Chull’s not only an earworm, it also scores high on the summer style-o-meter. Celebrity stylist Archana Walavalkar decodes Alia’s look for Kapoor & Sons and more for t2...
Alia Bhatt is looking so cool in Kapoor & Sons!
Tia is free-spirited and fun loving. She is the joy of the film. As the film progresses, many layers to her also unfold. It was a real pleasure styling Alia as Tia. Shakun (Batra; director) and I worked on his short film, a digital release by Dharma (Productions), last year. Alia and I have actually worked together on four films now. Ayesha DeVitre, who has co-written the film, is also Alia’s hairstylist. For us, it was a very special film.
My brief was to keep the clothes really subtle yet true to the character, that there should be a single tone to the entire look. So, I decided to go fuss-free with Alia’s clothing… just teamed separates like basic tees with ripped jeans or textured knits or a slip summer dress or just a nice, printed tunic with a pair of shorts.
It’s very basic, but we have done it very consciously. Finding these pieces in the store was almost like hunting through rows of clothes and finding pieces kept almost at the back, which no one else was picking. It’s clean-cut lines and minimal.
I think for me also, it was fun working on something different from what we think fashion to be like. Now, the entire trend is maximal. Over the top, colours, prints, patterns, shiny metallics. It was quite a break to step away from all of that to create just textures and the correct colour combinations.
In terms of accessories, we kept it minimal. She has this one hair-tie around her wrist the whole time. It’s something I thought of. It’s utilitarian, right? I always have a thin, black hair-tie around my wrist because you are running around and you might want to put your hair up…. We have tried to incorporate these everyday elements in her look. She keeps doing it in the film… wearing her hair up and pulling it down… being playful, unkempt and very real. We’ve mixed in a few thread bracelets with her hair-tie. It’s almost like second skin to her.
Our favourite is Chull…
That’s definitely my favourite look too. I guess it’s really relatable in the sense that it’s so basic but at the same time, so wearable. And it has a Bohemian vibe too. That’s what her character is when you first see Tia. For Chull also, we wanted to do a hakoba kind of a tunic and match with a fun, printed bralette and we gave her a really cool hairband, midi rings, thread bracelets and fun gladiators to go with the whole look.
This is a perfect summer look…
Absolutely! Whites are huge this summer. It would be a perfect look for anything, from a summery night-out in the city to a vacation to a weekend getaway or even a brunch. It’s a versatile look that you can take from day to night.
What is Alia’s approach to fashion?
I think her approach is to constantly reinvent and to somehow encourage and empower girls her age. She does not pretend to be someone she is not. She is just so true to herself, so confident and so inspiring. She picks something which she believes in a hundred per cent. She won’t wear it just because it’s on trend or because everyone is wearing or you know that if you wear it, you will look sexy and more womanly… for her ‘this is who I am and this is true to my style’. How you dress depends on your age, personality, body type… they play a huge role in what flatters your personal wardrobe. That’s where a stylist really comes in. Alia respects her stylist and that’s what helps in constantly reinventing her look.
What’s new on Stylecracker, your ‘curated personalised styling platform’?
Next month we are launching our men’s platform! No summer holidays yet. May be, I will take a break in June-July.
What trends do you think will travel from reel to real from Kapoor & Sons?
I think the colours actually. It’s very interesting because it’s in these shades of olive, navy, greys, blacks and whites. We’ve kept it neutral but at the same time, it looks like a complete look. I feel the power of colour is something that is underestimated. When you mix the right colours and textures, it creates something quite wonderful.
How to do whites?
I think a crisp, white shirt is a definite must-have in every wardrobe, but this season is all about the sleeves. Puffy sleeves are back, like a little more of a medieval sleeve. Even if you own a white shirt, you revamp it with cooler sleeves. Shorter length on the sleeves are back. If you are someone who loves your Indian kurtas, tasselled kurtas are in. And, just going back to the basics… organic and raw fabrics whether khadi or Chanderi or mul.
My all-time summer favourite is a white chikan kurta. It’s one of the most versatile pieces. You can wear it over shorts or throw it over your bikini or pair it with palazzo pants and nice jewellery and make it chic for the night or wear it with ripped jeans. It’s something you can totally play with.
The add-on is that headband…
Absolutely! That closes the look really well and ties it in. Headbands have been in and out of trends for a while now but for 2016, hair accessories in general are a huge trend. So, sporting a headband is definitely chic. Alia is wearing a stone-encrusted headband by Deepa Gurnani, a New York-based accessory designer who sells in Bombay. Every kind of headband... whether they are embellished or in metal or textured or made of fabric or are hair wreaths… all kinds are pretty huge this summer. Also, a little more of the floral-jungle theme is also what’s in. So, whether they are flowers or leaves or bugs or butterflies, such motifs are big.
Do you look up to Alia as a fashion icon? Tell t2@abp.in
