Ever dreamt of a glorious chance to peep into the stylish wardrobe of your favourite hot stars, and raid the dazzling outfits that make them look like a million dollars? There would be hardly anyone who is not tempted by the idea, especially since the outfits seem to keep getting better and more breathtaking every single time. Inspired by a particular dress, you may have trekked your way around hundreds of high-end boutiques and designer showrooms, but chances are, that on most such expeditions, you returned empty-handed, with what you find simply not feeling “as good as that”.
Don’t be surprised, because the glam dolls you see decked up in classy clothing are not the result of random trips to neighbourhood showroom. The dresses that make you drool are actually assembled with the greatest care, for which the stars place their trust in a designer of their choice, or an exclusive designer boutique, which cater to their demands, and turn them out in style for the high-profile events. City Express takes a look at the glam world of starry outfits and style statements of Mollywood’s beautiful ladies.
Actor-turned-TV hostess Poornima Indrajith is one of the most stylish people in the industry, and she confesses that costume designing has been her long-time passion. “I always had a personal opinion on how my attire should be, right from my younger days. This conviction just grew with me and today, a major part of my wardrobe is equipped with my own personal creations,” she says. ‘’Whenever I see an interesting outfit or fabric, I grab and then mould it to my taste, which brings a signature style to my entire wardrobe,’’ adds the vibrant lady who recently launched her boutique Praanah in Kochi.
Singer Rimi Tomy is another new entrant to the world of trendy clothing which makes everyone sit up and take notice. Some of her outfits have proved to be a rage and she gives the full credit to her personal costume designer Amal. ‘’Since we are always travelling, our options are more and we are able to lay hands on fabrics and styles that are otherwise to not easy to find. I hired a personal designer very recently. For each stage show, we require minimum five pairs of dresses and I see to it that each of them stands out. Amal takes care of all the requirements and I just need to just tell my choices’’.
Dazzling Bubbly actor Bhavana says that more than trying new styles, she prefers to wear what suits the occasion and that is always her brief to her design team. ‘’ I buy my outfits from four personal designers because there should be variety. I don’t look to wear anything to create a trend. But people tell me that they like my dressing sense. Being gaudy is not my cup of tea and I am also not very comfortable with sarees,’’she says.
Says actor Shamna Kasim, ‘’ The idea of going out to the local stores is simply not feasible for celebrities like us. People look to us for new trends. Besides, who doesn’t like to wear something exclusive and breathtakingly beautiful. To stand out in the crowd is every girl’s dream,’’ she smiles.
Stylish makeovers have become a part of Mollywood now, especially with the younger crop of actors. It is here that dedicated designing teams come in. Giving stylish makeovers to M-town stars for the past three years, Noushija and her exclusive ‘Fatiz boutique’ in Thrissur have a fan following among the stars. ‘’Most of my collections go into the personal wardrobe of the stars,’’ says Noushija, who has also designed costumes for a couple of M-Town flicks. ‘’My first celebrity client was Samyuktha Varma. She visited my store for a designer saree and was very happy with the purchase so she later brought in some other celebrity clients too’’.
With star nights and award functions becoming a common feature of the entertainment industry, it is not surprising that the exclusive designers find hardly any time to breathe, what with orders to complete and that perfect outfit to turn out. ‘’For the recent CCL star night I had designed the long red off-shoulder gown for Bhavana. It was hard work for my team. Similarly, I had a pretty busy time designing outfits for six M-town stars for actor Prithviraj’s wedding,” says Noushija. “Of course, it was immensely satisfying to see the way the outfits came out,” she adds with a smile.
So then, is it all shimmer and dazzle and a piece of cake? ‘’No way,’’ says Noushija. ‘’With everyone wanting to stand out in the crowd, our job keeps getting tougher, and with the stars ready to shell out the moolah, we are also driven to do our best to create the wow factor. Mollywood stars are certainly not willing to be left behind on the high fashion street frequented by Hollywood or Bollywood stars,’’ she says.