Yogom x Jamini collaboration: a yoga & meditation collection by two women
Yogom and Jamini launch their collab ! A yoga and meditation collection that combines Yogom’s knowledge of yoga equipment with Jamini’s textile expertise. Two French brands created by women: Mathilde Corbin (Yogom) and Usha Bora (Jamini). We are very happy to have designed this wonderful floral line! Two carrying bags, a yoga bolster and a meditation cushion in two floral prints. Find the whole collection here . Here is an interview with the founder of the French-Indian brand Usha Bora.
Usha, what is your background?
I was born in the north-eastern region of India, in the province of Assam. After attending business school at the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad, I went to work in Hong Kong. It was there that I met a Frenchman who made me want to discover his country and learn more about French culture. I fell in love with France. So I continued my studies in Paris, at ESSEC, in luxury brand management. After graduation, I had the opportunity to work for a few years at L’Oreal as a product manager.
Tell us about your first experience with yoga: when did it ignite a passion in you?
How has yoga influenced all aspects of your life?
Indissociable from the practice of yoga, it is meditation that influences my life the most. Every morning, I get up at dawn to enjoy a quiet moment when everyone else is still asleep and Paris is waking up. For about thirty minutes, I clear my head, focus on the present moment to gather my energy and put myself in a good position to attack each new day that begins. Giving more priority to meditation, I was not a very regular follower of yoga sessions. For the past few months, I have been incorporating it into my morning routine, in addition to meditation and sports.
Yoga allows me to reconnect with my culture: all yoga mantras are written in Sanskrit – the root language of Hindi and Assamese, my mother tongue. Like a sweet melody, yoga songs are present everywhere in India, even outside of yoga sessions. It’s like a return to the source, to the land of my origins and it’s fundamental for me. The practice of yoga also allows me to reconnect with my body. In today’s society, we sometimes neglect its importance. We are so much in the mind and in the action that we forget the central place that the body holds in our life. This body that we must listen to and sometimes care for. Practicing yoga helps me to connect with the different parts of my body that I don’t usually use but that I need to listen to in order to feel good physically and mentally.
Your favorite yoga posture: what does it bring you?
More than a posture, it is the sun salutation position that I particularly like during my yoga sessions. From a spiritual point of view, as a morning person, the sunrise means a lot to me. To greet the sun is to tell ourselves that we are not alone, that something greater surrounds us and that gives us our place in the universe. We are part of a whole, and everything we do has an impact on our fellow man for which we must take responsibility.
From a physical point of view, I find that this posture is a great way for the body to feel all of its muscles, especially in those slightly discrete places that we tend to ignore and that need to be stretched in order to breathe. It’s like a treatment that we perform on the physical and that also heals the mental.
Tell us about your life as an entrepreneur, how did you launch your brand?
I first started out as a freelance researcher of ideas and trends, and as a manufacturer for major brands such as Agnès B, Bonton, Ba&sh or Dior enfant. This experience was very enriching but the desire to express my vision was stronger than anything. So in 2009, I created my own scarf brand, Jamini. In Hindi, this word describes the purple color of the lotus flower petals that cover the wetlands of Assam, my native region, as far as the eye can see. In 2013, the decoration line was born and so on. Today, it is a great source of pride to realize that Jamini provides a full-time income for 175 artisan families, and that our team in Paris continues to grow thanks to our caring and supportive community.
Jamini’s ambition is to be more than a decoration brand. Through our collections, we wish to highlight the precious ancestral know-how of men and women in love with their land, their traditions and their gestures. People are at the heart of our process. It is a sincere and meaningful way of committing to all current human and ecological issues.
What was your biggest challenge?
My biggest challenge, which still is today, is without a doubt being multi-tasked 24/7. You have to take care of product development, team welfare, customer satisfaction, design quality, marketing, finance, etc. It is both very exciting and at the same time very challenging to be responsible for everything. A bit like having a child: even if it grows up, you are still the mother!
What inspires you about Yogom?
Yogom is a great brand because Mathilde, its creator, is very sensitive to all ecological and environmental issues, in addition to developing a brand of yoga accessories of excellent quality. Her personality is very inspiring because she takes her mission very seriously: to preserve the ecology and environmental awareness of the planet in addition to providing well-being to all yogis!
Your favorite piece from our capsule collection that you can’t get rid of?
My favorite from this capsule collection is definitely the Zafu pillow. Ultra comfortable for all the relaxation and meditation postures I practice daily, it is a bohemian decorative element to put in a living room or a bedroom. The yoga mat bag is also one of my favorites from this yoga collection. Super resistant, I love its beautiful floral pattern printed with a wood stamp!
Discover the world of Jamini on the brand’s website .
