AS SHE strides out in a slick leather jacket over a flirty skirt and knee-high boots, it's clear this young woman knows what to wear.

Luckily for her, she realised early on that she could make a dream career out of that knack.

Shreya Anand (29) always knew what she didn't want to do. "Clichés like medicine and engineering were not for me," she said. But she was never quite sure what path she did want to take.

As a child, watching the 1988 TV serial Udaan, she was inspired to become an IAS officer. That was until she began studying for her Bachelor in Arts at National College.

"There, I realised the variety life has to offer," she said. "From plays to debates, fashion shows to festivals, my college mobilised me to do something productive with my life."

So, after a brief stint as a management trainee with an ad agency - which she admits she hated - the daughter of a businessman and college principal began making a living telling models what to wear.

She had just finished a nine-month film and television course at St Xavier's College in 2000 when Anand got her first shot at styling, for Channel V .

She now makes a six-figure monthly salary as a freelance ad film stylist for clients ranging from Nokia and De Beers to Cadbury's, Ponds and HSBC.

"As an assistant stylist for five VJs, I was paid Rs 15,000 a month. Choice Centre boutique on Hill Road became my adda and I was practically living at the Channel V studio," said the Bandra girl who grew up in posh Pali Hill.

But that became monotonous. "I was overcome by an insane drive to be challenged and to take on a million things," said the adventure-sports enthusiast who recently paraglided off a mountain in Manali.

That's when she was promoted to executive producer for all Channel V shows. Twenty-two years old, she was now shooting non-stop, six days a week "in obscure places like Chandivli, where there was no mobile network."

An epiphany on a one-month sabbatical to a place she mysteriously refers to as "the mountains" made her realise that her true calling was styling.

The colour purple

In 2002, Black Magic production house approached Anand to style a Cadbury's commercial. "I was given two days and a brief to dress the lead character in the product's colour - purple! The next day was a Sunday, shops were closed and I went into panic mode as I had to arrange for jewellery and shoes as well."

Fortunately, a purple sari quickly transformed into a kurta pyjama for a little boy saved the day. Anand was hired by Black Magic as art director and stylist, with a still-modest pay cheque of Rs 17,000 a month.

"My friends started calling me ‘shopper's stop' because I was always rushing about with huge shopping bags," said Anand, smiling. After three months, with three big shoots in her kitty, she quit to become a freelance stylist.

Flying solo

Anand fondly remembers her first job as a freelancer as her smoothest shoot to date. "It was a public-service ad - ‘Goli Ki Humjoli' - for a female contraceptive. It was on a mammoth scale, with four location changes and unrealistic deadlines. But it went like a breeze," she said.

And the Rs 20,000 she got for her four days of work gave her immense satisfaction. "Black Magic recommended me to other production houses and the work just kept coming in," said Anand.

Anand now charges the industry average for a senior stylist - Rs 20,000 a day for regular shoots, Rs 30,000 a day for elaborate or outdoor shoots and Rs 50,000 per day if she's styling a celebrity She has two assistants of her own. She . does about six shoots a month, each lasting two to five days.

Her biggest inspiration, she said, was one of the fashion industry's big daddies - Sandeep Khosla, for whom she has styled a number of shoots. The admiration seems mutual. "Shreya is extremely promising as a stylist. She's got her head on her shoulders at all times," Khosla said. "She has a lot of creativity and sensitivity with clothes for different occasions. She could deliver really big if she markets herself more."

Travel therapy

The transition to a freelance stylist wasn't easy, though. "In the summer of 2005, I realised rookie stylists were getting more work through aggres sive PR," Anand said. "I saw girls who had en tered the industry only days ago sitting on direc tor's laps, stroking their beards and taking them out for drinks to land a shoot."

Anand decided to take a break and "escaped" to England for six months to study styling at London College of Fashion.

"Travel was my therapy, and I drew inspiration from the rich, cultural vibe of the city," said Anand.

Her family was a constant comfort too. "My parents and elder sister (an installation artist and documentary filmmaker) are extremely supportive about everything - including my work," said Anand.

Now, the struggle for perfection continues.

"I kill myself with every project," Anand said. "You have to have a ‘Just do it' attitude when it comes to styling. It's extremely stressful, with tedious demands and unrealistic deadlines." Which leaves no time for a social life.

