Designer Chandra Maharaj has had a passion for life, people and cultures ever since she was a little girl. Born in Rio de Janeiro to a Trinidadian father and a Brazilian mother, she captures the beautiful and intricate perspectives of both places. While Chandra can’t deny her Brazilian roots, she admits that she is a ‘Trinidadian by blood and life’. “It was very important to my father, that his two daughters got not only the Trinidadian upbringing that he did, but also the education,” said Chandra, who came to T&T at age eight, with her parents and sister. After graduating with an International Business degree at age 19 and not having her career go in the direction she would have liked it to, she decided to pursue a Fashion Design degree instead of her Masters to allow herself to utilise her creativity and entrepreneurial skills in a different industry. From the look of things, the path she has taken will give her many wonderful opportunities. Chandra gets her inspiration from lots of people and places; but, mostly, she listens to her heart and follows her imagination. It is with no doubt that Chandra has learned that with enough passion and commitment, anything is possible.
In fact, Chandra’s favourite design experience was designing her very first gown shown during Miami Fashion Week a few years ago. “It was a tremendously exhausting and an amazing learning experience, but all the pain, sweat and tears were all worth it when I saw the model wear my gown and walk the runway. I stood up from my seat with such awe, it was definitely an ‘aha’ moment for me… I fell in love with that dress all over again, and it reminded me that hard work equals success,” said Chandra. The Gemini born designer often shows her very spiritual, creative, easy going and fearless side and isn’t afraid of taking risks, doing it all with a smile on her face. “Since I have no formal training in swimwear design, creating my own design style for my brand was quite an interesting and challenging experience,” she said. “There were a lot of trials and errors, but I was finally able to find myself within that creative process and own it. The designs in my heart are very simple, yet intricate to create, so that in itself is a challenge, but I enjoy every second of the process, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I have been blessed to have the most amazing family on this earth that has supported me the whole way through and allowed me the time to explore the direction my future.”
What you see with Chandra Maharaj’s work is Brilliant Caribbean Couture, in which she has combined her fashion design schooling experiences with creating unique swimwear. She successfully launched her first collection last year in Miami with little experience, a small fan base and no clue of what the future would hold. In June of this year, her dreams are coming into fruition. She launched her second collection ‘Zambi’ in New York City, which was inspired by a trip to South Africa. The response has been beyond anything she could ever ask for, and the support has been humbling to say the least to her. “I had so many friends and family from all over the world and within the US come to support me; I feel so blessed,” added Chandra. Today, the beautiful designer is doing both Trinidad and Brazil proud with her entrepreneurial drive and passion to create a brand that is not only distinctive, but shows finesse. She loves to experiment with lots of different colours and patterns to create one-of-a-kind masterpieces. “I travel to Brazil every year to purchase fabrics, design my collection, make my own patterns and start the manufacturing process. Our manufacturing facility there is small, but focused on quality and just so you know, it is all done with love,” she said.
Of course, there is also the very entrepreneurial, goal oriented, serious side to Chandra: she is a firm believer in perfection, taking the important aspects of life seriously, knowing the difference and balancing it all. She stands firm and her faith is unwavering. She is also a believer in the creativity of the Caribbean, not only for the fashion design industry, but for all creative outlets such as film, photography, art, and music. “As a region we are now being given the platform to display these talents, and we as creators have the responsibility to stand firm on that platform and show our perspective to the world. This way our creative industries don’t evolve only within the Caribbean but also worldwide,” she added. Chandra hopes to inspire persons to believe in themselves and to follow their dreams. She’s also grateful to all those who believed in her, supported her and who have contributed to her talent in many ways, including her parents and sister who have been monumental in her progress forward as a designer, company and brand. Chandra’s designs are available to the international market, which includes Trinidad & Tobago as well as the rest of the Caribbean, via her website. “My experiences teach me so much, and enable me to love life, in endless ways, from different perspectives and at the end of it all, bask in the fact that love is so universal. I always say that I am a child of the world and a warrior of life! I like being that way.” Special Thanks to RobinV Photography, Nina Arce for Make up, Mayara DeAssis for being her stunning model, Purple Paparazzi for jewelry and Dro for photos and videography.
