Indian models present outfits as part of fashion designer Neelam Saxena's autumn-winter 2001 collection during a fashion show in New Delhi on November 8. Saxena's thinking is simple: use quality fabrics to create contemporary wear and guard the priceline to reach out to a larger audience.
Neelam Saxena, a young entrepreneur who has spent a long time in Canada designing jewelry, is back where she belongs. Encouraged by the response she received for her personal style and wardrobe, which is a blend of East and West, Saxena launched NEL's in New Delhi in October 1998.
"My cuts are simple, with clean, uncluttered lines reflecting immense diversity and flexibility. The stress is more on moods and occasions than on a complete season," says Saxena.
"When I came from Canada, I found people looking for Western clothes, but the clothes available were not in good taste. So I decided to design Western clothes for Indians."
Saxena says people are aware of Western designs and know what they want, but don't know where to get them. Her clientele is the upper middle class, and her designs are reasonably priced even though she uses only imported material.
"My aim is to reach out to as many people as possible. Right now I have one store in Delhi, and I intend expanding it to other cities too," she says.
NEL's fashion outlet for men and women is an extension of Saxena's creativity and her belief that clothes should be comfortable and convenient. Her thinking is simple: Use quality fabrics to create contemporary wear and guard the priceline to reach out to a larger audience.
NEL's is perhaps the only outlet to store the Givenchy brand of accessories (belts, key chains, wallets, cigarette lighters and tie pins), shirts from Armani and Mandarin, accessories like neck ties, all in silk, and labels like Paco Rabanne, Byblos, Feraud and Balmain.
(Shanghai Star November 15, 2001)
