SAY IT WITH SILK: A Kanjeevaram saree with differently-hued blouse, both from her wardrobe, combined with temple jhumkas and a bindi make for a perfect I-Day post

As told to Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 16, 2020)

We first worked with Vidya Balan in 2016, when we styled her for an exhibition. We didn’t hear from her till later that year, when one evening, her manager made a panic call at 10 pm, wondering if we could style her up for a Kahaani 2 promotional event scheduled for 9 am the next morning. We woke up our designer friends, got them to open up their stores and when we finished dressing her up, Vidya smiled and said, “Welcome to the team”. Since we had just shifted base from Milan, she was our first B-Town client with whom we learnt a lot about celebrity styling.

Vidya’s always ready to experiment and gives us a lot of time for styling sessions, so she can try everything we’ve shortlisted. For our first session, we gave her 50 looks and she didn’t reject any outright. Instead, with her inputs, we were able to alter every outfit to her taste.

Her comfort zone is anything Indian. She carries off sarees and angrakhas beautifully because of her classic features. We’ve also been exploring the Indo-Western space and are trying different drapes, silhouettes, cuts, and patterns. When we do Western wear, its cinched at the waist and flared in the bottom; that silhouette suits her body type well.

Vidya prefers natural fabrics and since she is not brand conscious, we can mix and match local and international brands to create a unique look. We often borrow from her closet, too, as she has an enviable collection of sarees and blouses. Jewel tones work like magic against her skin. And yes, she absolutely hates powder blue.


GO INDIGO: Vidya loves indigo and this block print angrakha is the right silhouette for her. We paired it with chunky earrings with indigo stones to create a monochromatic look

COMFORT FIRST: This straight high-neck kurta has a bohemian vibe and playful pom-poms. Anklelength pants make it uber comfortable for a day out

PRICE-LESS!: A Chettinad cotton saree we bought at a weavers’ exhibition for just Rs 1100, styled with small hoops and a red bindi, did the trick here. Vidya’s hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail for the effortlessly au naturel look

I LOVE MY INDIA: This simple kurta got a modern touch with an asymmetrical cut, kalamkari work sleeves and a block-print body. We paired it with printed pants and golden strappy heels

VOCAL FOR LOCAL: This half-and-half saree was locally sourced from a weaver. The pleats part is cotton which gives it structure while the pallu is a light chiffon, providing us with a beautiful drape, and the dull golden border keeps it in place

As told to Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 10, 2019)

Radhika Apte has a clear idea of what she wants. Ever since we started working together around a year ago, she has been pretty vocal about her favourites. When I go to her with suitcases full of different attires, she asks me why she has to try all of them because she knows exactly which one she wants rightaway. Still, she tries all of them, sometimes choosing something other than what she would have otherwise opted for.

Radhika’s style is minimal; her favourite colours are white, black and gray. She likes stark silhouettes and clean cuts. She is petite, so she likes fabrics that lend structure to her frame. I like how she keeps it clean with her hair and make-up too. It allows us to play with the outfit more as then we don’t risk going overboard with too many elements screaming for attention. You won’t find her overdressed at any given time.

She has never given me a clear brief of what she wants. There was only this one time when she wanted to wear a saree as it had been quite some time since she had draped one. For the recent Emmy Awards, too, all Radhika told me was that we would be styling her for the international red carpet and that she didn’t want something voluminous. My travel to New York wasn’t confirmed at the time and she wasn’t sure she would be able to handle so much fabric on her own. I wanted to give her something that was never done before and I showed her a picture of the outfit which she finally wore. She got excited at how beautiful it looked. There has to be mutual agreement on an outfit. We try to convince each other why we like something. If any of us isn’t happy with the look, we scrap it.

I have been trying to push Radhika to try newer outfits. She believes in my vision, and with her last few outings, she’s being noticed and written about for her unique fashion voice. Several of our looks have been copied by other celebs as well. That must mean we are doing it right. Now, I want her to wear an outfit with an oversize top and well-fitting bottom. I also want to give her a monochromatic look… a head-to-toe mauve look, perhaps. I think the colour will complement her skin tone really well.


1. HEART TO HEART: A white taffeta dress with ruffled shoulders and a plunging neckline, paired with sparkly shoes. It had an actual human heart diagram on the waist and a write-up at the hem

2. EMMY-ABLE: Since this outfit had so much movement, we kept everything else minimal, only an ombre ring and rusty orange lips with velvet finish

3. TRUE BLUE: A blue form-fitting pantsuit with a blazer like top and cutout waist. The semi colon on the abs made a statement. We pulled her hair back and kept the look clean




4. CANDY CRUSH: This was for a conclave and needed to be formal yet fun. Candy cane striped shorts and a blazer with a white bralette, gold chains, and nude heels fit the bill

5. GRAY MATTER: It had been a while since we did a saree, so this gray number, styled simply, was perfect

6. GOLDEN GIRL: This was for an inaugural event. We kept it simple, a classic black-and-gold combo and strappy sandals. Since the look was quite minimal, we chose to go with poker straight hair and red lips