A new creative code

From the anti-fit dresses seen on cerebral sculptors to the kurtas worn by journalists, style tribes as we know them are changing. Five women tell us how they get inventive with their clothes.

- Akanksha Kamath

For as long as we can remember, clothing has been the arsenal of a creative. The painter and artist Frida Kahlo’s famous self-portraits were heavy with symbolism when she wore her ex’s dull grey suit. More recently, pop star and singer Lady Gaga’s choice of a Schiaparelli brooch at the US presidential inauguration became the most-talkedabout item. It’s a compelling notion that creatives create something beyond their appearance, and that by opting for what they wear, they reveal the wild contours of their inner lives and artistic minds. We speak to five women, across disciplines, who approach their attire with the same precision and deliberation as their craft. For them, dressing up or down has become a fundamental aspect of their art form. They may borrow from existing codes, but their personal style and professional pursuits transcend almost any and every categorisation.

BIRAAJ DODIYA ARTIST AND PAINTER