Neha Karina Dawar: Traditional meets contemporary

There are many dimensions to successful designing and Neha Karina Dawar understands them all, from start to finish.

The 25-year-old is the owner of Neha Karina boutique, at the Hilton Trinidad, well known for its Indo/western brand of men and women’s clothing that incorporates the traditional with the contemporary.

“As a designer I take into consideration the Caribbean climate, my customers’ personal style and body type,” Dawar tells WMN. And although she said she’s always had a natural flair for fashion, she’s paid her dues as far as formal training is concerned and is now reaping the benefits of her hard work.

“I’ve been designing for seven years, the first three for myself. Neha Karina was only established four years ago.” Ironically, though, designing was not where her heart lay then.

“My first love was Indian classical dance, Kathak. Because there was always a struggle to find the right clothes to wear, I decided to start making my own.” After a first degree in marketing, she went on pursue a degree in fashion at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT).

“During that time I was also doing an MA in theatre and performing arts at a college in Allahabad in India,” still clinging to her first love thanks to modern technology. But designing continued to pull at her heartstrings, leading her to complete a number of short courses relating to the field.

“I did sewing, designing, embroidery and the science of fabric and textile,” all of which only served to enhance her natural ability as a designer. Her marketing training too, pushed Dawar along the path she wanted it to follow.

“It has been going great,” she said of the boutique, where customers are seen by appointment only. But that doesn’t mean the prices are out of the reach of the average person.

“I try to work with a customer’s budget to see how best I can give them what they want.”

Dawar uses mostly natural fibres such as silk and cotton to make her clothes.

“Everything breathable, to cater to the Caribbean climate.”

And her embellishments, which are imported from exotic places like Dubai, are done by hand her by her local team.

“We also do all the dying of fabric right here.”

She does not target a specific market and she doesn’t pigeonhole herself into designing for a specific generation or gender.

“From babies to adults. All generations. Neha Karina caters to everyone,” she said.

Neha Karina has had its spotlight moments at a number of local fashion weeks and recently showcased its new collection, Rhani Dust, to the public.

“Rhani translates into ‘queen,’ and ‘dust’ because it’s something that is everywhere and that indirectly leaves a memory behind,” Dawar explained.

Rhani Dust 1 took place at the Hilton, followed by Rhani Dust 2 at the Divali Nagar last Wednesday. The latter event featured the brand in a grand production of fashion, music and dance curated and choreographed by Dawar. Her team included vocalists Karishma Dhowlat and Craig Siboo, Vinayak Sankar and Anup Ramsundar on the tabla, and violinist Deepak Maharaj. It was produced by Vivek Majaraj, Jaya Persad and Nandani Herraj.

“The production was inspired by my artistic love for music and fashion... and showcased the lifestyle of Neha Karina. Any type of clothes for any occasion, be it a formal event, date night, a walk in the park, anything. We did live music which took three months to create especially for the production. Each song was created to suit the mood of the pieces showcased.”

She said although the brand has been featured at the Nagar for the past four years, it was the first time Neha Karina was allowed to do its own production.

And although she has not done any regional or international shows yet, Dawar knows it’s only a matter of time before that happens because of the popularity of her designs with her local clientele. “So far the favourites have been lengha (flared skirt) and choli (cropped top), resort wear and bridal wear...I would like to take the brand to an international market and mark TT’s place on the map with an Indo/western label coming out of TT."

Caption: These photos provided by Neha Karina Dawar show pieces from her fashion brand, Neha Karina, which formed part of her dramatic presentation at this year's Divali Nagar.