It doesn’t take a lot to realise that designer Rina Dhaka is a no-nonsense person. For starters, she’s clear about not taking on anything for the heck of it. “When I do something, it’s because I want to do it and not because I have to do it.” Which probably even explains why she doesn’t really want to get into designing for Bollywood. “I did design for Lara Dutta in
Blue and I also did the sourcing for Sanjay Dutt. But I have to admit it was easier as I didn’t style the whole movie. Designing for all the cast members requires a lot more time and patience which I don’t have,” she says, matter-of-factly.
However, that’s not to say that she’s not looking beyond fashion designing. “I am looking at getting into interior design in a big way. As a matter of fact, I have designed the homes of some of my friends and they tell me I’m quite good. So I am looking at doing the interiors for some hotels as well — the Ashoka Hotel being one of them. Then, there’s belts and shoes which I’d love to design, so that’s also on the radar.”
Currently though what’s taking up most of her time is her eco-friendly organic collection for the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) that she’s showing today. “I see myself as a cotton farmer’s daughter and yes, this line has a lot of cotton in it. There are several eastern influences — the colour palette has whites and off- whites with some pale pinks and dark greys thrown in. Most importantly, I have used natural cotton and even though it’s not 100% organic, it’s a start.”
