Shabana Azmi's style sensibilities

Style to her is an extension of her personality-- nothing less, nothing more. Still this doesn't prevent actor-activist Shabana Azmi from showcasing someone else's creations on the ramp.

Style to her is an extension of her personality-- nothing less, nothing more. Still this doesn't prevent actor-activist Shabana Azmi from showcasing someone else's creations on the ramp. Azmi carried off a blue Anuradha Vakil sari at the LIFW 2005 beautifully. Just the way she had done it for Ritu Kumar and Muzzaffar Ali.

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This, however, doesn't mean that you'll see Azmi sporting an expensive label in the future. "I don't usually go for labels no matter how they are priced or what they are about. What I feel for is indigenous crafts and textiles," says the social activist.

Little wonder then that Azmi relates to fashion designers who think ethnic. "We have a strong cultural heritage and we need to maintain our identity. At platforms like the LIFW we are not here to watch a Galliano rip-off. Western silhouettes could be an inspiration but we must carry on with our tradition."

Ask her about how she maintains her figure and she divulges she's just finished her Atkins diet. "You don't know how hard it is for a foodie. I simply love samosas and pav bhaji. But in order to keep fit, I have to be on some diet or the other. It's a torture." Well, you do need some starvation on the road to designer salvation.