We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Asha Metul Shah a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Asha Metul, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
Being a mother, made me think more deeply about what I wanted to devote my life to; my jain principles, being frugal, kind to the earth and all living creatures, not taking from Her more than you need, combined with my childhood passion for fashion and vision for what I would like the future world to look like for my children. Working in finance I understood the economics of reusing, minimising waste and human and environmental costs in the fashion industry. Everything came together when my fourth child, vivacity was born.
I started designing bindis using recycled materials and vegan body tattoos and I quickly built my ethical fashion accessories business. I was surprised myself at just how much my customers resonated with my sustainability ethos. At there same time, with my New Mummy’s body I became increasingly conscious that people wear clothes and not the other way round. I realised that my real passion was offering a service to people to make them feel good about themselves inside and out and embarked on a Personal Styling course.
My father was so proud that I was taking the best of all he had taught me in combining the principles of sustainable fashion. Tragically, he passed away during the week of my course, his insight and blessing have inspired me and are the guiding principles of Vivahcity and Distinct Styling.
Despite the media and so many fashion brands and retailers using greenwashing to promote how they were environmentally friendly, I knew from my childhood the dark side of the fashion industry. The abuse and unacceptable conditions and pay of workers, the impacts of growing materials to the environment and on farmers led me to qualify in Fashion Sustainability.
The fashion industry is the second most polluting industry and responsible for 10% of the world’s carbon emissions. The facts and figures are astounding. I have set about a mission to create a cycle whereby the person buys something new, wears it and places it into their wardrobe, realises that it’s time to say good bye, gives that piece to a new home and raising money for a charity in this process.
My mission is to help everyone understand the impacts of fast fashion and how making changes to their wardrobe, buying habits and starting at the beginning by understanding exactly what their body shape and colours are will see change.
Restyle, Revamp and Rewear or simply pass on!
Asha Metul, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Fashion has always been in my blood, and Fashion sustainability is at the very heart of Distinct Styling. I was immersed into the world of fashion as a child when my father who was a finance director for a ladies’ fashion company that supplied to high street brands, would take me to work. I followed in his footsteps and was loving my work as a Finance Analyst until when I had three amazing boys in quick succession. This was a pivotal moment in my life, while I loved looking after my family I felt like I was losing myself, my former career didn’t seem important anymore.
Being a mother made me think more deeply about what I wanted to devote my life to; my Jain principles, being frugal, kind to the earth and all living creatures, not taking from HER more than you need, combined with my childhood passion for fashion and vision for what I would like the future world for my children to look like. From my finance background I understood the economics of reusing, minimising waste and human and environmental costs ion the fashion industry. Everything came together when my fourth child Vivahcity was born.
I started small working in my son’s nursery while they slept, designing bindis using recycled materials and vegan body tattoos. It was easy to work all hours dining something I love, inspired by my boys and I quickly built my ethical fashion accessories business selling on my website and doing pop up shops. I was truly surprised how many of my customers really resonated with my sustainability ethos. At the same time I noticed how my body shape had changed after having children and I became increasingly conscious that people wear clothes and not the other way round. I realised that my real passion was offering a service to people to make them feel good about themselves, love their wardrobe and wear everything in it! I embarked on a Personal Styling course.
My father was so proud that I was taking the best of all he had taught me in combining the principles of sustainable fashion. Tragically, he suddenly passed away during the very week of my course and I felt like my whole world had fallen apart. He was my biggest cheerleader. His insight and blessing have inspired me and are the guiding principles of Vivahcity and Distinct Styling.
Seeing my clients actually smile, realise that they are beautiful and that whatever their body shape is they can always look and feel amazing! I want everyone to wear a 100% of their wardrobe and not just the 20% we all wear today. Seeing my clients wardrobe for the first time, I am able to style different outfits from the pieces they have in their current wardrobe and so making it so much easier for them. I provide a service whereby I do their colours and in this I am able to show you the colours that suit your skin tone, gone are any so called ‘flaws’, worry lines. You don’t even need to wear make up if you wear the correct colours! Honestly you can wear any colour you like, it’s all about the tone of colour and wearing it up to your face!
I run masterclasses on styling.
I love taking my clients out of their comfort zone and seeing them realise that they can wear so much more then they think.
I also specialise in Personal brand styling and this is for businesses who have Personal brand photo shoots. I help them to realise what message they want to portray to their potential clients through their shoot because what they wear and the colours they wear can have sop much impact in the message they are trying to get across.
I have styled at London Fashion Week and for celebrity stylists and I can say that I absolutely love my job!
Learning about the impacts of the fashion industry to the environment led me to certify in Fashion Sustainability. This industry annually consumes 93 billion cubic meters of water every year and this is enough to meet the needs of 5 million people. The fashion industry produces 500 000 tones of microfibre, equivalent to 3 million barrels of oil. It takes 7500 litres of water to make 1 pair of jeans!
I prepared a sustainability manifesto with changes I am bringing about for a greener future. I pledge to: https://distinctstyling.com/wp-contect/uploads/2023/07/Sustainability-manifesto-1.pdf.
My sustainability ethos includes donating to and purchasing from pre loved items, and high quality pieces (pay a bit more rather than running to the fast fashion houses) that will last a lifetime. I work with charities and have built a capsule ware where less is much more, an enough to make an individual feel amazing in their attire.
I support clients to learn about their existing wardrobe first, and teach them how to make maximum use of what’s already there with a creative approach, I show them ethical brands and how to dress sustainably. We work on garments that don’t work by making them into something else, Restyle, Revamp and Rewear or simply pass on.
I also run regular Pre loved styling events where these pieces are sold and raise money for a fabulous charity Mimi Pia, who make Cotten sanitary towels for girls in Africa.
I am creating a cycle where by the person buys something new, wears it and places it in their wardrobe, realises that it’s time to say goodbye, gives that piece to a new home and raising money for charity.
I want everyone to realise just how special they are, by wearing pieces they love they can feel confident how together we can all make a difference and by shopping cleverly, these pieces will last a lifetime!
You know that feeling when you wake up, get dressed, look in the mirror and smile and then walk outside and someone smiles and/or compliments you and you feel amazing. Be the best of who you can be.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
During lockdown, we weren’t allowed to go to the shops. I was so worried to the point that I was considering ending it and then I realised I had to find a solution. I had to find another way to help people, I shifted a lot of my services online. I wanted to take the stress away of shopping online, the stress of trolling through many websites, not knowing which size to get in which shop and what suited you. So many people where grateful for this service because I would send them a look book of outfits to suit their body shape, colours and style personality. Ive had so much positive feedback and still offer this service, to this day.
There is always a way forward and even though it may take some time never give up!
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I started posting photos of myself in different outfits, or if I went out anywhere, I would post photos and videos of where I was, trends and styling tips. By sharing useful content, and showing who you are can really help build your social media presence. Always be present!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.distinctstyling.com/ and https://www.vivahcity.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livefashionlovestyle
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/distinctstylinguk
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashametulshah
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/livefashiohlov1 and. https://www.twitter.com/vivahcity
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@distinctstyling7394
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@distinctstyling?_t=8hou6kcCkF7&_r=1
Image Credits
Jai Shah Photography Nux Photography Madalaine Winston Photography