Assisting women on what to wear and where to buy was the advice two panellists offered at "Fashion for all ages” organized by the Women Entrepreneurs (WE) Wing of the World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce (WZCC) on March 7, 2020 at the Young Women’s Christian Organisation (YWCA) hall to mark International Women’s Day. The interactive get-together was attended by 34 members and guests, noted Behroze Daruwalla, international chairperson WZCC-WE and honorary secretary of the Chamber’s India region in an email to Parsiana.
Above from l: Behroze Daruwalla, Delna Nallaseth, Rashna Sanjana Aga,
Maitreyi Kashyap, Pearl Mistry; alongside: Kashyap demonstrating sari draping
"Whatever you wear, wear with confidence,” exhorted wardrobe consultant Delna Nallaseth who helps clients "flush out” clothes that they do not use or which do not suit them, thereby "reinventing their wardrobes.” She also handles shopping for clients. Engaged in celebrity styling too, she has previously served as lead stylist for designer Anita Dongre. According to her work profile, Nallaseth is also involved in art direction, "creative story telling” and trend forecasting.
Co-founder of fashion portal StitchMyFit.com Rashna Sanjana Aga assists clients to convert saris into gowns. Her company "can recycle your garments by adding little touches to them.”
The panel discussion that focussed on the relevance of fashion was moderated by creative head and fashion designer Maitreyi Kashyap of Mahogany by Maitreyi. She stated, "too much clutter in our wardrobe serves no purpose... have a wardrobe with minimum items to fit one’s style. Her definition of style: "A way to say who you are without having to speak.” The designer demonstrated different ways to drape a sari, including tips for a different look with a "few changes in the drape.”
Kashyap traced the history of fashion in her talk, "from leaves to leather to natural yarns” to synthetics. "Fashion was more elaborate... before World War I,” she said, commenting on the "practical, minimal and simple forms” in the 1920s. Designers have to think of trends that would come up two years down the line, she noted. "Each garment has a story to tell and if we know the story behind an outfit, we can identify so much more with the clothes we buy.” An alumna of the National Institute of Fashion Technology, she has designed garments for international brands for the past 13 years, noted Daruwalla.