AN INDIAN STYLE SOJOURN

Super-stylists Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine of Mission Makeover share their experiences and advice in the run up to their show’s Indian debut

What defined the style statement of the women you met?

A girl we met said, “I don’t really want to wear things like jeans because you know, my husband... They don’t fit my body.” But it’s just

clothes, and anyone can be rigid about fashion. But when we think about being different, we think women can stand out a little in the system from others.

When it comes to style, where do Indians score and where do they need immediate intervention?

The style is restrained. Depending on the town, it could also be quite dark. Like in Delhi, it could be dark because you have a more severe winter here than in Mumbai. And because I love colours, I find it sad that they aren’t translated here. Men seem to love this particular shade of mustard, and I think it’s the worst colour for men.

And it’s not just about colour. So if we come over to do a show next time, we might bring things from England because we feel that it’s so boring here, the choice. Also, the women are conservative—they wear dark colours if they are in a corporate job, and they don’t like to show any cleavage really because there is a sort of stigma attached to it. We feel they could loosen up a bit—we are in the modern world— a nd not be threatened or frightened that it will translate into the wrong message. We’re not saying that you should wear an incredibly short skirt with a low, revealing top, but you could. Women can push the envelope a bit more in India, and men need to realise i t doesn’t mean i t’s an invitation; it’s just a way to be proud of your body.

Your impressions about India? What have you learned from your time here?

We really wanted to visit India. We have been styling for so many years, and it’s fantastic for us to have t he possibility t o work with traditional (Indian) dresses and to learn about them. It’s great to learn and increase our knowledge. We feel Mumbai is sort of like New York and Delhi is like Paris.

Your best advice.

If you dress on your emotions, it will make you feel better. If you wake up one morning, and are feeling vulnerable, the way you dress can really help you make it better and everything go right. When you start a day looking and feeling good, the day will be amazing.

Trinny & Susannah’s Makeover Mission

India will air at 9 P.M., Monday to Friday, August 12 onwards, on TLC.