BOMBAY DREAMS TWO

Dhisha Moorjani is a first generation descendant of Indian refugees who were raised in Bombay and Jaipur India, but later migrated to Trinidad and Tobago seeking a better life. Despite leaving their homeland many moons ago, Moorjani’s parents were able to remain steadfast and anchored in their roots as traditional Indians, bequeathing their culture and its practices to their children. For Dhisha Moorjani, creating the Indian lifestyle boutique House of Jaipur some 10 years ago seems like an ode to her heritage and parents, whose influence remains alive today. On October 18th, Dhisha and her team will once again pay tribute to her traditional roots with a modern twist in the form of Bombay Dreams 2,  where traditional East Indian wear will be fused with contemporary Western garments , all culminating to what all patrons expect to be an unforgettable night of culture, colour and design.

Admittedly, Dhisha says that the total embracing of her culture took some time to accept. “I always felt different growing up. We ate differently, spoke different languages and dressed differently” recalled Moorjani, who speaks Hindi and Sindhi fluently. At an age where she desperately wanted to belong, Dhisha spoke of a strict, sheltered upbringing where her mother was steadfast in preserving traditional Indian culture in the family. In her late teens and early twenties, Dhisha began to appreciate her traditional heritage, delighting in the both worlds that she was exposed to. “I still felt very Trini, but I was very involved in my Indian culture so I had a great balance. I began to appreciate what my parents were trying to do” she said.

After flying with BWIA for many years, Dhisha decided to leave her job as a flight attendant to focus on creating House of Jaipur, her boutique which she describes as celebrating not just fashion, but the entire Indian lifestyle. “When you walk into my boutique, you see India, smell India and feel India. I bring the best from there” she stated. The boutique offers a range of textiles, clothes, handbags, handicrafts with even room to sit and enjoy traditional Indian teas and snacks. Her staff who were trained by her mom to prepare these delicacies, made sure they got the taste just right. Many years after opening her doors to the public, she decided to create the event, Bombay Dreams, where basically East meets West. “I wanted to marry the both cultures where everybody could wear traditional wear to suit their purpose, both Indians and non Indians” she said.

The inaugural debut of the fashion show saw the tastes and talents of local fashion gurus Peter Elias, Meiling and Heather Jones who all created designs of their version of the East meets West concept. Brian Mc Farlane was also enlisted to create the perfect décor on the night. The event was held under the patronage of the Honourable Prime Minister where all funds were donated to The Children’s Life Fund. The second installment “Bombay Dreams 2” will see the return of all designers for a show that promises to be bigger and better than the last. “It was so well received that we wanted to do it for other charities Samaan Shelter for Abused Women and Children, and the Vitas House Hospice for terminally ill cancer patients. The glitz and glamour of the fashion forward event will be accompanied by entertainment from traditional Indian dancers, Digicel Rising Star winner Neval Chetlal, Sharda Pattesar and Kees Diffienthaller. Moorjani encourages everyone to come out once again for an appreciation of fashion and culture on Tuesday night. “I want all Trinis to appreciate everyone’s culture and enjoy the feeling of Divali. Although it’s a very religious time for many, we can still embrace the tradition as a people. Fashion, I believe is the perfect platform so everyone can come and support this great charitable cause.”