Six years ago; after completion of my fashion styling program from FIT newyork, I came to India and started working as a Fashion Stylist and a Costume Designer.
My internships in the US under stylists for shoots, fashion and short films helped me to have a good exposure and have hands on experience. My first project was costume designing for “Finding Fanny” under Anaita Shroff Adajania.
Till now I have worked on feature films films, Television Commercials, Music Videos with one of the best directors ,Actors and Talents and Brands (Finding Fanny, Badlapur, Phobia, Andhadun to name a few).
In my fashion styling work I have styled about over 14 celebrities for their media and red carpet appearances. (Arjun Rampal, Saif Ali Khan, Nawazzudin Siddique, Radhika Aapte ,Chitrangada Singh, Nidhi Agarwal, Kriti Kharbanda, Tina Ahuja,Harshwardhan Rane, Illean d cruz, Yami Gautam, AtifAslam to name a few.
How did you start moving towards your fashion dreams?
Seven years ago quit my corporate job , took a international fashion programe at FIT Newyork and pursued what was my calling. During my learning and staying in the US I interned under a few stylists and worked on short films and fashion films, which gave my a lot of exposure and technical know how and post coming to India I got my first big project “Finding Fanny” under Anaita Shroff Adajania. And then subsequently other Films & fashion styling projects started falling in place.
Tell us about any current projects
I recently styled for Netflix India’s original series Sacred Games promotion for the three leading actors- Saif Ali Khan, Nawazzudin Siddiqui and Radhika Aapte. I also just finished the first leg of JP Dutta’s upcoming movie ‘Paltan’s promotions styled, Arjun Rampal, Harshwardhan Rane and Gurmeet Chaudhary. I also finished shooting (costume designing) for Sriram Rghwan’s next thriller “Andhadhun”
What has been your biggest challenge in achieving your success?
The challenges in fashion styling vs films are different. Films are character driven, more real, it’s a visual display of the script and the directors vision It was to be seamless. Styling on the other hand is knowing your celebrity and establishing a unique style with each one of them that shows your trademark or innovative styling, enhances their visual game and needless to say the perpetual time crisis situation– it has to be a win win situation.
The biggest challenge was to understand the dynamics around styling with respective actors (their personalities, affinity towards certain things, inhibition of wearing some styles ) and to be fashion innovative every time.
What has been your greatest achievement personally?
To be able to work with Likes of Sri Ram Raghwan , Homi Adajani, Anaita Shroff Adajania, Nawazuudin Sidique, Saif Alikhan, Arjun Rampal, Radhika Aapte; I personally feel very happy and fortunate at the same time. I have been able to have decent body of work with my film projects & fashion appearances. In today’s date more than seventy percent of my work comes to me via referrals so to me the work reputation I have been able to establish with Directors, Actors, Artists, Production Houses , Studios; HNI clients is an absolute personal achievement.
If you weren’t doing what you do now, what would you be doing?
Well, I am very passionate about my work I love what I do and even though as a Fashion Professional you tend to work all days of the week with no fixed timings, I have learnt to find love between all the chaos; extremely long hours, hectic timelines.
But if at all, i was given another option, I’d definitely be an athelete.
I have been a marathon runner, a open water long distance swimmer, some day I wish to attempt a triathlon. Even now I wake up at 5am’s to train for my upcoming open water swimathon. So its another constant drive .
I am very passionate about fitness and healthy lifestyle and no matter what I have never put that on the backseat.
Who has been your biggest inspiration?
I am inspired by many people from various walks of life.
In fashion, it would be Tilda Swinton, Anna Wintour, Victoria Beckham, Lidewij Edelkoort, Iris Apfel, Rachel Zoe.
In entertainment it would be Meryl Streep, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Will Smith
In sports, it would be MSDhoni, Sania Mirza, Michael Phelps, Roger Ferderer, Serena Williams, Ussain Bolt.
In business, it would be Ratan Tata, Jeff Bezoz, Richard Branson, Jack Ma.
What does the future hold for you?
Well the year ahead definitely looks promising. There are a lot of things lined up for my team and me and we are
all geared up. As for a few years down the line, I would probably be with my head higher in the clouds, designing and pushing the frontiers of fashion, with my feet firmly on the ground and swimming across oceans.
