This season, you’ll find decorative mules virtually at every retailer. In deep, jewel-toned colors and bright patterns (some with sequins!) and with a flat sole, these shoes are for both the pragmatic and the stylish.
Edgemont’s Rose Ajmera has manufactured this style of shoes since 2001, way before the fad hit shelves. Her line of footwear is hand-embroidered and can be customized. Purple silk shoes with your initials on them — does it get any more regal? Ajmera’s merchandise is the product of quality craftsmanship, with roots in her native India.
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Ajmera’s fashion line is called SAACHI and began as a pashmina manufacturer. In 1999, she saw Oprah Winfrey touting the pashmina scarf on her show and realized there was a hole in the pashmina market for Indian craftsmanship, high-end embroideries, and prints. With no experience as a business owner, the mom of two started producing a line of genuine cashmere pashmina scarves out of her Edgemont garage and a factory in Delhi, India, in 2001, employing Indian artisans to do handweaving and embroidering. Ajmera says, “I’m very good at problem-solving and making something out of nothing. I had no idea how to run a business, but knew that if I worked hard, I could turn it into something great.”
SAACHI strives to keep abreast of current trends while maintaining a timeless feel, so customers can wear each piece for years. Her current line includes a wider variety of scarves, kimonos, shoes, and jewelry. The aforementioned mules are a favorite of Ina Garten and have been featured in O, The Oprah Magazine, with Ajmera’s story coming full-circle. SAACHI can be found at STILE Fashion Home in Armonk, Arlene’s Boutique in New Rochelle, and Avenue K in Katonah, and online, at www.saachistyle.com.
