Meet Dishi Solanki

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

Hi Dishi, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I was born and raised in India. Coming from a low-income family, we only celebrated on special occasions like birthdays. I had an extraordinary birthday ritual growing up. It would be buying raw materials at a local garment shop to rough sketch my designs for the neighborhood tailor to bring them to life. My birthday dress was a labor of love! Sadly, shopping malls came to town, & the ritual stopped. Scarcity experiences growing up concerning our buying power as a family discouraged me a lot. I moved to the US for my master’s, cut my teeth in tech startups, & devoured fast fashion. That was until 2021 when my skin broke into hives with no prior history. My buying choices began taking a toll on my health, & soon realized that I was wearing hazardous waste from fast fashion brands.

I had been in tech for over seven years and was at the prime of my career at one of the most sought-after companies, Stripe Inc when I went through a layoff. It was a harsh awakening. Instead of diving back into the corporate, I pursued an immigrant parent’s nightmare, entrepreneurship. It took me over six months to develop Amotha from idea to inception. I returned to my roots to build a company, one that proudly reclaims & celebrates South Asian heritage, modern craft, & communities.

As much as I love North America, I never liked the monochrome palette that most clothing brands here carry. South Asian designers bring their regional flavor in terms of colors, fabric, and intricate handwork to the design, which the US market lacked. Each piece is unique and carries a story about the craftsman’s inspiration for making it.  I can bet that if you were to look into your closet and choose any clothing from the luxury houses of the world or a fast fashion brand, you would find at least one thing that a South Asian artisan touched. Also, the pieces that you see on the runways with embroidery/zardozi/ hand weaved or hand block printed work be it NYFW or PFW, it is made by South Asian artisans, but you will not hear much about them because they are luxury hidden supply chain. These karigars work in unsanitary conditions, are paid low wages, and have airbrushed employment protection. Amotha aims to support local South Asian artisans to preserve their unique skills and traditions and support their families and communities by opting for slow fashion. It is a great way to keep the local economy thriving. 

South Asia – home to a thriving community of over 20,000 fashion designers. Yet only a few break out beyond the region. Limited access, economic hurdles, and lack of representation on the global stage hold many back. And for those that do sell within North America, customers face agonizingly long 8-week wait times to receive orders.

Amotha is rewriting the script. Amotha is a fashion e-commerce startup HQ in Seattle and our online shopping experience connects conscious consumers and an elusive roster of global brands.

At Amotha, we work with brands/designers trying to break beyond the homeland due to limited access, economic hurdles, & lack of representation on the global stage. These brands showcase progressive designers who have taken sensibilities of heritage designs & reinterpreted the codes of style to fit modern, contemporary silhouettes while keeping ethical production practices in mind and shipping times down to 2-3 weeks.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Amotha is built on a foundation of fair trade and slow fashion. While curating designers and brands to onboard, the core focus is to promote ethical fashion. A great example, and my favorite piece at Amotha, is a dress made from yarns that utilize recycled plastic bottles. I meticulously vet the designers and brands to ensure they maintain a manageable number of SKUs, practice fair trade by offering transparency and equitable wages, and use eco-friendly fabrics like certified organic cotton, AZO-free dyes, modal, and deadstock materials—all of which are better for both people and the planet.

I am also thrilled to announce the launch of our jewelry line, Amotha Jewels, set to debut in August. The timeless pieces will feature 18k gold plating, offering ease of wear and versatility, ensuring they stay with you forever. This collection, designed by me, reflects my unexplainable love for statement jewelry and my immigrant story of longing for representation. Amotha Jewels aims to fill the gap in representation through artwear that will double as heirlooms inspired by memories of one’s homeland. Each piece is designed to become a cherished narrative, passed down through generations, carrying with it the legacy of where we’ve come from and the dreams of where we’re headed.

Moreover, this venture empowers us to directly influence and impact the lives of artisans who help us manufacture these pieces, creating a positive ripple effect beyond fashion. We are incredibly proud of this initiative and excited to share it.

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?
If you’re visiting Seattle, it is safe to say there is something for every palate and interest. Imagine starting your week with the one-of-a-kind brioche donuts from Flour Box. Yes, it means lining up at 8 a.m. on the weekend, but the sweet, flaky perfection will leave you craving more.Trust me, it’s worth setting that alarm!

Seattle’s coffee scene is legendary, and no trip can be complete without exploring it. You absolutely have to try the Vietnamese phở-spiced latte at Voi Cà Phê—an intriguing blend of flavors that’s as unique as the PNW itself. It’s like a warm hug in a cup, with a twist.

Now, Washington is the Evergreen State, and nothing brings me more joy than spending a summer afternoon by a river, immersed in my favorite nonfiction novel. For nature lovers, Seattle is a gateway to some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the Pacific Northwest. A day trip to Mount Rainier or Olympic National Park, with their lush forests, rugged coastlines, and serene lakes, offers a tranquil escape that can refresh your soul for free. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good bargain for the soul?

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

My mother, a homemaker, is a jack of all trades to suffice our family’s lack of buying power; she has been a strong female figure that I have always looked up to. Growing up, she designed & sewed my clothes; it shaped my core memory & future ambitions. Coming to the US, I soon realized a need for representation within the apparel industry; sadly, there were fewer South Asian female role models doing so. Amotha was imperative when I saw the mainstream media celebrate JLO’s green, jungle-print Versace dress, which broke the internet but did not allow the South Asian artisans to break their daily bread, luxury’s hidden supply chain. In researching for designers to onboard on Amotha, I met women entrepreneurs focused on delivering products good for people & the planet. Sadly, they faced complex economic and socio-cultural challenges to break into the US market. Offsetting our shared struggles with my learnings helped shape my entrepreneurial venture.

So, I dedicate my shoutout to my mother, whose creativity and resilience inspire me deeply. Additionally, I’m constantly in awe of all the talented women entrepreneurs and designers I’ve met along this journey, whose dedication to ethical fashion and fair trade has been a constant source of inspiration.

Website: https://amotha.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amothaofficial/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dishisolanki/