This week on the heels of Fashion Month across the globe, we’re having a fashionable conversation with a very stylish guest. Sujata Assomull is a renowned figure in the Indian and luxury fashion industry as the founding editor-in-chief of Harpers Bazaar India, a contributing editor to Vogue India, and an author with a sharp eye for analyzing Indian style trends. She truly has an incredible personal style and such a refreshing and honest perspective on the Indian fashion industry. In our conversation, we dive into the recent growth of Indian fashion, the promotion of slow and sustainable clothes by Indian designers, and the role of aging in the fashion world.
Sujata has become increasingly vocal about ageism issues in the industry throughout recent years. We discuss how our culture is fixated on youth, the lack of representation of older people in the industry, and how to balance personal style with trends.
Plus, Sujata shares her expert tips and tricks for building an Indian fashion capsule wardrobe and her expert advice for anyone looking to break into the Indian fashion scene.
Welcome to the Modern Millennial Podcast. I'm your host Arpita. A curious millennial who has a lot to say and has a lot of questions. On this podcast, I'm getting to the bottom of what we all really need to know when it comes to our modern lifestyles. Join me every Wednesday as I sit down with guests and share my thoughts on topics across wellness, mental health, self growth, and everything in between. Make sure you subscribe to the podcast on Apple or Spotify. And now let's get into today's episode.
Arpita Mehta:
Hi, everyone, and welcome back to the podcast. Today's conversation is a very fashionable one with a guest that I have admired and followed for a very, very long time who is a big name in the Indian fashion and just overall luxury fashion space. Today we are chatting with Sujata Assomull, who is on Instagram at suit style. She is a founding editor in chief of bazaar. She's a contributing editor to Vogue India she has written incredible articles and really dissected the Indian fashion space over the years. She's an author or moderator and has incredible personal style. And over the last few years she has really leaned into talking about issues such as ageism in the fashion space in the Indian space and a lot of other things that women continue to tackle as we get older. And so today's conversation is a little bit of everything we're first talking about how Indian fashion Indian designers have taken global stage her take on that the Indian fashion scene, the debate on NRI fashion, some of her tips and tricks on building a capsule wardrobe when it comes to building an Indian fashion wardrobe. And then her advice on people we're trying to break into the space. And then just a lot of other fun things. This is a chat if you're interested in a unique career if you're interested in Indian fashion, if you're interested in just learning something new, so make sure you tune in and as always a reminder to subscribe to the podcast, because we need you there. And also to leave a review if you like any of this content, if you like any of the episodes to leave us a review on Apple podcast. Okay, let's go meet Sujata
Arpita Mehta:
Sujata thank you so much for being on the podcast today all the way from Dubai. I am so excited to welcome you here.
Sujata Assomull:
I'm so excited to be here. And it's amazing that we connect New York to Dubai.
Arpita Mehta:
It's incredible what social media can do. I have been following your journey just like as a consumer as someone who is very obsessed with Indian fashion space and editorial space for many years since your editor days and all of that and I think your perspective is something that I've learned. I grew up in Bombay and then I moved here and every time my dad would come back from India to visit he'd come with a stack of magazines and all I would do is read them like I was that girl. I love people who read magazines. I am such a magazine girl. Let's just start right from the beginning. We are currently recording this as couture week is happening in Paris and Rallo Mishra and Gaurav Gupta who are like two incredible Indian homegrown designers are presenting their role myth, which was gonna show in the next couple of hours Yeah, so we're recording this to the listeners live on the day of the show, which is incredible. And that just makes me think of the fact that Indian fashion has taken such a global stage over the last few years and if we listed all the circumstances we'll be here for days.
