Meet Rahul Rekapalli

We recently connected with Rahul Rekapalli and have shared our conversation below.

Rahul, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?

I pursue an activity without any expectations of an outcome (success, failure, etc.). Over several years, this approach has allowed me to learn without inhibition. If I had all the information upfront, I would walk towards my goals in a straight line. However, my path has been a series of small steps that take me towards one or more goals.

I moved to New York to pursue fashion photography after pausing a career in engineering and finance. Over the course of my studies, I found opportunities to develop a stronger understanding of fashion. I took additional classes in garment construction, fashion design and styling, which helped me connect my prior experience in engineering and design to fashion and photography. In the three years I spent in graduate school, I absorbed a wealth of insights from practicing artists that helps me chart my own path in fashion.

My journey is unique to me, so I can only measure my progress in terms of the skills I have acquired and how I apply them to my craft. The key question I ask myself are: How have I moved the needle today compared to what I have done yesterday? Some days, the needle stays exactly where it is. On other days, an epiphany may initiate a quantum jump. My expectations are grounded in the progress I can make irrespective of other factors that can alter the path.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I went back to graduate school in 2021 to study fashion. I did not spend my childhood looking at fashion magazines or following trends. My interest is driven by the creative possibilities in making fashion images. Though I started my journey though photography, I expanded my interests into design and styling as well. For my thesis, I designed a mini collection, constructed the garments and photographed them in a mixed approach of fine art and fashion editorial. The collection was presented as a mixed-media installation giving due importance to the garments, the materials and the photographs.

I’m exploring creative direction as an artist through my practice of design and photography where I can make the images to tell stories I see and also bring those ideas to life as garments. The simplicity of the process in my head is highlighted in the photo of the girl in the pink dress and veil. That dress was made from a few yards of silk organza, four safety pins and a belt wrapped around the model.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The three aspects that have defined my journey are: time, focus and patience. A simple way to relate them is:
1) Time: For any new journey, time is the most valuable investment. My time commitment is in small chunks, at least fifteen minutes a day.
2) Focus: In those fifteen minutes, I am fully focused on the activity I am doing. I eliminate all distractions and entirely devote myself to the task at hand.
3) Patience: Fifteen minutes is a very small amount of time. However, they quickly add up in measurable progress when I decide that I enjoy the activity and make a conscious decision to either spend more time on the task or move on until I find another window of fifteen minutes.

If someone is starting a new journey, the time commitment is a significant deterrent to begin. The prospect of committing half a day or even a couple of hours feels daunting when the next distraction is one notification away. I find that a fifteen minute commitment takes the pressure off and makes the pursuit enjoyable.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I love to meet creatives who have an interest in fashion, whether they are established or just starting their journey. In my three years, I’ve met artists who explore fashion in different ways, through sculpture, technology, design, styling, photography and these collaborations have been exciting. I am always interested to grab a coffee and have a conversation on fashion, whether it is about the recent fashion weeks or historical influences or creating something new. Each conversation always leads to a fresh perspective or opportunity to create something new.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Image 2 – model: Vivian, designer: Rahul Rekapalli
Image 3 – model: Grace Tarbet, designer: Urvi Selarka
Image 4 – model: Grace Taylor, designer: Srujana Achyutuni
Image 5 – model: Claire Burnett, designer: Lilach Porges
Image 6 – models: Avril Crowe, Jaylin, designer: Sanyam Sharma
Image 7 – model: Ananya Shankar

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