Q & A: Imagination is very important

For stylist Vandana Sharma, bringing an extra funky element to a regular wear and chappals is important. Paramita Ghosh interviews her.

What are the tools a stylist goes to work with?
Imagination is very important. My personal style is a mix of street and a touch of quirkiness. Even with regular wear and chappals, for example, I try to bring an extra funky element so that the ensemble will have an element of surprise.

How do you update yourself and keep abreast of trends?
It might be surprising to believe but I don’t look up fashion magazines. I don’t want to be influenced or coloured in my vision. Instead I go through catalogues of international brands. Fashion houses abroad don’t do just clothes, they do makeup, hair, accessories. Their catalogues are a great way to know what’s in season. For example, for Fall Winter 2008, it’s all about tunics, leggings and warm colours like burgundy and not colours that shout out aloud as Spring colours do.

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What’s the main support system of a stylist at work?
The stylist, the make-up person and the photographer -- it’s actually a triangular structure. The three put together a shoot. But the photographer is the captain of the ship – I’ve always maintained that. I always tell these guys “I understand why you get paid so much more tan me. Despite my best styling work, if the pictures don’t come out good, we fail as a team.”

Which photographers have you worked with?
Tarun Khiwal and Bharat Sikka among others. Tarun Vishwa is the photographer to look out for.

Is a stylist’s work stressful?
It’s a constant race against time. The challenge is in being three steps ahead – you won’t get the entire day to wrap up a shoot. Sourcing clothes take up a lot of time. Models fly in from all over. Suppose the photographer has shot a model, then the second one in line has to be ready even before the first model is done.