Chic 2012: The Bollywood Fashion Story

Chic 2012: The Bollywood Fashion Story

In the movies

Cocktail’s three lead actors’ looks, all styled by Anaita Shroff Adajania, were a major part of the pre-release publicity blitz. Everyone wanted to know about Diana Penty’s jumpsuit and Deepika Padukone’s skirt. And no one really asked much about Saif Ali Khan, because he looked too old to be in the movie.

Cocktail Fashion

No one cared much about the clothes in Ishaqzaade, though I found the costumes in the movie to be among the most intelligently designed in recent Bollywood history. I can’t imagine Parineeti Chopra’s character without the black waistcoat over a fitted kurta.

Parineeti Chopra-Ishaqzaade-8

The fashion in Jab Tak Hai Jaan and Student of the Year fell flat after high expectations. But where one lacked charm and romance, the latter’s mantra was “Brands, brands, brands” without a sensible story to tell.

Student of the Year

On the covers

The surprise fashion mag cover girl find of the year was Kalki Koechlin (Women’s Health in November and Vogue the following month), while editorial favourite Sonam Kapoor appeared in Roberto Cavalli yet again on the cover of Grazia. (Yawn).

Kalki-Koechlin-Vogue-India-1-786x1024

On the small screen

Amitabh Bachchan’s jackets and bandhgalas on Kaun Banega Crorepati were superbly elegant and finely tailored by Rohit Bal. Karan Johar donned casual- dressy blazers on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, while Salman Khan’s Bigg Boss wardrobe was confusing (too many colours and styles).

Madhuri Dixit and Karan Johar in Jhalak Dikhla Ja

Most people loved Madhuri Dixit’s Jhalak Dikhla Jaa clothes and jewellery, and her stylist made it a point to dress the actor in outfits from various Indian designers. No bodycon dresses for her!

Surprise style icon

Sridevi had been under the fashion watchers’ radar for a while now, but in 2012 she surprised everyone with a new-found, elegant look, wearing Manish Malhotra and Sabyasachi. She wowed everyone when she walked for the latter in Delhi, a far cry from her stumbling ramp appearance in an ugly silver-grey gown for Neeta Lulla couple years ago.

Sridevi for Sabyasachi Couture Week 2012

Not (yet) an icon

Alia Bhatt may have had a big debut with Student of the Year, and appeared on two covers (Vogue and Grazia), but her personal style quotient was quite blah. The problem? She tried too hard to look cute.

Alia-Bhatt-in-Amit-GT-on-Grazia-India-December

Chic Interview: Arjun Bhasin takes Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara on a fashion trip

For costume designer Arjun Bhasin,  Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (ZNMD) was perhaps a mammoth project. It’s a movie with five carefully-etched leads that demand diverse looks—clothes, accessories, the works. What’s more, the cast is fashionable and near the top of the Bollywood ladder—Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol, Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin.

Currently working on Life of Pi, Arjun Bhasin talks to Speaking Chic Costume designer Arjun Bhasin for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaraabout working with Farhan and Zoya Akhtar, and shares the various fashion stories playing in the movie.

You have worked on earlier movie projects with Farhan and Zoya Akhtar as well as the actors. How different was the experience with them this time?
For ZNMD, the entire setup was different—we were shooting in Spain, and working with a smaller crew. Hence a  lot of the work and styling was much more organic– we were all grabbing things and working at a completely difference pace. But Zoya and I know each other well and I know exactly what she wants. As for the lead actors, I’ve worked with three of them earlier [Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol], and I wanted to put new spins on them, especially Farhan and Hrithik.

The three male lead actors Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol are all stylish in their own way. Hrithik, for instance, is a style icon, How difficult was it for you to try something new with them?
Not at all. Actors like to change and try different things–hair style, clothes, looks etc. Also, I always let the script and characterisation dictate what an actor should wear. So if the same character would be played by another actor, I would keep the same clothes/ look.


