Deepika Govind has a Degree in Arts from Mount Carmel College, Bangalore and a Masters in Economics at Stella Maris College, Madras. She attended the programme on sketching and presentations and Programme in Pattern-making, National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT, Bangalore); Programme on merchandising, NIFT, Bangatore; She even has the experience of working with kalamkari and kasuti artists (traditional crafts).
She believes that style is simplicity. Her clothes have a defined cut, and portray a very contemporary look. She is especially focused on the final touches, as she believes that a tacky finish ruins the entire look. Dealing with individuals according to body types and personalities, creating wardrobes and trousseau in accordance to a person`s lifestyle has always been her forte, besides ready-to-wear of course.
In a season full of giddy, colour-saturated fashion, her collections stand out for placed blasts of colour. She launched her label in 1995, set up a studio and a workshop and launched her store in March 2002. She retails at her own store Divinite and has other retail outlets and individual buyers across the country. She retails under four labels.
Fabrics being the starting point of purity, she uses special hand woven fabrics and works together with the weavers to create fabrics according to her vision. She also uses tailoring and craft techniques in silks and cottons alone. Her clothes are simple, clean cut, and with a lot of detail.
This is her Ready-to-wear line. Her prˆt collection has the cutting edge of modernity, and is known for its wear ability. This is her ornamental, more ostentatious line. Unique eveningwear and garments ideal for a trousseau. Her attention for detail is painstaking and she uses the most exquisite embroidery. A line of accessories, which she is currently working on.
She has also branched into men`s wear. Not being satisfied with the designing aspect alone, she has styled several shoots and ad campaigns for prominent magazines and she has been a fashion columnist with the Times of India, Bangalore. A stylist for shoots, ad films and fashion editorials for high-end fashion products, she has been a Fashion Columnist for The Times of India, Bangalore, and for a city-based monthly magazine for three years; She has contributed many a freelance article to reputed fashion publications.
Deepika also worked with firms of global repute for shows - IBM, Swarovski, Moet and Chandon, Jacob`s Creek, Abn Amro, Deutsche Bank, American Express Bank, The F-Bar, The Oberoi and The Taj West End among others.
Fashion Shows
LIFW 2002
Govind`s creation was fresh and lively featuring drapes and silhouettes blending it with fringed details, asymmetric hemlines, darts, slashes, and embroidery which was understated yet effective. Basic colours like black red and white followed by indigo and evening colours like midnight blue, maple green, charcoal gray expressed her versatility. Deepika cleverly used khadi, a truly Indian fabric along with the khadi logo to enhance its special status.
LIFW 2003
She is one exceptionally talented designer and has immensely matured over the last couple of years. Her collection showcased wide, kind-of- harem-pants, executed in fine apricot toned brocade silk. There were also some finely done wraps in printed georgette that flowed beautifully. The corset tops may not have been so innovative, but they were beautifully tailored and finished.
LIFW 2004
Connectivity was the underlying theme of Deepika Govind`s collection. A range of skirts and pants were presented for men and women that were teamed with complex uppers. Multiple irreverent layers composed of patches and panels of differently textured fabrics characterized the blouses. Chiffons, jacquards and embroidered panels appeared to be held together with knots of fabric ropes. Recycled fabrics enhanced the ornamentation of the seamless engineered garments. The pleated wrap front pants, chudi-pants, and illusionary double pleated trousers made for interesting bottomwear. The colour palette was warm vintage, with plenty of rose, peach, copper and sand, and some of the other fabrics used were silk, corn silk, modal, and lycra blends.
LIFW 2005
The collection had a Retro feel, which was strong, mysterious, royal, spiritual. The other features in the collection included western silhouettes with Indian crafting and fine detailing. The colours were strong yet subdued with the two-tone effect namely dark but rich tones, which were pinkish brown, plum brown, midnight blue, oriental blue, twilight pink, mauve, violet, aubergine, eggplant, khaki gold, dark jade and teal. Each garment had multiple layers, a typical and often asymmetric, giving shape to new silhouettes and a play on cuts.
Wills Lifestyle IFW 2006
There was the presence of a collection that portrayed the variegated hues of romance, the mystery of passion and the intensity of innocent love with its soft fluid lines and silhouettes. Blush, flush and rose, suffuse the range of colours, enriched with delicate embellishments. Luxe fabrics emphasized glamour and sensuality, which was the ultimate seduction!