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 BY NADIA DABBAKEH |  | | | | | Classic Fit, Ethnic Twist
Classic silhouettes take a new turn with a little ethnic embellishment, and nobody knows this better than designer Prashi Shah. Her successful equation of pretty cocktail attire mixed with Indian influence always yields fun frocks that will have every girl feeling like an Indian princess.
At age 17, this pretty girl of Indian lineage followed her passion for fashion and said goodbye to her hometown of Bedford, Texas and headed straight to the Big Apple. After a stint at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Shah landed a job in design and color development for Bill Blass. Experience in tow, the budding designer felt confident enough to move back to Dallas and step out on her own.
Shah found inspiration in the intricate handiwork on traditional Saris, and Prashe was born. She found immediate success in the Indian community, quickly becoming the leading couturier. In 2002, Henri Bendel picked up her Prashe Fusion line of cosmetic bags. The accessible fusion line is a mix of new world elegance and traditional decadence, with its delicate hand embroidery, Indian Sari work, and Swarovski crystals, all on fine silks, brocades and linens. | | | | | | | | | | Despite Shah’s success, she was still hungry to create a collection that transcends ethnicities, and came up with her newest couture label, Society Language. The perfect fusion of elegant cocktail silhouettes with Indian embellishment, the flirty frocks sport unusual stones, antique silver Indian jewelry relics, deconstructed roses (most likely inspired by one of her favorite designers, Marchesa), and pretty crystals.
According to Shah, her customer has a strong sense of personal style: “Women between the ages of 25 - 65 who want to wear a piece of art rather that just the simple black dress. Perhaps a black dress with a plunging back neckline with rare jewels embellished around the neckline....a person who wants to stand out of the crowd.”
And stand out you will. Not only does Shah experiment with exotic beading and jewels, she’s not afraid of color. Teal, fuchsia, deep orange, bright yellow, plum and all shades of pink can be seen in her designs, all reflecting the rainbow of rich colors of traditional Saris. As a means of adding texture to her already rich pieces, Shah uses fabrics like matka silk, brocades, jersey, silk dupioni, and linen.
“I am huge fan of embellishment, so I do not use too many busy prints,” she says. “I stick to lesser prints and more solids, jacquards or metallics. I use a ton of funky stones, Swarovski crystals, unusual glass beads, and various types of Indian Sari work.”
The designer has come full circle with her collections, ensuring that all women can experience the beauty of Indian style, whether they want a more traditional look or a diffused version. Shah says it best: “Fashion is a language we all speak, just in different ways.”Prices run from $200 for an accessory up to $2000 for an evening dress, and can be found at www.prashe.com and at the Prashe showroom (972.980.4483), and in stores in time for spring. | | | | | | | | | | | |
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