A blend of Indian textiles with modern styles

FASHION enthusiasts Hashim Alli and his wife Melicia Partab-Alli were delighted to be a part of First Lady Arya Ali’s second edition of ‘Chari-Tea’ – a tea party and fashion show at State House that was held to raise funds in the fight against period poverty.

The couple owns Nachle Design and had only recently launched their new line at POSH called “Habibi” meaning “My Love” using their signature Indian designs mixed with western flairs with pieces carefully crafted to styles and needs.

POSH was one of the events to mark the start of Cricket Carnival 2022 last month and “was quite a fashionista’s dream,” according to Melicia, as numerous designers got the opportunity to showcase their pieces at the event with the theme of “high-end resort wear.”

Following their launch at POSH, the couple was happy to be selected to participate in the First Lady’s tea party, which Melicia described as an extremely well-put-together event, with attention to all details.

“Chari-tea was an elegant and fashionable event that aided in fighting against period poverty. It was a great opportunity as the fashion was a new addition to this event; it enabled the creatives to be on the forefront, and it was warmly welcomed and enjoyed by attendees,” Melicia shared.

According to a Facebook post by the First Lady, more than $60M is required to provide one year’s supply of sanitary pads to all school-aged girls in Guyana. “The Government has provided $50 million, and so we continue to host fundraisers to compensate for the shortfall and to expand coverage to women in vulnerable communities,” the First Lady disclosed.

“So far, distribution of sanitary pads has commenced in secondary schools in Regions One, Five, Six and 10, while women from indigenous communities in region one are also benefitting from this project. It is my hope that in a few years, we will be able to provide full coverage to all women and girls in Guyana, making us the first country in Latin America and the Caribbean to achieve this.”

Relating what it was like to participate in the event, Melicia expressed: “For one, I love fashion and a good tea party, especially when it’s for a good cause. It was astonishing to see the amount of thought and energy that went into making the event a beautiful success.”

She continued: ““It really opens up avenues for new audiences and it pushed you to evolve your fashion taste, especially with having a theme. It’s amazing for creatives to be able to have platforms like these that allow them to showcase their best work.”

Melicia and her husband challenged themselves to come up with something different from traditional Indian wear to that of modern, trendy wear. “And then we birthed ‘Habibi’ a blend of Indian textiles with modern styles. It was definitely well received.”

Meanwhile, the couple both had an interest in the entertainment industry for as long as they can remember. Even as youngsters, they’d always have an inclination to one aspect of entertainment or another. Side by side, they are building a name for themselves in the industry.

Hashim, 35, started off when he was just about 10 years old as a dancer. Following this, he took up acting and eventually became a television personality.
As for Melicia, 34, she recalls a love for the industry. “I really love the glitz and glams. Growing up, I always admired this industry; entertainment, pageantry and the whole works,” she shared.

She and her husband knew each other for approximately 10 years before they married. When they eventually joined forces, they already knew how to maintain both their professional and personal lives.

Hashim and Melicia, now parents of a five-year-old son, still engage the arts through their weekly television programme, Bollywood Hits, which is broadcast on the National Communications Network (NCN). Their radio show, Bollywood Masala, is also thriving.