Arpita Mehta:
Do think 2023 is a bit like the year 1997 You know, we'll French fashion call it the Big Bang year and then there was a whole retrospective recently in Paris about 2023 Because it was the Alexandra McQueen joined Jeevan she and it was John Galliano a jewel and it was Stella McCartney, coming to Chloe and it was an Phoebe fellow came as Stella's assistant. So it was all this new energy I think 2023 is going to be that year for Indian fashion and so much to list because Rahul Mishra he'd been showing by 2023 for two years but joining him as a second voice in 2023 was gore. We have to do your show we had Ralph neuron doing a big event we had the opening of the nita ambani Cultural Center was and, and Gigi her dad wore this beautiful sorry, we had designers, contemporary designers like lovebirds, going into stores like Harvey Nichols. So 2023 I think, as you said to list everything would take the whole podcast but there was so many big moments. That to me, 2023 in India is going to be what 1997 was to Paris. It's like the Renaissance is as you're saying that that's kind of what I'm feeling. What is your idea? Everyone's going to remember that it was the year that changed from now I think we're only going to go forward because I think ever since LV opened
Sujata Assomull:
its first store in India, which I think was in the early 2000s. Lubrizol opened first and Bombay and the Taj hotel and everyone luxury had its eyes on India, it wanted to be part of India. And somehow India just did not live up to the promise because maybe everything wasn't in place yet. I think now is the time. And you know, we have 52% of our population and India is a millennial or Gen Z. Most countries, it's not that high. So we're a young population. And I'm going to just throw some stats at you here. Bain and CO believe that the market will reach $200 billion dollars within the next six years. Your monitor says that the HMI will increase at such a rapid space that millionaires are set to go up by 14 1% within the next five years. Wow. If we look at last year, Balenciaga, Santa's raw and Valentina are just some of the super brands which have entered in the last 18 months or so. So there is so much about to happen, that I think it's just only going to go forward from now,
Arpita Mehta:
we haven't even scratched the surface, I think of it your story. I
Sujata Assomull:
mean, it's something I moved to India from England in the mid 1990s. And by the end of 90s, I was working at Elle, and we all believe in credible India and the India story. And then I think we all lost a little bit of we were like, Oh, God, it's not going to happen. And I think no, now it's going to happen. And all that hard work from the 90s is just taking off now. And I think that's also why you're seeing in a way the 90s supermodels coming back into Indian fashion at Subbiah Saatchi or that wonderful new Abu Sandeep campaign which has so many of the OG models and of course, Vogue, India just put my hair Jessenia and Medusa prey on the cover. So I just think that the reason we're also seeing this reflection back to the 90s is that everything is starting to happen. And to look forward we need to know where we
Arpita Mehta:
can look backward. Yeah, and I think there's just this worldwide nostalgia also around the 90s that has has happened over the last few years through pop culture through fashion through all these ways and I love hearing that we're that's where Indian fashion was in the 90s and now we're taking it to this global stage like like we're talking about when they
Sujata Assomull:
seem I mean if you think about it last year at the Met Gala, it was a Chanel outfit by night but Niomi Campo was a Chanel sorry, yes, your New Year's Eve at a party in Dubai. She was in Dubai at a party. She was black actually wearing a gore of Gupta drape sorry gown. Wow. New Year's Eve party, not only to our story, but Asare by an Indian couturier. I think that says a lot
Arpita Mehta:
more than a gave me chills when you said that. You know, I live here in New York, to walk down SOHO and to see the Anita Dongri store to walk one more block and see the service actually flagship. It's incredible that these are just like historic institutions that are now here. Even
Sujata Assomull:
jewelry designers like oh, no, no doesn't Bergdorf Goodman. I mean, you know, you're just you're seeing so much of it happening that it's were part of the mainstream conversation and I don't think we're seen as exotic anymore. That's what I love. Yes.
