We see a lot of photo updates on your Facebook. You’re quite the social butterfly, aren’t you?

Well, that would be an overstatement. I have always been sort of an introvert and prefer the company of my closest friends. However, I do blog often and I love travelling with my family and friends, and developing a taste for new cuisines. As a fashion designer, I am committed to hosting a lot of events and also get my fair share of invitations. Hence the Facebook updates.

What keeps you busy these days?

At the moment, I am quite busy managing my studio, which is located at Das Tower, Lazimpat. My studio is where I get all my orders completed and my projects and meetings done. It has been open for nearly six months, but I haven’t had the time for a formal opening yet because I have a lot on my plate right now. Hopefully, I will get around to it soon.

Tell us a little about how you started out as a fashion designer.

I have always been fascinated with the idea of designing—giving form to different shapes and materials to make something wearable. I had a habit of doodling designs on my desktop computer, and my mother would show them to everyone. In 2012, the House of Fashion approached me to showcase my designs. I also launched my designer label, Inspire, from there, and it has kind of taken off since then.

What do you love the most about the Nepali fashion industry?

The fact that there’s so much room to grow for young designers, and so many opportunities opening up for everyone in the fashion industry. I remember it being tough when I started out as an amateur, but I got to learn new things every day. It was quite an experience, something that gradually shaped me as a designer. But none of it was without toil, dedication and persistence, and in the Nepali fashion industry, all that pays off in the end.

What does it to take to start a label and make it in Nepal as an independent designer?

Before anything else, you need to have a knack for fashion and styling. Then you must be passionate and committed. Frankly, it was rather difficult to start a label of my own, let alone turn it into a bigger brand. People see the glamour-side of fashion designing and get easily drawn to it, but in reality, only 10 per cent of fashion designing is about glamour. The rest is all about hard work and persistence.

But don’t you think it is important to have a degree in fashion designing to start out as a designer here?

I believe education is extremely important—whether you are self- taught or whether you get a degree from an institution. Although the latter gives you the opportunity to learn many theories and develop a practical perspective about things, a degree alone can neither help you succeed in your career nor teach you how to develop instincts. It is ultimately up to you to decide how you’ll apply your knowledge. As for me, I never took the usual three-year course on fashion designing. I am a self-taught designer and I learned everything from observation and practice, sometimes on my own and sometimes working under the tutelage of experienced individuals. For creative people, particularly, I think it is the output of their work that matters more than the legitimacy of their qualification or who they might know or what name they work for.

Let’s talk a little about your fashion label, Inspire, and your blog, More2MyStylediary.

Inspire is my clothing line that I launched in September 2012 through House of Fashion. Back then, I had only Rs 60,000 that I could invest in the venture, and I never thought it would take me to where I am today.

As for More2MyStylediary, it’s a space where I blog about my passion and aspirations, to share my thoughts with the world. It started blogging quite casually after I was done with my 12th grade. But after I came across an article about emerging bloggers, I realised that blogging could be an effective way to get into the world of fashion.

How do you go about designing a dress?

When I’m in the zone, I am quite methodical. I always begin by setting up a mood board. It can consist of anything that gets me inspired. Then I go about choosing the fabrics I need and start working on the silhouettes of my designs. Once they’re done, I draw illustrations and put them in swatches, and play with different colour palettes. The rest of the tasks, like pattern cutting, stitching and finishing are all done at my workshop, and this is how most of my designs materialise.

Who is your international designer role model? Where do you find your inspiration?

My international role models are Prabal Gurung and Elie Saab. For me, inspiration has always been about a state of mind. I am mood-driven and in the past, I have been inspired by many things—from people, places and moments in life to literature, nature, art, music and movies: the list keeps getting longer.

What’s your philosophy on mens wear and do you also design apparel for men?

My label, Inspire, caters to men too. My partner in crime is my brother Ajay Gurung, who heads the menswear division. I personally have no plans of getting into that department, though. Actually, it is generally hard for designers who only make apparel for women to try their hands at designing menswear and vice versa. The cuts, design concepts and methods are quite different for the two.