"I haven't seen a movie since 2006," confessed this workaholic, who spends her nights religiously referencing and compiling a detailed "look book" for every shoot.

But dedication is an essential ingredient in an industry that seems to be sprouting new stylists every day As Anand said: "Every day, I hear of . four new people who call themselves stylists. I've been in this profession seven years and I don't even have a CV yet!"

With five more shoots lined up for the coming month, she doesn't need one.

------------------------------------------------------

Case Study

CHATROOM: TALKING SHOP WITH SHREYA ANAND

How does ad film styling work?

I first get a brief from the ad director about the look, colour scheme, etc. Then, I start compiling a look book, where I put together all my references, sketches and swatches of fabrics. I next present these in the pre-production meeting between the client, production house and agency After approval, I call the models . for their measurements, source the clothes and finalise the look. I have to be present during most shoots.

What kind of education does one need?

Although it helps if one has technical knowledge about fabrics, sketching, etc, this is not compulsory When I hire assistants, I'm look . ing at their hands-on work, their interest levels and dedication.

Why ads? Why not feature films?

Advertising is more streamlined and professional than feature films. And the best part about working for ads films is that, if I can't stand someone I'm working with, I know I just have to tolerate them for two or three more days.

How do you unwind?

Whenever I get a weekend off, I run away to Alibaug, Kashid or Goa. The sea is therapeutic for me.

----------------------------------------------------

Case study

rapidfire

Star sign: Leo

Favourite bar: Olive, Bandra

Biggest fear: Old age, loneliness

Gin-and-tonic or rum-and-Coke: Red wine

Yoga or tai-chi: Yoga all the way

Favourite accessory: Green suede boots

Least favourite clothes: Anything synthetic

Favourite music: Jazz

----------------------------------------------------------------

Case study

a day in her life

5:15 am: A complete morning person, she wakes up really early.

6:00 to 7:30 am: Yoga, to which she's absolutely addicted. If there's time, jogging or cycling. 8:00 to 10:30 am: Eats breakfast, checks her e-mail, runs through ad scripts and makes to-do lists for the day.

10:30 to 11:30 am: Haunts boutiques and markets to source clothes.

11:30 to 12:00 noon: Schedules meetings with ad film directors or production houses, to get the briefs and discuss the look of the ads.

12:00 to 1:30 pm: Continues searching for clothes, holds trials with models.

1:30 to 2:00 pm: Eats lunch at home.

2:00 to 4:00 pm: Starts researching for the ad based on the brief and deciding models' overall looks and style.

4:00 to 5:00 pm: Meets with her assistants to discuss the ad's detailed look, puts together colour schemes, delegates responsibility.

5:00 to 9:00 pm: Continues sourcing clothes, gets the look approved by the production house and director.

9:30 to 10:00 pm: Dinner with family.

10:00 to 11:00 pm: Meets friends, on her terrace or over drinks at Otter's Club or Olive.

11:00 pm to 1:00 am: Puts together a "look book" for the ad.

-----------------------------------------------------

Case study

PRÊT PROJECT: ASHMI BHANSALI ON HOW HER FETISH FOR BIG BAGS PAID OFF

ASHMI BHANSALI is a regular 25-year-old who likes regular 25-year-old stuff like reading, shopping, yoga, Sunday brunches and spa treatments. At 25, she is also a successful entrepreneur who has her own fashion label that sells in stores across the country and earns her a monthly income of over Rs 1 lakh.

What started off as a mere "fetish for big bags" is now a full-fledged fashion business for this pretty, petite Santacruz resident.

"When I was 18, I really liked big bags, but couldn't find any stylish ones in stores," she said. "So I made my own, which I carried around." It was one of these handmade bags that caught the fancy of the owner of trendy kitsch store OMO. "I was there shopping, and the owner was quite impressed when I told her I had made my bag myself. There and then, I got my very first order," said Bhansali.

And she made her very first sale too - two bags for Rs 800.

Not wanting to sell under her own name, Bhansali and her friends came up with ‘Pink Papaya'. "Pink is my favourite colour and papaya was just a random afterthought," said Bhansali. The quirky name stuck, and has gone from printed chits of paper to stylishly woven labels.

Three years ago, Bhansali held an exhibition at an art gallery, where she sold a couple of her trademark big bags. Word got around and soon Barefoot, the famous garage store turned hip Bandra boutique, asked Bhansali to supply clothes as well.

