From a fashion consultant to a popular fashion entrepreneur, the journey was not easy for Swagat Ranjan Behera. Hailing from Cuttack, Swagat worked hard over the years to create a place for himself in the fashion industry. Currently based in Delhi, he has worked with supermodels and celebrities like Sushmita Sen, Bipasha Basu and Kareena Kapoor Khan among others. In a candid conversation with Orissa POST, he talks about his career so far.
“It is a common belief that the fashion industry is all about beautiful women, clothes and late night parties. But it is not so. Modelling is not an easy task. A lot of hard work goes into bringing you that perfect picture you see in magazines and on television. People should appreciate that. What I dislike most is that models are not respected for the work they do,” says Swagat, who has worked with brands like Porsche Cars, Tanishq, Triumph Bikes, Fab India, PCJ Jewellers, FBB Big Bazaar, Ferns and Petals, Jabong, and BMW.
That apart, he has also worked with well-known designers like Anju Modi, Nikhil and Shantanu, Rakesh Aggarwal, Samanth Chauhan, Rajdeep Ranawat, Arshi Jamal, Niket Mishra, Sadan Pande, Archana Kochhar, Bibi Russell, and Reena Dhaka. He has been associated with fashion shows such as India Fashion Week London 2017 for Sweta Parekh and Seema Kashyap, Mercedes Benz Doha International Fashion Week 2015 and 2016, Bhubaneswar Style Week 2016 and 2017, and Arab Asia Fashion Week Dubai 2017. That’s not all. He was involved with the making of two fashion calendars, one in Bangkok and the other in Langkawi.
Swagat says, “When I was a kid, I was fascinated by former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen who, I think, carries herself with awe-inspiring panache. Since then, fashion has always been on my mind. I used to watch beauty contests with a lot of interest. I used to read about them in magazines and follow them on social networking sites. That was my favourite pastime.”
Swagat pursued MBA in marketing and HR from MAII, Delhi after completing his graduation from Ravenshaw University. Instead of taking up a cushy job, he decided to follow his dream and become a fashion entrepreneur. But he was new to the glamour world and it was not easy for him in the absence of a godfather. Recalling those days, he says, “I started working as a fashion coordinator. It was social media that helped me to get the contacts of models and fashion entrepreneurs. Being a fashion consultant, I used to hire make-up artistes and others on event basis. The main task of a consultant is to connect people and get their business done. People never expected that a coordinator can start a full-fledged fashion agency. I had to listen to a lot of negative comments. Thanks to the backing of my father and other well-wishers, I launched my own company Runaway Fashion in 2018. My team and I are now working on a project named Stairway to Stardom. This project is all about getting models from small cities and grooming them.”
He continues: “My agency not only outsources models, fashion choreographers and stylists to different companies but also supports them and offers them the right platform. It also promotes Indian models in fashion calendars and in international fashion weeks.”
Swagat was instrumental in successfully promoting the cultural heritage of Odisha at India Fashion Week in London in November 2017. “I lent my services and assistance to Bhubaneswar-based eminent fashion designer Sweta Parekh who showcased her beautiful designs in the traditional Pattachitra craft of the state. The event was very successful and appreciated by fashionistas.”
Swagat now wants to create a fashion hub in Odisha to showcase the crafts and textiles heritage of the state, for which he gives support to Odia designers such as Dolliz Kasba by Sweta Parekh, Posh Affair by Roshan and Dinendra, and Nikita’s Couture by Nikita. He is very passionate about expanding the market for Odia designers and putting the state on the world fashion map.
“Odisha has created designers like Bibhu Mohapatra who dressed Michelle Obama. But it’s a fact that the fashion industry in Odisha is lagging behind despite having talented designers. This is the reason I want to bring them to the fore and give a new identity to my home state as a fashion hub. I am not talking about copy-paste designers but those whose creations are genuine.”
His advice to budding fashion entrepreneurs: “Fashion should be on your mind always. You should be well-educated and be nice to people. If you are not nice to others, you will not be given attention by the industry no matter how talented you are. You must possess the power to convince. And most importantly, you should be confident.”
Recollecting some memorable moments, Swagat says, “I would place the Russia trip at the top of my list of memorable trips. I took two designers Roshan and Nikita from Odisha with me. We did calendars there. The experience was great not only for me, but for Roshan and Nikita as well.”
He continues: “Models are my inspiration. The girls with whom I work are my inspiration. All of them have some interesting stories behind their success. The accounts of their struggle move me. There are cases of girls who have struggled for six-seven years in a row without the support of their parents and become models. But people think that models only display clothes and drink which is not true.”
Swagat has worked with Sushmita Sen for Bombay Times Fashion Week, Bipasha Basu and Malaika Arora for Ravishing Wedding Show, and Kareena Kapoor Khan for the Qatar Tourism Show. Ujjwala Raut, who was the first Indian model to walk for Victoria’s Secret, was a huge inspiration for him. He also looks up to Priyanka Chopra, who is a prominent face of India internationally.
Apart from his hard work and dedication, he credits his success to his parents, banker Chittaranjan Behera and mother Snigdha Behera, who have been the wind beneath his wings.
RASHMI REKHA DAS, OP
