The star behind the stardust

The technology boom has witnessed its pros and cons within the film industry While stars are now able to reach out to fans with the umbrella of social media this quick access has also meant them being under constant scrutiny Every public appearance mdash be it in a designer gown or a tracksuit it grabs eyeballs and finds space in countless fashion blogs and in chatter among social media gurus Clearly every hair in place is now a decisive factor But not every star is a professional in the styling department To help these hapless starlets emerge into a peoplefriendly avatar has lead to the emergence of a most sought after profession in the industry mdash the stylist And Pernia Qureshi seems to have captured three worlds with her being a fashion designer and a fashion portal runner to boot Excerpts from an interview How did you get into styling Tell us about your first project I have always been passionate about fashion and styling but the thought of making it a career struck in my first year of college while I was interning with Cosmopolitan Next I worked as an assistant stylist in New York for Ann Caruso a contributing editor at Harperrsquos Bazaar Later I continued doing freelance work with Conde Nast in New York before moving back to New Delhi in 2008 People think styling is easy to get pretty dresses and make celebs don it what is the toughest part Can you recall a particular incident during a shoot that stands out Styling requires a lot of planning It starts with creating a mood board and theme for the shoot Next the looks and outfits are decided and put together to suit the concept of the shoot as well the look of the person being shot Hangups like sizing issues quality issues and delays are not new even the mood and temperament of the person being styled is important However with experience and proper planning one learns to tackle such problems hence itrsquos difficult to pinpoint an incident in particular Amy Jackson walked the ramp for Perniarsquos debut collection at Lakme Fashion Week Winter Festive last year How does one become a stylist Be your own muse Style is personal mdash one learns by experimenting What about its perks Styling keeps you uptodate on new trends It is like working on making people feel good about them so it gives you a sense of pride Pernia on location for a shoot for her online site Your high point of being a stylist I love my job as much as the fish loves water From conceptualising looks to buying to shooting its all got something to keep me going Being appreciated is like the cherry on top Stylists are revered abroad What is your take on the styling industry in India And its future here India has always been the epicentre of fashion and luxury since prehistoric times however styling is a relatively new concept It is great to see how people have begun to experiment and take risks with dressing People have started to realise the importance of dressing and even Bollywood has adopted the trend of hiring stylists to ensure they are always impeccably dressed This is a positive development Things seem to be getting better Among Indiarsquos celebrities whom do you love styling the most Styling Sonam Kapoor is always a great experience Our basic aesthetic especially in terms of fashion is similar so working with her is always super fun She is experimental and edgy which is great I styled for her in Aisha 2010 and then again for Thank You 2011 Any personality yoursquod like to work with Also who among the younger current Indian stars are doing in sync as far as their wardrobe is concerned with or without a stylistrsquos help I would love to work with Rekha she is one of the most stylish women in the industry and has aged elegantly Among the younger stars I feel Sonam Kapoor Neha Dhupia and Jacqueline Fernandez are stylish They know their body types and dress accordingly You moved from styling to designing how did that happen Apart from your clothes which designers Indian or international do you admire most use for your work Working in this industry has been a learning curve Every job is special and Irsquove learnt something each time and have grown as a person Designing is not particularly a move from styling itrsquos an addition to what I do I ventured into designing because I wanted an inhouse brand for my online store perniaspopupshopcom The thought of experiencing the designing process is enriching mdash from conceptualising the outfit to seeing the designs on the runway u00a0As far as styling I use a lot of vintage wear along with designers like Atsu Nikasha Burberry and Gucci You also run a successful ecommerce portal What do you feel about the ecommerce industry in India Also with designer goods is the demand still specific to upper tier cities Ecommerce is gaining popularity globally and India is catching up too Fashion should be accessible to all and as India grows so do the aspirations of its youth who want to look and dress better I hope to make them reach true fashion through my online store In India too the website offers something for all We must keep in mind the affordability and accessibility with pricing in India to ensure that fashion isnrsquot restricted to the upper crust u00a0Hence yoursquoll find that our customers transcend boundaries mdash they might live in The Netherlands or in Orissau00a0