One thing led to another and she found herself making shoes and accessories too.

She half-heartedly attempted a conventional media career after college, working with SABe TV and L'Officiel magazine for a while. But as the demand for her bags and clothes burgeoned, she decided to take up fashion fulltime. She made the right choice. Pink Papaya is now a must-have brand in most stores worth their SQ (Style Quotient).

"What helped my cause was being chosen to showcase my collection at the IMC Ladies' Wing exhibition for upcoming fashion entre preneurs in 2006. Being the biggest talking point in ladies' fashion, I procured a lot of orders through the show," said Bhansali.

At last count, Pink Papaya sells (and how) at 10 boutiques across the country - four in Mumbai and others (none of which she has ever set foot in) in Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Pune.

"People think that having your own label requires money, but I had zero investment in my brand. Whatever I earned from selling my stuff, I invested in making more and that's how I still work," she said.

With a six-digit monthly income, the specifics of which she adamantly refused to reveal, Bhansali now has babies on her mind. Not her own, though. She's thinking of Baby Pink Papaya - an extension into a label for kids.

"I want to hold more exhibitions across India and start my own home furnishings brand as well as a full-fledged kids' line," she said. "I just love what I do."

---------------------------------------------------------------

Although there are no specific stages that chart the career development of a stylist, most seniors recommend the following:

LEVEL 1

Assisting a senior stylist in films, ads or photo shoots.

Pay: Rs 7,000 to  Rs 15,000 per month

LEVEL 2

Styling for a music channel or television show. Alternatively, you can work for a production house or magazine.

Pay: Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per month

LEVEL 3

Freelance as a stylist for TV serials, films or magazines.

For advertisements, a rookie freelancer can charge about:

Rs 5,000 per day for a shoot.

A senior can charge anything from:

Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000 per day for a shoot.

LEVEL 4

Senior costume designers charge a minimum of Rs 3 lakh per film.

------------------------------------------------------

SKILLS

One needs to have an evolved sense of fashion and aesthetics. Technical knowledge of lighting, camera work, production and budgeting is also essential while styling for TV, films and magazine shoots.

Finely honed time-management skills are necessary to accommodate the schedules of tailors, shoots, actors, etc.

In-depth know-how of fabrics, embroidery, tailoring and colour palettes will help immensely in any fashion profession.

To succeed in the industry, a degree in fashion is very helpful. It will also help you learn about trend forecasts, how the fashion business works and the history of fashion.

----------------------------------------------------

TRAINING

A fashion degree/diploma in a variety of courses including fashion technology, fashion management, fashion designing, apparel manufacturing, accessory designing, etc, are offered at the following design schools/institutes:

RAFFLES DESIGN INSTITUTE

Raheja Centre, Linking Road & Main Avenue (United Colors Of Benetton), Santacruz (W), Mumbai-400 054

Tel: 6572-6711

Website: www.raffles-designinstitute.com

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY (NIFT)

NIFT Campus, Sector 4, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai-410 210

Tel: 2756-5549, 2756-5692

Website: www.mumbai.niftindia.com

>> More on www.hindustantimes.com /hotnewcareers

-------------------------------------------------

GO GLOBAL

For a stylist, there is great scope to travel the world on shoots, especially for those who work as costume designers. With the influx of international fashion magazines in India, editorial stylists also get opportunities to go abroad for photo shoots.

With celebrities and companies becoming increasingly fashion-conscious, personal stylists often accompa ny their clients to foreign shores.

For education, there are plenty of renowned international fashion institutes such as the Parsons School of Design, Fashion Institute of Technology, London School of Fashion, etc, which offer some of the best courses in fashion and design.

>> More on www.hindustantimes.com /hotnewcareers

----------------------------------------------

 PLUSES AND MINUSES Fashion is a dynamic and creative profession, in which you get to interact and work with glamourous personalities.

It is a highly lucrative profession. And you do not necessarily need a formal degree in the subject to succeed.

You have great scope to travel abroad.

Your time is not your own when you're styling for big stars and films, so there is no concept of a social life or a ‘Sunday'.

It's a high-stress job because of unrealistic demands and deadlines.

Working with tailors and embroiderers is challenging, with communication barriers a frequent problem.

---------------------------------------------

URL: http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=26_03_2008_012_008&typ=1&pub=264

URL: http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=26_03_2008_012_009&typ=0&pub=264