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Where Horses, Heritage, and High Design Converge: How Sanskriti Telang Is Reimagining India’s Soft Power Through STAAD

Updated: Dec 1

Why India’s Forgotten Horse Heritage Still Matters


Through the strategic monetization of India’s forgotten equestrian heritage, STAAD has forged a world-class menswear narrative, fundamentally prioritizing functional performance, design sensitivity, and palpable emotional intelligence.


Sanskriti Telang

“Indian culture is not our past. It is our greatest future asset.” - Sanskriti Telang


In a global luxury landscape increasingly driven by velocity and visibility, Sanskriti Telang is building something far rarer — a cultural enterprise shaped by memory, meaning, and national identity. As the Founder and Creative Director of STAAD, she is not merely creating menswear and accessories; she is restoring India’s forgotten equestrian legacy and positioning it on the world map as a refined expression of modern Indian soft power.



The Equestrian Crucible : Sanskriti pursued her formal education in fashion in the United States, living and studying in Texas. Alongside fashion, she also learned horse riding, discovering the discipline, compassion ,precision, and cultural depth of Western equestrian life.


Immersed in that ecosystem, she understood equestrianism as heritage, identity, and design language — not just sport. And yet, a beautiful, unexpected encounter — a quiet good omen — was what finally awakened something deeper within her.


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It was while riding horses in America that she realized how India’s own equestrian heritage — once regal, ceremonial, and symbolic — had been slowly forgotten. India had one of the richest horse cultures in the world, yet its visual and narrative presence had nearly vanished from modern public memory.

That realization became the philosophical birth of STAAD.


What began as a fashion education evolved into a cultural reclamation mission.


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The colour language of STAAD is a masterclass in restrained opulence. Deep maroons anchor the palette with a sense of royal memory and emotional authority, while burnished browns and saddle blacks draw directly from the world of leather, reins, and time-worn tack. Accents of antique gold introduce quiet power — not shine for spectacle, but glow for legacy. Soft ivories and muted neutrals temper the richness, allowing the deeper tones to breathe with composure.

Together, this palette does not merely decorate — it narrates. It speaks of discipline, ceremony, heritage, and modern restraint. In Sanskriti’s world, colour is not chosen for trend alignment, but for cultural alignment — each shade echoing the rhythm of horses, royalty, and enduring Indian craftsmanship.


A Legacy Born from Rhythm, Poetry, and Classical Discipline


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Sanskriti is a trained Kathak dancer, shaped by years of discipline, movement, and emotional precision. She comes from a profound lineage of Hindustani classical music, where art was never performative alone — it was spiritual, intellectual, and generational. Her maternal grandparents were deeply revered for their poetic expressions, leaving behind a legacy of language, rhythm, and layered storytelling.


This upbringing cultivated in her the understanding that culture is not ornamental — it is foundational. These very principles now echo across STAAD’s design language: restraint, balance, symmetry, symbolism, and emotional depth.

At the heart of her worldview is an unshakable belief: Indian culture is India’s greatest soft power.And today, that belief is no longer philosophical — it is structural to her business.


Embodying a Rare Dichotomy


The Confluence of Commercial Vision in Fashion and Media Authority in Sports Broadcasting



Before dedicating herself fully to building STAAD, Sanskriti also worked as a sports broadcaster in the United States at the collegiate level. This chapter sharpened her command over performance psychology, competition, visual storytelling, and public narrative.


Today, she operates with rare dual fluency — as both Creative Director and Business Head. She navigates design studios and factory floors with the same clarity as brand strategy, ethics, and long-term market positioning. This balance between instinct and intelligence has become one of STAAD’s greatest strengths.



STAAD: A Brand Built for Lineage, Not Trends


At its core, STAAD is built on one magnificent idea: Luxury should age with dignity, not expire with trends.



Sanskriti has consciously positioned the brand toward patrons who understand heritage — particularly India’s royal families, Raja and Maharajas, and custodians of legacy who see clothing as inheritance rather than consumption.

Every design element carries layered intention:


  • The horseshoe charm symbolizes protection, movement, and strength

  • The signature maroon palette draws from royalty, history, and emotional authority

  • The silhouettes emphasize heirloom longevity and structured elegance

  • Accessories follow a philosophy of multi-functional design


Perhaps most distinctively, STAAD builds menswear through a woman’s emotional and functional lens, bringing sensitivity, restraint, and enduring utility into a segment long driven by surface masculinity.


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STAAD Magazine: A Printed Chronicle of India’s Regal Soul


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Extending the STAAD philosophy beyond fashion and into cultural documentation, Sanskriti is also curating STAAD Magazine — a printed ode to the elegance of Indian heritage.


Each issue explores the intersections of art, equestrian history, textiles, and culture — from classical music and forgotten dance forms to haveli sangeet, photography, and dying crafts. It is a tribute to India’s richness beyond the obvious — a place where horses gallop through history, where royal processions echo through time, and where the soul of craftsmanship lives on in every page.


Created for those who value the stories behind beauty, the magazine does not rush. Instead, it gently requests you to slow down, reflect, and rediscover a regal India through a modern equestrian lens. It is not driven by trends, but by memory. Not by immediacy, but by meaning.


STAAD Magazine is not an extension of commerce. It is an extension of conscience, culture, and collective memory.


Craft as Cultural Diplomacy


STAAD works closely with Indian artisans and ethical manufacturing partners, ensuring that craftsmanship is not only preserved but also economically empowered and globally dignified.


Through collaborations with NGOs and schools, Sanskriti introduces children to India’s equestrian history through painting, storytelling, and creative education — ensuring that heritage does not remain confined to palaces, museums, or forgotten rituals.


Her upcoming expansion into chess-inspired collectibles and home décor flows from her lifelong fascination with strategy, symbolism, patience, and thoughtful design — values that mirror her own leadership philosophy.


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India on the World Stage — With Pride


Sanskriti Telang’s journey is not only entrepreneurial; it is cultural and deeply national in spirit. From Texas to India, from horses to haute design, from broadcasting to brand leadership, she has chosen one path with consistency:

To celebrate India with pride — not approximation.

She does not simply export fashion. She exports identity, memory, and meaning.


For those who don’t just consume culture, but choose to live it — the world of STAAD is now open to you.



Why Unhu Founder’s Journal Is Celebrating This Journey


At Unhu Founder’s Journal, we spotlight founders who build with depth. Sanskriti Telang represents a rare generation of Indian entrepreneurs who operate at the intersection of:


  • Culture and commerce

  • Craft and capital

  • Heritage and global ambition


This is not merely the rise of a fashion label. This is the strategic revival of India’s cultural soft power through design.


If you’re building with purpose, identity, and legacy — we would be honoured to tell your story next.


At Unhu Founder’s Journal, we exist to celebrate the journeys behind the ventures — the risks taken, the resilience built, and the vision that dares to endure. Through our two dedicated editorial avenues — Startup News, where we spotlight momentum and milestones, and Founder’s Spotlight, where we chronicle the human stories behind bold ideas — we ensure every chapter of your entrepreneurial journey finds its rightful voice.


Submissions are now open.



Let your journey inspire the world.


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Editorial Note : This feature explores how culture, craftsmanship, and commerce converge to create enduring brand legacies. In spotlighting Sanskriti Telang, we examine how India’s soft power is being re-authored through modern equestrian design.


Written by

Yati Vandana Tripathi

Editor, Unhu Founder's Journal

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