On any given day in Dhaka’s social calendar, few gatherings generate the anticipation that surrounds Niharika Momtaz’s Hats Off Brunch. The Dubai-based Bangladeshi designer, entrepreneur, jewelry creator, and art patron has built a reputation for bringing together a rare mix of fashion insiders, artists, entrepreneurs, and tastemakers under one roof.
As Dhaka’s social elite arrived dressed in elegant white the day’s chic dress code the venue transformed into a vibrant intersection of creativity and conversation. Laughter mingled with music, glasses clinked softly over curated culinary offerings, and the atmosphere felt less like a party and more like a celebration of community.
But behind the glamour lies a far deeper story. For Momtaz, gatherings like these reflect a lifelong commitment to creativity, collaboration, and cultural exchange the same values that have defined her journey from Dhaka to Dubai’s international fashion and art scene.
From Numbers to Narratives
Interestingly, Niharika Momtaz’s professional journey did not begin in fashion or art. She studied chartered accountancy and completed her articleship at KPMG Bangladesh, later spending nearly a decade in corporate roles before moving to Singapore to run a trading company.
Yet creativity had always been part of her life.
“Growing up, art was always around us,” she recalls. “My brother was deeply interested in art, and that environment influenced me a lot.”
At just eighteen, Momtaz opened her first boutique and experimented with fashion design. While the venture introduced her to the industry, she soon realized that running a boutique alone did not satisfy her creative instincts.
“I realised I wanted something more artistic,” she says. “Retail alone wasn’t giving me the creative expression I was looking for.”
After relocating to Dubai and becoming a mother, that desire for creative exploration resurfaced eventually leading her toward jewelry design.
The Birth of “1972”
In 2013, Momtaz began designing jewelry a field she had not initially envisioned for herself.
“I was never really a jewellery person growing up,” she laughs. “But I loved statement pieces. I started thinking about what I could create that would excite me.”
Her first exhibition took place in Chittagong in 2013, where she initially sourced jewelry from India and Pakistan. The show sold out, followed by several successful exhibitions.
By her third show, however, she decided to take a new direction: designing her own pieces.
The result was 1972 Couture Jewelry, named after her birth year. Today the brand represents her signature approach merging heritage craftsmanship with contemporary design.
Her designs often combine traditional South Asian motifs with modern aesthetics, transforming cultural references into wearable art.
“My intention is always to create something that stands out,” she says. “Even the smallest piece should have a story.”
Taking Bangladesh to the Global Stage
Over the years, Momtaz’s work has appeared across major international platforms.
Her collections have been showcased at Milano Jewelry Week, one of the world’s leading jewellery design events, where her architectural-inspired collection highlighted the influence of Dubai’s historic Al Fahidi neighbourhood.
She has also presented collections at global fashion platforms including shows in London, Dubai, and Nigeria, where her “Love & Promise” men’s jewellery line challenged traditional ideas about gender and accessories.
Her creations have even appeared on international red carpets, including events connected to the Cannes Film Festival.
Despite the global recognition, Momtaz continues to place Bangladesh at the heart of her creative vision.
“My work always comes back to Bangladesh,” she explains. “Our artisans, our textiles, our heritage these are things the world deserves to see.”
Fashion, Art, and Cultural Experimentation
Momtaz’s creative pursuits extend far beyond jewellery.
Her fashion and textile collections often reinterpret traditional Bangladeshi materials such as Jamdani, Gamcha, Banarasi Katan, and organza, presenting them through modern silhouettes and conceptual storytelling.
In one of her most experimental projects, she transformed the humble gamcha a traditional cotton cloth into wearable art by weaving motifs and artistic elements directly into the fabric.
“Gamchas had never been seen as a canvas before,” she explains. “I wanted to push the boundaries of what traditional textiles could become.”
Her work also ventures into emerging creative territories, including fashion NFTs and digital art platforms, where she has experimented with merging physical and digital design.
Creating Platforms for Others
While her personal career continues to grow, Momtaz remains equally focused on supporting emerging artists.
She founded Bangladesh Art Week, an initiative designed to bring Bangladeshi artists, sculptors, animators, and designers to international audiences.
The initiative also includes a creative residency program that allows artists from Bangladesh to travel abroad and showcase their work on global platforms.
“My goal has never been just to show my work,” she says. “I want to create opportunities for other artists as well.”
Interestingly, the events she organizes are rarely commercial ventures.
“We don’t make money from these exhibitions,” she explains. “Sometimes I even spend my own money to make them happen. The profits we make go directly into organising the next event. It’s not a business it’s our passion.”
An Ideator at Heart
Beyond fashion and art, Momtaz continues to explore new ventures including recently launching a luxury real-estate brokerage company focusing on high-end properties.
Yet regardless of the industry, creativity remains the driving force behind everything she does.
“I am always hungry to create something new,” she says. “If something hasn’t been done before, that makes me even more interested in doing it.”
Building Communities Through Creativity
Perhaps what makes Niharika Momtaz unique is her ability to move fluidly between worlds art, fashion, entrepreneurship, and cultural diplomacy while connecting people across industries and geographies.
Her annual gatherings in Dhaka, much like her exhibitions abroad, serve as reminders that creativity thrives in community.
For Momtaz, success is not defined solely by personal recognition but by the platforms she creates for others.
“At the end of the day,” she reflects, “art and fashion are about people about sharing ideas, culture, and inspiration. If I can help create those connections, that’s the most rewarding part of the journey.”
