Be it Aishwarya Rai looking like a vision in red at the ongoing Paris Fashion Week or Alia Bhatt’s ethereal pastel sari appearance at this year’s Met Gala, Bollywood stars know how to turn up the style quotient on every red carpet and fashion outing. Also, nobody’s likely to forget the half-year-long Ambani wedding celebrations and the Bollywood brigade’s veritable fashion parade that came with it.
But behind these stunning looks that appear on “best dressed” lists and go viral on social media, there’s a huge team of designers, stylists, make-up artists and other creatives who work tirelessly to put everything together.
Tatler talks to two of Bollywood stars’ go-to designer labels, Arpita Mehta and Rohit Gandhi & Rahul Khanna to understand the creative process and how an outfit finally ends up being chosen for a celebrity’s closet.
Read more: How India’s fashion industry is weaving heritage into its fabric and designs
Moodboard to wardrobe
Janhvi Kapoor in a creation by Arpita Mehta
Arpita Mehta has cemented her place as Bollywood stars’ go-to designer
“When designing for such prominent personalities, you’re not only focusing on the brand but also tailoring the design to reflect their unique persona. It pushes you to think beyond the ordinary because you’re creating for someone extraordinary,” says Mehta. She knows what she’s talking about, having worked with the likes of Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif, Sonam Kapoor and other industry powerhouses.
Dressing Bollywood stars is a collaborative, two-way process. According to Mehta, “It begins with understanding the event they’re attending, followed by receiving a brief from their stylist. Based on this, we develop a concept, create sketches and prepare a mood board. Once the designs are ready, we seek approval from the celebrity to determine which outfit best suits the occasion.”
Bollywood star and director Karan Johar wearing Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna suit
Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna are taking Indian haute couture global
Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna, the designer duo behind their eponymous Indian haute couture label, explain their process. “Understanding a Bollywood star’s style and dressing preferences is the first step in dressing them. We first determine the occasion and their goals. We next draw sketches and show them to the stylist, going over fabric swatches and embroidery designs while making sure everything matches our brand colours. Through collaboration, we may fine-tune the design before implementing bespoke fits and finishing touches.”
Collaboration—that’s the key word in this process and it’s not just collaboration with the artists, but also with their stylists. In Bollywood, where mostly big-name stylists such as Anaita Shroff Adajania, Rhea Kapoor, Shaleena Nathani and others, rule the roost, this means fostering a good relationship between the stylist and designer based on trust can get the designers repeat business and wider recognition.
How designing for Bollywood stars can increase brand value
Bollywood star Ananya Pandey looks gorgeous in a red sari by Arpita Mehta
In India, Bollywood holds immense influence over fashion and lifestyle, so dressing celebrities—and maintaining good relations with them—has an undeniably positive impact on designers.
Historically speaking, Bollywood costume designers have been able to cement themselves as the leading fashion stalwarts in the country. One such success story is Manish Malhotra, who started as a costume designer in the 1990s, then shot to fame as he earned a loyal client base among Bollywood A-listers like Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor.
Mehta, who founded her label in 2009 and debuted at India Fashion Week in 2013, knows the importance of having prominent actors as clientele—and her label’s Instagram page proudly showcases all the stars she has worked with. It’s a conscious business decision. “When people see Bollywood stars wearing my designs, it enhances their trust in the brand. This not only makes the brand more visible but also strengthens the audience’s confidence in it, ultimately increasing the brand’s value,” she says.
Memorable collaborations with Bollywood stars
Ranveer Singh is Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna’s muse
Bollywood star Alia Bhatt wears an Arpita Mehta lehenga at Ambani’s pre-wedding celebrations
Mehta, Gandhi and Khanna have all been able to make a name for themselves through their signature styles—Mehta for her hand-embroidered mirror-work ensembles, and Gandhi and Khanna for their Indian-wear-meets-western-couture aesthetics. These signature styles have earned them a roster of Bollywood stars, but among them, they have their favourite muses.
For Gandhi and Khanna, it’s fashion maverick and Bollywood’s It-boy Ranveer Singh. “Working with Ranveer Singh has been one of my favourite memories, especially towards the beginning of his career. It has been extremely amazing to work with him; he genuinely exemplifies the spirit of daring and inventiveness. He will always be our inspiration, and we adore dressing him and making unique designs that capture his exuberant nature.” Singh’s willingness to experiment has left its stamp on the DNA of the Rohit Gandhi & Rahul Khanna label, pushing the brand to explore bolder styles, unique fabrics and innovative silhouettes that resonate with Singh’s energetic vibe.
Meanwhile, for Mehta, it’s a recent look that she created for Alia Bhatt for the Ambani pre-wedding celebrations that stands out. “It was a stunning rose-gold tissue lehenga saree paired with a bralette and a lavender Banarasi dupatta. The outfit featured intricate hand embroidery and took countless hours to craft,” she says.
Ultimately, it’s this dedication to their craft and the ability to make the stars truly shine that make these designers stand out. And through this, they are bringing the best of Indian design to the global audience—because who better to show off your design to the world than a Bollywood star?
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