ABOUT US
Studio East6 - where eastern couture meets western allure.
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As featured in People Magazine, and Elle. As noted in Vogue India, Studio East6 is a shopping destination for "An NRI bride’s guide to buying traditional wedding wear around the world".
Studio East6 has attired many prominent South Asian actors, producers, & influencers, such as Mindy Kaling & been featured on various TV shows such Netflix's Love Is Blind Season 2 Deepti Vempati and Bravo TV.
Founded in 2014 in Chicago, Studio East6 (SE6) is an Indian multi-designer studio that was among the pioneers to enter the US market. Founded by Rupa Vora, Studio East6 is renowned for its female leadership. SE6 specializes in curating modern, luxurious fashion that blends Western influences with traditional East Indian styles and designs.
Studio East6 is an authorized retailer for a variety of India's leading fashion designers, including Falguni Shane Peacock, Tarun Tahiliani, Anita Dongre, Seema Gujral, Papa Don’t Preach, Masaba, and more. SE6 has solid direct partnerships with each designer. Studio East6 was established with the vision of bringing some of India's most sought-after designers and designs to the North American market.
Catering to a discerning shopper seeking a unique product, Studio East6 provides a carefully curated collection where every item is handpicked. Unlike numerous other stores, Studio East6 does not mass-produce its pieces. Each item is handmade by global designers & their artisan teams in India, reflecting SE6's commitment to sustainability.
Where: 1142 W. Madison St #407 Chicago, IL 60607 and online, shipping worldwide
How to shop: Online, In-Store, or Social
Whom: The SE6 customer is all about fresh, unique, luxury product
Giving Back: SE6 donates a portion of each sale to the Alzheimer's Association.
Studio East6 in Partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association
Since conception, SE6 donates a portion of every sale to the Alzheimer’s Association. The idea behind establishing the studio was influenced by Rupa's incredible mother, who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. Rupa's most cherished moments with her mother involved bonding over a shared passion for fashion. SE6 pays tribute to Rupa's mother and her everlasting, impeccable style.
Sustainability & International Fair Labor Practices
Studio East6's pieces are not mass-produced like those in many other Indian fashion boutiques. Each item from SE6 is meticulously handcrafted by artisans in India, while upholding fair labor practices, working conditions, and wages.
SE6 prioritizes sustainability by keeping a limited inventory in stock (approximately 100-150 styles in-studio at any given time). The brand primarily operates on a made-to-order basis to minimize the retail carbon footprint.
SE6 consciously reuses all packaging materials, including shipping boxes and plastic sleeves whenever possible. The focus is on minimizing waste by avoiding unnecessary extra packaging materials in orders, ensuring that items are delivered safely and efficiently.
Why Studio East6?
SE6 simplifies your shopping experience for Indian attire by providing everything you need in one place, eliminating the need to travel to India or contacting an endless amount of retailers. We pride ourselves on being a convenient one-stop shop. Explore a variety of curated designers for various occasions. An advantage we hold is that we work directly with our curated designers, enabling us to offer a wider range of customization options tailored to their unique styles.
SE6 believes in customer service & spends countless hours working with designers & production teams, meticulously sweating all details to delivery high quality product - just read our reviews here & here!
With a physical studio located right in the heart of Chicago (the West Loop!), clients can shop our curated selection in-studio or off our website. Our customers are sophisticated individuals with an extraordinary awareness for quality and culture.
Our goal is to have each of one of our customers feel confident & have heads turning.
If you have any questions or need some outfit inspiration, contact us here!
Our Founder & Creative Director: Rupa Vora
With a love for everything fashion and Indian culture, Rupa found herself and like-minded friends in search of clothing that incorporated both East Indian and Western trends, while staying true to quality.In 2014, Rupa took a risk and left her position as a pricing strategy manager at a top Fortune 100 retailer to pursue her own unique, luxury studio, while working with India’s top runway designers. Rupa built Studio East6 from the ground up, all on her own by re-investing every portion she had back into the business. What makes Rupa unique is her strong business acumen, with her incredible eye for style, fashion & detail. Her expert opinion is widely respected amongst her design partners and customers. Most importantly, her clients are always her #1 and wants each of them to feel incredible in whatever they wear.As our Creative Director, Rupa works directly with all our design partners, guiding the creative direction of the studio covering design, assortment, fostering partnerships, and managing the overall direction of the studio. Preferring to remain behind the scenes, Rupa loves for the business to shine on its own.In addition to Founder & Creative Director, Rupa wears a few additional hats: wife, mom, and University of Illinois alum. She's a Chicago-native and loves spending time with her family & friends. When she’s not working, you can find Rupa exploring Chicago's restaurants, museums, gardening & keeping her 2 girls out of 'good' trouble! Her guilty pleasures include watching her beloved, yet disastrous Chicago Bears & any Real Housewives series (really?). Sleeping could be a guilty pleasure of hers, but more-so a far off dream as of now... :)
ps. What is ‘East6’?
East6 is an idea in which "Eastern couture finds Western allure." Within the first purchasing trip to India, it was hard not to notice the locals referring to America as the ‘West’ and India as the ‘East’. The ‘East’ was a perfect reference to help conceptualize the brand. The idea behind '6' was also quite simple. The saree, is the most classic, yet beautiful staple in Indian fashion, typically made from 6 yards of fabric. Hence, the concept of 'East6'.