wasteful. Hence, our dresses are designed to serve mommies during their pregnancy, after giving birth and well beyond. Our designs adjust to your growing belly during pregnancy. The same dress will cinch in your waist after giving birth. Our dual functionality dresses come equipped with nursing access (via concealed zip, hooks or buttons) to ensure utmost convenience for nursing mothers.

Where did you get your flair for fashion from?

I still don’t have a clue. *laughing out loud*
I grew up having fashion designers at home. Ever since I was born, I have worn clothes handpicked by them. So I guess I developed my taste in fashion that way. But never thought I’d design someday.
I was never really clear about what I want to be when I grew up.
I studied architecture for 3 years and then whimsically did a fashion course for a few months. Before I realised, I was working in Aarong and I kinda enjoyed having random people wear my designs. That is when I knew what I wanted to do.

Have things been easy in your work or did you have to face problems? If so, how did you overcome these?

There’s nothing in this world worth having, if it comes easy. However, I had to convince a few people to let me do what I want but thankfully my parents have been extremely supportive and if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything at all.
When we started our journey in the middle of a raging pandemic, we had a lot of heart but little idea of what was to come. We wanted to do something meaningful for expecting and new mums, and so we decided the pandemic wasn't going to stop us. Armed with determination and a lot of love, we took a leap of faith and started Mammamia at the heights of Covid. Later we started AS as well. As a result every step involved was a challenge (sourcing, tailoring, advertising, deliveries, incorporating COVID proof practices) - not only were we learning on the go but we were constantly acclimatizing to the new normal.

What are your future plans?

I want to reach as many people as I can through my work. I want to explore the market on my terms. We are interested in collaborating with women with stories of bravery and bold choices.