Yesterday, you saw pictures of actress Sonam Kapoor at the X Awards, wearing a skin-tight Dior gown. Today’s papers showed Sonam wearing a Lanvin dress at a premiere. And hmm… the day before yesterday, you recall, didn’t you see pictures of Sonam wearing a red salwar-kurta that looked like a Sabyasachi? Wow, you think. Film stars must be really, really rich. And clearly, with all the shopping they do, must also lead the most leisurely lives. And then you sit back and growl to yourself a bit about the inequities of life, and wait to see what Sonam’s wearing tomorrow.
Professional look
Whether film stars are really, really rich, only the Income Tax people can say. But if you think about it, the chances of Sonam Kapoor actually doing her own shopping are painfully low. Look at it this way: She jets around the world for lengthy shoots. Attends a hundred-odd events for publicity and the sake of her fans. Shoots ad films too, because of her endorsements. And still must find time for her family.
How in the world would she find the time to keep up with the latest trends, the newest ‘It’ things, the hottest designer? How in the world can she fill her wardrobe so full? Well. Unlike us, Sonam has a stylist – a person whose job is to give her an image and keep her within the limits of her look. It’s stylists who give celebrities their sense of style. Remember Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in that blood red gown at Cannes? That gown was her stylist’s idea. And the stylist would have carried that gown, the shoes to go with it, the other accessories – the whole ensemble, in fact – with her or him, to dress Aishwarya for the occasion, because that is the stylist’s job.
It could be an awards function. Or a party like Shah Rukh Khan or Katrina Kaif’s birthday bash, where the press could be present. Or a formal event, like a brand promotion or fashion show. A press conference, a TV appearance, a music launch – anything where the star has to appear in public. The look has to be unique, apt for the occasion, flattering to the star’s body type, height, complexion and image – and also true to the trend of the moment. “Our work is about understanding the client and giving him or her a unique sense of style,” says fashion designer and celebrity stylist Swapnil Shinde, who has styled Priyanka Chopra and often styles actress Amrita Rao for her off-screen appearances. “We help people who don’t have a sense of personal style develop it, and we help the people who do have a sense of style hone and maintain it, so that it matches their personality.”
Star light, star bright
Film stars lead such hectic lives that if they had to take care of their own shopping, keep up with the latest fashion trends, and find their own style, they’d never be able to get a film done. “It’s difficult for us to go shopping and also to source clothes,” says Amrita Rao. “So the stylist takes care of that department. Also, since a stylist knows about trends and clothes, we are reassured.”
Much like a fashion designer, a stylist customises clothes and looks for the stars. But unlike a fashion designer, he or she doesn’t design the clothes but collects or assembles a look for the celebrity concerned. Says Shy Kalra, fashion stylist and owner of The Production House, “If a star is short, plump, dark or whatever, I will get him or her clothes accordingly. For instance, Minnisha Lamba is petite. So for a fashion show, I gave her an ankle-skimming dress rather than a short one. A short dress would have made her look shorter still. You have to give a client the attire that gets the best out of him or her, and hides the flaws.”
There’s more, adds Shy. In a world full of celebs, celebs in the making and wannabe celebs, a star who wants to make an impact must truly stand out. Which means her or his look cannot be static. That’s where the stylist comes in. “A stylist is a concept director,” she explains. “He/she assembles the look of the star, complete with hair and make-up.”