Arpita Mehta:
And it's being embedded into the sort of ether of the fashion world and I hope that it's award season over here right now. And so it's the Emmys and the Oscars. And
Arpita Mehta:
let's hope so far we had no one in the Golden Globes, no one anywhere at
Arpita Mehta:
the Emmys. There was one person I don't I think she was maybe like a plus one. But she was wearing a beautiful Raul Mishra gown from the he's like ethereal recent collection. But I hope that next year we can see like, you know, a Natalie Portman or someone
Sujata Assomull:
that I was really, really huge just to see one of them because while it was wonderful to see both Gigi huddart and abou Sandeep and Zendaya in Rama Mishra, it was on Indian did
Arpita Mehta:
exactly, exactly I want them to wake up. Yeah,
Sujata Assomull:
I want to see them wear a sari ask piece, but a new designer on or even just like an Indian peace in a more global setting, especially now and as you said, Any downgrades in you know right there in New York. And so it's Subbiah Saatchi so it's you know, it's so easy. One American I think really does do deserves a shout out just putting on juggernaut often because the way she wears Indian designers on the red carpet, whether it's a New York, whether it's an LA and she doesn't so effortlessly, and it just melts right in and she can be at a Golden Globes after party or wherever she is. And she's wearing something which is in UNESCO by an Indian designer, and it doesn't look out of place.
Arpita Mehta:
Her style is impeccable and she also you can tell that she does a good job of mixing and matching smaller homegrown indie designers and the big names and she really just puts it together so well.
Sujata Assomull:
Yeah, she's just brilliant. So I think women like her just a great people to take that story for
Arpita Mehta:
we see this like surge of Indian fashion and designers happening across the universe, but how do you think they will be able to sustain that this growth like what what will be The Steps both like the gore of Gupta's and the thorns of the world, and also smaller designers need to take. Well, I
Sujata Assomull:
think what would the larger designers in the last two or three years what we've seen as the corporate dilatation of them is corporate money is coming in to them. And that's made a huge difference. You know, Manish balotra has just opened a 5000 square foot store in Dubai more, which is considered one of the luxury havens and for anyone, any brand is right above Valentino, it's right above Katya. And I think there is corporate money in him and that Andre has corporate money. She now has a store, as you said in New York, and and and you're in Dubai. Yeah, Serbia has a store. He has corporate money. So I think that's gonna help. And I think as Indian designers come more into the fold, and international buyers get more confidence and people like lovebirds are on somewhere for two or three seasons, and we show that continuity, and we show that we can keep up. They're gonna want more and more the voice. I mean, Karthik research just had a beautiful men's show at Paris Fashion Week, it was such a strong debut. Yeah. S
Sujata Assomull:
o I think the more that do well, in couture, it'll help those and contemporary the more of those and contemporary just continue because it's not like we haven't been in a browns or we haven't been in a cell for years. But we haven't been, you know, a sacks before. But it's been one or two collection and we haven't been able to deliver for whatever reasons, or the quality wasn't so good or something went wrong. But I do think now we're at a maturity that we know how to keep the process going. Yeah. And I think what's really important is the way India is being viewed and let's just face it, it's also because we are the most populated country today. Okay. We do have great economic growth. I think we're number five in the country. No, we've whacked out UK, you know, when we look at the GDP, so they know they have to be here they have to embrace Indians today. They don't have a choice correct. So that's also made a choice in that attitude and they need to even get the Indian the Indian diaspora is also huge. That's not the role of Indian diaspora. I think that's a lot why you're seeing someone like typical doing LV and Katya. She's a phaser even the Indian diaspora love No, and I think that has a lot to do with diasporas spent. Huge. Yes, I grew up in England, and I still remember my mom saying that when she had to go to Chanel or one of those stores, she felt like she had to get dressed up to go Yeah, because they make Yeah, because Mrs. Brown lady walked into the store right? So therefore, we're not going to today she keeps joking that I couldn't walk into Harrods and anything and run after me because you know, they see a brown person and I like money.