ZNMD is your first movie project with Kalki Kechlin and Katrina Kaif. What are the distinct looks have you created for them?
Kalki Koechlin plays a spoilt rich girl who’s into high fashion. Kalki has such an amazing fashion body—she can carry off jumpsuits with heels, and short dresses. I wanted her to be a bit free, while being a bit overdressed. Her dressing is also a kind of tongue-in-cheek joke on fashion.

Katrina Kaif is an island girl and loves to mix and match. So she could combine a long dress from a street market with a blazer and boots, or carry off a sadhu necklace at a beach.

ZNMD actors- Hrithik Roshan, Farhan AKhtar, Abhay Deol

Which brands are the actors wearing in the movie? Being a stylish movie, which clothes and accessories should fashion lovers look out for (such as the Lady Dior in Aisha)?
The brands in the movie are chosen because they met our specific clothing and accessory needs.
For instance, Hrithik is wearing Tod’s and Bottega Veneta. He has an amazing look with lots of supershort cropped shirts, and especially when he lands at Barcelona airport—chambray shirt, trench coat and lace-up shoes.

Farhan’s character is a bit different, so he could be wearing Dior sunglasses and a kurta from Mumbai’s Managaldas market. Abhay (as Kabir) plays with colours so he’s got a lot of Paul Smith, which he pairs with slim pants from Etro.

Even though Kalki’s character Natasha is into high fashion, I’ve used a lot of high street wear and made it look like high fashion. Her clothes are from brands like Miss Sixty, and she’s wearing a Diesel jumpsuit. But her bag is from Tod’s, and you’ll also see her Hermes Kelly bag (which has a character of its own in the movie!).

Zindagi na milegi dobara poster

Which are your favourite looks from the movie?
I absolutely love Farhan and Katrina’s looks in the movie, since the are closest to my personal style, it’s kinda hippy. For example, Farhan wears kolhapuris with a suit!

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara releases July 15, 2011.

Chic Interview: Arjun Bhasin takes Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara on a fashion trip

For costume designer Arjun Bhasin,  Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (ZNMD) was perhaps a mammoth project. It’s a movie with five carefully-etched leads that demand diverse looks—clothes, accessories, the works. What’s more, the cast is fashionable and near the top of the Bollywood ladder—Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol, Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin.

Currently working on Life of Pi, Arjun Bhasin talks to Speaking Chic Costume designer Arjun Bhasin for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaraabout working with Farhan and Zoya Akhtar, and shares the various fashion stories playing in the movie.

You have worked on earlier movie projects with Farhan and Zoya Akhtar as well as the actors. How different was the experience with them this time?
For ZNMD, the entire setup was different—we were shooting in Spain, and working with a smaller crew. Hence a  lot of the work and styling was much more organic– we were all grabbing things and working at a completely difference pace. But Zoya and I know each other well and I know exactly what she wants. As for the lead actors, I’ve worked with three of them earlier [Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol], and I wanted to put new spins on them, especially Farhan and Hrithik.

The three male lead actors Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol are all stylish in their own way. Hrithik, for instance, is a style icon, How difficult was it for you to try something new with them?
Not at all. Actors like to change and try different things–hair style, clothes, looks etc. Also, I always let the script and characterisation dictate what an actor should wear. So if the same character would be played by another actor, I would keep the same clothes/ look.


ZNMD is your first movie project with Kalki Kechlin and Katrina Kaif. What are the distinct looks have you created for them?
Kalki Koechlin plays a spoilt rich girl who’s into high fashion. Kalki has such an amazing fashion body—she can carry off jumpsuits with heels, and short dresses. I wanted her to be a bit free, while being a bit overdressed. Her dressing is also a kind of tongue-in-cheek joke on fashion.

Katrina Kaif is an island girl and loves to mix and match. So she could combine a long dress from a street market with a blazer and boots, or carry off a sadhu necklace at a beach.

ZNMD actors- Hrithik Roshan, Farhan AKhtar, Abhay Deol

Which brands are the actors wearing in the movie? Being a stylish movie, which clothes and accessories should fashion lovers look out for (such as the Lady Dior in Aisha)?
The brands in the movie are chosen because they met our specific clothing and accessory needs.
For instance, Hrithik is wearing Tod’s and Bottega Veneta. He has an amazing look with lots of supershort cropped shirts, and especially when he lands at Barcelona airport—chambray shirt, trench coat and lace-up shoes.

