Courtesy Vinaya Gopisetti
Vinaya Gopisetti next to the her clothing designs.

Businesses Without Borders: ViBha

As you pass by 458 E El Camino Real, hundreds of vibrant colored fabrics shine through the glass windows. Next to the gemstone and patterned covered dresses shine a sign that reads “ViBha.” 

Business owner and fashion designer Vinaya Gopisetti named her label after her pen name: ViBha. 

“While growing up, I loved art, and I used to do a lot of sketching, painting, coloring, and embroidery. In all my illustrations I sign ViBha. When I was thinking about the name of my clothing line, my husband suggested that I choose ViBha for my brand,” Gopisetti said. “I also integrated the colors pink, white, and purple with the logo design. Pink is for femininity, white is for serenity, and purple is for vibrance.”

Eileen Liu / M-A Chronicle

Prior to her clothing store’s success today, Gopisetti’s journey as a fashion designer first began in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, India. 

“Since I was a child, I was always into dressing up. When I was in high school, whatever outfit I wore, I got a lot of compliments. All my friends asked me where I got my clothing style,” Gopisetti said. 

After earning a degree in Fashion Design from HIFT school in Hyderabad, Tela Gana, India, Gopisetti began her career as a textile designer. In 2007, she and her family moved to the U.S. after her husband earned a job in IT.  

“In India, I have a lot of family support and I could still work. After moving to the U.S., it took some time for me to adjust and manage everything on my own,” Gopisetti said. 

As she adjusted to her new life and caring for her two children, Gopisetti also aimed to pursue her career goals. “I became a housewife, taking care of my two children, but I wanted to get back to my work because I had experience in the fashion field as a textile designer. However, my priorities changed and I wanted to work in a comfortable space where I also can take care of my children,” Gopisetti said. 

As Gopisetti explored new job opportunities, she realized the lack of unique Indian clothing options in the Bay Area. “I want to bring Indian fashion to the West,” she said. “I visited a few stores selling Indian designs and I realized most of them were reselling businesses.” 

With the support of friends and family and her dream of launching her own brand, ViBha opened its doors in 2012. 

Eileen Liu / M-A Chronicle Traditional dresses at ViBha

“As a fashion designer, it was my dream to launch a label. We launched in 2012 with a very minimal budget. For the first three years, I had a home boutique and there was a theme or inspiration for each collection. After three years with the growing clientele, my husband said, ‘Why don’t we move to a retail space?’” Gopisetti said. 

Gopisetti also hopes to bring Indian fashion to different communities. “I’m not just targeting the Indian clientele. As a fashion designer, I had a clear picture in my mind of bringing Indian fashion to the West. For instance, in fusion weddings, the Indian bride and non-Indian bridegroom come together to purchase Indian-style outfits for their weddings,” Gopisetti said. 

To increase awareness of her brand, Gopisetti participated in numerous fashion shows and charities. “I always looked for opportunities and participated in many fashion shows because it is a huge platform for any fashion designer to showcase their creativity. I was the only Indian designer shown for three years at the San Francisco Fashion Community Week,” Gopisetti said. 

In order to offer authentic and innovative Indian clothing designs, Gopisetti coordinates daily with her production team in India. “Every day I send designs and I talk to my production team. Because of the time difference, I have to communicate with them at night. When I launched my brand, it was a very small team, but now the production team is very big and we are all part of the ViBha family,” Gopisetti said.

Eileen Liu / M-A Chronicle

Owning a fashion label has not been all glitz and glamour. “When I am doing a fashion show, there are so many sleepless nights. You need to coordinate with multiple models, makeup artists, hair stylists, fashion choreographers, event venues, and other logistics,” Gopisetti said. 

Gopisetti’s advice to new immigrants is to find their passion and pursue it. “If you have a passion for any field, go for it. As for your business, give it time. No business will immediately see profits or fame. Be patient, give time, work hard, enjoy the process, and learn every day,” Gopisetti said. 

Find more information on ViBha here. Their storefront is located at 458 E El Camino Real in Sunnyvale.

Eileen Liu / M-A Chronicle

Eileen is a senior in her third year of journalism. She enjoys writing the Businesses without Borders column and covering environmental issues in her community. When she is not writing, you can find her tabling at different environmental events and photographing nature.

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