The fashionistas among us need no introduction to this man. A familiar face on the international fashion circuit, his glamorous clientele includes Beyonce, Eva Longoria, Penelope Cruz, Padma Lakshmi, Katherine Heigl, Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift, to name a few. His designs are also popular with First Lady Michelle Obama and the Queen of Jordan.
For the rest of you, meet Naeem Khan a designer whose long history with fashion and textile can be traced back to his father and grandfather, who designed clothing for the royal families. Referring to this quality, Ken Downing of City Magazine described his work, “So much of Naeem's success is being able to take his family's background, with its knowledge of embroidery and beadwork, and use a light hand to get a very modern approach. His clothes are sexy, and still have a lovely romantic quality about them. You are the star when you wear the clothes.”
Khan came to the United States at the age of 20, and first worked for Halston, where his aesthetic was moulded to merge the opulence of his tradition with the restrain of modern lines. In 2003, he launched his own collection Naeem Khan and today is carried in more than 200 stores, including Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and Saks Fifth Avenue.
His website informs us that he was recently inducted into the esteemed Counsel of Fashion Designers of America. In this interview at the Spring/Summer 2012 show, Khan says, “With my collection, it’s all about the emotional connection. The moment a woman feels glamourous in my clothes is the connection.”
Shivani Vora catched up with the 54 year-old designer as he talks about growing up on Peddar Road, the Indian inspiration in his work and the extensive time and manpower involved in creating each item in his clothing line.
A personality that promises to make the news frequently, we will be keeping an eye on his part of the world.
Jai Khanna
Hill Krishnan
Papa C J