Farhan’s character is a bit different, so he could be wearing Dior sunglasses and a kurta from Mumbai’s Managaldas market. Abhay (as Kabir) plays with colours so he’s got a lot of Paul Smith, which he pairs with slim pants from Etro.

Even though Kalki’s character Natasha is into high fashion, I’ve used a lot of high street wear and made it look like high fashion. Her clothes are from brands like Miss Sixty, and she’s wearing a Diesel jumpsuit. But her bag is from Tod’s, and you’ll also see her Hermes Kelly bag (which has a character of its own in the movie!).

Zindagi na milegi dobara poster

Which are your favourite looks from the movie?
I absolutely love Farhan and Katrina’s looks in the movie, since the are closest to my personal style, it’s kinda hippy. For example, Farhan wears kolhapuris with a suit!

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara releases July 15, 2011.

Chic Insider: Big B’s Bbuddah… fashion story (by stylist Leepakshi Ellawadi)

If you’ve seen Amitabh Bachchan in the promos of the upcoming movie Bbuddah… hoga terra baap, you’ve seen his brand-new look: bold, striking, even quirky. There are bright colours, eye-catching prints and funky accessories (think green glares and yellow scarf).

Bbuddah hoga terra baap stylist Leepakshi Ellawadi Leepakshi Ellawadi, a sub-30 Mumbai-based fashion designer is behind the much-talked-about look. Her creativity has come full circle since her days in NIFT Bangalore, where she won the Best Design Collection award for her Hindi film-inspired collection (starring mostly Amitabh Bachchan).

As costume stylist for Big B in Bbuddah…, Leepakshi has come a very long way in a very short time. In an interview with Speaking Chic, Leepakshi narrates the story behind the fashion and costumes of Mr Bachchan in the movie.

Understanding Amitabh Bachchan’s character
The director Puri Jagannadh didn’t tell me the kind of look he wanted for the movie’s lead character. All I got were some CDs with his dialogues and character sketch. Mr Bachchan’s character is an ex-gangster in India for a mission. He’s sarcastic, outlandish and likes to be the centre of attention. Most importantly, he doesn’t believe he’s old, and doesn’t like being called “Bbuddah”.

Peeking into Amitabh Bachchan’s wardrobe
The first-look trial with Mr Bachchan went well. I discovered that he’s experimental and open to new ideas, and was surprised with the range of garments and accessories in his wardrobe. I absolutely loved his pair of tiger-print jeans which is nothing less than a work of art.

Costume concepts
Mr Bachchan and I sat together to discuss every scene of Bbuddah… hoga terra baap. As we evolved the looks, I realised that I needed to strike a balance between the character’s flamboyance and the essence of the scene.

Amitabh Bachchan in Bbuddah hoga terra baapSo even though I’ve experimented with colours and prints, I used mix and match, pairing the brights with more subdued tones. We needed to make sure everything’s in sync and nothing clashes. Even the inner linings of jackets are reds and greens. We teamed prints with contrasting shirts. For example, I’ve used a bright turquoise and shirt with a black body.

 

Shopping with Mr Bachchan
Mr Bachchan and I went shopping for the movie in London for 10 days, my look sheets in hand. He helped me a lot, telling me what he liked, even as people asked him for autographs and pictures.

We shopped at Harrod’s, Armani, Burberry, Tom Ford, Hugo Boss, Paul Smith, Gucci and Etro.

Amitabh Bachchan in Bbuddah hoga terra baap Amitabh Bachchan in Bbuddah hoga terra baap

About the famous glares—several of them are Mr Bachchan’s personal collection, handmade and handcrafted, and cost around Rs 15-20 lakh each. [Speaking Chic note: OMG, really?] I also used my personal collection of Pucci and Etro scarves that I’ve garnered over the years. and Mr Bachchan’s personal collection of watches in the movie.

