Ranna Gill reveals how a family visit to New York Public Library inspired her fall collection Bong Celestial; shares her fashion philosophy

A visit to New York Public Library sparked Ranna Gill’s fall collection, Bong Celestial. Designer opens up about fashion, mindful shopping and personal style.

Fashion designer Ranna Gill is making a case for thoughtful shopping, timeless wardrobe staples and personal style over fleeting trends. Showcasing her fall collection at The Treasury of Trousseau, DLF Emporio, the designer draws inspiration from art, architecture and personal experiences. In an exclusive conversation with HT Lifestyle, she talks about her creative inspirations, evolving fashion preferences and what defines personal style today.

Ranna Gill on the inspiration behind Bong Celestial

Speaking about the inspiration behind her upcoming collection, Bong Celestial, Ranna revealed that the idea took shape during a family visit to the New York Public Library a few months ago.

“The inspiration to our upcoming collection Bong Celestial was actually once right here at the New York Public Library. I was here visiting the library with my family a few months ago and the inception started here,” she said.

For Gill, visiting museums and exploring art and architecture are integral to her creative process. “As a fashion designer, I'm always going visiting museums and places of art and architecture. And for this season, I was like, nowhere better place than this,” she added.

Ranna on the fashion trend she is loving right now

“The fashion trend I'm loving right now is that people are buying intelligently. They are thinking about what they're buying. They're buying pieces that they treasure or pieces that can be used longer, that they can use for not just the here and now but they can use it tomorrow and after that,” she said.

For the designer, this shift towards mindful shopping is a welcome change from the culture of disposable fashion. “So that, to me, is special and what I think is over is cheap fashion. I think just that's a waste of money,” she added.

When it comes to styling, Gill believes women should prioritise fit and comfort instead of trying to squeeze themselves into clothes that are too tight. “One styling mistake I wish women would stop making is don't buy clothes which are very tight. Buy the sort of thing a little bit... Buy a size up if you need to. You don't really have to fit yourself into, you know, a very tight piece of clothing,” she said.

According to the designer, wearing clothes that fit well can make an outfit look more polished and elevated. She also cautioned against following too many fashion trends at once, encouraging women to develop their own sense of style instead. “And styling mistake is follow too many trends. If everybody else is going to the right, it's okay for you to stop and go to the left. So, don't chase into too many trends,” Gill said.

Ranna on celebrity fashion and Bollywood stars

Gill also shared her appreciation for Bollywood's fashion-forward celebrities, praising both younger actors making their mark and established stars who continue to influence style trends.

“I like all of them. I like them between genres. I like the younger stars. I think Nana is beautiful. I think Shar is gorgeous. I like the stars, the evergreen stars. I love Karisma, Kareena, both of the sisters. I've always been a fan. So she's incredible, beautiful, talented, fabulous,” she said.

The designer added that she appreciates the individuality and talent of actors across generations, including those balancing their careers with motherhood. “So I actually like them all. I think the new ones are trying to make their mark. They've just recently sent me something very beautiful to Kiara Advani, who I sent over. So I like them all. They're talented. They're beautiful. A lot of them are moms. It's all great,” she added.

Ranna's festive fashion advice

“As the festive season approaches, I feel like there is no trend. Being festive is the trend,” she said. She encouraged women to explore traditional clothing, classic outfits and even pieces borrowed from their mothers' wardrobes. Rather than purchasing something new for every celebration, Gill suggested revisiting treasured garments that hold sentimental value.

“So, you can wear cute traditional clothing. You could wear something very classic. You could go and steal something from your mom's closet, a beautiful saree, a beautiful Indian outfit, a lehenga from your wedding. Anything festive is what you wear,” she said.

From a traditional saree to a wedding lehenga or a cherished outfit passed down through the family, Gill's advice is to celebrate personal style and make the most of what is already in the wardrobe. For her, festive fashion is ultimately about wearing something that feels special, meaningful and true to the individual rather than simply following what is trending.