Vikram has worked in the fashion industry for more than 15 years across various countries. Starting off in design, he has worked in different roles across buying, merchandising, and business strategy, handling multiple product categories. A nature lover, he has seen the shift in the industry towards sustainability and believes more could be done to change the course and protect our natural resources.
More about me
I trained in fashion design, initially in India and then in UK, interning with Vivienne Westwood in London. I worked as a designer, gradually moving into more commercial roles but product has always been central to my work. Fashion always interested me but, in the last few decades, the pace in fashion has accelerated to the point where consumers don’t value clothes the way they should. To change this, clothes not only need to be designed well but they should also, be produced ethically and sustainably; furthermore, they should be cherished for years to come.
When I am not working you can either find me outdoors in nature (I run, I trek, I dive) or I am painting or sketching, often taking my inspiration from the natural world.
Why forests are important to me
I grew up in Bombay, India and trekking around the Western Ghats with my family was a big part of my formative years. It is a unique experience as a lot of trekking happens during the monsoon season, in the full fury of the rains, when the forests are rejuvenated and magical! Some of my happiest memories are from those treks surrounded by majestic forests with birdsong, waterfalls, and the occasional rainbow! It is of paramount importance that we protect our forests because they are so precious and critical to our life on this earth.
Why Canopy
Canopy represents for me the ideal confluence of my interests — the fashion industry and the environment. Protecting forests by promoting sustainable changes within the man-made cellulose fibre industry is a key mission for Canopy. I admire that Canopy is pragmatic yet ambitious, creative, and collaborative, dedicated to change through a solution-oriented approach. And did I mention it’s a fun place with great people?!
Ask me about
Let’s swap pet stories! Trekking and travel, watercolors and illustration, film festivals, jazz music, fashion (we need to buy less and smarter). And I am always up for a scuba diving trip!
What ruffles my feathers
Greenwashing – It is hard enough for consumers to make right choices and be correctly informed, we don’t need to muddle the water any further!
And the growing absence of mobile etiquette in public spaces!
I identify with bar headed geese as they are unassuming but hardy and tenacious birds. They love waterbodies with a preference for secluded high altitude lakes. They also love to travel and are migratory. (I can relate to both these preferences!) They also have superpowers in the sense that they hold the title for the highest flying birds. They migrate from India up north as far as Mongolia and Russia, a journey that involves flying over Himalayan peaks which are some of the tallest mountains in the world.
