Rina Dhaka

Rina Dhaka is an Indian fashion designer.

Early life

Dhaka was born in Chandigarh, and went to school at Carmel Convent School and then at the Government College for Girls, Chandigarh.[1] After her family moved to Delhi, her father enrolled her in a fashion design course. When she was 18, she interned at garment exporter Intercraft. She started her fashion line at Rohit Khosla's atelier.[2]

Career

Dhaka started in the fashion industry in the 1980s as a model,[3] and in the 1990s she designed churidar made from spandex.[2][4] In 2009, she was part of a group of designers who created female beachwear, which was criticized as not being appropriate for use in India.[5] In July 2010, she launched a collection inspired by cobwebs, promoted by Indian actress Lara Dutta.[6] In 2012, Dhaka revamped menus and menu cards, uniforms, and store interiors for the Indian coffee shop chain Barista Lavazza.[7] In 2018, Dhaka was a student mentor at the JD Institute of Fashion Technology.[8] In 2019, she collaborated with a plus-size store,[2] and launched a collection for maternity wear.[9] In 2020, Dhaka collaborated with sustainable manufacturer LIVA for the collection Sustainable Romanticism.[10] In 2021, Dhaka partnered with Ruma Devu to feature a tribal fashion show.[11][12]

Dhaka's designs are distinguished by the use of both traditional and modern materials, with an increasing emphasis on sustainability, and on sustaining traditional craftwork skills.[13][14][15][16]

Dhaka's designs have been worn by celebrities including Naomi Campbell, Uma Thurman and Lara Dutta, exhibited at The Louvre in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.[9]

Dhaka has worked for an NGO in Delhi "ensuring ration is distributed."[2]

Dhaka appears as herself in the Bollywood film Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar. She is an advocate for sustainable development, and an ambassador for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, advocating for laws and governance against animal cruelty.[17]

Personal life

Dhaka has spoken publicly about her diagnosis with breast cancer in 2017, and her subsequent treatment and recovery.[18]

She is a Buddhist.[19]

Awards

Dhaka won the Yuva Ratan award in 1993. In 2004, she won the designer choice award at Miami Fashion Week.[20] Dhaka was awarded the title of best woman entrepreneur in 2014 by the state government of Delhi, by the former chief minister of Delhi Sheila Dikshit. In 2015, for Indian Bridal Fashion Week, she featured upcoming star Akshara Haasan, who made her Bollywood debut with Shamitabh.

Dhaka received the Rajiv Gandhi excellence award in 2017.[2][21] She unveiled the 'explorer spring summer' in 2018, where Bollywood actor Nidhhi Agerwal walked the ramp as the showstopper. In 2019, she was an honorary member of the Bharat conclave celebrating Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birthday in London.[22] She opened the 11th India runway week, as recognition by the Indian federation for fashion development.

References

  1. ^ "A red hot finale to Chandigarh Times Fashion Week with Ridhima Pandit". The Times of India. November 3, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e Sachdev, Geetika (16 June 2020). "Rina Dhaka: The Indian Fashion Designer Ruling The Global Runway". Makers India. Archived from the original on 30 July 2020.
  3. ^ "Rina Dhaka The Gaultier of the East" – via BusinessWorld.in.
  4. ^ "#Designermusing: Rina Dhaka reminisces the glorious days of Indian fashion". The Times of India. September 5, 2021.
  5. ^ "Are Indian women ready for beachwear?". The Times of India. 8 December 2009. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  6. ^ "A nostalgic Lara walks the ramp for Rina Dhaka". DNA India. 2010-07-25. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  7. ^ Mookerji, Nivedita. "Starbucks effect: Barista ropes in Rina Dhaka". Rediff. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  8. ^ Ganguli, Aakriti (2018-02-05). "Fashion designer Rina Dhaka turns mentor for the students of a fashion institute". www.indiatvnews.com. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  9. ^ a b "Today, fashion can be anything, says designer Rina Dhaka". The Week. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  10. ^ "Fashion Designer Rina Dhaka on why being thoughtfully fashionable is the only way forward in these unprecedented times". Vogue India. 2020-12-28. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  11. ^ "Aadi Mahotsav highlights Rina Dhaka and Ruma Devi's tribal fashion". Rural Marketing. 8 February 2021.
  12. ^ Lalch, Neha (December 17, 2020). "Rina Dhaka, top designers to train Uttar Pradesh's craftsmen". Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  13. ^ "Rina Dhaka, top designers to train Uttar Pradesh's craftsmen". The Times of India. December 17, 2020.
  14. ^ "Fashion Designer Rina Dhaka on why being thoughtfully fashionable is the only way forward in these unprecedented times". Vogue India. December 28, 2020.
  15. ^ Khanna, Khushi (October 13, 2016). "#AmazonIndiaFashionWeek: A saree is still the best source of inspiration for Rina Dhaka". The Economic Times.
  16. ^ "Rina Dhaka, who presents her latest collection today at FDCI x Lakme Fashion Week, talks about her designs and inspiration". Free Press Journal.
  17. ^ "Fashion designer Rina Dhaka on why being thoughtfully fashionable is the only way forward in these unprecedented times - vogue". vogue india. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  18. ^ "National Cancer Awareness Day: I dealt with it with the motto 'One day at a time' says Rina Dhaka". Hindustan Times. November 7, 2021.
  19. ^ Pandit, Geetanjali (2017). Buddha at Work: Finding Purpose, Balance and Happiness at Your Workplace. New Holland Publishers. ISBN 9781760790547.
  20. ^ "Haute in Miami - Times of India". The Times of India. 23 May 2004. Retrieved 2004-06-23.
  21. ^ "Tejasswi Prakash rocks thigh-high slit as she turns showstopper for Rina Dhaka". The Times of India. October 9, 2022.
  22. ^ "Bharat Conclave 2019 to celebrate Gandhi@150 in London". Asian Lite. 10 July 2019. Retrieved 2019-07-10.