Shalini Beriwal's artistic flair with packing gifts for weddings and festivities has led to an unusually successful career

What I do: Bridal and corporate gift packer.
What's my job?
I decide and design the container that will be most appropriate and attractive for each gift. I choose the best materials, suitable colours, fabrics... everything. My packing must make the gift look twice its worth! Packing is a luxury, but I try and see to it that the happiness of that celebration does not pinch my client's pockets.

What's my goal?
I wish to establish the art of sophisticated packaging, not as a trade, but as a work of craft, where each gift is acknowledged and appreciated, just like in other creative fields. I'd like to be a trendsetter for others to follow.

The modus operandi:
I first understand the kind of gifts to be packed and the client's taste, which is of the greatest importance in this field. Then a budget has to be charted out. After this, many factors come into play - the season, the materials, the occasion and so forth. Each of these factors plays a part in deciding how a gift should look.

The stepping stone:
A friend of mine asked me to design her bridal packing and that's where it all started. I created a product line for the various upmarket exhibitions held in Delhi, and the appreciation I got there really boosted my confidence. This gave me enough to sustain myself professionally, but never enough to accumulate a steady livelihood. The first major break was through an exhibition called 'Vivaha', where the response to this type of skill and service was astounding.

I knew I had arrived...:
The defining moment was after the 'Vivaha' exhibition. I didn't expect so many enquiries, so many orders...all our stuff was sold out!

My inspiration:
I've always had a creative bent of mind and wanted to beautify things around me. This attracted me to this field with no formal training. I knew people who were doing sub-standard and rather tacky jobs of packing gifts. I wanted to change this.

Her packaging portfolio includes:
Vandana Luthra (VLCC), the Hero Honda group, Som Industries, Sara International, several event management companies and affluent families in Delhi.