Inside Our First Fashion Exhibition

Our first exhibition was chaotic — and honestly, pretty terrifying. We booked it before our stock was even ready, assuming everything would fall into place in time and we’d be ready. But we hadn’t accounted for the delays on the artisan side — and suddenly, the timeline felt dangerously tight.

Still, we knew we had to push ourselves. If not now, we’d miss the festive season entirely. We had to start somewhere, and that meant taking the plunge, ready or not.

We’ll be honest, we intentionally chose a smaller exhibition to begin with, knowing we couldn’t afford the risk of a major investment right away. It was our testing ground. We had our hearts set on making the first exhibition work no matter what.

A Harsh First Lesson 😞

We still can’t forget how we completely overestimated the sales for our very first exhibition.

We packed massive stocks thinking it would work similar to the online medium and we would have customers walk in, inquiring every few minutes — we were proved to be blatantly wrong. We were so disheartened and were in tears by the end of the day. It was humbling to say the least.

Looking back, we share a good laugh over that memory as the reality is so different — it was a totally classic rookie mistake on our part.

The Madness Before the Show

Stocks got delayed. We were chasing vendors, coordinating with artisans, figuring out labels, packaging, carry bags, dust bags, taggings, SKU codes — all of it. Even juttis had to be sorted by size so that we wouldn't be scrambling during the show. It was pure chaos.

The night before the exhibition, we were up with our friends, tagging bags, cutting labels, stuffing dust bags, in our house turned workshop — all without a wink of sleep. We loaded all the stock into the car ourselves.

Scrappy Setups & Makeshift Magic 🛍️✨

Setting up the stall was beautifully chaotic. It was the first time we had to truly think about visual merchandising — something we had read about but never actually done. Suddenly, it was real. We had friends helping us pull together makeshift displays, drape fabrics, and arrange products — all in the spirit of pure hustle. Our parents were there too, cheering us on during our very first exhibition.

We even forgot a few display stands, but we made do — with what we had, and a whole lot of last-minute jugaad. And honestly, that scrappiness became part of the charm.

Facing the Crowd — And Ourselves

We had no idea what to expect. Not everyone who stopped by understood our price points right away. Some barely glanced before walking off — and honestly, that stung our young entrepreneur hearts.

With time came the understanding that: we’re not for everyone. And that’s absolutely okay.

Our First Big Break 💥

We vividly remember our first big purchase. The customer picked up one of our bags and said, “This is exactly what I’ve been looking for.” She was getting married and loved the quality of our bags. She ended up buying around 15 pieces for her bridesmaid hampers.

That moment felt incredibly special. It was our first bulk order, and honestly, that little boost of belief — that someone saw value in what we were building — meant the world.

It was the first time we truly felt like, yes, this is working.

Listening, Learning, Evolving

We learnt that different customers have different opinions. During the show, we noticed that older women weren’t interested in the mini bags — simply because they couldn’t fit a phone inside. That kind of feedback was gold. So we went back, reworked the sizing, and gradually introduced larger versions of the original designs.

Full Hearts, Tired Feet 🧡

By the end of the expo, we were exhausted, but more than that, we were relieved — because we had pulled it off, learned so much, and met people who genuinely loved what we offered. We were physically drained, but emotionally full. That wholesome kind of exhaustion that only comes from doing something that truly matters to you.

After packing up, we went out for a quiet dinner with our friends and family — the same people who helped us set up, ran last-minute errands, and cheered us on through every chaotic moment. It was simple, but oh so special.

We even treated ourselves using some of the money we made at the exhibition. It felt like the sweetest reward after the madness. That night, we slept like babies — full hearts, tired feet, and the quiet satisfaction of knowing we had built something real.

Lessons We Carried Forward 🎓

One of our biggest takeaways was to maintain realistic expectations, to let things flow and trust the process. We realised we couldn’t do it all alone and having extra hands, whether friends or team, is essential.

That was just one of many such learnings. Every interaction at that exhibition helped shape how we approach design, feedback, and customers even today.