SITHARA KUDIGE, FASHION STYLIST

She describes herself as a partner, agony aunt, designer, mentor at her label and boutique. Say hello to Sithara Kudige, who aspires to go beyond the ordinary and make beautiful clothes that caters to women who are discerning and want something unique. Fascinated by colours, fabrics and textures, Sithara believes that you can take a style, trend or inspiration and make it your own.

Her journey in the fashion world started as a stylist and she constantly found it difficult to source the right kind of clothes for photo shoots which is why, more often than not, she ended up creating her own designs. Over time, and many creations later, Sithara Kudige, the label, was born.

This fashion connoisseur says that style is not about blindly following trends. It is more about wearing what works and wearing it well. So when she has to create something she looks to people she admires, places she has travelled to, different cultures and their stories. For those who are contemplating a career in this line, she gives an honest view. She says, “Styling and designing aren’t all just about the glamour, models and exotic locales. It is hard work – so you must be prepared to be patient.”

She admits that as with any other profession, this one too comes with all sorts of challenges, but she believes in rolling up her sleeves, dealing with it and moving on. On the positive side, she loves that she gets to work with some amazing people, photographers, celebrities, creative minds and other designers. Although dynamic and unpredictable, she agrees that the fashion industry can be very rewarding professionally and personally.

Sithara has almost a decade of experience and is a woman who has demonstrated immense strength even when dealing with the most difficult of times. With her mother being one of the biggest influences in her life, she has learned that no one can tell you what to do or how to feel, unless you let them. Her advice to all you wonder women reading this is, “As women, we play so many roles in our lives, we nurture, we support, we love…but don’t forget, we also kick ass!”