Fashion star: Vogue chronicles the closets of five women who wear their values

#IchooseModesty

Summiyya Shah, blogger, House of Misu

Image: Indra Joshi/Vogue

“A common misconception about modest dressing is just because you’re covered up your thinking is orthodox and backward,” says blogger Summiyya Shah of a correlation she’d like to see challenged. For the 29-year- old, who cites Halima Aden (the first hijab-wearing model to appear on the cover of British Vogue) and Blake Lively in her suited avatar as her pin-ups, modesty is more than just a buzzword. “I come from a conservative background and I’ve dressed this way for as long as I can remember but that has never curbed my enthusiasm for fashion,” she adds. When it comes to her career choice (Shah is co-founder of millennial-minded blog House of Misu), the decision to not show skin has come with roadblocks but none that couldn’t be overcome with a few modest modifications—clever layering, she says, is key. “I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve paired a crop top or a camisole dress with a shirt.” With modest-friendly labels making their way into the industry, the country’s couturiers, too, are willing to cater to the demand. When Shah tied the knot, she was dressed by designers spanning Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla and Gaurav Gupta. “They knew I had to be covered but that didn’t take away from anything. They took it as a challenge.” —Neharika Manjani

#IchooseVintage

Divya Saini, stylist and founder of Bodements

Image: Indra Joshi/Vogue

“I recently acquired an Emmanuelle Khanh jacket from Berlin. Very ’70s, something you would imagine Freddie Mercury wearing!” says Divya Saini, stylist and owner of lived-in fashion label Bodements. Two years ago, Saini chose to stop shopping cheap and cheerful fast fashion; a prerogative that resulted in Bodements, where she curates well-loved vintage from monolithic labels like Burberry, Jean Paul Gaultier and Saint Laurent. “I have an affinity for fashion steeped in history, like YSL’s legacy of introducing menswear codes in womenswear,” says the vintage collector who realised bringing back little treasures from her travels through Europe could grow into a business endeavour. So far, it’s been a series of successful pop-ups in Mumbai, Delhi and Paris. But has India really warmed up to the idea of pre-owned fashion? “Buying pre-loved and worn-in clothes can make some uncomfortable. For me, though, promoting a more ethical fashion industry and dressing accordingly is not just exciting, it’s rewarding.” As someone who references the past through her closet, for the shoot she handpicks a snake-print polo layered under a psychedelic patterned suit and scuffed cowboy boots that tell a story of their previous wearers. I inquire about their origins and promptly comes her reply, “I can never tell you! An important lesson I’ve learnt as a vintage professional is to never reveal my sources!” —Akanksha Kamath

#IchooseMenswear

Vasu Primlani, stand-up comedian, triathlete and social entrepreneur

Image: Indra Joshi/Vogue

Dubbed India’s Ellen DeGeneres for her man style and pithy comic timing, Vasu Primlani has always worn the pants—on the job or at home. “My father served in World War II, and he raised me like a soldier. I was to sit up straight, follow discipline, and perform the traditional role of a man around the house.” Four decades later, it’s an upbringing that has filtered into her wardrobe. Her steely disposition matches her perfectly ironed pantsuits, while her wit complements a growing collection of quirky bow-ties. Not one to borrow from the boys but rather reach out for the racks in the men’s section, Primlani admits to a style that comes with no frills attached. “I’m training for the Ironman at least 1.5 hours every day, 2-4 hours on Saturday and 4-8 hours on Sunday. So, I’m almost always in sportswear,” she says, citing functional shoe label Keen as her favourite in footwear. On occasions when she has been presented with awards like the Nari Shakti by the President of India, she turns to traditional saris. “I love gamcha saris in earthy tones and vegetable dyes.” Following an impactful 17-year stint as an environmentalist in America, Primlani found her voice in stand-up comedy, where she calls out social issues. Her loudest and most clear message yet—her choice of a gender bending closet. “In India, society conforms a tad excessively to what men and women can and cannot do.” —Akanksha Kamath

#WechoosePéro

Azi, Mercy, Kuvelü And Alüne Tetseo, folk musicians

Image: MKT

Other than a fondness for folk music, what binds the Nagaland-born Tetseo sisters—a cross-generational quartet made of mother-of-two Azi, content curator Mercy, fashion blogger Kuvelü and medical student Alüne—together is their loyalty to designer Aneeth Arora’s label, Péro. Arora’s allure lies in her ahead-of-time aesthetic, they explain. “She is always thinking up the most colourful ways of reinterpreting weaves, colours and prints. Her clothes are so much fun, not to mention always a conversation starter. There is a story to every piece,” says Azi. Today, the label not only dominates their personal but also their professional wardrobes; Arora has on more occasions than one customised pieces for their performances. “The designs are sustainable, ethical and true to traditions. They are earthy yet contemporary,” says Mercy of Péro’s philosophy, one that is mirrored in their mantra as musicians. “We as folk artists are truly proud of our culture. We celebrate simplicity in every way possible while staying true to traditions. We try to make our music more relatable and contemporary, appealing to both young and old, local and foreign,” adds Alüne. Like the proverbial travelling pants, the sisters’ favourite Péro purchases routinely swap hands. “We share regularly. Some of our favourites are the shirt dresses, wool sweaters, reversible coats and dresses, pyjamas, the embroidered bolero jackets and of course the customised wool tops embroidered with our names and a Péro heart,” says Kuvelü.—Neharika Manjani

#IchooseHandloom

Prabhleen Kaur, designer, creative director and textile enthusiast

Image: Indra Joshi/Vogue

You might recognise Kaur from the Vogue.com video, meandering through the lanes of Delhi’s Shahpur Jat, sourcing fabrics, hand-dyeing them with local artisans and conjuring up designs that she then wears herself. Welcome to a day in the life of Prabhleen Kaur, design head at NorBlack NorWhite. “I don’t wear labels. It’s usually me rummaging through my collection of indigenous textiles—handloom cottons and silks from the regional markets of Chennai, Kolkata and Karnataka—to construct new silhouettes,” says Kaur, who grew up in Punjab, where, with limited access to designer labels, she started creating pieces of her own with locally available textiles and make-do resources. “Handwoven fabrics stuck around for me during this time, like a steady relationship,” she adds. As a 28-year-old, Kaur makes a strong case for a return to craft. “The notion that handloom is dull and boring isn’t true. On the contrary, Indian textiles have never been shy of bright, stirring prints. And there are no rules—you can use them in an athletic bomber jacket, or an elegant wrap kimono. You make the call.” For Kaur, the texture of a natural loom-made fabric (with slubs and everything) trumps any mill- or machine-made fabric. “Climate and cultural symbolism all affect the nature of handmade textiles. It’s what renders them unique. What fun is it wearing something whose life cycle you can’t trace?”—Akanksha Kamath