The first thing that strikes about this 24-year-old designer is her humbleness and simplicity, which also shows in her collection. Khushboo’s secret lies in her attentiveness to details and patchworks, which clearly have no sign of randomness. It is therefore not surprising that magazines such as Nari, VOW and Nabanari have also featured her creations in the past.
Looking back at her works at the Lakme Fashion Week 2008, Khushboo has evolved as a designer.
“I like highlighting designs with small details and while working I usually experiment with minute elements of designs,” says this resident of Sanepa.
Her finesse for such details is evident in one of her works in progress—a yellow kurti designed for a Nepali movie. The juxtaposition of a pattern similar to traditional Nepali dhaka in the upper bodice with the ruffled fabric for the lower part makes the kurti simple yet attractive.
Initially, this young designer didn’t give any serious thought to designing. “I sketched and painted whenever I was free and I loved it but I had never thought of pursuing a career in this field,” she recalls and adds, “During school and college breaks, I hung around at my mother’s kurta-surwal store and helped costumers select designs. And, they liked my choices.”
It was after completing her high school Khushboo decided to study fashion designing in India.
But, what made her prefer an Indian college to Nepal’s?
The graduate from South Delhi Polytechnic in fashion designing ponders, “In India, fashion designing is taken as a serious and strict course like other subjects while fashion schools here lack that attitude. After getting feedbacks from my friends who were enrolled in fashion schools in the valley, I preferred to go to a foreign college.”
In her mother’s footsteps, Khushboo opened a boutique after completing her degree. Currently, her mother Sharmila Dangol is the financial advisor for her ventures.
Khushboo’s two-year-old boutique—Chabbi: The Image of Woman—is located in Haugal, an unexplored lane in terms of fashion, at Mangal Bazaar in Patan. She informs, “I’m working on opening a new boutique in Kupondole. I want to make it a hub for the ladies.”
At present there are 10 people working for her. Though the boutique’s name implies that it caters to women alone, Khushboo informs that she also designs for children and men. A sherwani full of embroidery—her own creation happens to be her favorite work till date.
For her, studying fashion in India has helped her understand the broad technical world of fashion and has simultaneously allowed her to explore her potentials. “Three years of study in Nepal sums up to a year’s course in India,” she opines.
In addition, she feels that studying fashion also has helped her discover the wide-range of fabrics in the world.
“Fabric is a base of designing. Nepal’s fabric market, however, revolves around only a few fabrics. Only fabrics such as plain georgette or chiffons are found here, even though there is a change in the taste and choices these days,” informs the designer.
“Unlike in Nepal, there are many fabric houses in India and they are ready to help designing students with their practical projects by providing them information on fabrics and their details,” she says.
Khushboo enjoys working on pure brocades. “Pure fabrics shimmer and brighten the appearance of the wearer,” she opines.
“I have a special preference towards heavily embellished kurta-surwals and sherwanis,” puts in Khushboo. It’s perhaps the days she spent at her mom’s store, along with her learning years in India, which has shaped her tastes and preferences.
Related story
Business ideas matter
