Meet Urvashi Lele | Animator and Clothing Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Urvashi Lele and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Urvashi, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am from many places. I was born in Mumbai, India and moved to the UK, by myself, in the last year of high-school. Growing up, I never felt like I belonged to India alone and when I got to the UK, it felt right. Although, it came with a lot of difficulties, I like to think I grew up there (for a second time) and became the person I am today. These experiences made me resilient above anything else. When I came to America for my Masters, I wasn’t too scared because I had done it once before already. Perseverance is a quality that has pushed me forward throughout my career. I owe it to my upbringing and background and I don’t know where I would be without it.

What should our readers know about your business?
By day, I am what one would commonly refer to as an ‘Animator’. It is what I went to university for and have built my career around.

Recently, however, I have chosen to pay attention to a lifelong dream and passion – I am launching my own clothing label.

Maison Audmi is a menswear brand that carries over the silhouettes conventionally found in womenswear over to menswear. The idea is to normalise the idea of the man in a dress. While the ultimate goal would be for Maison Audmi to be a genderless label, I am taking baby steps to get to that stage.

The name AUDMI comes from the Hindi words Aurat (woman) and Aadmi (man). It is a play on the French word Garconne which channels androgyny.

Using textiles and dressmaking techniques from both India and the UK, the garments are manufactured using deadstock or waste materials to keep the process as sustainable as possible. All the garments are manufactured in Los Angeles, California where I currently reside, to keep the production close and reduce the carbon footprint of global supply.

It is a slow and arduous process, but it comes with many merits. What I am doing is using my skills as an animator to create beautiful garments filled with character. As an individual who is a product of two worlds, it only stands to reason that I would ultimately create something that is the hybrid of my animation background and love for fashion. The brand is set to launch in Spring 2022.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My favourite place in all of LA is The Getty Center. Popping in there for a spot of art and culture whilst ending the visit with a little picnic in the gardens is something that I love to do. That is definitely the first place I would go to.

I don’t know if they’re still there post-pandemic, but there was the most amazing taco truck parked in Westwood. Those tacos kept me going through some tough times when I lived in the area.

During the lockdown, I’ve found myself ordering in a fair amount of Bludso’s Barbecue – the pulled pork is the best I’ve ever tasted in LA!

Finally, I would venture down to Venice to The Wallflower for some delicious cocktails and calming ambience.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Yes! I firmly believe that nothing is achieved alone. No matter who you are or where you are from, there is no way that you have achieved success single-handedly. And that’s the beauty of it all – the collective nature of creation when it comes to success.

For me, I owe it to three groups of people – firstly, the love of my life, Ben. This man has put up with a lot of my (creative) emotional outbursts and has been my greatest source of encouragement.

Second, I think of my found family of friends. They know who they are. You guys are my people and I can’t thank you enough for being an integral part of my story.

And finally, I send a huge shoutout to my parents. To them, it meant letting me go far away to pursue my dreams and I could not have done this without their love and support.

Website: www.maisonaudmi.com

Instagram: @maisonaudmi

Image Credits
Maison Audmi