Prints galore!
Amitabh Bachchan in Bbuddah hoga terra baap1

Print-on-print is bang on trend right now, and Mr Bachchan wanted me to make some such pieces. I had some fabric from Chennai lying with me, so I made a piece for him. (He’s wearing that piece in Rang barse in the movie.)  The prints are mostly florals and paisleys and “engineered” prints.

The Big B experience
Leepakshi Ellawadi with Amitabh Bachchan for Bbuddah hoga terra baapIt has been an amazing experience working with Amitabh Bachchan—like living a dream. Early on in the shoot, when I’d knot Mr Bachchan’s scarf, my hands would shake. One day he grabbed my hand and asked why they shook. “It’s you!” I replied.

Thanks to Amitabh Bachchan for being so patient and stylish—he’s anyway so stylish,  he made my job a cakewalk!

Bbuddah… hoga terra baap releases July 1, 2011.

Chic Insider: Big B’s Bbuddah… fashion story (by stylist Leepakshi Ellawadi)

If you’ve seen Amitabh Bachchan in the promos of the upcoming movie Bbuddah… hoga terra baap, you’ve seen his brand-new look: bold, striking, even quirky. There are bright colours, eye-catching prints and funky accessories (think green glares and yellow scarf).

Bbuddah hoga terra baap stylist Leepakshi Ellawadi Leepakshi Ellawadi, a sub-30 Mumbai-based fashion designer is behind the much-talked-about look. Her creativity has come full circle since her days in NIFT Bangalore, where she won the Best Design Collection award for her Hindi film-inspired collection (starring mostly Amitabh Bachchan).

As costume stylist for Big B in Bbuddah…, Leepakshi has come a very long way in a very short time. In an interview with Speaking Chic, Leepakshi narrates the story behind the fashion and costumes of Mr Bachchan in the movie.

Understanding Amitabh Bachchan’s character
The director Puri Jagannadh didn’t tell me the kind of look he wanted for the movie’s lead character. All I got were some CDs with his dialogues and character sketch. Mr Bachchan’s character is an ex-gangster in India for a mission. He’s sarcastic, outlandish and likes to be the centre of attention. Most importantly, he doesn’t believe he’s old, and doesn’t like being called “Bbuddah”.

Peeking into Amitabh Bachchan’s wardrobe
The first-look trial with Mr Bachchan went well. I discovered that he’s experimental and open to new ideas, and was surprised with the range of garments and accessories in his wardrobe. I absolutely loved his pair of tiger-print jeans which is nothing less than a work of art.

Costume concepts
Mr Bachchan and I sat together to discuss every scene of Bbuddah… hoga terra baap. As we evolved the looks, I realised that I needed to strike a balance between the character’s flamboyance and the essence of the scene.

Amitabh Bachchan in Bbuddah hoga terra baapSo even though I’ve experimented with colours and prints, I used mix and match, pairing the brights with more subdued tones. We needed to make sure everything’s in sync and nothing clashes. Even the inner linings of jackets are reds and greens. We teamed prints with contrasting shirts. For example, I’ve used a bright turquoise and shirt with a black body.

 

Shopping with Mr Bachchan
Mr Bachchan and I went shopping for the movie in London for 10 days, my look sheets in hand. He helped me a lot, telling me what he liked, even as people asked him for autographs and pictures.

We shopped at Harrod’s, Armani, Burberry, Tom Ford, Hugo Boss, Paul Smith, Gucci and Etro.

Amitabh Bachchan in Bbuddah hoga terra baap Amitabh Bachchan in Bbuddah hoga terra baap

About the famous glares—several of them are Mr Bachchan’s personal collection, handmade and handcrafted, and cost around Rs 15-20 lakh each. [Speaking Chic note: OMG, really?] I also used my personal collection of Pucci and Etro scarves that I’ve garnered over the years. and Mr Bachchan’s personal collection of watches in the movie.

