As a child Rina Dhaka 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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