Fashion star: Kolkata’s most stylish women give us a peek inside their wardrobes

Sunita Kumar, artist and spokesperson, Missionaries Of Charity

Image: Farhan Hussain

How many women can say that they’ve designed saris for Hermès? At a party in 1999 in Delhi, Kumar was wearing a sari with an Hermès scarf patched on to it, when Jean-Louis Dumas, then chairman of the Hermès group, noticed her artistry. It wasn’t long before Kumar was travelling to Lyon to design saris for the maison. Mother Teresa’s confidante, tennis ace Naresh Kumar’s wife, MF Husain’s muse, mother and grandmother, she also holds the title of Kolkata’s OG style icon. “Chiffons have always attracted me, ever since I was a teenager.” That look lent itself effortlessly to a young bride attending the races at the Royal Calcutta Turf Club in the ’60s. Today, her wardrobe also sees a fair number of trousers. “I love wearing Emilio Pucci, Ralph Lauren and dhoti pants by Tarun Tahiliani and, most of all, I adore accessories.”

Gauri Bajoria, 37, fashion entrepreneur

Gauri Bajoria (left) and Sanaya Mehta Vyas (right). Image: Farhan Hussain

Gauri Bajoria experienced Kolkata’s famous old-world charm first-hand, growing up in a colonial mansion in Alipore. “My grandmother and mother dressed up in Indian clothes everyday but I grew up wearing bermudas and had short hair.” She left home to study at London College of Fashion and her mind absorbed British grunge like a sponge. She came back to the city and launched her eponymous label, before switching gears to Savoir Faire, the city’s first international luxury style exhibit. She effortlessly mixes Alexander McQueen with an heirloom brooch or Rohit Bal with street. “My spiritual studies draw me to ivory and simplicity.”

Sanaya Mehta Vyas, 41, media owner, fitness trainer and director of Fitness India

Mother-of-two, HIIT trainer, rugby captain of Calcutta Cricket & Football Club and director of Selvel One Group, it’s incredible how Mehta Vyas juggles her many hats. She describes her look as glam-meets-sporty, often accessorised with wild curly hair and a bold lip. Her wardrobe consists of anti-fit dresses, jeans, sneakers (from Nike to Gucci) and athleisure from Carbon38, because her day moves fast and if an outfit can keep pace, it’s a winner. “For the night it could be Anamika Khanna or something fabulous from Le Mill in Mumbai, but my style is always laid-back. Living in Kolkata teaches you to never try too hard.

Opashona Ghosh, 30, artist and illustrator

Image: Farhan Hussain

Her work as an artist is drenched in colour, but when it comes to her closet, it’s all black. “I spent my twenties working backstage in theatre in gloomy London, and more recently at Berghain, a nightclub in Berlin. So quite naturally, black became my colour of choice.” For Ghosh, Kolkata serves as a gentle retreat from big-city seductions. “My week goes from studio to yoga mat, with an occasional catch-up coffee with friends at Sienna Cafe.” Any spare time is used to stock up on basics from BK Market and fabrics from New Market. “I shop for pieces at charity shops around Hackney and vintage shops in Kreuzberg and I make sure my style does not attract attention.” You wouldn’t normally expect someone who tends to dress for invisibility to feature in these pages, but then Ghosh, with nothing but a Moleskin notebook and Audre Lorde’s mythobiography in her handbag, makes such a compelling case.

Avantika Saraogi Butta 27, Kolkata partner at Monkey Bar and Fatty Bao

Avantika Saraogi Butta (left) and Sumedha Saraogi (right). Image: Farhan Hussain

For as long as she can remember, Avantika has only had one fashion influence— her mother Sumedha. “As a child, she taught me how elegant simplicity can be.” This mantra results in her daily uniform of jeans and blouses. In Kolkata she shops at multidesigner stores like Coral, Bombaim and 85 Lansdowne, and on her travels she picks up fun pieces from Alice + Olivia, Markus Lupfer, Dior, Zadig & Voltaire and Rag & Bone. “The hospitality industry look has come a long way from the pulled-back hair and blazers. As a restaurateur, I use my style to deliver a message even before I speak.”

Sumedha Saraogi, 53, entrepreneur

The driving forces of Sumedha’s life are fitness and fashion, and the two closely influence each other. “I’m very active, so I’m partial to easy and comfortable clothes. I prefer clean lines and minimal embellishments, so the labels I identify with are Abraham & Thakore, Issey Miyake, Armani, Sportmax and Joseph. If it’s a complicated drape, you won’t see me wearing it.” She’ll often mix separates from Anokhi, Rahul Mishra and Carolina Herrera; she’s a woman who likes to mix more and match less. “I’ve never been a traditional dresser, but today I experiment more than ever.”

Parno Mittra, 33, actor

Image: Farhan Hussain

Parno Mittra belongs to a new generation of Bengali cinema that continues the proud legacy of strong female characters. She writes her own rules, makes bold movies and even bolder fashion choices—from a rainbow outfit from Vizyon to celebrate the repeal of IPC Section 377 to a double-breasted purple pantsuit. “I love Sabyasachi, but I also love Forever 21. I am a more confident dresser in my thirties and I think that comes from understanding my body better.” Mittra’s screen persona might demand saccharine outfits, but off it she lives for an androgynous moment. Give her a pantsuit or a sari and she will promptly add a belt. “For me, it’s all about power dressing—I love being my own boss. That’s a very Bengali thing.”

Madhu Neotia, 54, entrepreneur and founder of The India Story

Image: Farhan Hussain

Madhu Neotia’s closet can be categorised under three main sections—bespoke suits, heirloom dupattas and silver earrings. “After marriage, I had the freedom to wear whatever I wished but at the same time I found myself surrounded by a treasure trove of Indian textiles from my grandmother-in-law. I would say that I did not find my signature style. Rather, it found me.” Her everyday wardrobe is almost exclusively Fabindia peppered with the occasional Shades of India and Good Earth. “I don’t wear a lot of designer clothes but when I do it’s most likely Raw Mango, Ikai by Ragini Ahuja or Payal Khandwala.” Neotia says she is a traditionalist at heart and that reflects beyond her personal style. She recently launched The India Story, a design experience held at Swabhumi, the city’s heritage plaza. “The idea is to celebrate India in all its modern glory, and Kolkata forms the perfect backdrop.”