For me, the most important quality is
Innovation
- Ikshit Pande
Coming from a place not heavily exposed to fashion, Ikshit's journey into the creative field was unconventional.
'I took a sabbatical to study fashion at Parsons School of Design, New York and completed an advanced fashion design summer program at Central Saint Martins. After graduating, I founded Quod in 2018. Balancing management, business, and fashion, I currently run Quod while consulting for Royal Enfield on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and working with Himalayan communities on heritage textiles. As Quod's founder and designer, I lead a talented team, focusing on experimental clothing and jewelry.
So what inspired the creation of Quod?
'At 30 I realized I wasn't enjoying my work as much as I hoped. This thirst for creativity led me to study fashion and eventually start Quod to express my unique perspective. Fashion had always influenced my life, and I realized it intertwined with marketing. I didn't want to abandon my experience but rather merge both fields.
Shifting careers at 30 was challenging. Leaving a corporate career and learning new skills like sewing was tough, but I persisted and graduated with double distinctions. The journey has been difficult but rewarding, proving that dedication can overcome any challenge. Today, Quod stands as a testament to my perseverance and vision'
Quod designs aren’t typically showcased by Indian designer labels, they’re distinctive and unique.
In a country where traditional clothing dominates, how did you identify and connect with your target audience?
'Rather than following conventional marketing strategies, Quod was built for people like me and my close circle. The focus was on maintaining a sincere creative pursuit rather than striving for instant popularity or commercial success. From the beginning, we prioritized authenticity and sought like-minded patrons who resonated with our vision.
Our audience was not defined by traditional metrics like age or demographics but by shared values and interests.
Over six years, we have cultivated a dedicated community with diverse backgrounds but similar lifestyles and passions. Ultimately, we didn’t find our audience – they found us, and this organic growth has been integral to Quod’s journey'
The simplest way to achieve innovation is by seeking inspiration outside the world of fashion itself.
Reflecting on our earlier discussion about your studies at Parsons, I'm curious, why did you choose Parsons over NIFT, one of the most prestigious design institutes in India?
I applied only to Parsons for a reason—age and flexibility. In India, options like NIFT would have required more time, and I would have graduated at 34. Studying abroad offered flexible learning formats, allowing me to complete an associate's program in a year and a half, with classmates ranging from 19 to 56 years old. The pace of learning was customizable, making it an ideal choice.
Education for me is more than classroom learning; I wanted the full experience of living in a global fashion hub like New York. The city itself became a classroom, offering exposure beyond textbooks.
Do you believe the education and job opportunities you experienced in New York would have been the same if you had chosen to study in India?
Both options have their advantages and disadvantages, and I don't believe there's a one-size-fits-all answer. It really depends on your specific interests and what area of fashion you're passionate about. If you want to learn the craftsmanship, such as embroidery and surface work, India is an excellent place for that. Likewise, if you're keen on sustainability or exploring heritage textiles in fashion, India is unrivaled. Ultimately, it's a deeply personal choice. Studying abroad can be a significant financial investment, so it also depends on your ability to manage the cost of education. In the end, it’s more about aligning with your personal interests in fashion.
What qualities would you want in somebody who is practicing to be a designer whether working for Quod or independently?
For me, the most important quality is innovation. Progress can only be achieved through it. At Quod, our approach is twofold: we either strive to create something entirely new, a significant challenge in today's interconnected world, or we take existing ideas and present them in a fresh, innovative way.
A new perspective or approach is crucial, which is why innovation is paramount.
We believe that defining how humanity dresses is a monumental task. If you want to understand a civilization, one of the first things you’ll look at, is what they wore.
Fashion designers bear a great responsibility in shaping the identity of a civilization through their designs, and this responsibility requires constant forward motion. We must continue to push boundaries, evolve, and explore new frontiers.Innovation, originality, and freshness are the qualities I deeply admire and value. One of the key lessons I took from CSM is that to truly be original in design, you must look beyond the confines of fashion. The biggest mistake many designers make is limiting their inspiration to the fashion world itself. To create something groundbreaking, you need to explore outside of fashion. It's common to see moodboards filled with archival work from designers like Margiela, Galliano, or McQueen, but that’s where the struggle begins. To craft truly innovative fashion, you must draw inspiration from culture rather than merely reinterpreting fashion. The simplest way to achieve innovation is by seeking inspiration outside the world of fashion itself.
What does it take to build and sustain a fashion business in today’s
fast-changing world?
This is something I feel deeply about because the world is changing so rapidly. Now more than ever, it's clear that establishing a fashion business requires more than just talent— it takes good skills, a keen eye, and the right environment. India is an amazing place to build something of your own, where skilled labor is accessible and more affordable than other places. It really depends on your ambition, but it's certainly not impossible. What’s more important than starting, however, is the ability to stick with it.
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Fashion is one of the most demanding, often tedious industries. For a fashion business to truly flourish, it usually takes about a decade of dedication. Overnight successes are extremely rare, and building a brand is a long-term commitment. So more than anything else, the key to success is patience. Along with the financial investment, emotional endurance is just as crucial to sustaining a fashion business over time.
Financial investment is needed, not just to start, but to endure the process. As I mentioned, it could take 7 to 10 years before a fashion business is firmly established, so you need to be ready to commit for the long haul.With the immense volume of content being created today, it’s easy for designers to get overwhelmed. There are times when I feel I should step aside to make room for others because there is so much fashion, so much content. But I believe true creators will find their way by staying authentic. If your heart’s not truly in it, it’s better not to pursue it. The market is saturated, and it can be hard to offer something fresh and relevant repeatedly. In today’s world, content is consumed and forgotten in hours, especially with the constant demand for the "next big thing" on platforms like Instagram.
​If you’re in it for the long run, driven by passion and dedication, go for it. But with the kind of timeline the fashion industry requires, it can get frustrating quickly.As for overcoming the challenges and overwhelming moments, I keep things interesting. I don’t limit myself to just one thing. I see myself as a creative person, and I enjoy designing not just clothes but also jewelry (even though I haven’t formally studied jewelry design), curating exhibitions, and working as an artist. Having multiple outlets helps me stay creative and prevents frustration from consuming me. There will always be setbacks and moments of frustration, but I find that diversifying my creative endeavors keeps me satisfied and prevents me from getting bogged down.
How do you feel about collaborations with stylists and celebrities?
I really enjoy working with others, especially with people I don’t know. It’s one of the reasons I believe in the importance of supporting new talent. Today, it’s harder than ever for emerging creators to get noticed, with so much content out there and everyone eager to share their work. So whenever I get the chance to collaborate with a fresh, creative mind—whether a stylist, creator, or anyone else—I’m always excited.
Our Instagram page reflects this ethos. A lot of what you see there showcases the work of young, up-and-coming creators who are passionate about bringing their unique visions to life. Collaboration is something I deeply value, but we do have a filter for choosing who we work with. It’s not about experience, but about the vision. If the vision aligns, we’re always open to collaboration.
What does success mean to you?
To me, success means staying true to your vision and achieving it. We’ve always been very clear about what success means to us—it’s about staying faithful to our creative instincts and focusing on what we want to achieve creatively. We never compromise our vision for commercial gain or outside pressures. Quod is primarily a creative project, and only secondarily a business.
Saying that is important because, at the end of the day, it’s still a business. There are moments when financial considerations do come into play, and those questions arise. But having the clarity and conviction to prioritize our creative values helps a lot in staying true to our path.
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