A NIFT graduate with a diploma in fashion styling from Milan, Italy, Swapnil Shinde first tasted success when he was chosen as the first runner-up in the reality TV show, “Lakme Fashion House”. His hard won prize was six months of internship with the House of Versace, one of the best known Italian fashion brands. It was there that he learnt true aesthetics and expanded his horizons to world fashion.
In a time span of merely three years, this young designer has found his foot hold in an industry which is known for its ruthlessness.
When he established his brand “SWAPNIL SHINDE”, his aim was to strike a balance between two extreme terms, ‘sexy’ and ‘elegant’. Elegance without boredom and Sexiness without trashiness – And this is the look Shinde has tried to create. His target group is the young Indian women which falls in the 18 to 25 age category and it is for them that he makes his creations cost-effective. His label does not scream Indian-ness and cash on the latest desi trends but subtly suggests the innate Indian grain. Over the years, Shinde has developed his very own prints and started giving more attention to accessories as well which has buyers and critics alike eating out of his hand.
Swapnil has also managed to strike a chord with the B-town celebs who can’t get enough of his work. Aishwarya Rai , Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta ,Mughda Godse, Amrita Rao, Soha Ali Khan , Shweta Salve ,Kangana Ranaut,Shweta Bhardwaj, Mandira Bedi, Shazahn Padamsee are just the few names that have adorned his creations.
Shinde stuck gold in Bollywood when he designed key look for Madhur Bhandarkar’s fashion. His styling of Priyanka Chopra in the movie was widely appreciated. He also designed the wardrobe of the 2010 Rahul Bose starrer horror flick, Fired.