Arpita Mehta:
They're like they're gonna spend Let's capture them no, but it's so true. And I think what you said about the diaspora are really hits because the same way India has boomed and has seen this growth I think everything South Asian everything Indian especially in the United States
Sujata Assomull:
boarding school in England and I always joke the reason I became a journalist was it everyone zoom just because I was Indian, that my father had to be a news agent because of all Indian corner news agencies obviously one thing you know, right from
Arpita Mehta:
then to now the world has taken shape in so many ways and to see even today like you said, Aparna Jong, and not then on the Today Show wearing an Indian designer, you're not flinched by it anymore. You're not like, Oh, my God, it's become more of the norm. But I think there's still a long way to go for that to permeate into the everyday folk like the rest of the consumers, but
Sujata Assomull:
it always starts I mean, I think it's trickled down right and that's how that's how it is in these things. And it's like people say, Oh, sustainability, it's tokenism or representation is tokenism. It always starts with tokenism and we I do think we have to recognize that tokenism does have some sort of It's not good if it stays continued but it is with conversation starts
Arpita Mehta:
it needs to start somewhere yeah. And you know, when we think about things like sustainability or even global growth, who are some individuals or even smaller names that you think are slowly changing the face of this are like kind of spearheading these things like are any any tastemakers coming to your mind that we should watch out for?
Sujata Assomull:
I think there are lots of sort of younger designers who are doing a great job and I mentioned Karthik research I mean, lovebirds the god life there are another one who I love and as we ceremonial who is repackaging things, I think this wave of Indian designers who are using, in a way our heritage but giving it a very modern feel, and a very Gen Z kind of feel. I think that that's very interesting. I do think this is something India can do really well, while as you say, everyone's talking about the environment and and we all know that we need to be more responsible consumers. We're all aware of it. It's so much inherently part of our culture, that I do think slow fashion is somewhere we can really lead and spearhead and even help the conversation. Yeah. Because because of just our own heritage, I mean, you know, everything was bought, I know when my mom bought anything expensive. The idea was always Can I pass it on? And that's how we have always shopped. I mean, what is more sustainable and even inclusive than the salary?
Arpita Mehta:
Yeah, it's the only thing. It's forever it is literally forever
Sujata Assomull:
inclusive, unless you wear a pre stitched one, which I admit I do quite often. But, you know, the idea of a sari is that it is meant to be passed on and that it will fit anybody. Yeah,
Arpita Mehta:
that brings me to, you know, this other thought, and I know you talk about this often is like, we want to invest in these pieces. And these are heirloom pieces and fabrics, like a drug or patola, or all these incredible things that come out of India. But then we are constantly living in a society where we're like buy buy, buy, you have a wedding, you have 10 weddings that year, you have events, I see this fast fashion concept, also taking control, whether you live in India, or here. What is your take on normalizing the fact that we should be rewiring our pieces? So last
Sujata Assomull:
year? I don't know if you remember earlier, but repeated Yes, yes. You can help me out. Yes. Beautiful age sabyasachi. Sorry. And she repeated it when she won a national award. And it became headline, yes, it was. So the way that was applauded, meant people were happy to see her do it. But the way it became headline news shows that it's not
Arpita Mehta:
the norm. It's not it's really not because it was
Sujata Assomull:
applauded in such a loud way. And when I spoke to stylists, because I wrote a piece about it. And I was like, Why don't they repeat more? They said, unfortunately, the celebrities always want a fresh new look, they still don't have that. And I think you can tell a lot about a person's culture through that, you know, yeah. And I, you know, a country's culture and and I was really sad to hear that. But I mean, for me, I've always believed that if you're really stylish and you understand style, you will buy a piece that is repeat worthy. And only a fashion victim will buy a piece that is a one time wet, right? I love that you have to really be a victim to only believe that you can only wear something once, because you bought it and it's not even worth repeating. I mean, what does that say about
Arpita Mehta:
exactly? And I think you're so right about the trickle down if a celebrity is feeling like they can't repeat an outfit because they need something new. It goes down to the influencers and the creators and then eventually to the people that they're influencing, which is like the rest of us and it's constantly this thing of like, oh, I wore that to this wedding. So I can't wear it to here or I was photographed in it. And it becomes easier
Sujata Assomull:
to older photograph. And I think the I think the one place Instagram has played a huge role is Indian wedding. Yes. Like people basically make weddings not to have fun at the event but to be on social and to be that wedding that goes viral. And I just see it from the kind of dress codes to you know the way even when you're at the wedding and the deck or is done you can see it's done for that. And I've been to weddings where they spend they're not so a food is such a big part of Indian wedding. Perhaps they're less concerned about food and more about the deck Yes, that's gonna social meat
Arpita Mehta:
exactly the aesthetic the vibes it's like very focused on that and now just generalized everywhere. It's the same thing in the United States same thing in India. It's the same thing everywhere when it comes to Indian wedding. It's become a production which they've always been
Sujata Assomull:
but it's become about being social media. Yeah, yeah, that wedding Yeah, that goes viral has become such a huge deal right now. I even know brides who pick up outfits from designers because they want to be on that designers. Social media. Yeah, they want to be on that page. Yeah. I mean,
Arpita Mehta:
that tells you everything that you need to know about the fact that you know we're we are in this by by by culture of perception and I hope that with this renaissance of Indian fashion taking global stage and slow fashion that we can get ourselves out of this constant cycle of buying and investing where we where we want to because I went to India I go every year I went last year and there was a beautiful pieces but then there's also a ton of fast fashion that is accessible if you just want to like keep buying and just for a smaller budget. It exists everywhere. I also think
Sujata Assomull:
we know when what sort of we haven't got into renting and vintage the way I mean if I look at some of my old books and they bought our own pieces from the 90s they're just stunning. I just rewatched one of my Ableton Live pieces at a wedding antiroll naturally in the summer, and they're so stunning and I think there should be a kind of we don't have that thing about archival fashion and I think it would be really nice if some of the, maybe the larger multi brands or even the stores kind of the designers themselves who have been around in the 90s did some thing around archival and 90s. And you know themselves started promoting those pieces more and more I think that would really help to do
Arpita Mehta:
you feel like the rental market the way we have Rent the Runway here and a lot of other places.
Sujata Assomull:
Well, I have to admit, I mean, I'm I buy pre love. Yeah, I buy vintage. And I keep saying 2023 is the year I'm going to read. I haven't read yet. I do think I mean, I'm a generation above you, right. So I think some of that old feeling that you know, you shouldn't rent buy things because they come with a bit of karma, you know, they will happen. And I just think the whole reading, I just can't get my hat. Yeah, I mean, I'm also certain size right. So I just think the whole renting thing is, I don't know, I feel as though it's not for me. I'm hoping once I do it, I'll be able to do it. But I mean, I can't really it be the pot calling the kettle black if I start talking about right, right,
Arpita Mehta:
right. And also, like you said, the mindset of the Indian consumer, but also because Indian clothes are so custom made and fit in such size blouses
Sujata Assomull:
are so individually done, even the thought, you know, even when it comes to the sorry, today, we're all pre stitching.
Arpita Mehta:
Yes, exactly. And like I have blouses that fit me six months ago. And now I'm like, Oh, this doesn't fit me. And it's my own blouse. So I think that that gets tough in the Indian market. So I definitely see that. Over the years. I think you have committed to educating around ageism, especially in the fashion space, especially as living in 2023 2024. Where Gen Z Gen alpha i don't even know what generation is next now is so obsessed with youth. Do you see this being tackled in the fashion space? I know we touched a little bit about like marriage ESEA being on the cover and these 90 supermodels coming in
Sujata Assomull:
the year I turned 40. And I didn't it didn't occur to me that was 10 years ago, I was offered a job in India, I still remember it was a nice media job. And one of the reasons I got rejected was that I wasn't in my 30s. So I thought I couldn't be Twitter. And at that point, Instagram was just starting Instagram South savvy. It didn't really annoy me. And then as I got closer to 50, I realized that it's actually a real, there's a real problem. And I found that really strange because as a journalist when I was a young journalist in India, and I moved in year 22. So I spent most of my journalism career in India. As a young journalist, we we revealed and we looked up to the most experienced journalists, and now, whenever I write a piece for any editor, it's like, Oh, who's the Gen Z voice? Because that's more important than the more experienced voice and I'm like a fetus or whether it's in between generation. Yeah, who looked up to our seniors and gave them respect, but when we're probably not given the same, you know, I don't I mean, I know we're not given the same respect, right. So it kind of like bothered me a lot. And I mean, I don't see many 50 year olds in fashion, I'm talking about it. I mean, I know one large one very well known supermodel, who turned 50 recently in India and talked about her birthday, but did not mention that she was turning 50. Whereas you look at Kate Moss. Yeah. And she's out there. You know, she's seen all this stuff. I mean, even if you look at you know, some of the actresses, you know, it's all very gray around Yeah,
Arpita Mehta:
ages and their birthdays. And it's just like, yeah, it's a little bit.
