THE MIND SHAPING PADMIE

Born and brought up in Patna, Bihar, in a middle-class family, Kriti was always an outcast, the creative brain among the nerdy ones. Her aim was clear, to build her own path, not guided by society's norms. While her classmates were taking exams for JEE or NEET, Kriti was quietly preparing for NIFT, and she qualified for it in the first attempt with AIR 18.

Her time at NIFT marked a profound cultural shift. While she was learning the nitty-gritty of fashion, she was also adjusting to an entirely new world. “Honestly, I felt a bit lost. I questioned myself every day- whether what I was doing was right or wrong, and whether I would even sustain in this new environment.” Despite the uncertainty, she kept moving forward and secured the 2nd Runner-Up position at Design Sutra. This achievement paved her way into the world of handlooms and even earned her an internship with Taneira, a Tata product. Her journey with handlooms had begun, and with each passing day, she found herself growing closer to India’s rich heritage of art, craft, and textiles.

Kriti formally began her career with Taneira. From the capital city of Bihar, Patna, to one of India’s finest corporate houses, it had been quite a journey. The middle-class girl was finally spreading her wings. “With every collection I developed for them, my confidence grew. People began to call me the hard-working one, until one day..."

Kriti worked in the corporate sector for almost three and a half years before moving to a design house. While delivering her best there, she also learned the fundamentals of running a business. “I took charge of managing the backend, the website, customers, and administrative work, along with designing. This really helped me gain a 360-degree understanding of how a business operates.” The desire to present her own ideas on her own terms eventually led to the decision to start her own brand. It was her father who suggested the name PADMIE when she shared the idea with him. “I never wanted just a namesake brand. I wanted a name associated with Radhe–Krishna, something that would also represent the woman I design for and me.”