Shalini Nopany, the stylish director of 85 Lansdowne, made us feel like Carl Hanratty from Steven Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can. The ‘chase’ ended earlier this year when she finally agreed to style a shoot for t2. What followed was a bit of what seemed like a jinx. September 27, however, broke that when we wrapped up the much-planned shoot, the themes changing with the passing seasons! Shalini finally planned a festive edit and the stunning Mitali Rannorey who now calls Calcutta home, played the muse. All’s well that ends well!
1This look was synonymous with chic. The pewter pleated dress with collar by Kiran Uttam Ghosh was teamed with a red coin-work yoke crop top by Punit Balana, a fashion right swipe for sure. And, those heels were made to party in style. “You can remove the top and transform the look,” suggested Shalini as she handed Mitali the minimal-cool rose pink stone earrings by Saint Erasmus, to try on.The Duet Luxury clutch was just the right match to the mix. The eyes were winged out and lips were kept nude, with hair tied up in a bun, accentuating the glam-tasteful vibe.
2Mitali cut an effortlessly cool look in this off-white chiffon organza drape sari by Ridhi Mehra, paired with a double-layered ‘childhood jacket’ by Shahin Mannan. “This was an edgy look where we offset it with Indian accessories like polkis (earrings, necklace and maangtika by Runway Hit) and embroidered jootis (by Imlee; inset). This was our take on how you attend a wedding... a slightly more modern look,” said Shalini. The messy ponytail and the minimal make-up added to the style quotient. Those bright red lips spelt glam.
3Mitali Rannorey slipped into this Paulmi & Harsh georgette kaftan with hand-embroidered details, the vibrant colour an instant mood-maker. While the famous black gate of 85 Lansdowne was the perfect backdrop, you could almost visualise her strolling on the beach, those sneakers in hand and the wind in her hair. The Duet Luxury wooden clutch could just fit in your pandemic essentials if you were to sport this easy-breezy look at an intimate festive gathering. “You can wear it for lunch or go to a Mehndi in it. It is a versatile look. The idea was to make the accessories pop. We gave her sneakers, for comfort. The earrings (by Saint Erasmus) are oomph and the stack of bracelets (Runway Hit), on point,” said Shalini. Hair and make-up pro Prasenjit Biswas (inset) kept the make-up minimal, the skin healthy and glowing and highlighted the cheeks . The eyes wore a fresh look with a hint of brown. The hair was worn open because of the casual vibe and the lips were nude.
4This was a classic understated festive look. The mustard bandhej lehnga sari by Faabiiana found a BFF in a pearl-and-stone embroidered blouse and belt by Ridhi Mehra. The Swarovski earrings (Runway Hit) were complemented by the hair wreath (Runway Hit) to add a hint of sparkle. A stack of bracelets by Runway Hit and a clutch by Kokommo, completed the look. The eyes were made strong with a winged eyeliner and the lips purplish pink.
5Mitali was a picture of minimal yet striking charm in this embroidered peplum top and pants by Samant Chauhan. Prasenjit picked out the hairband by Runway Hit, to accessorise the messy bun, which gave the look an instant twist. The rose gold studs by Runway Hit and cork shoes by Stoffa played lovely co-actors to perfection. In keeping with the understated mood, Prasenjit kept the lips nude. “You could go clubbing in this. Sometimes you over-accessorise which is not needed,” said Shalini.
6Drama marked this look where Mitali wore a concept sari by Amit Aggarwal. If the colour was distinctive, Shalini made it “diva” and “sleek” with Swarovski earrings, rings and necklace by DIVINUS and a pair of jootis by Durvi. “This was one of my favourite looks. I made the eyes strong, black smokey and rest of it was nude and the hair was sleek and open,” said Prasenjit. #gorgeous
Pictures: Pabitra Das
Hair and make-up: Prasenjit Biswas
Location courtesy: 85 Lansdowne