Sujata Assomull:
It's all very gray. Especially with, as I said, on Bollywood and actresses, they're very few who actually own it. Yeah, own it and say it. I mean, I love what Twinkle Khanna did because, you know, she was up check on us. Akshay Kumar's wife. And I just think that was so refreshing to come out that and say that this is my age, and I just turned 50. And I've gone back to school, and I'm getting my, you know,
Arpita Mehta:
she's as real as it is. But she thinks that she's the exception. And she's not like a working actress right now. Also, you can put her in that bucket, but the rest of them like, what's happening here?
Sujata Assomull:
I think now it's so accepted in the West, you know what I mean? You know, 50 really isn't a new 40 for them. You know what I mean? It's so accepted. And it's so celebrated. But I just don't see that in India. We kind of even if you look at it, we look at women in their 70s Maybe and we celebrate them. Yeah, a lot of the Indian women in their 70s. But and then we look at women are 14 and a half between 45 and 70. I'm not sure what happens is they just disappear. They go away. And I don't know what's meant to happen between 45 and seven.
Arpita Mehta:
Yeah, I think that's so true. It's so lost. And you see that you hear it in conversations or like, you know,
Sujata Assomull:
we have a Forbes India 30 over 30 list, but I don't think they have a for binges. 50 over 50 list. And one thing that really struck me is that they don't have proper age law, as far as I know, in India. Oh, so they don't have really any way you can actually tell someone off or ageism or C or legally you know, they don't have a law for that in India. And I find that very interesting because that kind of says something. I
Arpita Mehta:
think that it's a culture overall the Indian South Asian culture that is obsessed with being young, youthful. And you see that even in the arranged marriage process you see that come in so many different ways.
Sujata Assomull:
I do say I think we're the marriage thing. It's all changing. I don't think anyone expects anyone to get married in their 20s. Yeah. It moves to the 30s. And even I know when people get married at 40. Now, I think it's more sort of in the workforce and in fashion, where it's sort of I see it just not improving as much as I feel it should.
Arpita Mehta:
Speaking of your style, and the way you continue to show up, because you do represent so many women who are more than the less than what you see on Instagram, how do you navigate, staying true to your personal style, as you change as a person as your body changes as you get older? How do you follow the trends? Or do you not? Or do you stick to your personal style? Like, I think that's such a question. We all everybody
Sujata Assomull:
who's on Instagram, all these style experts who go on and on about, you know, do this and do that, and I do this, and they've all made mistakes. So you only learn through your mistakes, but they're not going to share their mistakes. So I just I just sometimes think that we have to remember that we are meant to make mistakes. That's how you're going to learn. So there's nothing wrong with making mistakes. I think I was really lucky. Because in my school days back when I was like 18 and 1920, I worked as a Saturday girl in a really upmarket boutique in London. And I used to and then used to get a try on all the clothes and Saturday. So I probably made my mistakes, but I was lucky enough to make them earlier, but everybody makes them and I think it's fine. And I just think you just have to keep trying. And, and no. And you know, I think when you get to a certain age as it is, you're kind of done with trends, because you just don't want to keep it changing. So I think it's a question of balance. It's a question of yes, you don't you want to wear something that's cool and new. But you also want to stay true to your style. So it's this question of balance, which everybody just gets as they progress. Yeah, absolutely. And as I said, I think mistakes are part of it. And I think we need to embrace those mistakes too.