Prints galore!
Amitabh Bachchan in Bbuddah hoga terra baap1

Print-on-print is bang on trend right now, and Mr Bachchan wanted me to make some such pieces. I had some fabric from Chennai lying with me, so I made a piece for him. (He’s wearing that piece in Rang barse in the movie.)  The prints are mostly florals and paisleys and “engineered” prints.

The Big B experience
Leepakshi Ellawadi with Amitabh Bachchan for Bbuddah hoga terra baapIt has been an amazing experience working with Amitabh Bachchan—like living a dream. Early on in the shoot, when I’d knot Mr Bachchan’s scarf, my hands would shake. One day he grabbed my hand and asked why they shook. “It’s you!” I replied.

Thanks to Amitabh Bachchan for being so patient and stylish—he’s anyway so stylish,  he made my job a cakewalk!

Bbuddah… hoga terra baap releases July 1, 2011.

Chic Interview: Priyadarshini Rao on Mineral, seasonless fashion and more

Fashion designer Priyadarshini Rao and her husband Jaydeep Shetty have a new baby—Mineral. This ready-to-wear label made its runway debut at Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2011, and bids goodbye to fashion seasons (its tag line is “no more seasons”). The focus is on bringing postmodern, versatile and stylish fashion to Indian women. Priyadarshini Rao at LFW SR 2011

Priyadarshini Rao talks to Speaking Chic about Mineral, seasonless fashion and the Indian fashion scene.

What’s the story behind the Mineral concept?
I’ve seen the evolution in the Indian fashion industry over the past 15 years, and even though retail has become significant, Indian designers are largely focussing on wedding, trousseau and bridal wear. There is a pressing need for affordable, good-looking fashion, for both impulse and pre-meditated purchases. The brands that have come in from foreign countries focus on western wear for Indian women. Indian women do like to wear good, sophisticated clothing, but not necessarily spend Rs 5000-10,000 per outfit. At Mineral, we realise this, and address this need.

What’s the idea behind “no more seasons” at Mineral?
We’ve become used to the idea of fashion seasons, though in Indian cities like Mumbai seasons don’t matter, and don’t make sense to people. Hence the idea behind seasonless fashion, though this doesn’t mean that the clothes in the stores won’t change. Our mission is to provide something classic and stylish that will last beyond six months. We focus on a great product, that is wash- and heat-friendly, and will be cherished for a few years.

What has been your key learning from your earlier retail experience with Shoppers’ Stop and Sepia?
There is a lot of learning everytime you do something new. In Shoppers’ Stop, I realised that unless you give your 100 percent, you can’t do well. At that time [2008-09], it was tough to sell clothes in the price range Rs 3000-6000. I worked on Sepia in its formative year; it started well and people related to it. I’m in charge of product and will not dilute quality—will raise it like my own child. With Jaydeep’s 18 years of retail experience, we know which way we want to go, though we know that mistakes do happen.

How is Mineral different from your eponymous label?
Priyadarshini Rao is clearly a different product from Mineral, and I’ve pushed it to the level of luxury pret. It’s got my aesthetics and signature, with a lot of fusion wear and the garments are priced between Rs 10,000 and 15,000. A woman may buy a “Priyadarshini Rao” product three to four times a year, for special occasions, even as she buys Mineral 10, maybe 20 times, a year.

Who is the Mineral woman?Mineral by Priadarshini Rao at LFW SR 2011
She is a working woman trying to balance her home and office. She’s well-read, connected and travelled. While she’s not too much into fashion, she wants stylish clothing and looks for garments to wear to meetings and other places without needing to change thrice a day. The woman who comes to Mineral to buy understands what looks good on her, and often buys 3-4 garments at a time.

Which brands do you consider competition?
The competition is tough now with some Indian brands. In terms of quality I’d consider brands like Vero Moda, Esprit and Tommy Hilfiger as competition. While Zara concentrates on fast fashion, and Mango is kind of high fashion, Mineral is more about core fashion such as a linen shirt.

