As rightly said, it is hardly possible for an Indian to have never had used an ABG product. There are various brands I see being used around me, but I have personally particularly been loyal to one of its Fashion Retail brands, Allen Solly. And the reason for this has got to do a little with emotions, and lot with my slight superstitious nature!

It was the time when the results for multiple B-School entrances had started coming out, and there was a frenzy of shortlists for various B-Schools being announced. Along with rigorous preparation for the Group Discussion and Personal Interview processes lined up, what was also needed was to dress like a professional. I realised that I lack a proper collection of business formals, and hence decided to introduce a few in my wardrobe. Of course, the obvious choice was ‘Allen Solly’, for I had always heard they have a really amazing collection of formals, that could help me up my style game in the right manner.

Dressed in my newly bought apparel from Allen Solly, I reach the destination of my first process scheduled, SCMHRD! The nervousness of facing some process on the magnitude that it is conducted at, for the very first time, had already made me jittery enough. Of course, the volunteers conducting the process made sure they make us feel comfortable with their words, but no one could have stopped those butterflies in my stomach.

With this anxiety, I walked into the very first B-School interview of my life, and there’s a wide grin and lot of confidence in my walk as I walked out of it! I was very happy with how it went and satisfied with my performance, that instilled within me, a lot of positivity for the processes ahead.

Soon it was already a month past my SCMHRD process, and the results were about to come. One fine day, I receive a mail congratulating me for having converted my call at SCMHRD, and my happiness knew no bounds. In the days to come, there were multiple results being announced, and I ended up converting two more B-Schools I had applied to and appeared processes for.

One lazy evening as I was pondering over how the entire month full of processes at multiple colleges had been, it suddenly struck me, that every process I appeared for donning one particular ‘Allen Solly’ shirt I had newly bought, I ended up converting. I know it was very stupid of me to have even thought of such a thing, but this tendency of getting a little superstitious at such times is innate to me. And since this revelation, that shirt is the most treasured possession of mine from amongst the humongous things I have in my wardrobe! Whenever there are important occasions that I can’t have another chance at, or significant happenings when I have to be at my best, I know what my choice of clothes is going to be! Also, whenever I am in a need of new formals, I know where to shop for some ‘lucky’ apparel from!

It may appear to be trivial, but to me personally, this is how ABG is ‘big’ in my life, for I make sure I have its presence on every important day of my life!

Vaidehi Padhye

My 'lucky charm': SCMHRD