Studio Confidential is a series of short interviews with some of the most sought-after creatives in the city.

This episode we interview Fashion Stylist Neha Gandhi and get to know a little more about her.

As is often with the creative lot, there is a lot more behind the face and name than meets the eye. You meet them or see their work all the time but hardly ever know anything beyond their creative eccentricities. We set out to find out a little more about each of the amazing talents we worked with. From leading models to makeup artists to stylists over the years we have had the pleasure to work with some of the best that the city has to offer.

In this episode Studio Pomegranate put Fashion Stylist Neha Gandhi on the hot seat and ask her some questions. One of the most sought-after names in the industry this happy go lucky and chirpy girl is always on her feet at shoots. Early morning call times or late night shoots, Neha is right there.

You are?

I am Neha Gandhi and I am a fashion stylist and a personal shopper in Kolkata.

Introduce yourself with four adjectives please.

Hard working, passionate, control freak and fun. A drama queen!

What do you do?

So basically what I do, it’s my opening line for whenever they ask is I shop for a living which is a lot of fun. I get to shop for others, dress others in outfits which will never fit me. So it’s actually putting the whole look together with accessories, shoes and all in the background. It’s a lot of fun basically.

Since how long have you been a stylist?

I have been freelancing for three years, before that I worked for almost a year with Bollywood stylist, Tanya Ghavri. So in total, I guess, 4 years as a stylist.

How did you get into this specialised area?

This is not a very fun story, to be honest. I didn’t know what I wanted to do in college, just going with the herd and I didn’t know what to do. B Com and everything and while studying that I met a stylist who was in Bombay and she kind of told me that.

I think she introduced me to the fact that I didn’t want to be a designer, I just wanted to do something in fashion and that time I didn’t know there was something called a stylist and in Calcutta, it definitely didn’t exist. I met her in Bombay and got to know there was this complete line where I could work in fashion but not design. So I was very intrigued by that.

So that’s how I got into it and I started working towards it and making a portfolio and then I did my masters in fashion management. It just all seemed to work out.

What is your go-to song right now?

Girls Like You and We can do better. Like in between these two.

One Styling tip that never gets old?

A white tee and blue jeans.

Your biggest styling faux pax was…

When I was in college, I used to actually match my bags with my shoes and my nail polish, they used to be the same colour and that time it did look cool! But now I think back, I don’t think I like it that much.

You wouldn’t be caught wearing a…

A lot of things actually. I wouldn’t be caught wearing a skirt. Long skirts, ya no, never.

Stylist Neha Gandhi

Who is your inspiration?

Tanya Ghavri, there is no doubt about it. I have learned everything about the trade from her and I think she, till date, inspires me.

Which one incident you goofed up while working and now when you look back, you laugh about it?

I don’t laugh about any of it but I have goofed up a lot of times. What I did was try to learn from my mistake. I feel really bad when I think about it, guilt-tripping and then I think, don’t do this ever again.

I think once when I was working with Tanya only. There was this one time we had to order a gown for Madhuri Dixit and I got it altered but I forgot to get the lining altered. So when the gown reached and she had to wear it, the event was like in half an hour. She had the gown altered to her sides but the lining was longer so then we had to stitch it up and I was like, none of us were there and it got fixed. But ya, that’s something I’ll never forget cuz I felt really bad about it.

Which is your Favourite Brand and why Neha?

Of course, Zara because I think it just fits me comfortably. On a regular basis I like easy to wear, it should be comfortable and it should look good also and I think Zara gives you that completely.

Your first shoot with Pomegranate?

I think with Saachi and Suruchi which happened here. It was one of my first shoots also and we were all experimenting with looks and all. Everyone was getting to know each other that time and it was a really fun shoot actually I remember.

If you were to describe Studio Pomegranate in three words, what would they be?

I can’t actually describe it. It’s the people for me. Nidhi, Rahul, and Khokon da. The three pillars that the studio has. I think Nidhi brings all the organisation responsibility. No one can organise it better than Nidhi. I think with Rahul it’s experimenting with light and photography. It’s always fun, there is always something new that comes up during the shoot only and Khokon da for making us feel so comfortable and always feeding us.

What is your success mantra for aspiring stylists?

Don’t be scared.

Just go for it.

Follow your gut and keep learning, which is very important.

Neha on social media:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/nehagandhi90

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neha.gandhi.794