What are the challenges you face at Mineral, considering it’s a new venture?
We have our own design team and we produce smaller lots, which makes production more expensive. Our design team is always on its toes, and keep their fingers on the pulse of the Mineral customer. Luckily, the team is deeply committed and involved in the product, and we realise how important it is to keep things moving, and to keep customers coming. We introduce 15-20% change to our collection every 6-8 weeks.

Mineral’s flagship store is at Infiniti Mall, Malad (Mumbai). Also available at select Central and Shoppers’ Stop stores. Prices range from Rs 800-2500.

Chic Interview: Priyadarshini Rao on Mineral, seasonless fashion and more

Fashion designer Priyadarshini Rao and her husband Jaydeep Shetty have a new baby—Mineral. This ready-to-wear label made its runway debut at Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2011, and bids goodbye to fashion seasons (its tag line is “no more seasons”). The focus is on bringing postmodern, versatile and stylish fashion to Indian women. Priyadarshini Rao at LFW SR 2011

Priyadarshini Rao talks to Speaking Chic about Mineral, seasonless fashion and the Indian fashion scene.

What’s the story behind the Mineral concept?
I’ve seen the evolution in the Indian fashion industry over the past 15 years, and even though retail has become significant, Indian designers are largely focussing on wedding, trousseau and bridal wear. There is a pressing need for affordable, good-looking fashion, for both impulse and pre-meditated purchases. The brands that have come in from foreign countries focus on western wear for Indian women. Indian women do like to wear good, sophisticated clothing, but not necessarily spend Rs 5000-10,000 per outfit. At Mineral, we realise this, and address this need.

What’s the idea behind “no more seasons” at Mineral?
We’ve become used to the idea of fashion seasons, though in Indian cities like Mumbai seasons don’t matter, and don’t make sense to people. Hence the idea behind seasonless fashion, though this doesn’t mean that the clothes in the stores won’t change. Our mission is to provide something classic and stylish that will last beyond six months. We focus on a great product, that is wash- and heat-friendly, and will be cherished for a few years.

What has been your key learning from your earlier retail experience with Shoppers’ Stop and Sepia?
There is a lot of learning everytime you do something new. In Shoppers’ Stop, I realised that unless you give your 100 percent, you can’t do well. At that time [2008-09], it was tough to sell clothes in the price range Rs 3000-6000. I worked on Sepia in its formative year; it started well and people related to it. I’m in charge of product and will not dilute quality—will raise it like my own child. With Jaydeep’s 18 years of retail experience, we know which way we want to go, though we know that mistakes do happen.

How is Mineral different from your eponymous label?
Priyadarshini Rao is clearly a different product from Mineral, and I’ve pushed it to the level of luxury pret. It’s got my aesthetics and signature, with a lot of fusion wear and the garments are priced between Rs 10,000 and 15,000. A woman may buy a “Priyadarshini Rao” product three to four times a year, for special occasions, even as she buys Mineral 10, maybe 20 times, a year.

Who is the Mineral woman?Mineral by Priadarshini Rao at LFW SR 2011
She is a working woman trying to balance her home and office. She’s well-read, connected and travelled. While she’s not too much into fashion, she wants stylish clothing and looks for garments to wear to meetings and other places without needing to change thrice a day. The woman who comes to Mineral to buy understands what looks good on her, and often buys 3-4 garments at a time.

Which brands do you consider competition?
The competition is tough now with some Indian brands. In terms of quality I’d consider brands like Vero Moda, Esprit and Tommy Hilfiger as competition. While Zara concentrates on fast fashion, and Mango is kind of high fashion, Mineral is more about core fashion such as a linen shirt.

What are the challenges you face at Mineral, considering it’s a new venture?
We have our own design team and we produce smaller lots, which makes production more expensive. Our design team is always on its toes, and keep their fingers on the pulse of the Mineral customer. Luckily, the team is deeply committed and involved in the product, and we realise how important it is to keep things moving, and to keep customers coming. We introduce 15-20% change to our collection every 6-8 weeks.

Mineral’s flagship store is at Infiniti Mall, Malad (Mumbai). Also available at select Central and Shoppers’ Stop stores. Prices range from Rs 800-2500.