Born in Dubai with roots in Coorg (India), Deanthe Somaiah made history to be admitted on merit for an undergraduate Fashion Degree at the age of 13 to the prestigious ESMOD French Fashion Institute, Dubai – ranked among the top five fashion institutes in the world. By 16, she has graduated with top honors, earned the Textile Award and Jury Award, and showcased her work internationally by participating in the prestigious Salon du Chocolat fashion show in Dubai, where she boldly reinterpreted Josephine Baker’s legendary Banana Skirt.
From Coorg to the Global Runway
Her identity bridges two worlds: raised in Dubai’s cosmopolitan environment yet deeply connected to the cultural richness of her family’s roots in Coorg (India). This duality inspires her design language — globally relevant yet firmly grounded in Indian craft traditions. Her graduation collection, titled the totem Collection, draws inspiration from temple architecture, transforming structural details and sacred motifs into bold, wearable silhouettes.
The Totem Collection
Sustainability and textile innovation form the backbone of the totem Collection. Using traditional Indian textiles such as silk sarees, mull mull cotton, khadi, and 100% cotton yarn, Deanthe employs techniques like painting, weaving, block printing, crochet, embroidery, smocking, and pleating. Through these processes, she manipulates fabrics into sculptural forms that echo the resilience of stone temples while celebrating the fluidity of natural fibers.
Awards & Accolades
Her pioneering work earned both the Textile Award and the highly coveted Jury Award at graduation, affirming her technical mastery and innovation. At 14, she became the youngest designer in Dubai to participate in the Salon du Chocolat fashion show — an international platform merging couture with chocolate artistry. Her reinterpretation of Josephine Baker’s iconic Banana Skirt through a sustainable lens displayed her bold, youthful vision.
Sustainability as Legacy
Deanthe represents a new generation of designers who see fashion as a cultural responsibility. Her work demonstrates how heritage and sustainability can coexist, offering a blueprint for a more conscious future in global fashion. “Heritage doesn’t have to be frozen in time. With sustainability and innovation, it can evolve into the fashion of tomorrow.” – Deanthe Somaiah
