The dazzling presence of couture designers Falguni and Shane Peacock co-hosting Diwali celebrations with Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s manager Anjula Acharia at The Pierre in New York this November marked another shining moment in their illustrious career, which has seen a dream run since their debut collection at India Fashion Week.
Reminiscing, Falguni shares, “In 2004-2005, when we established our brand, we were young and new to the fashion business. We didn’t have a mentor, social media or the instant access to the internet that exists today. All we could rely on was our gut instinct and our intuition.”
Their instincts, guiding their initial foray into the world of fashion toward the West, proved spot on. The Peacocks debut collection was swiftly bought out by Harrods, Villa Moda and other retailers abroad, marking the beginning of their remarkable journey. Since then, they have continued to add feather after feather to their stylish cap including participating in international fashion weeks, dressing top global stars like Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, receiving honours such as the prestigious Shiromani Awards at the NRI World Summit in London and an invitation to attend the Cannes Film Festival this year.
Back home, the Peacocks headlined India Couture Week in 2023 and have been actively launching stores, most recently in Hyderabad, designed by Gauri Khan. “We attribute all of this to our intuition, gut feeling and tuning into our inner voice,” say the duo, who graciously took the time to chat with HELLO!
HELLO!: Falguni, Shane, you made your debut in 2004 at India Fashion Week and have come a long way since then. How would you describe the journey so far?
Falguni: “It has been a roller-coaster ride and a thrilling experience. In the early days, we were just starting out and unafraid to take risks. For instance, after London Fashion Week, we made the bold decision to venture into New York Fashion Week. Following that, we took a break to focus on expanding our presence in the Indian market. Despite limited experience, we were determined to establish our Indian wear line, and we succeeded in doing so. And now, we have everything from prêt wear to advanced contemporary to ready-to-wear and traditional ensembles to offer. We’ve done all of this with the intent of building a fashion house that leaves behind a legacy.”
H!: Since the beginning, you’ve been part of fashion week rounds in Miami, LA, London and New York. How do you see their importance once you’re established, and how does your focus change then?
Shane: “In the initial stages of establishing our brand, our focus was on garnering maximum attendance, visibility and recognition for our creations. We aimed for widespread reach.
Over the years—or say now, after 20 years—it’s no longer about that. It’s more about wanting the right people to be present at the show and delivering a message that aligns with our brand’s ethos, values and principles. Initially, there were no expectations, but now, there is a growing anticipation as everyone looks forward to our shows and has high expectations from us.”
H!: Today, major international icons like Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian and Priyanka Chopra Jonas endorse your designs. How did you secure your first celebrity client?
F: “Dressing Fergie for the FIFA World Cup performance in 2010 marked the start of our fashion collaboration with international celebrities. We will always remember the first call we had with her—it was completely unexpected and extremely special, considering the Black Eyed Peas’ immense popularity at that time. Firsts are always special, especially when the association endures. Fergie continued to wear custom-made Falguni Shane Peacock couture outfits for various occasions, including an appearance on Good Morning America, while receiving an award at the AMAs, a perfume commercial and for the cover of the Black Eyed Peas’ music album.”
H!: Talking about firsts, could you share the story of how the two of you first came together? We’d love to hear that story.
S: “When we first met, Falguni had recently graduated from art school, and I had commissioned her to paint illustrations for a fashion line I was working on. So, it was work that brought us together. It took me three months to get her to go out on a coffee date with me. Then when she did, we courted for a while before we got married, and the rest is history!”
H!: As a married couple working and travelling together, how do you navigate and find personal space to pursue your individual interests?
S: “It may sound unbelievable, but we do everything together and that’s because we enjoy each other’s company too much! Whether it’s going out of town, watching a movie, attending meetings or just chilling, we enjoy doing everything together. We share similar interests when it comes to recreation and leisure. So, we work together and then we unwind together.”
H!: How do you both successfully navigate the differences of opinion that arise as working professionals?
S: “As professionals, we do have our fair share of creative differences regarding our designs, campaigns, etc. But at the end of the day, it’s all about the brand. We both evaluate whose suggestion/feedback/opinion would work best for the brand and go ahead with it. When you have the same goals and are on the same journey to get there, it’s easy to find a way.
H!: Do you tend to bring back work home? How do you destress after a hectic day?
S: “We are absolute workaholics and that’s because we enjoy work and working with each other at that. We are constantly creating, improvising and planning our next move. There’s often a negative connotation associated with the idea of taking work back home; in our case, we don’t mind taking some aspects of our work home. We believe there’s nothing wrong with it as long as it’s not a burden and we genuinely enjoy it. After a long and hectic day, we both like to go to the movies to catch up on the latest good film. We specifically like going to the theatre because then you’re immersed in the experience and can’t pause (unlike when at home) and discuss!”
H!: With the ongoing expansion of stores across the country, it’s a busy time for you. Is there a strategic game plan guiding this decision?
F: “From the outset, our long-term plan was always to expand our brand’s presence, and we’ve successfully achieved this with the number of celebrities and clients we’ve dressed worldwide. Now, our focus is on strengthening this presence and becoming more accessible to our clients by opening stores across India and internationally. We currently have seven stores in India, and there are more in our future plans.”
H!: You have been working closely with Gauri Khan for all your projects. How did this association come about?
F: “When we were brainstorming about the interiors at the Kala Ghoda [Mumbai] store, a beautiful heritage property right in the heart of the area, we aimed for a designer with a strong sense of both design aesthetics and fashion understanding. And Gauri really brings the best of both worlds. We had briefly met at an event around the same time, and we knew we had to get the store designed by her! Since then, Gauri has also designed our Hyderabad store and now our Kolkata store.”
H!: Fashion trends do you foresee for 2024?
S: “Street luxe will be big in 2024. People will be more inclined to experiment with styles they might have shied away from in the past. We will see them pushing boundaries, opting for edgy, avant-garde silhouettes and embracing pieces that would have been outside their comfort zone.”
This story has been adapted for the website from a story that was originally published in Hello! India’s January 2024 issue. Get your hands on the latest issue right here!
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