Of Captain Marvels & Wonder Women: APARNA BADLANI
A microbiologist by education Aparna Badlani started her career in fashion with a Boutique brand called Barcode, educated herself in Apparel Marketing and Merchandising from NIFT, Mumbai. She then worked with retail giants Future Group and Raymond India, did merchandising and curating for brands like Sepia by Priyadarshini Rao, Multi-designer stores like Amara, to finally open her store Atosa in 2011. She talks to Meher Castelino about her future goals and the way forward.
GOALS AHEAD:This year has been about looking inwards finding my calm and happy place, realising that we do not need as much as we are consuming. A sustainable lifestyle can be achieved when you consume just what you need and not for 5 people. My goals also include taking up different courses in fashion, spiritualism, exercise, cooking, baking, or something new, so I can work on bettering my skills. I have been able to work on a lot of this during the lockdown and the feeling is unmatched.
FEMINISM TO ME: Is not a point of discussion! In my view, men and women are human, hence equal. If I believed in the concept of feminism, it means that I am succumbing to admitting that men are higher power and hence women have to fight for their right to be considered equal. This is the very root of the problem. We have to stop this chant about feminism and instead focus on teaching and propagating equal rights.
CULT PRODUCTS: I swear by the Kama Ayurveda Rosewater, their Moringa oil is like an elixir to the skin. I love Dr Sheth’s Anti Pollution Day Serum, the clarifying sulphur mask and Enn’s Closet Volume up Oil for my hair, Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair, and Vitamin-C serum by Drunk Elephant.
How do you percieve beauty for the new-age woman?
Gone are the days when we defined beauty by norms or standards set by society and cosmetic giants like fair skin, long, straight hair and a twig-like frame. This year has been about some serious change and about being at home; in my opinion beauty this year is about looking after the skin with all the DIY home remedies that are all over the web. I strongly recommend taking up yoga if one is not a practitioner, it truly helps the mind and body to heal from within and happy thoughts even though times are tough. Basically if you are happy from within you will ‘shine bright like a diamond’ from the outside.