What: Stylefile 2017 in association with t2;

Where: The Old Bungalow (7/6 Burdwan Road), Alipore;

When: November 10, 3pm-11pm

For Stylefile co-founders Preeti Goenka and Sumedha Saraogi, it’s sort of a homecoming. The annual lifestyle gala comes back to The Old Bungalow in Alipore on November 10, after a stint at Quest’s The Loft last season. We caught up with the duo on the making of the 17th edition of Stylefile in association with t2, at CESC House on Tuesday.

Stylefile is back at The Old Bungalow! What led to the decision?

Sumedha: When you think of Stylefile, you think of The Old Bungalow.

Preeti: You just know the place so well… so much space… the weather is also nice to have it outdoors….

What’s in store this year?

Preeti: The art is bold and bright and the fashion will be as per the latest trends…

Sumedha: …with a lot of new talent and energy in it. We have Amit Aggarwal’s collection which is inspired by patola saris. AM:PM is launching their couture line in Calcutta for the first time... they are first-timers at Stylefile too. Amrich has shibori and very nice cuts. Anjali Swarup, Asmita Marwa and Jayanti Reddy have been with us before…

Preeti: Kavita Bhartia is coming after many years….

Sumedha: Her whole look is very modern. Nachiket (Barve) loves being at Stylefile. I feel every designer makes an effort to make it special. They are emotionally quite attached to us. Namrata Joshipura has very fun and sleek clothes. Nee Nee Time by Devika Chaturvedi is coming for the first time. It’s children’s nightwear and bed linen. Nidhi Tholia will get her festive collection. Pankaj & Nidhi are again emotionally attached to us. Shriya Som is coming to Stylefile for the first time. She does beautiful westernwear and fusionwear. There is Simar (Dugal), Varun & Nidhika… Sasa is here for the first time… they do very easy daywear....

Preeti: Vidhi Singhania is participating for the first time. She has her traditional saris and weaves. Soutache by Gaurika Sharma does loungewear and cashmere.

Sumedha: Arjan (Dugal) is back with a larger gamut…Vivek Karunakaran is coming with his edgy menswear. I think this time the men are going to be really happy. In art, I think apart from Binoy Varghese and Prafull Singh, they are all new. 
Preeti: George Martin (P.J.) has been there before and David Gerstein is from Israel.

Sumedha: In jewellery and accessories, Vistaara has been with us before. They are fine jewellery from Bombay. Sangeeta Khanna is coming for the first time. She specialises in destination jewellery. There is Isharya. Duet Luxury from Calcutta has two young girls doing really innovative wooden accessories in which there are bags and bow ties. 14MC: One For My Closet does purse straps.

D-Zior Perl by Diksha is exhibiting for the first time, she does clutches with precious stones.

Why only one label from Calcutta?

Preeti: The problem is, with Calcutta designers people are more interested in knowing about them and then going back to them later.

Sumedha: They don’t realise that when you do an event, everything is made around that event. So you might not get the same thing later. 

So the idea is to get what Calcutta does not have?

Sumedha: That’s the idea. You always want to do something different.

Preeti: The new labels are not exposed to Calcutta. It takes us about six months to curate. 

Tell us about the decor…

Preeti: The look is somewhat being designed by Anamika (Khanna). We are trying to give the space a carnival kind of look… subtle carnival… the decor will not overpower the products.

Sumedha: Yeah, the energy and the music. We are not making it busy. We will try to make it monochromatic.  

What’s the success mantra of Stylefile?

Preeti: It’s been a long time. We curate the whole show very closely. It’s not anybody and everybody who can participate. We do say ‘no’ to a lot of people.

Sumedha: We have found a good balance. The whole show is done by us… of course we have a team helping….

Preeti: We don’t want two people to do similar kind of things.

Sumedha: It’s almost like a baby being born! 

So, no arguments between the two of you?

Sumedha: Never! (Laughs) We have very well-divided space within our work space and there are of course spaces that we do together. We both have a lot of trust and faith….

Preeti: We take each other’s criticism very well.

Sumedha: And it helps that she is calmer.

Will you have the Stylefile favourite chana chips?

Preeti: Yes! And also Waffle Wallah.

Sumedha: I think a lot of people come for the food. The ambience, the music is peppy… I think it’s nice to go to as an outing… of course we want them to shop too! (Laughs)

Saionee Chakraborty