Chatting with Chaandni Singh of Naaya By Moonlight

Chaandni Singh has always been an artistic person and her aesthetic is much like her talents—eclectic. Encouraged by her parents to pursue the arts from an early age, she lists sketching, painting, acting and design among her prodigious skills. Most importantly for her children’s gift brand Naaya By Moonlight is her calling to design. After studying fashion marketing in Canada, she moved onto jewelry design in Los Angeles, followed by a move to New York, where she continued her design education at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

While Singh had long harbored aspirations of developing her own line of quilts, it was the birth of her son that set the creation of Naaya By Moonlight into motion. The name of the brand comes, like much of its inspiration, from a combination of Chaandni and her son Ayaan. It is his name spelled backward followed by the Hindi translation of her name, which means moonlight. With her immersion into the world of “baby stuff,” her quilt concept coalesced to focus on a collection of children’s quilts and led her to begin researching manufacturers in India to bring her dreams to fruition. The Manhattan-based brand launched in 2013 and has expanded to include pajamas, pillows and organic cotton blankets.

Here, Singh reveals some of the driving forces behind the brand.

Q: What is your design philosophy? It is a mix of traditional techniques with contemporary designs. I think it is essential to gear our products towards the likes of both kids AND adults. I also enjoy having fun with colors and shapes that can be seen in our current collections of animals in an array of colors.

Q: How has the line evolved since it first launched? The Company initially started with our beautiful reversible quilts and has quickly evolved into a collection of products based on gift giving. We are thrilled to have introduced our line of Naaya organics, which include blankets, pajamas and more.

Q: What sets Naaya By Moonlight apart from other kids’ brands? I think the brand offers a traditional technique with a simple design. At this point, I think it is the perfect mix between traditional and modern, appealing to a broad consumer base.

Q: What’s new for Fall ’15? We are very excited about the launch of Fall 2015—we will be introducing two new animal designs, the grey hippo and green turtle in addition to a re-vamped cozy organic pajama design.

Q: What inspires your designs? My son is always a factor when it comes to inspiration and what I see for the line. But I love to work with shapes and colors that can be mix and matched and that you can have fun with.

Q: What are some of your bestselling styles? Our quilts.

Q: What is your favorite part of your job? I get to be creative with my own personal touch on our products.

Q: If you weren’t designing, what would you be doing? Acting

Q: If you could invite anyone (living or dead) to dinner, who would it be? Madonna – she is a ‘jack of all trades’. I would love to talk to her about being a successful businesswoman, mother and fashion icon.

Q: Any New Year’s Resolutions? To take Naaya By Moonlight to the next level to become a well-known brand, loved by all.