Dear Diary
By Neha Ash, Founder of NOLA.N.FRIENDS
Read more about our Founder, Neha Ash here
Dear Diary; A capsule inspired by all that we find, all that we lose, and all that we carry with us.
Nostalgia is a strange thing.
A perfume you no longer wear, an old playlist that takes you back to a moment in time, old photographs, letters and postcards. Things kept, things lost, and the little traces that people and places leave behind.
I wanted this collection to be an ode to the versions of ourselves that may no longer exist, but still live somewhere within us.
To embrace the parts of ourselves we’ve shed along the way. Only self love and appreciation for every step we’ve taken. The good, the difficult, and even the ugly. Because in one way or another, every experience has shaped who we are today.
And so, in this collection, you’ll find a few familiar silhouettes, especially if you’ve been here from the beginning.
In 2023, when I was still finding my confidence in playing with colour, I designed the Nyra dress. Looking back, I can see how much I was still leaning into the comfort of blacks, browns and whites.
I revisited that same silhouette and created Nima. This time in a completely different palette, with bright orange and mustard hues and bold, unapologetic florals. The cut remains the same, but it feels like a reflection of how much has changed since then.
In 2024, I designed the Nerissa Reversible dress. It became a much loved piece, and I received so many requests to make it in a maxi length.
For Dear Diary, I brought it back as Nedia, keeping the bits and bobs I loved about the original, this time in a longer length.
I also revisited prints from past collections that have stayed with me, visualising in different shades.
Our well received Noura returns in its third version, while Nymah and Nicola bring back bolder prints from my 2023 designs, this time in entirely new silhouettes.
There’s a sense of ease and sensuality to this collection too. Fabric falling loosely against the body. A shoulder showing. A back left bare. The movement of a skirt as you walk.
I wanted the pieces to feel soft rather than restrictive. Sensual without trying. And individual enough that the woman wearing them gets to decide how they should be worn.
Some have straps that can be removed. Others can be tied and styled in different ways. Silhouettes are looser, designed to fall rather than cling.
I’ve always loved the thought that a single piece can feel entirely different depending on how you wear it, where you’re going, or simply how you feel that day.
Perhaps that’s another part of what this collection is about. Allowing ourselves to change, without feeling the need to leave everything behind.
Speaking of change, a progress on our school project in Jaipur.
I’m so proud of our team for working tirelessly to bring this little dream to life. Its doors have been open for a couple of months now, and I’m so psyched to see all the magic that will unfold within this space.
It’s a small and humble space, but one that means so much to me. I can’t wait to see it grow into a place where people come together through art, creativity and the simple joy of learning.
The art and absolute joy of creating intentionally is that you never know what they might come to mean to someone, or the memories they'll become a part of.
For me, it has always been just as much about the makers. Their stories, traditions, culture and way of life have always touched me deeply. It's incredibly humbling to be in the presence of artisans who eat, breathe and live art. For NOLA, they will always come first.
We remember certain places because of who we were when we were there and what it taught us. We keep letters because of how they make us feel.
Perhaps years from now, one of these dresses will remind someone of a summer, a dinner that went on too late, somewhere they travelled, someone they loved, or simply who they were at that particular time in their life.
And I think that’s a lovely thought to end Dear Diary on.
That something we make now might one day hold a memory that hasn’t even happened yet.
With Love,
Neha Ash
