Women Entrepreneurs in the Fashion Design Industry at Ahmedabad: Issues, Challenges and Progress Path

Abstract

Women Entrepreneurs may be defined as a woman or a group of women who initiate, organize and operate a business enterprise. They explore the prospects of starting new enterprise; undertake risks, introduce new innovations, coordinate administration and control business and provide effective leadership in all aspects of business. In the early seventies, for many women starting their own venture had been about breaking tradition and overcoming long-held socio-cultural mindsets. With changing times, the young women entrepreneurs see having their own business as an important aspect of their life space and self identity. The fashion design profession has graduated from a side activity done from home by most women to a full fledged business in the form of fashion boutiques today. The paper attempts to study the social and professional life of women fashion designers at Ahmedabad who are from different backgrounds and from different generations starting from the early 70s till present. The study is done with a qualitative approach through personal interactions and focus group survey with 15 women entrepreneurs. Insights are shared into their changing personal vs. professional outlook, social and financial support received, business acumen and managerial abilities developed and their changing mindset in particular with changing views of society towards them, as they become more able, ambitious and successful in their business ventures.