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Rina
Dhaka since childhood was always a dreamer, and not
it is that very quality that is an asset to her work. A visual
person, for her images are more important that words.
After
college, Rina did a training project with Intercraft, and
with designer Evan Grandhal. She also set up a 'Salwar Kameez'
boutique for one of her acquaintances. Around this time 'Mutiny'
and 'Ensemble' were just coming up as fashion houses and she
made a line of designs for them. Her clothes were well received,
and she entered the fashion fray.
Rina
Dhaka has been a part and parcel of the Indian fashion scene
for the past fifteen years. Early in her career, one of her
designs for the Miss India events caught the eye of Rohit
Khosla, the only fashion designer back then known for his
innovativeness. She was encouraged by his appreciation and
has striven to keep up the spirit of innovation. She is best
known for her theme collections - sheer trousers, crochet,
stretch jersey, woollens and spider web motifs. Her forte
remains western wear and she prides on the fact that her pieces
can be worn as separates. . "I personally feel fashion
for women is about giving options. It is about severity and
seduction," says Dhaka on the charge that clothes reveal
too much.
Designing,
for her, is basically a lot of fun. She loves to give shape
to her inner feelings, and she believes in being true to her
creativity. She has also opened a studio in Hauz Khas Village
for Lycra.
Success
is what counts and Rina Dhaka seems to have it all! Appreciation
for her work has extended Indian shores and international
fashion magazines 'Vogue' and 'Elle' have featured her work.
Her recent show in Singapore, which was attended by their
President, was an astounding success. She says, "My strength
lies in designing knits. I love doing it for Western wear.
Now I've also started doing Indian garments in knit and other
fabrics. Indian wear basics support my western wear creations;
a purely western line is otherwise, difficult to sustain."
Indeed,
with Indian women beginning to work in the outside world and
becoming more independent, there's a market for both western
and Indian clothing, party wear and office attire. As Dhaka
points out, "We need both clothing. I'm not going to
go to an Indian occasion wearing my pants; I'm not an angrezi
mem. We have beautiful Indian clothing, antique Indian shawls
and old sarees and now we have us, Indian designers, who will
try hopefully to keep the culture intact and make a strong
fashion statement."
Rina
Dhaka emphasizes silhouettes and is willing to take risks.
In one collection she mixed fur and boots with her Indian
outfits and always gives five or six looks in each collection.
She
says she is impatient with the shapeless jackets and lenghas,
which are worn at all weddings. "I'm bringing back a
lot of the fitted clothes, the churidhars which were done
earlier, in the sixties. Nothing comes back exactly the same;
it's just a reference point. I'm bringing it into my Indian
clothing too. You know, the jilmil sitare look, like Mumtaz
had. Bollywood can be very glamorous, it was so trendy then.
Now of course it's so confused."
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