Naveda is a Philadelphia-based luxury women’s wear brand founded by Amy Devan, whose designs were inspired by her love for clothing that is both dreamy and mature. Amy likes to describe her collection with the word wanderluxe. Wanderluxe is a modern, sophisticated bohemian style.
Naveda consists of two collections: Prêt-à-Porter and Bespoke. The Prêt-à-Porter (or “ready to wear”) is a collection of everyday women’s wear. These collections, featured in NY Fashion Week and London Fashion Week, are sold online as well as in luxury boutiques across the country. Bespoke is custom bridal and evening wear, available through one-on-one appointments.
LAUREN: What was the greatest challenge you encountered in launching your brand?
AMY: Well, this is my second career. I attended undergrad and grad school at Drexel ten years ago, where I focused on marketing and financial management. I went on to work for about eight years in Marketing and PR in lots of different industries. [But design] has been my passion since I was a kid. I got to the point where I thought, “If I don’t chase this, I probably never will.”
I moved to New York to pursue a Fashion degree at Parsons. I jumped into this world full force without thinking twice. That was the biggest challenge - to take that leap of faith and trust myself. Because once I made that decision, I never looked back.
L: From where do you draw inspiration for your designs?
A: I like to bring attention back to handcraft. It’s a dying art, and it really shouldn’t be that way. My family is originally from India, so garment making, embroidery, beading and dying are traditionally done by hand. [A handcrafted item] has a story with it. When you pick up something that a group of craftspeople have spent hours and hours on, it means more. You think of it as an investment. I hope that’s how my brand is perceived.
L: What is your favorite piece from your most recent collection?
A: There is a dress that I like to call the “peek-a-boo” dress. It’s like a shirt dress and then on the side in a “peek-a-boo” fashion there’s white hand embroidery that looks like lace.
L: What are the biggest changes coming to your brand this year?
A: The brand is expanding to a lifestyle brand with the introduction of styling services—including a vlog—as well as NAVEDA boho-luxe products that carry our consumer from day to night effortlessly.
Shop the Naveda collection at www.navedacouture.com.
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