PUJA GUPTA
NEW DELHI: Celebrity stylist Shaleena Nathani, who is known for creating some of the iconic looks of Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone, says she could not have asked for a better job than what she does because it gives her creative liberty. In a candid conversation with IANSlife, Nathani shares the best and challenging part of being a stylist, few fashion tips and reveals the list of celebrities whom she wishes to style one day.
Excerpts:
What do you like most about your job?
Nathani: I think what I love about my job is that it gives me so much creative liberty to do so many different things. It also gives me the ability to make women feel sexy, I think that is my strong suit anyways. My sense of style is to make a woman feel absolutely fantastic and sensual in what she’s wearing. And I think that’s the best part of my job because that’s something I’m able to do every day. I am able to make somebody feel great about how they’re looking, so I don’t think I could ask for anything better in a job that I do.
And the most challenging part of your job?
Nathani: Honestly, I don’t really find anything challenging about my job. I feel the challenging parts are what really pushed me to be the best at what I do. Of course, there are times when we have lot of convincing to do with clients and agencies when we’re doing endorsements, when it comes to really trying to push the envelope in terms of fashion and doing something new. But that’s a very basic thing that I feel I struggle with. I think I’m very blessed and very fortunate to be doing the stuff that I do today.
One timeless fashion staple for men and women?
Nathani: Well, a timeless piece of fashion to me is a white shirt. There are just endless things you can do with white shirt. It can go from day to night, it can be sexy, it can be chic, or it can be classy. And I don’t think you can ever go wrong with it and you can never have enough of white shirts.
You have styled many celebrities. Who has been your favourite and why?
Nathani: I’d have to say that Deepika Padukone is one of my favorite people to style. Of course, she’s absolutely gorgeous, but I love the collaborative effort that it is when we work with her and style her, the final outcome is usually 99 per cent of what we had envisioned it to be. Also, I think she gives me the liberty and the time and patience to be able to execute that. So for me, she is one of my most favourite people to style.
Anything you have stolen from your mother’s wardrobe?
Nathani: It’s actually really interesting, I started loving style and fashion, looking at my grandmother and my mother. They were both very fond of dressing up. I have taken some of my mom’s very old Indian outfits and I still wear them. So, it’s just those few traditional pieces that I love and some very quirky heels that my mother used to wear. I like teaming up those with some of my outfits sometimes.
How do you like to dress up on a very ordinary day?
Nathani: I am pretty much a ganji and jeans kind of a person. I have multiple white ganis and blue pairs of jeans. A great ganji and a fantastically ripped pair of jeans is my style staple with a great pair of sneakers, my gold accessories. And that’s something that I wear on a regular basis.
Your favorite designer and why?
Nathani: Valentino is one of my absolute favorite designers, the kind of color combinations he uses, the kind of silhouettes, and the cuts, just everything is fantastic. I would love to get into his mind and just know what makes him think in that manner. I also admire Alexander McQueen, I’m completely in awe of the way they construct outfits, the kind of colours and the drama they create, and it’s just so fascinating how they come up with those shapes and designs.
Anyone who you wish to style one day?
Nathani: Oh, that’s a really long list of people. But I would love to style Rihanna, I think she’s one of the sexiest women I have seen. DuaLipa is somebody whose style I absolutely love. At the top of my head, these are the two people I would love to style. Then, there is Kendall Jenner, I would love to see what those fantastic legs can carry off. I don’t think there’s anything they can’t carry! IANSlife
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