ES WITH 5 MINUT Farah Khan
Tell us a little about the Farah Khan brand DNA to begin with...
A decade ago I started the label as I sensed a real lack in the beautifully embellished evening-wear market segment. Established fashion houses had selections for each seasonal collection of course, but these were small and I wanted to cater for the woman who was jet-setting off fairly frequently and needed something beautiful that she could easily pack, which the minute she put on, showcased luxe richness. And so the Farah Khan label was born and we had a lot of fun with it, even getting international celebrities on red carpets in the brand—everyone from Paris Hilton to Selena Gomez and Mariah Carey. We also had our message sweater moment, and then rising star Gigi Hadid was spotted wearing our ‘Reinvent Yourself’ sweater, which I thought was absolutely brilliant. So the ready-towear grew and went through some iterations, but the brand DNA of Farah Khan always remained true to itself; we were focused, we knew our customer. When we started, our mantra was: dressing the coolest girls of the planet. Today, it’s ‘dressing women who know’. This is well conceived because, after a decade of listening to our customers, we can safely say we understand and appreciate what they want. To a greater extent, this is the reason behind our shift of focus to couture and the couture client.
How long has couture been a part of the Farah Khan offering?
Fairly recently, three seasons ago to be precise, when we showed in Marrakech in 2015. It was the debut of Farah Khan Couture and a turning point of sorts for the brand itself. We have undertaken couture very much in the European format, whereby we show two finely curated collections twice a year to a highly select group of customers. These occur internationally; we have shown everywhere from Marrakech to Versailles, and this year’s collection was shown in Jakarta.
What is the point of differentiation of Farah Khan Couture?
In truth, a couture dress is a story, a narrative. To illustrate, in the collection recently presented in Jakarta, we knew that one of the ladies was extremely appreciative of the works of the early modernist Chagall, and so in homage, we created a piece inspired by an artwork of the Russian painter. This piece was acquired almost immediately thanks to the richness of its narrative that was appreciated by said couture guest. To me, right there is the point of differentiation. There is an idea behind every couture piece. Each dress embodies an experience and every detail to be stitched is considered.
Let us talk about the construction of a Farah Khan Couture piece.
We believe that the woman who understands the Farah Khan DNA will be extremely appreciative of what couture stands for. In the vein of the French couturiers we will present 20 to 30 one-off pieces, each collection which is constructed with the best materials—silks, satin, velvet. For us there is so much pleasure in dreaming up the collections; the sky’s the limit, really. Pieces are richly hand-embroidered by artisans who are experts in their craftsmanship. These are the individuals we work with, very much like how Chanel collaborates with Maison Lesage. Clients, upon viewing the collection, place their orders immediately and alterations may be made for size, length, etc. In the event of slight adjustments, for example changing a deep V-neckline to a round neck, these can certainly be taken into account especially in light of the fact that significant clientele hail from the Middle East, where there are sometimes special requirements in clothing and discretion. But the woman who desires a Farah Khan couture ensemble knows the brand aesthetic well, and appreciates it. She loves the sumptuousness of detailed embroidery, embellishments and rich detailing, feather and fur trim... And that is why she comes to us: She knows.
Describe the process of acquiring a Farah Khan Couture piece.
It’s pretty detailed. I make it a point to be at the first meeting, schedule permitting, after which my highly experienced team does the follow-up. The first meeting allows for discourse as to what the client likes and what her requirements are. Sometimes it’s a case that she has fallen in love with a particular piece and it’s only a question of adjustment and measurement. Other times, slight modifications may be requested and accommodated. At least two meetings take place and the dress itself may take anywhere from two to three months to complete, pending variables. It’s fundamental that the client is truly pleased with her piece, so we encourage clients to place their orders early and well in advance of when they’d be wearing the dress. The first rule of couture is that it simply will not be rushed. For special occasions like weddings, we are open to designing a one-off piece for the bride and have done so.