'A chiffon saree with Mukaish work is still a safe bet': Tanvi Singh Bhatia
My personal style is: Simple classics. I prefer to keep it natural, not following any current trends. My style is like my soul. Old and vintage. I would love to restore and revive old textile pieces, go to small quaint boutique stores and pick items you would never find elsewhere. A chiffon saree with Mukaish work, it is still my safe bet. The calmer you are the most graceful you come across in your style.
My personal style icon: Zeenat Aman, and my mother. The balance between grace and modernity.
An item in my wardrobe that means a lot to me: My mother’s wedding lehenga, it's been saved and cherished for an occasion. Also, a beautiful red saree given by a designer friend with a note that I will cherish forever.
My favourite souvenir from my travels is: Memories and people. You can't relive those moments and no amount of material souvenirs would come at par with what you experience in travel brings
The best gift I have received: I am fortunate to receive the most thoughtful gifts and I also received the most beautiful messages , especially after the mehfil and baithak. This makes my belief and purpose in what I am doing even stronger. The community that has supported and made Ibtida what it is today.
The best gift I have given: I love giving gifts that have a meaning, I recently recreated an old album of images for one of my friends.
The last thing I bought: A pair of jhumkas from Jaipur
The last book I read: “Tata Stories 40 timeliness tales to inspire you”. I am an ardent believer of all values and philosophies of the Tatas.
The last film I loved: ‘A Suitable Boy’ by Mira Nair. I can watch it again and again.
My Spotify list would include these songs:
Mehdi Hassan- Mohabbat Karne Wale Kam Na Honge
Paul Anka - One Man Woman/One Woman Man
Niyat-E- Shauq by Zeeshan Ali
Dil- E- Nadaan version by Kavita Seth from the Suitable Boy
My beauty/ wellness routine is: Very simple: Rosewater mist. A good moisturiser at night before sleeping. A well-balanced no no-fuss approach in life in general.
My favourite holiday destination: Koh Samui. I love the water.
I love to collect: Heirloom pieces, old textile fabrics that I love to convert into art pieces. Vintage jewellery. Old furniture and collectibles from various parts of India.
My fridge always has: Lots of food. We come from two diverse cultures in my house so food is an internal part of my DNA.
Minimalism or maximalism: Maximalism in a subtle manner. Even a thali with a simple pan needs to be larger than life.
My home looks like: A reflection of many memories, many pieces reflecting India. I've always been proud of India. There are pieces collected from various cities across India I have lived in. There are fresh flowers, old huge pots from the corners of remote villages. There is an art piece very close to me which is my grandmother's saree which I made into a massive art piece. There is a lot of fabric play, and collectables given by loved ones when I started my work journey which I have turned into beautiful stories. When I walk in I want to stay in my storytelling world.
My favourite mix of traditional and contemporary is: I recently got this pair of vintage earrings from a small shop in Goa.
My best ideas come when: Well it’s the wee hours. That’s the only time there is me and my solitude, and the grandeur of my ideation.
The best way to spend Rs 20,000 is: I love to give gifts to loved ones, be they my colleagues or family. I am a firm believer of the "art of giving".
Lifestyle