Some words define certain people, or some people define certain words, however one wishes to see it. For Vidya Narine, nothing can be more apt than ‘multi’. She is multiethnic. A Vietnamese mother, an Indian father from Trinidad and Tobago and an upbringing in southern France mean a mélange of varied cultural influences. Her career has not been a completely straight route, but an exciting, multi pit-stopped one. Numerous work experiences in the various aspects of fashion have resulted in a multifaceted perspective and understanding of the subject. And as expected, she is a multitasker. I think the point is driven home.

Her childhood desire of being in fashion took a temporary backseat as Narine enrolled for art courses at the Ecole du Louvre, Paris during her college years. But her attraction to fashion was rekindled upon graduation. “I discovered the anniversary book of the 10 years of ANDAM Fashion Awards,” she speaks in her whispery, French accented, extremely polite way, “and found gathered, all the designers who I’d always loved – Maison Martin Marghiela, Bless, Viktor & Rolf, Jeremy Scott and many more – the whole generation...who wrote fashion history since the late 1980s.” She met Nathalie Dufour, founder and director of the ANDAM Fashion Awards, who commissioned her for a project of collecting garments and archives for the Museum of Fashion in Paris. This meant meeting and interacting with many of the exceptional designers she had read about. It was “a dream come true”.

A short stint as an assistant to an exhibition curator in New York later, Narine was back in Paris and collaborated with some people to start a fashion label named Surface to Air. Her partners were also organising a fair called Rendez-Vous. “They had just started the first edition and needed help,” she says. “I knew nothing about fashion fairs but was curious.” Gathering 15 young designers (“we were all of the same age, young and crazy”), they showcased collections independently during Paris Fashion Week. It was an exciting new venture, aimed “to show our brands in an environment we liked, with buyers we felt close to, surrounded by music and art that we loved”. The collaboration turned long-term, and four years later, Rendez-Vous Paris is an extremely noted event on the international fashion calendar, extending an arm to New York as well, showcasing collections by 500 designers, artists, photographers, musicians, publishers and graphic designers. Side by side, Narine also whet her appetite for varied adventures by working with names like APC, Jean Touitou, Jens Kaeumele and a Japanese chain of stores, jet-setting between Paris and Tokyo.

This led her to ideate on a new venture, inspired by the virtual shrinking of the globe and universal accessibility. “I had this idea of doing a fashion fair online, to gain time, energy, visibility,” she recalls. “It was very abstract…but I felt that something was right about it.” She met Bernard Coulombel, director of BCK Studio, a web system management company and discussed the prospects, from which Lenewblack was born. The online trade portal, running since March 2009, brings together all aspects of the fashion business – designers, buyers and press. Almost like a fashion week on the internet. So far, almost 70 selected labels have shown their collections online to buyers from all over the globe, including Collette (Paris), Saks Fifth Avenue (USA), The Number 4 (Kuwait) and Bombay Electric (India). “The response has been 100 per cent positive,” Narine beams. “Lenewblack came up at a time when the recession forced the fashion industry to change the way we work.... Buyers, brands, fashion fairs are changing their formats. We all need qualitative business propositions now, more than ever, at every level.” Now buyers in China can view a collection in Tahiti from the comfort of their office, home or hotel. This can be an ongoing process throughout the season; not just during the few days of a trade fair or a fashion week at a particular place. “It creates new possibilities and networks for brands and buyers to meet from anywhere, at anytime.”

But Narine does not think that real fashion weeks may soon be replaced by virtual forums. “It is important to meet the whole industry and for buyers to meet new designers and touch and feel the collections, especially when one is starting,” she states. “Lenewblack is a good addition to shows and showrooms, a tool to make their buyers’ lives easier. Buyers know established brands by reputation or from previous seasons so it’s easy for them to order directly.” The site’s potential has just begun to be realised.

A setup like this requires constant fresh feeds and for this, Narine likes to discover talents from across the globe. This means constant travel. “There is no work routine, and that’s what I like,” she smiles. “I attend the maximum number of fashion weeks and fairs to meet brands, buyers and organisers.” Milan, Paris, Berlin, Copenhagen, London, New York – it is a continuous whirlwind tour. But she likes the mobile life. Holidays have turned into exciting business trips. It was during a 2008 visit to Mumbai, that she met the Bombay Electric store owners Priya Kishore and Deepak Rajegowda. “Stepping into their store I understood that something was happening in Indian fashion. Something electric. Something I felt close to,” she says, poetically. “I saw a second generation, led by young and curious designers rich in an international culture and desires, and the experiments of the first generation.” She decided to tour the Indian fashion weeks in Mumbai and Delhi, where she met “many talented designers and saw their collections, and also fashion journalists, full of energy, who are building a critical history of fashion and creating debate”.

She found the experience “interesting and refreshing” and came back the following season, collaborating with Delhi Fashion Week (March 2009) to extend an international platform to a selected Indian designer. Savio Jon was chosen to showcase his line at Rendez-Vous New York and Rendez-Vous Femme in Paris (September 2009). She views this as the “first brick of the bridge that I wish to build between our network and the talents of India”. She does not want just one-off appearances. “I believe in long term collaborations; it’s an ongoing process.” Her other desi favourites include Gaurav Gupta (“sexy and elegant”), Gaba (“precision and handcrafted”), Small Shop (“amazing experiments on fabrics”) and Atsu (“references from fashion history”). Even though she acknowledges the “amazing quality” and variety of our traditional textiles, what sets her apart in her choice is that she has not picked up anything “specially ‘Indian’, but most of all – attractive. We are global today; everyone’s on Facebook, we travel as much as we can, we have an international common culture. A lady from Melbourne can wear a piece from an Indian designer or an American one and look cool either way.”

While “being attentive to the taste of clients and the evolution of the market” is imperative, her site reflects her personal taste too. She selects every brand on the portal herself, creating a varied offering from many countries. Her own dressing style is seemingly simple and minimalist, but interestingly detailed and layered, with an overall clean feel. “I like to mix young and established brands,” Narine tells us. “I am also crazy about shoes, like every woman,” she admits. She lists some of her favourites for apparel and footwear: Maison Martin Marghiela, Bless, Ann Deumulmeester, Pierre Hardy, Rodarte, Pauric Sweeney “and of course, our own brand Surface to Air”.

Between designing, travelling and nourishing a growing venture, Narine’s work is cut out, requiring constant redevelopment and re-planning. The site is presently working on its ‘Press’ section, aiming to enable the media to view selected collections, videos and interviews online for entire seasons. Conscientiousness works all the way – there is also the ‘eco’ angle. “By working in a qualitative way and by saving all sorts of energy and trash, I hope Lenewblack helps fashion become more sustainable.”

Subscribe to Verve Magazine or buy the Verve issue on stands now!