Mix and match with Neha

FASHION forms a major part of Divali celebrations, and creative director and fashion designer Neha Karina Dawar is always ready to showcase her East Indian heritage through her designs. But while she has great respect for traditional East Indian fashion, she believes it is not always practical. Her latest collection, Enchanted, addresses this.

“Traditionally, a lot of people wear Indian garments once, which I find very exhausting in expenses. One outfit costing $3000-$5000, I may try to wear it again once… that’s wasting your money. In this new normal, we can mix and match. Someone can take a sari top with shorts; or taking a lenga skirt or a choli and pair it with a shirt… the new norm can be regularising (East Indian) fashion.”

Enchanted, a marrying of different fashion cultures, will grace the virtual stage of Port of Spain Fashion Week (PoSFW) 2020 this weekend. The PoSFW event is a hybrid event of both virtual and in-person experiences from November 4-8, at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, St Ann's

Dawar said her inspiration for it stemmed from historic East Indian art, more specifically, traditional paintings of adorned women. This, she said, she merged with European and Caribbean fashion to create her exclusive collection.

To simplify things, “I took elements such as the colours and used them to infuse happiness into the collection and find something new. This collection is made to make a girl feel enchanted, looking at a woman, dressing up and getting that inspiration of a princess or a queen.

“The collection features 12 pieces, most on the colour palette of pink hues with white and a pop of gold. I’ve also used some accent colours, like green.”

The showcasing of the collection was filmed at the Meena House Restaurant in Woodbrook, with lighting by Orin Orun Enterprise. “It was a combination of pure Indian classical dance, live music, a rustic background and a light show.”

She said while she enjoys the thrill of a live show, she appreciates this year’s virtual format because it can reach a wider audience.

"I think a virtual runway would be much more of a benefit than actually having a fashion show because it will reach the ordinary people, and customers get to see what the local fashion market has to offer.

"When there is a regular fashion week runway show, only certain people get invited and that disturbs me; only a certain calibre of people... A traditional runway is fine, but virtually, it's giving more dimension to our island. It showcases us not only locally but internationally.”

Dawar said she is extremely proud to be among the few local designers who produce East Indian garments.

"I've been doing this for six years now. I've studied in India and I did my (fashion design) degree at UTT as well. We were able to make a name for ourselves as being known for locally-made East Indian clothing as opposed to imported."

The Neha Karina brand operates out of a full manufacturing outlet at the Hilton. She works strictly by appointment, especially given the health risks posed by covid19.

“It has affected business a bit because we’ve had to minimise our collection. Sales are mainly online, but people have to come in for fitting. Everything is pre-planned.”

Enchanted will feature in one of two virtual runways – Cadence of Caribbeanness, the Virtual Resort showcase will premiere on Saturday and Razzmatazz the Emerging Designer showcase will premiere on Sunday.

For more info: posfashionweek.com