Creativity seems to flow steadily through the veins of Divya Rao’s family. “When I was about 14 years old I watched my mum and grandmother sew all the time and they were my true inspiration,” she says. “I learned sewing and embroidery from my grandmother and from then on, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing fashion.”
As soon as she could, Divya enrolled into the National Institute of Fashion Design, India and experimented with fabrics until she reached a point where her designs outgrew her technical ability. She then enrolled into RMIT and it changed her life.
“I love the idea of all-encompassing craft that satisfies so many technical and creative aspects of designing,” she asys. “I have been following my nose and taken every opportunity given to me to the fullest and I simply want to enable myself to be on a continuous journey of creative learning.”
Divya’s self-titled label has been nominated as a finalist in the Debut competition at Fashion Exposed Melbourne. We took five with the emerging design star to chat further on her inspiration; the hand beading and embroidery in the debut collection; and the beautiful sanskrit translation to the label name.
Tell us a little about your debut collection which will launch at the Fashion Exposed Debut competition? Can you explain where you sourced the inspiration and why you were drawn to this for the design of the range?
A luxurious ready to wear line “Silk Route” it is all about women, it’s a celebration of womanhood with simple silhouettes, sleek cuts and exquisite fabrics.
Everything I see & experience inspires me and this collection is a reflection of my home country, India. You will find some intricate hand embroidery, extraordinary colours and the rich fabrics in my first range with a hint of glamour.
How much of the collection is handmade? And why is this process relevant to the overall aesthetic?
All the beading & embroidery is done by hand and some of the garments are hand finished. I have always looked for products that are not only very well made but have a strong visual conceptual appeal; objects with a wow factor that’s why a strong criterion for selection of collection of handmade is a degree of innovation presented in the work. This will create freshness in the work produced and allow me to explore new markets.
Where did you source the name? can you tell us the story behind it?
Launching my label under my name is a dream come true! Divya in Sanskrit means “Divine Brilliance” and I couldn’t get a name more perfect than that.
What are the highlight pieces of the collection?
There are some great silhouettes and some modern fabrics just thrown into the mix. I think the Pashmina Cotton dress teamed with leather, hand embroidered skirt and the raw silk jacket is an absolute stand out for this collection.
How did it feel to be announced as a finalist in Fashion Exposed? What do you hope to gain by exhibiting here?
First thought: Wow!! I was Ecstatic. I am hoping to take this opportunity to the next level to grow my business and explore the networking aspect in the world of fashion.
What’s in store for the future of the brand?
Fashion exposed has given me a platform to start and there is no looking back after August 2012.
“Couture” will be the next big thing for Divya R, foreseeing as a leading independent Australian fashion label with exclusive positioning in the high end fashion market, I am now eagerly looking forward to participate in fashion weeks locally and gradually venture into the international market.
Fashion with creativity and elegance clubbed together is what I strive to offer!
See more of Divya on her Facebook page HERE.
For more information on the Debut competition at Fashion Exposed, visit fashionexposed.com/debut