Hailing from a business family of Jaipur, Rajasthan, for this go-getting young woman, Myra Agarwal, owning her own business was only natural.
This 24 going on 25 multifaceted young woman, who has interned with renowned fashion brands such as Oscar de la Renta, Bally, and Bloomingdales, began working with French apparel and footwear company, Joie in New York, where she had earlier studied.
A graduate with a Bachelor of Science from the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, Myra majored in Advertising and Marketing Communications, studying Economics as her minor. This came in handy when planning her plunge into the world of entrepreneurship, to create her own brand, MYRA, after she returned to India after the pandemic broke out last year.
Having returned to a welcoming Pink City last year, she launched her own brand, MYRA in October. Like many others, and a young woman at that, Myra too faced her fair share of obstacles having chosen a male-dominated footwear industry. Having to find the right people to work with and bringing them to give a woman entrepreneur the deserved respect and recognition in the industry was difficult. But according to Myra, it has been a breathtakingly rewarding journey so far.
She searched far and wide for shoe-making professionals, and also visited several colleges to search for talent. Upon finding artisans ready to impart their knowledge, she learnt about making her brand sustainable alongside several ideas that she could adopt.
Realizing how commercially driven the industry is, Myra sought the gap in the footwear business, bringing to the forefront ethical fashion through Indian artisans and correct resources; thereby reducing carbon footprint whilst supporting and giving the local talent their rightful dues.
The brand’s core value lies in giving back to the society and makes sure to reuse waste generated during production. Recycling leather scraps into making beautiful footwear for the underprivileged, Myra wishes to spread love and affect many lives.
Her brand is a partially vegan, sustainable, and 100% Made in India one. An artistic amalgamation of modern designs and classic artisanal leather, the brand develops eco-friendly footwear for earthy souls.
“Success is walking, running, tiptoeing & sometimes even falling (as long as it’s in the right shoes). For me, those happen to me Myra Footwear.”
When not working, she loses herself in a good book, travel, and plays the drums, or indulges in her latest hobby – finding new shoe designs.
Her elder brother, Rahat, is gearing up towards launching the men’s line- bringing to the forefront and working towards finding more ways to be more sustainable each day!
“We are doing well,” she said, and added that in fact, post-pandemic her unique product – partially vegan shoe line, had caught on in the fashionable circuit.
Other than traditional advertising and social media campaigns, the trained marketing professional she is, she participates regularly in ‘pop-ups’ in Jaipur and the metros.
Pop-ups are something like small expos, held by influential people like informal gatherings where ladies come, scan the items on display and even buy.
“I want a good Indian luxury brand that can compete with the best in the world, and more importantly, be easier on the pocket. My luxury brand, MYRA, should be a brand more affordable and comparable to the best in the world,” she said.
“Yes, there should be MYRA stores across the world,” she said. But for the present, her brand is present in big cities of India and is getting good attention in even tier two cities. So far, she is only engaged in women’s shoes but she would soon expand into menswear as well.
“My elder brother Rahat will be coming out with the men’s section soon,” she said. In fact, the brand, discussed on the dining table at home, comprises the first two alphabets of the names of the sister-brother duo.
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