bite
real
life
A
t the age of 27, not many people
can say they have had four
successful seasons of ‘stand out’
fashion collections. Not only
is the beautiful Barkha Shewakramani a
designer for her own range ‘Dramaqueen’
but she is also the founder and director
of The Lupus Foundation, a charitable
organisation that raises awareness of an
illness in which the immune system attacks
normal healthy tissues.
From a young age the extraordinary
Barkha knew where she was headed
and it was only a matter of time before
her goals were within reach. Barkha was
always intrigued by the world of fashion,
not surprising having been brought up
in a family that boasts over 40 years of
expertise in textiles and design. As a child
the designer customised and redesigned
clothes. When asked in a recent interview
why she progressed into design, she stated
that it was only natural as she had always
used the language of fabrics and various
silhouettes to express herself.
Having studied garment construction
at the prestigious American University in
Dubai, a university that seeks to duplicate
the American recipe for success”, the
young designer then went on to debut her
designs at the 2007 Dubai Fashion Week.
Her world changed from that moment
on, having caught the eye of Middle
Eastern socialites, leading corporates
and Bollywood royalty. A master at self-
promotion, Barkha always wears her own
designs, which has earned her a regular
spot on various best-dressed lists.
In 2011 ‘Dramaqueen’ was spotted
by the famous LA boutique Kitson – a
favourite for fashion faces such as LA
stylist Rachel Zoe. Most recently, Barkha
celebrated the September launch of
her Indian collection set in the centre
of Mumbai’s fashion district. Barkha was
happy to reveal some of the secrets for
this season’s collection. “This season you
can expect lots of pop colours, party prints,
wide legged jumpsuits, and of course the
signature Victoria dress in different fabrics
and embellishments.” She went on to say,
WITH THE MIDDLE EAST FAST RISING ON THE INTERNATIONAL FASHION RADAR,
LAUREN SMEETS
EXPLORESTHEWORLD OF UNITEDARAB EMIRATES EMERGING
DESIGNER BARKHA SHEWAKRAMANI,WHO CAPTUREDTHE WEALTH OF DUBAI IN
HER LATEST CLOTHING COLLECTION.
“
A quintessential Dramaqueen woman
is someone who is confident in her own
skin, who loves fashion and is not scared to
experiment.” It appears Barkha has taken a
lot of inspiration from her favourite era for
this collection – the 1970s.
Barkha’s
personal
experience
continues to shape her journey in the
fashion Industry as she now designs for the
cause of Lupus. Famous celebrities who are
also affected by this particular disease are
Lady Gaga, Seal andToni Braxton. Barkha is
also a member of the Arthritis Foundation
DRAMAQUEEN
e
thics
of
a
in Dubai. Another recent accomplishment
was her collaboration with the youngest
author in Dubai, Malvika Shroff, to release
a book about the lives of Lupus patients.
Not only has Barkha dedicated so much
personal time and effort to the charitable
organisation but she has also donated all
profits from Dramaqueen to the Lupus
Foundation. The 27-year-old said, “If I had
not been diagnosed with Lupus I would
not have understood the plight of people
with major illnesses.”
The Dramaqueen label is aimed at