About Us – Our Story

The Beginning — Tehran, Iran, 1974

My entrepreneurial journey began in 1974 in Tehran, Iran, under the name Iran Saral International. Starting a business in a foreign country was not easy. For approximately 18 months, I faced challenges, worked hard, and continued looking for opportunities in international trade.

Eventually, I secured a major order in the sanitary fittings business. This achievement gave me the confidence to continue pursuing my ambitions. Those early years taught me that success requires patience, determination, and the courage to keep moving forward even when the road is difficult.

A New Chapter — Marriage and the Journey to London

On 7 December 1977, I got married in Delhi. In January 1978, I returned to Tehran to continue my business activities.

On 6 June 1978, I travelled from Tehran to London via Moscow. Upon arriving in London, I stayed with the family of Ashok Kalra in Brixton.

I spent approximately four and a half years in London, gaining valuable personal and professional experience and developing a broader understanding of international markets and business.

Discovering the American Market

My experience in international trade encouraged me to explore the United States. I travelled there to study the market, understand customer preferences, and identify new business opportunities.

I wanted to understand firsthand what American customers were looking for and how products from India could find a place in that market.

Saral Craft — The Beginning of Artificial Jewellery

After returning to India, I started a new venture under the name Saral Craft, focusing on artificial jewellery.

I believed that success required more than simply sending products overseas. I wanted to understand the market personally, meet customers, and sell my products directly.

With this objective, I arranged a shipment of artificial jewellery from India to the United States and travelled there to sell the merchandise myself.

During my visit to the United States, I achieved a memorable milestone by selling approximately US$70,000 worth of merchandise in a single day. This experience strengthened my confidence and showed me the possibilities that international trade could offer when combined with hard work, personal involvement, and an understanding of the market.

1984 — The Establishment of Shikhit Exports

In 1984, I established Shikhit Exports.

This was a major milestone in my entrepreneurial journey. With the experience I had gained from international markets, I continued developing my business and eventually expanded into garment exports, particularly women's fashion, dresses, and apparel for international markets.

Shikhit Exports became an important part of my professional identity and the foundation of our export business.

2006 — The Launch of Live With Style

In 2006, I launched Live With Style as our principal brand.

My vision was to build a brand representing fashion, creativity, quality, and style. Building on my experience in international trade, I continued working in women's fashion and garments while developing the Live With Style identity.

Today, Shikhit Exports and Live With Style remain important parts of our business journey. Shikhit Exports is our established export company, while Live With Style is our principal brand.

My Family — The Strength Behind Our Journey

Behind every long and successful journey is a family that provides strength, support, and encouragement. My family has been an important part of my business and personal journey.

Saral Arora — My Wife and My Strongest Support: My wife, Saral Arora, has supported me in business since 1984. Her contribution has gone far beyond emotional support. She has given me practical, hands-on and physical support in the day-to-day work of the business and has stood beside me through the different stages of our journey. Even today, she continues to support me while also running her own venture, Saral Craft & Boutique. Her dedication, hard work, and constant support have been an important part of everything we have built together.

Our Daughter — Deepshikha Arora: Our daughter, Deepshikha Arora, studied Fashion Designing at NIFT. Her education gave her a strong foundation in fashion, design, and creativity. She was also involved with our business and contributed her knowledge and ideas during the years she worked with us. After her marriage, she moved on to the next chapter of her life, but her contribution remains an important part of our family and business story.

Our Son — Hitanshu Arora: Our son, Hitanshu Arora, has been based in the United Kingdom for many years. He developed his own professional career in the UK, with studies and professional experience in nutrition science, physiotherapy, and sports massage. Based in Leeds, he has built his own professional practice and operates two clinics. He continues to work hard and has established a successful professional identity of his own. He also regularly visits India and remains closely connected with our family.

Family, Hard Work and Business Growth: Over the years, my wife and I worked together to manage our business and family responsibilities. As technology changed, we also began exploring new opportunities through the internet and online business platforms such as IndiaMART and TradeIndia, along with our own website initiatives. The support of my family and our willingness to adapt helped us continue moving forward through changing times.

Today — A New Chapter in Art, Design and Home Décor

Today, I am bringing together my business experience and my lifelong passion for art and creativity. Alongside garments and fashion, we are expanding into:

The Journey Continues

Looking back, my journey has been shaped by international experiences, challenges, memorable achievements, family support, and the courage to keep exploring new opportunities. From Tehran to London, from the United States to India, from international trade to fashion, and now from fashion to art and home décor, every chapter has added something valuable to my life.

I have learned that success is not simply about reaching one destination. It is about continuing to learn, adapting to change, and having the courage to begin again.

Today, Shikhit Exports (Established 1984) and Live With Style (Established 2006) continue to carry forward the experience, creativity, and values built over decades. The journey that began with a dream continues with new ideas, new creativity, and the same determination to move forward.