Rehane’s story is almost straight out of a dramatic paperback. Born in Paris, raised in Italy, happily married in Chennai, mother to three beautiful children and of course the persona that we best know her for – diva fashion designer with those perfect brown tresses. So, of course, her latest chapter this year, being the only designer from the city to be showcasing her collections at both the Wills and Lakme India Fashion weeks later this month, comes as no surprise. This is Rehane after all. “I’ve been in the industry 15 years now, that’s a long time,” she smiles as we sink into her luxurious velvet couch at her Nungambakkam boutique. Rehane is positively glowing on the Saturday morning – there’s a party underway, red velvet cupcakes are doing the rounds and photographers are peaking in every five seconds. She’s just done a preview showing of her latest collection to hit the fashion runways at Wills FW (Delhi) and Lakme FW (Mumbai). “The shows are on March 17 and 22 respectively,” she informs us. And this designer is oh-so-ready to bring it.
Milky pastels are her focus for the autumn/winter season. Although she jests, “I’m really not feeling it (that chill nip in the air) with this heat.” But after over a decade of practice and living all over the world, this global citizen says design inspiration comes naturally to her just about anytime, anywhere. She elaborates on her collection that she has just impulsively named on the spot: ‘Could be Love’ is an all silk georgette line and it’s really quite diverse – there are heavily embroidered dresses over 1920s French-style body suits, poof dresses and saris...” Her mind seems to wander for a moment as to how to work them all in together for the show. The colours are all mellow shades of oyster, powder beige, mustard and a watery salmon for fans of pink. “But I design for the woman who really doesn’t care about what people think of what she’s wearing,” Re says pausing for impact...”I like to call her the alpha feminine.”
While she may have stayed Chennai’s alpha lady of fashion for as long as we can remember, one has to ask how she manages to do it all with household duties, motherhood and elaborate travel dates thrown in the mix. “I have a manager to take care of the house,” she tells us. And despite her fashion-addiction, this mother of three says emphatically – “I never take work home.” She adds with a laugh, “And you can never reach me on a Sunday!” But on a day-to-day basis, it is a juggling act, she admits. “It’s hard. Why just this morning I was supposed to attend my 8-year-old’s PTA meeting and she just told me in the car on the way here,” the mother of three reveals. “And I feel terrible for not being able to go,” she admits. But hey, whatever it comes down to, Chennai’s power-woman of fashion shares her mantra – “The show must go on.”
