Negativity makes me stronger: Masaba Gupta

Masaba Gupta has been roped in by Women's International Cricket League (WICL) to inject a new design energy into women's cricket apparel. House Of Masaba will be associated with WICL as the official sporting apparel design partner. She will be designing the jerseys and gear for six teams for the first ever women's IPL to be held in Singapore. Over to the designer ...

Tell us about the line for WICL. Is it your way of paying tribute to your cricketing roots - your dad Sir Viv Richards?
This new sporty line comprising jerseys for women cricketers is a great step for women's cricket. I feel women in India play as much cricket as men. It's a great initiative by the IPL to give women a platform. I think it's my way of giving it back to my dad. He's been really excited about the collection. I'm sure he must have wanted one of his kids to do something in the field of cricket. Besides jerseys, the collection comprises training gear and kits. We'll be doing fashion shows across the world and maybe have a few key players walk the ramp.
I have had more fun with the training gear like the arm band. Otherwise, I have kept in toned down and I didn't want it to be distracting.

Cricket somehow lacks the glamour of other sports like Soccer and Lawn Tennis. Do you agree?
Tennis has so much glamour. With cricket there are a certain restrictions in terms of the jersey fabric. In fact, I want to do something for every sport and it's definitely on my check list. The world is getting fitness conscious. Also, I see in it as a great investment opportunity for the investors and a superb business model.

Your Satya Paul collection at Wills got a mixed feedback. Comment.
I don't think I want to change the heritage of the brand. I know the pulse of the SP customers. The backpacks have been huge this season what with everyone from designer brands to retailers like Topshop and Zara doing their own versions of it. When I paired the backpacks with saris, the person I had in mind was a college girl in a sari at her farewell party. I want to make Satya Paul much younger but keep the heritage intact.

Your had recently tweeted about the negativity you encountered in the run up to your show at WIFW. How do you handle jealousy?
Recently, the roof of my ceiling of the Juhu store fell and someone reminded me of bad nazar. I got thinking about it and came to a conclusion that negativity makes me even stronger. If the ceiling doesn't fall, you'd never know you had one.
Before my Wills show, people would come to me and gush about my clothes and then later go behind my back and say things like, 'her collection is so bad that she's digging her grave.'
I agree the SS 2014 collection from my own line comprising knee pads and polka dots didn't feel too good but I'm proud of the fact that it was original. I was tied up with Nano during that time and wasn't able to devote much time.