'Mamata Banerjee made hawai chappals fashionable'

Agnimitra Paul who showcased her collection on Day Four of the Lakme Fashion Week discusses how she would dress up Mamata Banerjee, Priyanka Gandhi and Amitabh Bachchan

What inspires your fashion, your designs, your creations...

I showcased Madhubani painting collection inspired by the Madhubani painters of Bihar. This collection is called Mystique Madhuban.

I used it because I think Madhubani painting has not been explored that much (by Indian fashion designers). Whenever we think of Madhubani paintings wall paintings come to our mind; at the most a few saris and posters. I think it is a beautiful craft and then I thought of doing this Indo-Western collection because I wanted to reach out to a global clientele. Foreigners who are very much interested in the Indian art and craft but their kind of silhouettes don't match with ours.

What does fashion mean to you?

Fashion to me is my attitude, my personality. It is a medium that helps my attitude and personality to be expressed.

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If I have to buy very good clothes from a fashion designer and if I have only Rs 5,000 what would you suggest?

Come to me (laughs). See price is not important. You can look good in something that is found in the famous markets of Kolkata like Goria Haat where you get very cheap stuff; you can find something very interesting from the Goa flea market; you can find something very great in a designer boutique in Mumbai or from Linking Road.

See, again, the price does not matter. It's the look, the fit and how you can carry it completely defines how you look. Rs 5,000 or Rs 500 is not important; you may not look good in Rs 5 lakh lehenga and you might look good in a Rs 50 top. Fashion depends on how you carry it.

How would you dress up Mamata Banerjee?

Oh, Mamata di! She is so unique; I had made a sari for her. She is very much into Bengal handloom and that's great because it is the right way to promote (the weavers and artists from West Bengal). If politicians start wearing these kind of textiles, weavers would not have to commit suicide. Every politician needs to choose a (home-made) fabric and promote that. After becoming CM Mamatadi has become more fashionable.

When she was not the PM, she used to wear cotton saris but her look was not very prim and proper. Right now she has a special collection of handloom saris; she wears a very nice watch, the glass she is wearing right now really suits her and the hawai chappal is a statement; she has made hawai chappals fashionable. Certainly, I am a great fan of hers (and her fashion style).

Politicians and Bollywood celebs you would like to dress up?

Oh, I would love to dress up Priyanka Gandhi Vadera. I love her dressing style so much.

While there are so many stars in Bollywood I'd definitely like to dress up Amitabh Bachchan. Not in any kind of commercial films but I'd like to dress him up for a period film like say The Gladiator, or for some character in Indian mythology.