She hails from Arunachal Pradesh, stays in Assam, and is making a headway internationally by showcasing the handloom prowess of culturally-rich northeastern India. After displaying her tribal creations with a modern twist in London, Yana Ngoba is now eyeing the runways of global fashion capitals Paris and Milan.
Ngoba presented her collection in collaboration with designer Nabam Aka, also from Arunachal Pradesh, as a part of the London Fashion Week’s off-schedule show Fashions Finest. And the 28-year-old is thrilled with the response.
“Our collection highlighted the northeast region’s handloom, especially the loin loom made in Mizoram, Manipur, Arunachal, Nagaland…even muga of Assam. We used them to create gowns, dresses, skirts and ornaments.
A regular participant in northeast festivals in the country, she says Indian fashion weeks can wait as she would like to get a taste of the international platform first. “When I see Indian fashion weeks, most of the fashion designers focus on international fashion…like evening wear or dresses. So, I thought that maybe we should do international fashion shows first,” she said.
People from northeast are considered to have a distinct sense of style and often, their fashion seems to be influenced by western trends. “We get things mostly from Bangkok if they are not our traditional attire. If you notice, since our forefathers’ time, fashion has been important to us. They were always decked up from head to toe…be it headgear, ornaments or colourful clothes. That’s our personal style… something different from the rest of the world,” she said.