Sonal Verma - The Designer

She graduated from the National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi, India as a Leather designer in 2007, after completing her Bachelor in Fashion and Design that was soon followed by working as a ‘Trend Analyst’ at the same institute and gaining experience in the field of trend spotting and analysis. While working with designers Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna for their label Cue as part of her graduation project it won her the accolade for being the’ Most Innovative Designer ‘08 ‘of the year N.I.F.T, New Delhi. The designs included collection of fashion accessories for them in fall ’07-‘08 which later resulted in working with eminent designers like Ritu Kumar, Asheema and Leena Singh and Ashii by Ashima Singh, Mandira Wirk among various otherdesign houses in India.

After completing the Masters’ degree under the European Design Labs program at the Instituto Europeo di design, Madrid, Spain in 2009.Her signature line of clothing and accessories by the name of ‘Rara Avis’, intertwining fashion & lifestyle with her signature alternative look won her the accolade for Elle graduate, 2014. Also she was selected as the Top 5 winners for the Vogue India Fashion Fund 2016. The burgeoning brand established in 2012, New Delhi rests on the concept of ‘Immortal Design’. With leather being the elemental ingredient, every piece is a one off handcrafted into timeless heirlooms.

She has showcased her Fall/winter 2015/16 collection followed by her Spring Summer 2016,further on Fall winter 16/17 at the Lakme Fashion week, Mumbai, India respectively.

Currently pursuing her passion for fashion trends and forecasting, she has been actively involved with the eminent Cotton Council International and Onio design. Along side she also enjoys teaching trends as a guest professor at the National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi, India. She joined the International bags brand POEM as the Creative Head for India in 2010; where she dispersed her design abilities to its best.

Having done the interiors for a newly opened French Italian kitchen & bar Bonne Bouche (2014) and an earlier project by the name of Rara Avis French restaurant in New Delhi,2012 has surely been a new take on her style of work, expanding the creative potential to spaces.

SONAL PROFILE