Interviewer: Dinesh Rohilla, Delhi Magazine In conversation with: Pranav Aggarwal and Nidhi Sharma, Paras Gallery Fabrics Inspirational Desk, Delhi Magazine: Some of Delhi’s most successful businesses are family trades carried forward by a new generation. Paras Gallery Fabrics in Lajpat Nagar II is one of them. Run by siblings Pranav Aggarwal and Nidhi Sharma, the store sells ethnic-wear fabric by the metre to Delhi families, supplies boutiques across India through a wholesale network and now ships to buyers in the US. We spoke to the brother and sister about their family’s roots in Chandni Chowk, the fabrics their customers love and what it takes to build a business together. Q1. Tell me about your background and success journey. Pranav: Fabric has been in our family for three generations. Our parent shop, Paras Handloom in Chandni Chowk, has been trading for more than 25 years. Nidhi and I grew up around that counter. I still remember customers discussing a few inches of border for an hour. People don’t buy fabric with their eyes alone. They hold it, drape it on a shoulder and ask what their tailor will do with it. That understanding is the base of everything we do. Nidhi: In December 2019 we opened Paras Gallery Fabrics at Pushpa Central Market in Lajpat Nagar II. It is one of South Delhi’s busiest markets for wedding and festive shopping. From one store we have grown into a retail and wholesale business with a national website at parasgalleryfabrics.com. We now have a wholesale community of around 920 active boutique members. We deliver across India and export fabric to the US. Q2. What are the challenges you faced so far? Nidhi: The biggest one is that fabric is a product people want to touch. Selling it online means helping a customer judge drape, shade and transparency through a phone screen. We solved part of that by sharing live photos clicked in natural store light, from several angles and in every colour. We also built a feature on our website called “See it as an outfit,” which shows a fabric made up as a finished garment. Pranav: For boutiques the challenge is risk. One wrong order can sit on their shelf for a whole season. So we had to build trust slowly, one member at a time. Each boutique deals with a dedicated sales agent who learns their taste. We would rather tell a member to skip a fabric than sell them something that will not move. Q3. How did the idea of Paras Gallery Fabrics come about? Pranav: We had the experience of Chandni Chowk behind us. What we wanted was a store where customers could take their time and get honest advice. Lajpat Nagar gave us the right audience. Many of the people shopping there are dressing for weddings and festivals. Nidhi: We also noticed something about wedding shopping early on. The bride is rarely the main buyer. Most of our customers are her sister, her mother, a cousin, a guest with several functions to attend or a boutique owner stocking for the wedding-guest market. We built our range and our advice around them. Q4. What makes Paras Gallery Fabrics different from others? Nidhi: First, the range. We sell fabric by the metre for lehengas, sarees, suits, kurtis, blouses, dupattas and menswear. Five fabrics are the most popular with our customers. Organza is crisp, sheer and light. It is a favourite for dupattas, sleeves, lehenga layers and sangeet outfits. We stock plain, glass, satin, printed and embroidered organza. Since it is see-through, we usually suggest a lining for kurtas and suits. Brocade has its pattern woven into the cloth with zari or metallic thread. Banarasi brocade and our Imperial brocade are popular for wedding lehengas, blouses, jackets and sherwanis. It suits structured outfits more than flowing ones. Net embroidery is the base for our heaviest work, from sequins and thread to beads and cutwork. It layers well in a lehenga or drapes as a dupatta. Heavy pieces need a can-can and a firm lining to sit properly. Silk is the dependable choice for mothers of the bride, pujas and family functions. We carry habutai, upada and barfi silk. Silk also takes dye evenly, which helps boutiques working on custom colours. Georgette has a grainy texture and a fluid fall. It is the most forgiving fabric for anarkalis, sarees, shararas and long kurtas. We stock viscose, shimmer and jacquard georgette for different occasions. Pranav: Beyond these, we carry tissue, chiffon, crepe, satin, velvet, chanderi, cotton, linen, jacquards, laces and borders. There are also embroidered fabrics in zari, gota, sequins, pearl, mirror and 3D work, along with bridal fabrics, Pakistani suit fabrics and dyeable embroidered bases for boutiques. Shoppers can browse by occasion too, from haldi and mehendi to sangeet and reception. Consumers are also showing interest in sustainable fabrics and clothing brands as fashion choices continue to evolve. Nidhi: Second is advice. Customers can book a store visit on WhatsApp and we keep their fabrics ready before they arrive. At the counter we talk about lining, fall, embroidery weight and how many metres an outfit needs. If someone asks for our heaviest sequins for an afternoon mehendi in a garden, we will show her something lighter. She usually leaves happier with it. Pranav: Third is our website. Collections are arranged by fabric, work, occasion and outfit. Along with “See it as an outfit,” there is a Fabric Estimator that works out how many metres a garment needs. Boutiques have a dedicated wholesale page. Our blog publishes buying guides on fabric choice, festive dressing and stitching. For wholesale buyers there is PGF Insider, our WhatsApp community where we share new arrivals with width, price per metre and colour options. Traditional Indian textiles and craftsmanship continue to influence contemporary fashion, as seen in our coverage of Indian fashion and traditional craftsmanship. Q5. How is it working together as a brother and sister? Nidhi: We grew up in the same shop, so we learned the trade together. Working as siblings helps. We can be honest with each other about what is selling and what is not. Our customers get two people who care about getting their order right. Read more inspiring stories of women entrepreneurs in India who are building their own businesses. Pranav: We do not always agree, but we always know where the other person is coming from. Between the counter, the website and the boutique network, customers often deal with both of us. Q6. What message would you like to give to young entrepreneurs? Pranav: Know your customer better than anyone else. In our trade, that means understanding how a fabric behaves once it is stitched, not only how it looks on the shelf. Honest advice brings people back. Nidhi: Respect what came before you, then build on it. Our family’s experience gave us a strong start. The website, the WhatsApp community and our plans for the US and the UAE are what we added. Keep the basics strong and do not be afraid to try new ways of reaching people. Young business owners can also explore these startup tips from entrepreneur Bhawna Khanna. Paras Gallary Address Paras Gallery Fabrics, Shop No. 06, Pushpa Central Market, Lajpat Nagar II, New Delhi 110024 Website: parasgalleryfabrics.com · WhatsApp: +91 96544 40254 · Email: Support@parasgalleryfabrics.com Post navigation Kashmiri Muslim Girl: “Hindus Don’t Kill” While Comparing Amarnath Yatra and Ajmer Sharif
