PEWAUKEE — Although she's thousands of miles away from home, Ammu Cherian has found a clever way to connect people with heritage back in India.
"The appreciation l have of Indian l textiles has been ingrained in me," said Ammu.
After moving from Bangalore, India where she worked as a business analyst for years, Ammu chose to fulfill her childhood dream of owning her own fashion brand when she came to Milwaukee with her husband in 2016.
"I decided land of America, land of opportunities. I'm going to start my own creative business."
And thus her businessHouse of Amuwas born. Originally focusing on clothing, Ammu realized her true passion was creating home decor. With the help of a local seamstress and artisans in India, she makes breathtaking designs for throw pillows, table runners, and more.
"I come from the South of India where we love textures and hand embroidery," said Ammu. "The pieces that I design are not just for Indian homes it's for everyone. It makes your home full of character and personality it's so unique."
In every stitch of her designs, a story of India's history is told.
"If you look through my website, you will see that I have mentioned the stories behind each fabric, which region of India it belongs to, and how those fabrics came to life," said Ammu. "The state that I'm from is Kerala in India and we have the kasavu saree which is white and gold which was worn by royalty."
Now, she's preparing for one of her biggest debuts yet, partnering with Nordstrom to have a three-day pop-up event inside the store at the Mayfair Mall this weekend starting on Friday, May 21.
"I am absolutely thrilled."
And she wants aspiring designers who have dreams just like hers to know this:
"You're going to constantly evolve, that's okay," said Ammu. "The beauty is enjoying the journey of it and being okay with the journey taking time."
And it's a journey that keeps sewing new opportunities for Ammu.
To visit Ammu's website, click here. You can also check out herFacebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
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