Fashion is a link that connects people; it may traverse borders and be modified by different creative ideas. With the advent of technology and rapid penetration of Internet, people around the globe are exposed to international fashion. This increased awareness has also resulted in increased demands. Acknowledging this situation, industry veteran Gurminder Matharu stepped into the shoe of Director at Ltdedition a global platform where clients can find the latest sustainable fashion from all around the world.Gurminder holds adegree in fashion design with thirty years of vast experience in the apparel industry. She started her career in a small export house and later on, she administered the head office of a European international. Leveraging her industry expertise, Gurminder aspires to break new business frontiers and take Ltdedition to greater heights in the market.

In an exclusive interview with Women Entrepreneur Magazine, Gurminder talks more about her professional journey and unique business operations of Ltdedition.

Give Us A Brief Overview Of Ltdedition?

Ltdedition is an international, commercial sourcing and service platform which aims to work jointly with brands and retailers in the domain of apparels, shoes, accessories and home furnishings, in order to construct an outcome of shared value, arranged with an intuitive vision of sustainable fashion. The foundation of this enterprise invites authentic suppliers, certified for sustainable products to create through us, as we stand as a forum for global sourcing; geographically based in India.

Take us through your early educational journey and prior industry experience that you bring to the table.

Since my early childhood days, I was very much fascinated when my mom used to stitch our school uniform and clothes at home on Singer’s hand machine; I used to be on her side and watch how the machine would just get two pieces of cloth together, followed by a fantastic garment in the end. This fascination was always alive in me. After completing my high school education, I commenced my undergraduate degree, but it didn’t peak my interest and I soon opted for Fashion design from an institute in New Delhi. Trained under pioneering educators like Ms Vandana Narang (Dean of NIFT at present) and Ms Bani Jha (Professor at NIFT), I burnt the midnight oil and worked very hard to finesse each process of garment making. It was a fantastic learning experience.

I started my professional journey with a small export house in Greater Kailash, and made my way to running and monitoring an entire sample room in a big export house, after which there was no looking back. Time was quick to pass and soon I was the Country Head for a European multinational and ran their head office in Gurgaon for over 25 years.

What Led To The Foundation Of Ltdedition? Tell Us About The Underlying Idea Behind Establishing The Company And Its Unique Features.

Unfortunately, during Covid-19, early August of 2020, bankruptcy ended more than 25 years of my service to the European market. Myself and my team in India were disheartened, but our spirit was not! We believe that in crisis, opportunities are born and overnight the plan took shape to start a new chapter. With our expertise as our backbone and faith in our hearts, Ltdedition company was created. When you believe in yourself, the universe joins you and the path starts unravelling by itself. We were fortunate to find like-minded co-partners who don’t just work, but also love what they do.

Throw Some Light On The Various Roles And Responsibilities That You Shoulder At Ltdedition? What Are Some Of The Most Pressing Business Challenges That You Face In Your Current Role And How Do You Mitigate These Challenges?

Starting a new company when other companies were closing down due to covid-19 was a challenge in itself. Other challenges we faced were operating from home during the lockdown since everything slowly kept shutting down. Starting from the paper work to creating the company’s website, giving Ltdedition its first face, we had our share of challenges. Another intricate aspect was to find and retain customers, as various retail shops closed down due to the shortage of customers to maintain social distancing and comply with the regulations at the time. This influenced the market since orders were dropping and sales were going down.

"Our vision is to provide a platform Where we promote “sustainable Fashion for good”, connecting People all around the world for this Common cause"

Nevertheless there is always a light at the end of the tunnel and at last we had our first order, after which the graph was steadily improving. The biggest challenge I had to face was the pressure of all the work, as there were no offline interactions at the office, and almost every minute work was landing on my shoulders. There was a time when I could not see my day ending; working 24x7, 7 days a week, it was an endless stretch of tasks. The pressure of this time took me back to my Day 1 in the field. The only difference was that this time there was speed and expertise on my side.

In Your Opinion What Have Been Some Of The Most Significant Milestones That You Have Achieved In Your Professional Journey? What Has Been The Driving Force Behind Your Success As A Business Leader?

One of the significant milestones to me was the perspective I have, which has helped shape my attitude and behaviour towards the industry. The way I see it, respect is not demand, it is earned; it is a behavioural form of gratitude which you receive. A leader, to me, is not a title or a position. To be a leader one has to be resilient and have integrity. These roles influence one’s life and have the potential to bring out the best outcome. Being positive in a negative situation and building a trustworthy team is what is most important, since people don’t leave jobs, they leave a toxic working culture. In my opinion, being accepted as a successful leader has been the most significant milestone in my professional journey.

"A leader, to me, is not a title or a Position. To be a leader one has To be resilient and have integrity. These roles influence one’s life And have the potential to bring Out the best outcome"

The driving force behind my success, as a business leader, are all those people who accepted me as their leader and who helped by being my extension outside the garment industry. I believe that work and life effect each other, which is why I believe in creating a working environment where people can openly communicate ideas, without fostering the fear of being judged or doubting themselves. They should know that their input and suggestions matter, which helps us all collectively put in our best effort and reap effective results. Leadership is not about you, it’s about the people you serve.

What Is Your Vision For Ltdedition’s Growth In The Near Future? Also, What Advice Would You Give To Budding Women Entrepreneurs?

Our vision is to provide a platform where we promote “sustainable fashion for good”, connecting people all around the world for this common cause. We believe in trying to use business as a medium to pursue a good cause through our shared values, hereby bringing a change through collective efforts. We believe in inspiring people and connecting them with a processoriented approach towards a sustainable world. By doing out part of good, we look forward to have a better tomorrow.

As an entrepreneur and a business leader, what I have learnt is that you need to be optimistic, even during the stormiest of times you need to hold your head high. Always care about the people you work with, as they are the same people who meet when you when you go down the ladder. A title may give you the authority but you need to hold the stick with firmness so that you never have to use it. As at the end of the day, good leadership is about how you treat people.

Gurminder Matharu, Director, Ltdedition

A pioneering business leader that has been able to coment her legacy in the fashion industry. Some of the various award and recognitions she has won over the yeares include award for recognitions from ngo deepalaya for education sponsored by DIDI by for 15yeares, certificate of appreciation for online classes by fashion institute of zandkine , armsterdm, and certificate for appreciation from NIFT,new delhi for sharing industry experience to new batch graduates.