Meet Megha Ahluwalia | Fashion Illustrator

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

Hi Megha, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I’ve always been drawn to doodling – from scrawling little pictures on the back of textbooks in school to illustrating during work breaks during my time in the corporate sector, my art has always felt like an expression of everything I love – fashion, femininity and fun. About 7 years ago, I started creating dresses for my illustrations that were inspired by fashion magazines and blogs. This gradually led to creating Croquis and designing on them.
I’m purely self taught – I’ve spent hours learning from YouTube and other fashion illustrators. Learning slowly led to hundreds of sketches and combining bridging fashion and art, quickly becoming a passion. I’d rush home from work excited to spend the evening sketching and learning.
I finally mustered up the confidence to share my work with the world by starting an Instagram account, and as I shared more and more of my work, I started receiving some great feedback. This quickly spiraled into first creating pieces of art for friends and family and eventually, full fledged custom illustrations for an audience across the globe. During these years I took on projects primarily as a side hustle and would work on them on weekends because I enjoyed it so much.
At the start of 2023, I decided to take the leap of faith into my next move. Due to some changes in the corporate MNC I was working for it became more and more clear that I had to build my own business with Auraange and take it full-time. It was a now or never moment.
What I truly enjoyed from Day 1 of Auraange was creating bespoke illustrations and enabling cherished memories spring to paper life for people. Bringing a smile to people’s faces and giving them a piece of art that will live forever is why I started Auraange Illustrations.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Auraange an illustration-as-a-service brand that draws inspiration from fashion. I create ready-to-use prints that can be used as cards for events like birthdays, weddings etc. as well as framed prints for homes, businesses and more.
I also build bespoke illustrations for events that are inspired by photographs (engagement/wedding photos, baby showers, both people and pets etc.) – I create pieces that are inspired by people and their unique personalities, and interpreted through the fashion-tinged Auraange glass.
Being self-taught makes you scrappy, and what sets me apart is my complete obsession with watching my client’s faces light up when they look at my art – that is my reason for doing anything and everything. I work hard to make sure I deliver exactly what you’re looking for – for bespoke illustrations, I think it takes a lot to trust an artist with an intimate and everlasting memory, and I strive to make it as meaningful and beautiful for you.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My key focus would be ART, shopping and of course, FOOD! So here’s a little itinerary coming right from the heart:

– Spend a day at the MOMA followed by a fun dinner in SF city in the Mission or Dolores area. One of my favorite little spots is Nauteca Cafe and the Dueling Piano Bar in SF.
– I would take her to different downtowns like Mountainview, Palo Alto, Burlingame and go eat at different restaurants and attend Art Walks.
– Go to the Farmers Market for some great produce and to check out the local artists that come display their work.
– Go to Napa or Sonoma for some wine tasting.
– Go to Blue Bottle for a nice cup (or multiple cups) of coffee.
– Drive down the Pacific Coast Highway and go down to Carmel and Big Sur (do some hikes, eat in Carmel downtown, take her to my favorite Dametra Cafe)
– Do some hikes in SF overlooking the Golden Gate.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I consider myself the luckiest girl – I’m surrounded by the most gracious support system. My husband has always been my pillar of strength and someone who has constantly pushed me to pursue my art and take decisions outside my comfort zone. He would buy me all the materials I would need to create my art – even buying me an iPad to create digital illustrations at a financially tough time – he’s been a constant encouragement, right from the start. My dad was the first to invest in Auraange and help set me up for my first major pop-up store this year – he is incredibly inquisitive, and ensures that I’m on track – lending a patient and thoughtful ear to my challenges and celebrating every little success.
My mom is my biggest fan and support – she has covered the walls of her house with my art, and takes every opportunity to gush about Auraange – we joke that Auraange is like another child for her.

My sister-in-law has been a great business support – she’s the strategic and growth brain behind Auraange and we make a great team. I drive creative decisions, and she helps out with business decisions, and it’s been such a fun experience working with her.
I am so blessed to be surrounded by amazing people in my life who deserve to be credited with every ounce of Auraange’s success. My brother who has always been my best friend, my incredible in-laws, my close-knit group of friends have supported my every move from the very first day. They gave me events when I was just starting up and referred other friends that eventually became clients.
I’m so glad you guys do this series, because small businesses like mine are the sum of the parts of great communities coming together to build something beautiful.

Website: https://auraange.my.canva.site/

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

Other: Etsy – https://www.etsy.com/shop/auraangeillustration

Image Credits
All taken through personal phone by Dhruv Choudhary or Megha Ahluwalia.