Meet our Co-Founders

Janessaline M Pyngrope

Former Co-Founder & Business Head

Janessaline M. Pyngrope, formerly headed Daniel Syiem’s Ethnic Fashion House (DSEFH) as the Business Head, and was the Co-Founder & Partner of Daniel Syiem’s Ethnic Fashion House. Her experience includes project management, community work and vocational training all rolled into one.

Armed with a degree in management education from BIMM, Pune, she decided to return to her roots to work towards change and development in the North East of India. She dedicated four years (2004-2008) to working for rural development at the grassroots level through the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) project in Ukhrul district, Manipur (UDCRMS-IFAD), as the Business Development Officer. Next, she worked in MRDS-LIFCOM as Assistant Manager BDS, Ri Bhoi district (2009-2010), Shillong for a year and a half where she has worked extensively to uplift traditional weavers and introduce new and safe weaving looms. From Jan 2011-May 2014, she was employed as Project Manager of Meghalaya for BASIX Academy for Building Lifelong Employability (B-ABLE). The focus here was to provide gainful employment to the youths of Meghalaya through short-term vocational courses such as Sales and Marketing, Basic Housekeeping, Food and Beverages Services etc…

Her myriad experiences working at local level with weavers and artisans encouraged her to also envision a business platform to promote the tradition and culture of the North East through fashion. Bringing her entrepreneurial abilities to the fore she teamed up with Daniel Syiem, to start Shillong’s First Fashion House- Daniel Syiem’s Ethnic Fashion House.

Janessaline Pyngrope was featured in Fox Traveller’s What’s With Indian Women, Shillong Chapter and has been mentioned in the book written by Mr. David Das, ‘Trailblazers, Meghalaya (2nd edition)’. She was awarded with the ‘Vasundhara’ Women Entrepreneur of the year 2014-2015 for the State of Meghalaya. She was also a panelist at the ‘Meet the Makers’ Singapore, for ETHICS track on the ‘Building a sustainable future for fashion’ panel at the TALKS for Green Is The New Black, held on 13th May 2017.

• Both Business partners also received the 100 Pipers True Legends Awards, in association with the Telegraph, 2016, held in Raddison Blu, Guwahati

• Daniel Syiem’s Ethnic Fashion House works was also telecasted in “Purvottar Ke Sitare”, DD National TV, on 16th September 2017

• Daniel Syiem’s Ethnic Fashion House has also been featured in the Book, “A People Called Shillong”, published by Penguin House, initiated and conceptualized by IIM-Shillong.

Daniel Nongjop Syiem

Co-Founder & Creative Head

Daniel Syiem knew that the fashion world was his destination when he realized his true vocation- fashion. He is the Sole Proprietor of Daniel Syiem’s Ethnic Fashion House, taking on the mantle of Creative Head & Lead Designer.

His SS 16 collection was launched at Fashion International during London Fashion Week, September 19th 2015. In May 2015 Daniel showcased at the International Fashion Encounter, Toronto, Canada 2015 upon invitation, amongst top designers from Latin America & the Middle East. He launched his S/S 2015 collection at Fashion International during London Fashion Week at the iconic Royal Horseguards Hotel. His S/S 2014 collection was launched at the Couture Fashion Week, New York at The New Yorker Hotel, Madison Avenue, New York. He showcased an indigenous collection at the Second Global Meeting of the Indigenous Peoples Forum at IFAD Headquarters, Rome on 12th February 2015 promoting the tribal weaves of North East India.

On World Environment Day he did a show for Forests & Environment Department (FED), the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA) and Worldview Impact in line with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) theme - Raise Your Voice and Not The Sea Level in Shillong, Meghalaya, his hometown. He has showcased in the North East Fashion Fest, Delhi and the Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2013. He received a tremendous response from the press, fellow designers as well as national and international buyers. His debut in the Summer/Resort season of Lakme Fashion Week made the fashion industry sit up and take notice of this talented designer.

Currently Daniel Syiem is regularly invited to showcase his collections at all prestigious fashion platforms in India and worldwide. His collections have received great reviews and have been featured in top magazines like Grazia, Platform, Klicks Fashion, Eclectic North-East, Elle, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. The Eastern Chronicle cited him as an achievement for Meghalaya for the year 2013. In 2000, he won the North-East Best Designer Award and there has been no looking back since. He has presented various collections all over India and his repertoire of fashion shows is immense. He has a string of awards recognizing his unique international style and focus on promoting organic and ethnic material exclusive to the North-East region of India. His forte in Western Wear is apparent in the clean silhouettes, seamless fluidity and interesting drapes in his collection. Blending fashion and style with the essence of traditional cloth, the label Daniel Syiem has started making waves nationally and internationally.

Some of his shows:

Fashion International London Fashion Week, London, 2015, International Fashion Encounter, Toronto, Canada, 2015, Second Global Meeting of the Indigenous Peoples Forum, IFAD, Rome, 2015, Creative Encounters’ 18 Degrees Festival 2014, Fashion International, London Fashion Week, London, 2014, Grand Finale at World Environment Day, Shillong, 2014, Couture Fashion Week, New York 2014, North East Fashion Fest, Delhi 2013, Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2013, Mumbai, Hyderabad Fashion Week 2013, Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2013, Mumbai, Rajasthan Fashion Week 2012, Jaipur.