Backstage with Blur the Border is now live with the second edition of the podcast where we go behind the scenes with the founders and creative visionaries of India's leading homegrown labels.
Hosted by Aishwarya Avlani, a brand consultant and content creator, she speaks to the founders of these brands to understand their entrepreneurial journey, and uncovers step-by-step, what goes into the making of a successful homegrown label. Each episode is packed with insights so if you're a budding entrepreneur looking to break into the fashion, beauty, or lifestyle industry, we promise you'll leave with valuable takeaways.
The podcast series is presented by Blur the Border, a digital editorial platform that discovers and celebrates the powerhouses currently strengthening India’s homegrown landscape.
New episodes release every week! Follow the podcast to stay updated.
To discover more, head to: https://blurtheborder.com/ (https://blurtheborder.com/) or find us on Instagram @blurtheborder_ (https://instagram.com/blurtheborder_?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==)
Reach out to us at hello@blurtheborder.com (mailto:hello@blurtheborder.com)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Craft, Waste, and Vision: Ritwik Khanna’s Model for Fashion’s Future
Ritwik Khanna, founder of Rkive City, discusses his journey in building a fashion brand that challenges the fast-paced system by reimagining discarded textiles as raw materials for innovation, design, and storytelling in this interview.
2 Dec 2024
Beyond Streetwear: Dhruv Khurana's Vision for Almost Gods
How does a brand stand out in today’s competitive market? You differentiate, reveals Dhruv Khurana, the founder of Almost Gods, a brand that has steadily attracted a loyal following for their ability to breathe a fresh perspective into India’s burgeoning streetwear space. Almost Gods is, however, not only a streetwear brand. Through Dhruv’s creative vision, the brand draws from mythological, historical, and cultural symbols to tell stories through their offerings. The why behind the brand is answered as Dhruv reveals his background story and what drew him to this space. With a goal of making clothes that have global appeal but are rooted in India, Almost Gods is a homegrown brand whose journey has just begun.
Presented By: Blur the Border
Hosted By: Aishwarya Avlani
Produced By: Rhea Bhambhani and Blur the Border
Audio-Video Production & Post-Production: Canopy Media
Location Courtesy: Canopy Studios
Music: Licensed through Epidemic Sound
Chapter Markers
00:00 Intro
02:01 How Almost Gods Has Built a Community
03:12 On Dhruv’s Entrepreneurial Bug
07:56 How Almost Gods Was Conceived
09:34 The Early Days of the Brand
11:14 On Building a Team
13:20 On Stealing Ideas
13:58 On Not Being Afraid to Reinvent
16:54 On How to Stay Relevant
19:31 The Story Behind the Brand Name
21:00 On How to Make Your Brand Ethos Connect with your Consumer
23:09 Balancing Commercial Success with Creative Integrity
25:36 On Patenting & Trademarking
28:04 Almost Gods Design Process
32:23 When Ranveer Singh, Diljit Dosanjh, and Machine Gun Kelly Wore Almost Gods
33:33 On Challenging Retail Design
37:00 Almost Gods’ International Expansion
38:33 Approach to Collaborations
40:38 Dhruv’s Go-to Homegrown Brands & Advice for Budding Brands
44:20 The Future of Almost Gods in the Phy-digital Space
47:13 Know the Founder
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
25 Nov 2024
Reviving Craftsmanship: Monica Shah on Jade’s Grassroots Vision
It’s episode 7 of Backstage with Blur the Border and in this episode, we have with us Monica Shah, one half of the dynamic duo who lead Jade, a brand that has gained recognition for blending India’s artisanal legacy with contemporary and modern-day ensembles. Most recently, Jade has launched the Grassroots Artisan Project, with a focus of showcasing indigenous craftsmanship techniques through ready-to-wear collections. Monica works closely with artisans who have gained expertise in a certain craft style and through their ingenuity, turns it into a motif through the Grassroots Project. For the brand, their mission is to preserve crafts and challenge the way in which we’ve worn them in India, while making it relevant to a global audience as well. In this episode, Monica speaks to host Aishwarya about the idea behind this project, Jade, and how they approach brand-building with this very important mission in focus.
Presented By: Blur the Border
Hosted By: Aishwarya Avlani
Produced By: Rhea Bhambhani and Blur the Border
Audio-Video Production & Post-Production: Canopy Media
Location Courtesy: Canopy Studios
Music: Licensed through Epidemic Sound
Chapter Markers
00:00 Intro
00:37 Introduction to the Host and Guest
00:57 Monica Dives Into The Grassroots Artisan Project
03:15 Reinventing Traditional Crafts
04:52 Cultural Sustainability and Modernization
05:22 The Future of Indian Couture
17:20 The Spirit of the Jade Woman
19:50 Challenges in Growing a Brand
21:28 Balancing Tradition and Modernity
23:57 The Role of Digital Storytelling
28:21 The Inception of Jade
30:28 How Monica’s Background in Interior Design Informs the Brand
31:42 On Collaborating with Museums
32:59 Go-to Homegrown Brands
33:35 Elevating Indian Design Globally
34:49 Looking Ahead
36:15 Know the Founder
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
44,756
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 31 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
15
Social presence
0
YouTube
85
Engagement
32
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