'Character is the most important, not clothes'

As a sought-after stylist and costume designer, Anaita Shroff has not only shaped the looks of celebrities such as Isha Ambani, Deepika Padukone, Aishwarya Rai and many others in B-town, she has also been one of the leading voices in the Indian fashion community for over three decades.

- Interview with Vaishali Dar

While costume design happened by chance, Shroff's maximalist fashion sense has played an important role in defining cultural conversations. In an interview with Vaishali Dar, Shroff talks about fashion in films, promoting homegrown talent, social media's role in democratising fashion and her association with this year's Chivas Luxe Collective as the 'Alchemist of Glam', among others. Edited excerpts:

As one of the first stylists in India in the late 90s, what is your take on fashion in films today? Can you list any striking aspects of styling that you look at as a custom-couture designer?

As the first stylist in India, I had to learn a lot on the job. I didn't have anyone's footsteps to follow in, nobody to guide me, which is why I created systems out of my own, and it slowly led me to an industry that spawned all those systems, however crazy. I still make mood boards for every job I do, and sometimes I have been criticised for that—'she's always so artsy and crafty making her mood boards'. But that's my journey and process.