Sandhiana Seetaram: “Fashion is not copying from others”

Tucked amidst other lovely shops in the centre Rose Hill, we discovered this little closet! Yes, a closet, commonly said to be one of the most important tools in every girl’s life. Sandhiana Seetaram, a young entrepreneur behind ‘Purple Closet’, tells us about her passion. “Give a girl the right shoes and she will conquer the world.” This young lady in her twenties has always had a great passion for arts since college. Her end of year project in HSC was one among the best in Mauritius. She pursued her passion by choosing to continue her studies in fashion design. According to her, fashion is not something which is copied from someone. “What you wear should actually reflect your personality,” she says. After her studies, she chose to work with one of the most reputed fashion design companies in Mauritius for around three years before deciding to launch her own business, a trendy shop she named ‘Purple Closet.’ [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"15700","attributes":{"class":"media-image aligncenter wp-image-26408","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"718","height":"553","alt":"Purple Closet"}}]] Being strongly passionate about travelling, she travelled to India, met different fashion designers and chose to import most of her products from there so that she can offer her customers a wide variety of quality products at affordable prices. On July 1 last year, her dream finally materialised. She opened a shop in Hassamal Mall in Rose Hill. With her elegant touch and great hospitality, she has instantly conquered her customers’ hearts. From dresses, trousers, jeans or accessories, Purple Closet has everything! Needless to say, like all entrepreneurs, she faced a lot of difficulties. The main constraint was in September last, where there was significant drop fall in sales. The revenue generated was not sufficient to pay the rent of the premises. However, she received huge support from her family and her fiancé who have been helping her tremendously in achieving her dreams. “It’s no more a job. It’s my passion,” she reveals, adding that: “If you love something you should keep on trying until you achieve success.”

Why Purple Closet?

She chose the name simply because a closet is one of the most important tools for a girl. It regroups all that a girl needs: shoes, clothes and so much more. And purple is her favourite colour. So choosing ‘Purple Closet’ as brand name for her first ever entrepreneurial venture was a means for her to demonstrate her enthusiasm for the business.

Her marketing

As is the growing trend nowadays, the bulk of her marketing is done on social media, mainly Facebook. “It is thus possible to interact with customers in real time, discuss their needs, share photos of the products and provide any necessary information on the spot,” she explains. Additionally, words about her shop, her products and her excellent customer service spread from mouth to mouth, as customers recommend others to try her shop. A number of customers have become regulars at Purple Closet. She is yet to try other forms of marketing, such as press advertising.

Upcoming projects

Based on her market studies, Sandhiana Seetaram plans to diversify and extend her business. She wants to open a new shop soon in the northern or eastern region this year.