Photos by L.G. Patterson

Studio San owner and momtrepreneur Shreya Bhola had a laundry list of reasons not to open a new business. After moving from New Delhi, India with her husband, the couple relocated frequently, living in five states across seven years. When they settled in Columbia, it seemed like the right time – until they had a baby. But that never stopped Bhola from achieving her dream.

“It was time to put down some roots here, and I thought, ‘I’ve got to do this; I’ve got to do this now,’” she says. “I knew I would get comfortable in my job, and when I had my daughter, I thought about taking a couple of years off. But I said to myself, ‘if I don’t do it now, I never will.’ It was always going to be this. The road was just not very straightforward.”

Opening a business has always been a dream, she says. Business is in her blood. Her family members are third-generation jewelers in India and her sister-in-law owns a clothing store. So over the past year, Bhola transitioned from a career in public relations and marketing to opening her own studio.

“I love sales, I love creating and I love promoting local craftsmanship and all kinds of pretty things … it’s what I’ve always wanted to do,” she says.

More than just another department store, Studio San is a multi-designer boutique focused on curating unique, small-batch products in fashion, home decor and accessories.

According to Studio San’s mission statement, the studio aims to provide fuss-free luxury through handcrafted products that are “made with care and love” by artisans from across India. “As a new mother myself, I understand the importance of versatile, fuss-free clothing that adapts to different stages of life,” Bhola says.

Beyond selling fashionable clothing, Bhola has two goals for the success of this studio.

First, she wants to bring her two worlds together, uniting Indian traditions in sewing and manufacturing with the more modernized Western culture and style.

“I want to feature the real craftsmanship and the age-old traditions that we have in India, which are done so well,” she says. “You have to see it to believe it.”

However, she also said that this craftsmanship gets lost in the conversation of cheap labor.

“There is cheap labor, which is utilized by a lot of retailers out here, and you’ll see those ‘Made in India’ tags at Old Navy,” she says. “It’s true, they do do that because we have big manufacturing setups, but there are also very small units of people who hand-stitch things and hand-craft things.”

Her second goal is to cultivate a space where other locals can come together to share their craft, whether that be clothing, accessories or decorations.

“If our ethos and sensibilities match, I want to promote that,” Bhola says. “I want to make it a hub for local talent. The whole idea is to build emerging entrepreneurs and emerging designers like myself and support them as much as I can.”

An important aspect of the boutique and clothing by Studio San is to emphasize that the brand is for “real people.”

“As much as I love to scroll through Instagram all day looking at all of those fancy people decked up and looking perfect, I know my body is far from perfect,” Bhola says. “I am very into real people and wearing real clothes, and so that’s why I eventually want to get a photo shoot done with local people. It’s my small way of being a part of the community.”

The first collection of clothing, named Mya, is a curated line of dresses that transition from day to night, each handcrafted with luxurious fabrics. According to Bhola’s official description of the collection, Mya is the epitome of elegance, “embodying timeless sophistication and modern allure… perfect for those special moments when you want to shine with effortless grace.”

Last month, Studio San hosted its first pop-up event where Columbia residents were able to enjoy complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres, get their photo taken on a red carpet and try out the Mya collection.

“The Sip and Shop (gave) me a chance to meet more of the amazing people here since I’m new to the city,” Bhola says. “We’re very close to the holiday season, so people are able to get an outfit or two for Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas or office parties.”

Studio San is named in an homage not only to the goal of culminating a collaborative space, but also to Bhola’s family. “S” for Shreya, “A” for Amyra (her daughter) and “N” for Nikhil (her husband). In addition to being the stakeholders of the business, Bhola says these are the people who give her the strength to follow her dreams.

The Studio San online store is now open for orders at studiosan.co. The physical studio space, located at Orr Street Studios, is set to open early next year, but Bhola is available for in-person shopping appointments. Contact her at shreya@studiosan.co.