‘The idea of ambition has
been romanticised’
Anchal Notani
Anchal Notani, a Mumbai based fashion stylist, stands firm in her belief in embracing a slower pace amidst the bustling city. Her journey has seen her collaborate with notable figures in the industry, yet she remains as humble and kind as when she embarked on her path.
was fashion styling always your calling?
“I began by studying fashion design and luxury fashion brand management. Eventually I delved into styling where I started collaborating with people and it worked really well. Everything kind of fell into place.
My career began in the mid 2017 with editorial, commercial and celebrity styling”
You have worked with several celebrities. How did that journey unfold for you?
‘Looking at editorials,
I felt that I wanted to do more with the world of storytelling
through fashion and designing clothes’
“At times, celebrities would reach out due to recommendations; Abhishek Banerjee, Tisca Chopra, Dhoni and Aamir Khan. Other times, manifestation played a role; I always wanted to style Nawazuddin Siddiqui and this once I was just talking to a friend expressing my wish to style him and the manifestation worked in a way that the next morning I got a call from his manager asking me to style him and it was a good experience’’
‘Sadly, the
more we evolve,
the more consumed we are becoming
and,
the less innovative
we are getting’
What serves as your inspiration?
Your styling is authentic and original.
I think
it comes from
fursat,
there is a sense of leisure.
“The crux of my inspiration would be the culture and tradition of local people I observe while travelling.
I reside with the local tribes and villagers witnessing the utilitarian of their clothes and their style which feels so original.
This led me more into anthropology. I think, it comes from fursat like there's a sense of leisure.
For example, when I see women working on a construction site, they wear a saree because of their culture paired with their husband’s oversized shirt on top so that they can easily move around. There's like a little pallu coming from inside and you see the saree drape, the shirt, the prints and the colour, they all come together so nicely”
Can you walk us through your process
of conceptualising & styling?
“For every type of shoot; editorial, commercial, campaign etc, my approach varies.
I think the first step to everything is visualisation. During concept shoots, I generally sit on the story for more than a month. Since I travel a lot, I always have a bank of ideas stored inside of me and it all comes together when I'm developing the concept.
For editorials or campaigns, the approach relies on designers, their collections, targets, etc. Sometimes, I sit with the director and understand their vision. Every shoot demands distinct planning”
Fashion styling is increasingly popular now. How feasible is it as a profession?
“It's quite a hectic job!
Styling as an idea sounds quite easy since people think it’s a one day job. They fail to understand that planning beforehand
is very crucial.
Factors such as visualisation of frames, the proportions of the silhouettes ,etc are
extremely important.
The amount of mental and physical energy that goes into the execution isn’t immediately visible”
Finding & building a team is important. How do you find the right people?
“I think people who are absolutely virgin in terms of ideas are like clay, they haven't seen much yet and you can mould them in any form. Working with interns is simpler if you treat and teach them well plus their spirit drives them. My biggest asset in this industry has been my relationships with my assistants, my dress dadas & everyone I've worked with. I think we're so consumed by ambition that we overlook basic humanity. By being kind, the industry will improve and people will have good teams”
'Styling courses are a total scam'
is it essential to take courses before entering the field?
I'd rather have a layman working for me than a person who's studying a fashion styling course’
“Honestly, you can begin with anything and anyone. That's how I started, reaching out to 50 people in a day over email or Instagram and doing collaborative work. If your passion is in place, you need to jump into the water and figure out your way to the shore. That will be more original and help in learning rather than studying a course. There are no techniques or rules. It’s like the model is the canvas and the clothes are paint”
For newcomers,
What are the initial steps in entering the industry and sustaining it?
“Styling is a privilege. You can't solely support yourself through styling for at least a year or two. If you have savings, you can engage in free and collaborative work until income stabilises. That’s the reality. If money is very important to you, you definitely need to have another job alongside”
“Sometimes magazines reach out for specific collaborations. Other times, I directly submit my editorials to the magazines, and if they resonate, they publish them. Once, I spontaneously planned a shoot with a photographer friend of mine, Suraj. We shot something in just 2-3 hours in a village. I was barely prepped for it and it got published in Vogue Italia. It was unbelievable”
How do magazine collaborations
work?
How has the normalisation of hustle culture impacted the creative aspect of the industry?
“The constant ambition driven by capitalism demands an optimum that controls us. As humans, we are simply meant to live, not prove ourselves to the world. No matter how remarkable your work is, you're just another scroll on Instagram.
You just need to change your perception towards work or you get into trouble with yourself''
'' I posted my last content months ago and haven't since. For me, Instagram algorithm matter less because genuine admirers of your work will appreciate it anyway. It’s really how you treat yourself with it. I don't think any person is a big stylist or a big director or whatever. Everyone is just doing creative work for themselves. There shouldn't be any hesitation in asking anything from anyone because we're all equals here''
“I feel creative block comes from overworking. I don't experience creative blocks because I give myself ample amount of space and time. I'm not overly ambitious; I'm content with fewer earnings while ideating more and embracing life. I travel to visit different places, do nothing and immerse the city life which naturally emerges more ideas”
What's your perspective on creative blocks?
‘At the end of the day, all you have to do is ask’
You can find her on Instagram - Anchal Notani