He has dressed royalty and Hollywood,launched labels and made a mark on international runways. Meet designer Naeem Khan,the countrys best style exportOn the runways of New York Fashion Week,Naeem Khan is more than a familiar name. He is the designer with the dramatic flourish,a name dropped with hauteur on red carpets by divas and princesses. His opulent gowns with Oriental detailing,kaftans hand-embroidered to perfection and sheath dresses that look too delicate to touch have added glamour to actors Eva Longoria,Carrie Underwood and Alicia Keys,Beyonce Knowles and Padma Lakshmi,Queen Noor of Jordan and Princess Yasmin Aga Khan. In the three decades since he made US his home,Khan has created a coveted couture label. You could call Khan,Indias most successful design export,for his journey began on Mumbais Peddar Road,in a sprawling joint family,whose embroidery business catered to the citys rich and famous. Some of the best memories from my childhood are of hours spent in factory workshops,when I was about eight or 10,lying under the looms,hearing the workers chatter as they spun out delicate patterns on zardosi, says the 51-year-old. In 1978,when Khan was gearing up to join the Fashion Institute of Technology,New York,his father Sharfuddin asked him to assist at a meeting with his client,legendary American designer Roy Halston. What was supposed to be a business meeting became a turning point. Halston found me. He told me to ditch FIT and join his business instead,and I did, he says. In the three years that followed,Halston taught Khan the nitty-gritties of fashion,promoting him to the head of the ornamentation department,before he became a collaborator. Thats where I re-learnt fashion basics. He taught me the need for order and architecture in clothes,because I already knew the chaos and abundance of Indian handicraft. Put together,it created a classic style of dressing, he says. He decided to test that style when he launched his own label in 1981 at Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills,Los Angeles. His brand,Riazee (named after his mother),instantly clicked with the likes of Frank Sinatra and Gregory Peck,who dropped in,and in this way,it got a million-dollar turnover in the first season itself. When he shifted Riazee to New York some years later,it again lived up to its billing. That was an important stepping stone for me because I knew I was ready for the market. If things hadnt clicked with Riazee,I would have probably had to go back to India and join the family business, he says. He stayed on to become a fashion classic. His eponymous label,launched in 2003,was another instant hit and made him a staple at prestigious fashion weeks and red carpet events,standing out among the likes of Oscar de la Renta and Christian Lacroix. The buzz about Khan is louder at the 180-plus stores,including Bergdorf Goodman,Harrods,Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue,which retail his classic ensembles. It was as simple as that. But I think what helped me was my ability to take in the larger picture. Even in India,when I was growing up,I was keener on lifestyle statements than just clothes. It wasnt something that was passed down,because my parents never had those parties. I had my fill from the fashion magazines. So when I came to the US,things fell in perspective, he says. Khans lifestyle now matches that of his clients. Theres a loft in Soho,a house in Miamis art district,frequent partying with the rich and famous,charity appointments,and a burgeoning art collection,complete with 12 Andy Warhols,a couple of Jitish Kallats,Peter Beards and others. At parties in his opulent Beverly Hills home,guests hobnob with the cream of the society. In the Eighties,his mentors included the likes of Liza Minelli,Elizabeth Taylor,Andy Warhol and Mick and Bianca Jagger. I spent a lot of time with Warhol in particular,because I was fascinated by his art,his lifestyle,and his approach to art. There would be nights when he would sit talking about a particular painting and I would be amazed at how lucid his understanding was, he says. Khans designs reflect the same lucidity and attention to detail. They have none of the excesses of the Orient,the embroideries never overpower the silhouette,nor the sequins the drape. What exists is a fluid symmetry. I cant do kitsch because my clothes are not about a particular season or a particular trend. I dont go there looking to change the world. I only think of doing clothes that would be an abiding feature in a wardrobe 10 years down the line, he says. As the downturn crimps luxury in America,Khan is not counting losses or slashing prices. His ensembles are still pegged between $1,500 and $25,000 (Rs 75,000 and Rs 12.3 lakh). Its a difficult period. But you should know how to twist your work and make it sell. I dont believe in cutting prices,but I am focusing on evening wear,because recession doesnt put an end to celebrating special occasions, he says. His family business still handles much of his design workload,and Khan frequently flies to Mumbai,more to spend time with family than for business needs,but there are no plans afloat to launch in India yet. His ensembles though are doing fabulous business in places like Kyrghystan,Russia,Ukraine and the Middle-East,and Khan wants to take it further. I love where I am now,but I always tell myself this is not the end of the road. Theres more to come, he says.
