Guyanese designer Sangeeta Narine reimagines Indo-Caribbean fashion from Queens studio
The Berbice-born owner of L&S Boutique blends traditional Indian craftsmanship with modern silhouettes for clients in the US, Guyana, Canada and Britain.
NEW YORK, United States. In her Queens studio filled with fabrics, embroidery samples and bridal sketches, Sangeeta Dhaniram Narine is building a fashion business that also preserves Indo-Caribbean culture.
Narine, owner of L&S Boutique, designs custom Indo-Western garments that merge traditional Indian craftsmanship with contemporary silhouettes for a diaspora that wants fashion rooted in heritage.
"This is not just clothing," she said. "This is identity. This is where we come from."
From Berbice to New York
Originally from Chesney, Berbice-Corentyne, Narine migrated to the United States at 15. Her early years in New York were focused on adjusting and building stability. Fashion came later, she said, "not as a dream, but as a return".
After marriage, traditional practices, rituals and ceremonial dress became part of everyday life and began shaping her creative direction. "I started to understand the beauty in it, the detail, the meaning, the craftsmanship," she said.
L&S Boutique began in her mother's basement with basic inventory. Narine soon moved from selling ready-made pieces to fully custom designs for weddings, religious ceremonies and special occasions.
Craft takes time
Her work now includes lehengas, sherwanis, Indo-Western fusion wear, children's outfits and bridal couture. Some pieces take up to four months because of intricate hand embroidery.
"One of the hardest parts is educating people," she said. "They'll show a picture and want the same thing overnight. But this work is craftsmanship."
She serves clients across the United States and in Guyana, Canada and the United Kingdom. Chutney star Savita Singh has worn one of her custom designs.
A mother of three, she often works late into the night coordinating with overseas manufacturers. "I barely sleep," she said. "But when something is yours, you make it work."
Culture that grows
For Narine, preserving culture means evolving it without losing its meaning. "Culture is not meant to stay frozen," she said. "It has to grow with us. But we have to make sure we don't erase where it came from."
"My goal is simple," she said. "To keep culture alive in a way the next generation can wear it, feel it, and be proud of it."
