Indian-American designers Naeem Khan and Bhibu Mohapatra both received rave reviews for their Fall 2015 collection at the recently concluded New York Fashion Week. Khan celebrated his 10th year showing in at the city’s premier fashion event, with various fashion magazines describing his collection as true testament to his work as a designer.
With a slew of celebrity fans that includes Jennifer Lopez, Lea Michele, Beyonce and Michelle Obama, Khan is a staple on the red carpet. At the Feb. 17 show, Khan’s collection included a range of casual and evening wear in pretty prints, which gave way to a slew of embellished dresses in black and white, Style.com reported. The designer closed his show with a sea of gowns, with his signature beadwork.
Khan’s collection consists of impeccably cut dresses, sophisticated gowns and chic separates – all embroidered by hand. The India-born Khan cultivated his vast knowledge of textiles under the watchful eyes of his grandfather and father, both well known in India for designing intricate clothing worn by the royal families. As a teenager, Khan moved to the United States and apprenticed for Halston. He launched his eponymous collection, Naeem Khan, in 2003 and began selling at Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. Since then the collection has grown to be sold at more than 100 specialty stores across the world.
Mohapatra’s collection, which was shown Feb, 18, included a lot of black and white – colors he chose to mourn for his father who passed away in December in India, Forbes magazine reported. The collection was full of rich fur coats, both long and cropped, in white, brown, red and blue, mixed with elegant monochrome tailoring and structured evening gowns in red and electric blue. After his return from India, Mohapatra is said to have stripped the floral motifs from his digital prints, replacing them with brushstrokes and feathers. “I had to tweak my mood board,” he said at a studio preview. “She’s the same woman, but a little more restrained, serious.”
The designer, who is riding high since First Lady Michelle Obama arrived on a landmark visit to India wearing his dress, was mobbed after his Feb. 18 show. Dozens of people given standing-room tickets were turned away from a packed house at Lincoln Center, forced to watch the fall/winter 2015 collection on TV screens in the lobby as there was no more room. Speaking to AFP before the show, Mohapatra admitted that he loved the attention. “To be represented in my homeland by probably one of the most important persons and not only because of her fashion style or her following, but who she is and what she stands for, was a big deal for me,” he said.
Growing up in Orissa, Mohapatra moved to the U.S. in 1996 and after graduating from Utah State University with a Master’s degree in Economics, moved to New York City in 1999 and enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology. While working on his design degree, he honed his skills as an assistant designer at the iconic American fashion label, Halston. After graduating, Mohapatra was hired by Gilles Mendel, CEO of the iconic French furrier J. Mendel, where he held the position of Design Director at the label for nine years His eponymous label, Bibhu Mohapatra, launched its first collection during New York Fashion week in 2009.
Also showing at the week-long event was Nepali-American designer Prabal Gurung, who marking the sixth anniversary of his eponymous label, which has dressed the likes of First Lady Michelle Obama and Britain’s Duchess of Cambridge. He won rave reviews for his latest collection, which mixed sensuous negligee-style cocktail dresses with the comfort of sportswear, creating a sexy yet relaxed silhouette. Always inspired by the mountains, this time Gurung turned to the Adirondacks for his muse, as well as sourcing hand-knit Nepalese cashmere and snow leopard printed calf hair. Barely-there dresses were paired with beautifully tailored, fox and astrakan embossed velveteen coats and luxurious fur-trimmed hoods, the Fashion Week website said.