Designer of the week

NAEEM KHAN 

Many of the world’s most stylish women are devotees to one of the biggest names in fashion: Naeem Khan.  Committed to adoring elegant women in clothes, befitting their refinement, his glittering fan base of starlets and socialites includes Beyonce, Eva Longoria, Penelope Cruz, Carrie Underwood, Katherine Heigl, Debra Messing, Brooke Shields, Taylor Swift, Emily Blunt, Kim Cattrall, First Lady Michelle Obama and Queen Noor of Jordan, and his designs have graced the silver screen in fashion film classics like Sex & the City and Dreamgirls.

His luxurious collection consists of impeccable cut dresses, sophisticated gowns and chic separates- all embroidered by hand.  Khan was born in India and grew up surrounded by the beauty of its culture, architecture, history and design.  He cultivated his vast knowledge of textiles under the watchful eyes of his grandfather and father, both well know in India for designing intricate clothing worn by the royal families.

As a child, he was mesmerized by the handiwork produced in their workshops, and always knew he wanted to be part of their intensely visual medium.  As a teenager, Khan moved to the United States and apprenticed for Halston, where he absorbed the ethos of modern restraint, and the secrets of draping and cutting fabric to create a clean, elegant, timeless silhouette.  Between equally opulent but aesthetically opposite worlds of his father and Halston, Khan’s style was nurtured and his aesthetic was born. 

He launched his eponymous collection, Naeem Khan, in 2003 and began selling at Bergdorf Goodman, Harrods, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.  Since then the collection has grown to be sold at more than 100 specialty stores across the world.  His runway shows are among the most anticipated events of New York fashion week.

In 2008, Naeem Khan was inducted as a member of the prestigious Counsel of Fashion Designers of America.

Naeem debuted a collection for HSN, TIMELESS by Naeem Khan, in October 2009, which sold out within moments of his first appearance on the network.  The line sold exclusively via HSN and consists of cocktail dresses and separates.

Style.com’s  Alison Baenen reviewed Khan’s RTW Spring 2011 collection:

“Roberto Cavalli, are you sitting down? Naeem Khan dove into tropical waters for Spring, focusing almost exclusively on eveningwear options for the Palm Beach-to-Cannes set, with a big splash of Saint-Tropez party gear thrown in, too. And while there were no animal prints on the loose—Khan continued with the floral-inspired treatments he debuted at Resort—there were beaded shoes, sparkling caftans, and door-knocker necklaces designed by his wife, Ranjana. The caftans and chunky turquoise lent a seventies vibe to the affair; the fabulous excess called to mind a certain Italian.

It was an over-the-top embellishment celebration, a melee of colors, and hardly any dresses that screamed “Michelle!” Come to think of it, a strapless yellow crepe to-the-floor gown with jet black embroidery would look stunning on the First Lady, but a one-sleeve, slit-to-the-hip, allover sequin number in fuchsia and turquoise would have the Huffington Post crowd in a tizzy. Relatively subdued by comparison was a painterly print in mottled grays and white on a one-shouldered organza gown with a full, sweeping skirt. Take away the embroidered belt and pendant necklace and you might have something to wear north of the Mason-Dixon line. Stunning enough to wear anywhere (with a VIP room) was a fitted, drop-waist sheath embroidered with white flowers and a skirt made of ostrich feathers. Even next to so many other jaw-droppers, it had a lingering glamour that was compelling.”

REVIEW LINK: http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/S2011RTW-NKHAN

To find out more about Naeem Khan, visit www.naeemkhan.com

All photos are from:  http://www.naeemkhan.com/