Arpita Mehta:
Yes, it's all part of it. And what do you think makes a capsule wardrobe for Indian fashion staples like if someone were start on thing
Sujata Assomull:
we do with Indian clothes is we have to look at them as separate. So a sari is a petticoat, a sari, a drape, a blouse? A salon kameez is also three pieces. And once you start looking them as separate and you start treating, like you treat a trousers or on top, or you know you treat a dress, which sometimes you may put over a trouser correct, you can even instead of a petticoat, you can wear a joiner, I think once we start looking at things as separate, it's really great. And I think, you know, we say like an LBD is a must. Well, what's the equivalent of an LBD it's a great pre drape, so then a white shirt is a must. So then what is the equivalent of that? It's a beautiful white, kurta, what new around in like jeans, it's a great pair of Pajama, you know salvar tight bottoms. So I just think we just have to treat the intermodal the same way we treat, you know, the so called Western separates, you know, when we when we look at things in a Sundarar kameez or a sari. And don't think of the blouse and the petticoat and a separate, that's where we start making the mistakes. And we also have to think of how we can mix and match that sorry. And that sort of our kameez with our western wardrobe. They're all separate so they can all live together and happily mix and match. Yeah,
Arpita Mehta:
that is such great advice because I don't think I do that. I have an outfit a Langa. It's like one intelligent
Sujata Assomull:
you put the belt on the sorry, you put the white shirt on the Linga skirt, you wear the sari blouse, maybe with a great pair of wide leg trousers. Yeah. And once you start doing that, I think you start looking at it very differently.
Arpita Mehta:
There's a lot of debate when it comes to NRI fashion just in general and I laugh when I say this because accounts like diet sabio or there's just been a lot of banter about it. And so I'm very much an NRI EUR as well.
Sujata Assomull:
Well, we just spoke about Poorna who is an NRI and he was fantastically dressed woman and so you know, just like there are badly dressed people who live in a near well dressed and it's all perspective what I think is well dressed you may not think as well dressed but what I do think is an NRI don't get the credit they deserve. If you speak to the designers like an Agusan V like a Tyrone like a suneet Varma who you know, all of you sort of bounding people, they will tell you all their first clients were NRIs and you know, who perhaps brought like a Vivienne Westwood corset to them and said, Listen, why don't you make a blouse like a corset abroad? Another piece and taught them so much. And their main clients were NRI? Yeah, because they were the ones who wanted to wear these kinds of pieces, these beautiful Indian pieces that work contemporary. Absolutely. I think we need to give NRAS a lot of credit. It's not out there and I think that's something we do need to correct
Arpita Mehta:
that's the clip right there because I agree we are the brides are the people that are traveling all the way to Delhi or or Bombay to buy her outfit
Sujata Assomull:
when especially in the 1990s when or when were some of these people were starting out it was it was pretty much the NRI who were their bread and butter. Yeah, absolutely. So I think that you know, we need to remember that I think a lot of this is just done because it's like easy clickbait and
Arpita Mehta:
I think that there is a world where I would like to see just being part of the community here and seeing the space that we realize that India is vast and there's so many different types of clothing told me different styles textures, like not just like the five top designers but like you said, there's love birds and there's God life. So I would love to see that.
Sujata Assomull:
That's so many. I mean if there are just so many that I mean I'm wearing bodice right now you know what I'm also great designer who embraces slow fashion and her pieces I wear them all the time they just they you know I wear them in Dubai when I'm moderating or when I'm out there and they look so international people exactly. coming up to me I was wearing a bio condo while shot the other day and people came on. Yeah, I just had that little bit of brocaded touch and people loved it. Absolutely.
