Styling the stars

Stylist Ami Patel is the face behind the looks of Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt, Ananya Pandey
Styling the stars

BENGALURU: One look at stylist Ami Patel’s Instragram handle and you know she’s associated with Bollywood. The stylist to actors such as Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt, Ananya Pandey, will be in Bengaluru for a masterclass on styling, to take place at Madhurya Creations, a handloom boutique in Udayapura, Bengaluru.

Patel, in collaboration with Madhurya Creations, designs sarees with traditional weaves, giving them a modern twist through motifs. “We had designed a Chanderi saree for Alia with cats on it; for Madhuri Dixit, we weaved a silk saree with flamingos on it. I want to promote Indian weaves in a fun way,” says the 50-year-old.

She took to styling like a duck to water. Patel, who first started as a stylist for a fashion magazine, says it was love at first sight. Although she knew she eventually wanted to get into styling for celebs, it was a chance encounter with PC nine years ago that made her take the leap of faith. “In 2010 we were in London, she was there for Deepavali. I had known her from styling her for magazine covers, and went ahead spoke with her. She casually asked me if I would like to style her and without a miss I took the opportunity. Now, the rest is history.”

Wedding Fashion
Priyanka Chopra’s wedding garnered a lot of attention not just for the starry bandwagon but also because of the wedding couture for both the bride and guests. Whether it was the all-red Sabyasachi lehenga which she wore for her Hindu wedding or Anita Dogra’s green lehenga which Sophie Turner had donned for the mehendi celebration, Patel made sure that everyone looked perfect.

Patel was in New York when she got a call from Chopra about the wedding. “Though I was excited, the wedding was just month to go. Her ideas would take at least six months of preparations. But somehow, we roped in ace designers to come on board and it turned out to be spectacular. She always throws these challenges at me, but that’s how our bond is,” she says, adding she formed a WhatsApp group with Chopra’s extended family, who were spread across the world, to co-ordinate with them.  

With the wedding season around the corner, Patel’s suggests sticking to roots. “Enjoy the wedding culture and tradition. But having said that, don’t hesitate to incorporate a bit of newness in it. Don’t be afraid to be a modern bride. That’s what I advised the two brides(Priyanka Chopra and Isha Ambani) I styled last year,” says Patel, who suggests that aspiring stylists enrol for basic lessons followed by assisting someone to understand the field.

(Masterclass by celebrity stylist Ami Patel will take place on November 9, 3pm onwards, at Madhurya Creations)

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