Rina Dhaka has designed for celebrities like Naomi Campbell and Uma Thurman and has shown her work at The Louvre and The Metropolitan in New York. THE WEEK met her when she came to Bengaluru to showcase her latest collection of maternity wear.
Where do you get inspiration from?
Much of it comes from nature, poetry, real life, streets, history and watching people. You can draw inspiration from anywhere.
Tell us about your latest collection.
While designing maternity wear, I remembered my own experience when I became a mom. The softer the clothes were, the better I felt, and I was always embarrassed about not having pockets. So I added pockets. I have created the entire collection keeping in mind the bump factor. It includes feeding capes in soft linen, gowns in linen and cotton, and scarves.
Can you describe your experience working with Bollywood stars?
Bollywood stars are fine. It is their entourage that is a nightmare. There are so many people employed around a star. So the star is tortured and the person who deals with the entourage is also tortured.
What are the fashion trends of the season?
For my maternity collection, I have used subtle baby colours. But there is a lot of polka dot and animal print trending currently. [The colour] red is huge. People still buy ruffles. There is still a lot of romance to it. Bold shoulders and prim blouses are also in.
Is the fashion scene in India becoming more inclusive?
Absolutely. Today, fashion can be anything. Currently, I am doing a plus-size show. The new trend is to be big. It is a new sense of acceptance. A pregnant mom or a plus-size woman can be a muse. The future is not about turning into a plasticky doll. It is to be accepting of who you are. The new perfect is the imperfect.