‘I had zero make-up sense’: inside Amrita Puri’s closet

The actor-turned-designer loves keeping her look neat and hassle-free; admits to once having had a fondness for shiny pink eyeshadow

The actor-turned-designer loves keeping her look neat and hassle-free; admits to once having had a fondness for shiny pink eyeshadow

Actor Amrita Puri is wearing a simple dress inspired by Vietnamese landscapes and art, and has minimal make-up on. She leads us into her cosy living room at her Prabhadevi residence. Puri’s closet is a neat freak’s paradise: the clothes are extremely organised.

Fashion fetish: “I cannot do without my sunglasses. You always need one in Mumbai’s heat. I’m not brand-conscious about them, so I buy them from anywhere and everywhere. I also have a weakness for bags. I usually buy them from Miu Miu.”

A gold neck piece from Outhouse Jewellery, embedded with pearls and other precious stones

Spend with care: “I don’t spend much at one go. I make sure I invest in clothes wisely, and wear them on a regular basis. Even if a part of it is torn, I recycle it in a creative way and turn it into something else.”

Favourite shopping destination: “It has to be New York. You can get your hands on designer labels at affordable prices. But I usually end up shopping more in Singapore because I often visit my brother who lives there.”

Puri has preserved her mother and grandmother’s silver jewellery

Fashion faux pas : “I’ve had plenty of make-up faux pas moments. I once had a shiny pink eyeshadow phase. I also remember a time when I was new to the industry and had zero make-up sense. I worked on it gradually.”

Sentimental value: “I have preserved all the silver jewellery that was once worn by my mother and grandmother. I will probably never wear them, but it is hard to part with them. Also, my dad recently bought me a solitaire ring which is extremely special.”

Puri has a weakness for bags

Style influence: “Audrey Hepburn is the epitome of elegance and simplicity. I have grown up observing her in films as well as off-screen. Of late, Beyoncé has been an inspiration with her bold looks.”

On turning designer: “It was pretty unplanned. My mother and I had collected a lot of fabric while travelling through different states in India. So we decided to translate our own sense of fashion into Indo-Western and contemporary silhouettes and prints. That led to the birth of our label, Akuri.”

Ready, set, go: “Getting ready has never been a task. I hardly take 15 minutes to wear something and head for a get-together. If it is a big party or a red carpet event, I take an hour at most.”

A bag from Puri’s wardrobe

Style no-no: “I would never wear Spandex. It does not let you breathe.”

Amrita Puri at her home in Prabhadevi, Mumbai