Arpita Mehta:
Like this is konica Goyal and I bought it last year and it's I didn't realize myself that my everyday wardrobe could be infused with Indian pieces and I think that the mix
Sujata Assomull:
I like the colors that they use it suits our skins I like the way that they understand how does disguise my story hips you know, I have sorry, hips and we all do model up to maintain you know, yes,
Arpita Mehta:
exactly. And look, let me tell you, having sorry, hips is way better than not in my opinion. Because when you were sorry, it's like Viva boo, you know, exactly.
Sujata Assomull:
And I will not lie,
Arpita Mehta:
I will not lie. I love that that's gonna be my new motto. No, you're right. It's all clickbait and it's all just generalization. But there's so many women like poor Na, so many others that are like more in the scene, but also just everyday person, so
Sujata Assomull:
many friends in London who are, you know, not on social media. And so, but they're probably some of the shittiest women that I know and I love the way they sort of mix the you know, mix the wardrobe in and out so I you know, I just I just think it's cool to say in our eyes dress, yes, they come before I joined owl I think it was the launch year about I was Patrum an article so back in the 90s called now required Indian Okay, instead of NRI non you know non they call them non required. Now required it used to be called non required, but they were saying we need we calling them now required, because there are so many Indians coming non NRI Indians coming into India and doing good stuff in the creative space. And I remember being in that feature. So yeah, did do a lot back in the 90s.
Arpita Mehta:
That's awesome. And now, like you said, lines are blurred in so many ways, like going back to the origination of this conversation, like you have Falguni and Shane at New York Fashion Week, like I was at an event, we were watching a show, and they were just sitting right there. And looking
Sujata Assomull:
at someone like yo Roche, who worked with him as a stylist, you know, that was? Yes,
Arpita Mehta:
that was huge. I mean, to see that happening. So this is happening, like you said, on the large scale, but slowly it will trickle down and we'll see had been fused in all these other smaller spaces. What is your favorite piece of style or fashion advice you'd give to someone? I
Sujata Assomull:
think that it's like always, I mean, it's one that I think comes from Coco Chanel, right? Look at yourself, and just maybe remove a piece before you leave. I think I know. I tend to sort of I have that maybe ingrained in me because I'm Cindy, you know that Max. I love that we're
Arpita Mehta:
gonna drop the same thing.
Sujata Assomull:
You take a piece out of my piece of advice is if you love it, just wear it and don't care where you were you. You were you honestly. I mean, do you have a look at that one time in the mirror before you leave? I
Arpita Mehta:
think it was like do a little double check.
Sujata Assomull:
I have a mirror on the way out of my house. Because now every elevator has a mirror as a thing. You may want to great to take a mirror.
Arpita Mehta:
You know what I mean? Mirror picture? Yeah, just a little like backup checking. There's
Sujata Assomull:
something that's wrong. You know what I mean? There's one thing you could remove potentially, yeah, there is or maybe even one thing you could add. But I do think that it's really you were you. I think I and I think that's really important. And I think in this social media, well, we can get some I mean, I've got a couple of comments and stuff. And you have to remember that that's probably their insecurity.
Arpita Mehta:
It is 100% that it is built on that projecting onto other people and that's what trolls are and yeah, I think that you just have to develop a thick skin or just ignore it. Sujata thank you so much for being on the podcast today. This was so great. I feel like we were just chatting about so many things under the sun but truly your your content.
Arpita Mehta:
I really enjoy speaking to you too.
Arpita Mehta:
Thank you all for listening. Thank you all for tuning in. Thank you Sujata for being here and sending you all the good vibes
Arpita Mehta:
thanks for listening to this week's episode. I hope you enjoyed it and I very much appreciate you being here to follow along on all things TMM check us out on Instagram at the modern millennial podcast. And as always show some love by subscribing, leaving a review and telling a friend about TMM. Till then see you next week sending you all of the good vibes
