Browse Sections

• Education
• Business 
• Blog
• Special reports

East meets West in style venture

30/ 7/2008

A YOUNG entrepreneur is taking on Bollywood in a bid to add an Indian dimension to her expanding Didsbury-based business.

Lisa Maynard-Atem, who runs the styling consultancy Stylisa, is joining forces with Indian-born fashion designer Navneet Sarup, whose exclusive fusion fashions have adorned some of India’s top models and Bollywood film icons.

One of the first commissions Lisa received after establishing her company in 2005 was from Granada to provide the clothes for Coronation Street actor Richard Fleeshman, when he appeared in the first series of Soapstar Superstar.

Navneet will now make her clothes and designs available to Lisa when she offers her customers advice.

Lisa, a graduate in graphic design from Manchester Metropolitan University, said: "This will give an important and much-needed new element to the business and one which I have been keen to develop for a long time.

"My long term plan is eventually to establish Stylisa as an international brand and, with that in mind, Navneet’s design talents and her understanding of the Asian fashion market will be extremely valuable.

"My mum is particularly delighted about the partnership, as she is a passionate Bollywood fan who watches the films all the time."

"As a child we did a lot of travelling and I can remember my mother watching Bollywood DVDs whenever she could - in fact, the costumes inspired me to become a fashion stylist."

Navneet, 30 from Altrincham, embarked on a career as a fashion designer in her home city of Delhi after giving up her international jet-setting life as air stewardess.

Through her design house and factory in Delhi – currently being managed by her cousin – Navneet produced Indian-inspired garments for many of her country’s leading celebrities including Sonailka Sahay, one of India’s top models, Bollywood film legend Hema Malini and her actress daughter, Esha Deol. Navneet said: "When I was travelling all over the world I saw the best of fashion in places like Paris, Milan and New York and decided to set up my own fashion business specialising in exclusive east-west fusion design using a range of high-quality silks, chiffons, brocades, cotton and linen.

"Within the next few months I am planning to return for a tour of India to gain inspiration for my next collection with a view to opening my first retail outlet in Cheshire and hopefully, in time, elsewhere in the UK.

"Meanwhile I am really looking forward to working with Lisa and being able to provide the Indian design element wherever and whenever it is required – certainly Indian-inspired fashion in very much in vogue right now."

Lisa is a currently working on a fashion styling makeover for the three female presenters on the Channel M Breakfast Show – Nikki Dean, Michelle Totton, who does the weather and travel and Nina Warhurst, newsreader.