Our Core

Hi, I’m Arunima, the creator of Ura.

I grew up in a fashion family, with my family business being that of manufacturing and exporting womenswear for international brands. From the very beginning, I loved everything about the business. The fabrics, the colours, the creativity. I went on to study fashion further at the London College of Fashion, and came back to join the business. While I loved what I was doing, at one point, I began to feel like there’s a part of me, which was being held back. Something about my work wasn’t giving me complete fulfillment. Fashion, clothing and lifestyle, is what I knew best, and I had to find a way to express myself through that. As it is, I had pondered many times over integrating the business forward into my own brand. I had a manufacturing facility lovingly set up over years of hard work, I had the know-how (or so I thought), and I had the drive to create something meaningful, which would add value to someone’s wardrobe, rather than just be a piece of “clothing”. I have worked and lived in fashion all my life, and eventually come to realize, that quality trumps quantity every time. I wanted to be able to create a brand, which offered its customers truly great quality, but also not make them feel like they would be splurging on something extravagant to be worn only a few times and then tucked away. Where is the value in that? Real fashion should remain relevant. Season on season, year on year. And so, armed with my passion, knowledge and backing, I began. 

Little did I know, that the journey I had so confidently embarked on, would be so challenging. I must have felt over a thousand swatches, until finally one would make its way into my heart as a fine quality to work with. The qualities I chose for Ura, were technical and superior. They demanded a new kind of skill and knowledge to bring them alive. It was like I had to begin all over again, forget what I knew, and relearn how to work with these new textiles.

Having always been more involved at a communication end of our export business, I now dove headfirst into every aspect of my baby, Ura. Challenge after challenge came up. To think I could have been so naïve to imagine that just because I had some experience in this world, this would be easy, makes me laugh today. Covid entered our world right at the peak of our process. When we were ready to begin creating our collection, the world went into lockdown. Months went by, before we could restart. And by then, things didn’t seem as relevant as before. This further made me realize the importance of creating pieces that are seasonless. I have had the privilege of being exposed to, and owning high fashion. But many a times I have found myself fumbling around, with nothing to wear. Sometimes all you really need is one simple piece, which you can dress up, or dress down. One piece, which makes an outfit, but isn’t screaming for attention. One piece, which works today, but will also work tomorrow when you reinvent it, restyle it. 

Over time, my team and I taught ourselves. We learned about the many factors involved in creating a fashion brand - the conceptualization, the several rounds of trial and error, the quality checks, the branding, the message we wanted to deliver. 

Ura means from the heart in Sanskrit. It is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Ur’, which essentially means your core. I have given this label my very core, just to find a way to deliver a truly elevated product, working constantly to perfect the aesthetics of both design and quality. I have thought about the person who wears these clothes, and what they will add to his or her life.

I also have a long way to go and much to learn, but I have taken my first baby steps, and so, from my very core, I give to you Core ’21.