Emerging from a world of trending hashtags, these 5 unconventional stylists are redefining the way we’re looking at fashion, especially in a post-pandemic era.
Beyond the glamour and elegance of celebrity-styling, their perspective focuses on the changing curve of the industry, towards authenticity and the raw essence of fabric.
Ekta Rajani, a freelance creative consultant is revisiting the memory lane to glean eco-conscious lifestyle tips and tricks, while staying true to character and opening a canvas for sustainable fabrics to paint a story within the fashion frame. Inspiring mindfulness in everyday life, she inspires a creative outlook towards going 100% sustainable.
Anushka Sharma looks comfortable in her skin thanks to the precise balance that Allia Ul Rafai puts into styling. Choosing the right fabric and molding the look to reflect the self is an art that she has practiced for long, bringing character into each outfit with an innate sense of confidence. Style is not imitation, but rather a reflection of who we are inside.
Similarly, the flow of a garment dictates the way a look comes across on camera. Who can understand this better than Devki, styling Taapsee Pannu with an insight into the chic-urban scene while being aware of the energy that she portrays. The crisp minimalism complements the bubbly flair nature in each look. This insight develops into each outfit looking tailored to fit not just her form but also her mood.
This vibe harkens to return to Indian roots with ‘Who Wore What When’ by Pranay Jaitly and Shounak Amonkar. An Indo-modern touch to each silhouette makes their styling unique in its taste and framing. Tradition flows easily within the threads looping an urban silhouette while the continual feminity is punctuated by effortless undertones of liberty.
This understanding stems from conscious sensibilities that call to the unveiling of a façade in which the industry has been wrapped, instead, manifesting a raw aesthetic that reveals the truth behind the look rather than carpeting it. As we step into a sustainable era, these stylists remind us that it’s equally important to be true to our roots and to enhance the sense of self for a more authentic world to thrive on-screen.
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Priyanka Raajiv endeavors to intertwine the threads of this connection that transcends time and weave a story within traditional handloom fabric. A parallel softness lies in the narrative of restoration: it is done carefully with the expert skill of artisans who have learned the craft from their grandparents.
The Indian fashion designer began imbibing upcycling from day 1 into the brand philosophy and gave it a signature touch. The modern woman yearns for a continuation of intuitively structured pieces while metamorphosis takes place with millennial sensibilities. Bringing about this balance of perspective in a saree or a lehenga is intricate work, taking minute details to give the antiquity an artistic finesse.
Taking a 100-year-old Paithani saree or a 30-year-old kurta that is worn out and adorning it to create eloquent pieces of urban shade is a skill that revolves around the fourth R of sustainability- repurpose. A grandmother or a mother-in-law cherishes the memories tied into the loom of each saree, each lehenga that they have doned as a kaleidoscopic shrine of their life.
To pass this on, Priyanka Raajiv consults her clients with a honed knowledge of silhouettes and fabrics, writing biographies into a restoration, like a family repository hidden in its essence. The soul of this process lies in the translation of retaining the exclusivity of a piece while using antique zardozi, sequins, and embroidery to reveal the deliberate rarity of the original fabric.
Roop has been an essential part of Priyanka Raajiv label since it’s conception, curated with an eco-conscious mindset, storytelling within a garment’s unrestricted flow: a tale of transformation.
]]>With the sudden lockdown, the fashion industry saw an unprecedented stop in its production and sales. With everyone working from home and clients asking us to hold on to a few projects, we were in a pickle too. With panic and a rush of anxiety, we got onto rewriting and restructuring our functioning as an agency. I read many reports on analytics explaining the next thing to do for creative businesses. Not a single report or an article tried to articulate the importance of basic values that would save us all as agencies, not just during these uncertain and challenging times, but for the rest of the millennium.
A moment of reckoning made me write down as to what the future for creative agencies holds. The most obvious point lies in underlining the factor of going digital vigorously.
But would that be enough? What about the morals and values that we tend to erode while dealing with projects? What about neglecting the well-being of your employees and running after deadlines?
These things urged me to sit down and note a few points that could help our agencies to think better and to create better.
1. The most significant thing to practice would be to unmask ourselves as an agency. To be who we are without a hue of pretense and badge our authenticity.
2. The second thing would be to focus on quality rather than quantity. It’s not the numbers that define us, it’s the content and the soul of our brand connected to the clients that define us.
3. This biblical opportunity to reflect has also helped me understand the need to incessantly promote the strong values and morals that the company believes in and not letting anyone manipulate these.
4. Pay heed to your employees’ mental health and open your minds to help them indulge in a relaxed conversation with you.
5. Foreground humanity; when that’s done right, your organization is molded with strength and courage. Let commerciality evaporate behind the curtains.
6. Find the long lost soul and make it the conversation starter for your next pitch without mincing words.
7. Focus on branding, it is something you cannot buy or sell, branding is evolutional. Let others speak about your brand and its oeuvre right now. It is what you choose to be, so let’s be wise.
8. Last but not the least, make Chai for your team once in a while and maintain the level of humor and sarcasm.
Stay Home, Stay Safe.
Rutuja Kamble
Creative Director & Founder
Ploti
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