CRAFTY CONNOISSEUR
ANJUM JUNG
Entrepreneur

She is puzzled about being requested to be a part of this feature (“Why me?”) but is thrilled to wear her latest Anamika Khanna ensemble and “my new diamond chandelier earrings.” Initially somewhat self-conscious, Anjum Jung slowly finds comfort in a pair of “sexy” Louis Vuitton heels and an enthusiasm towards the photoshoot process. “Be natural and confident,” our photographer encourages, “Like you own this place...”

She does own the place. Her home is tastefully done up with artefacts and souvenirs from her many travels, antique furniture and her prized collection of art is displayed with pride. Among the many framed masterpieces (add to that some “stored” work), there are a couple of Husains, a very large Paresh Maity, and our photographer delightedly discovers a work of his own father, painter Yusuf Arakkal. “When my husband and I got married, we didn’t have the money to buy art,” she tells us. “But slowly, we started collecting. Art is very important to us. It’s not just a passion, but a necessity.”

Her other passion is her work. Coming from a prominent construction family (with projects covering much of Bengaluru’s area), an inclination towards designing spaces was a natural extension. She set up Morph Design Company, the interiors subdivision of the Prestige Group, and has taken on residential and hospitality sector projects. Bengaluru still has the luxury of space, in comparison with other cities, and the sprawling mansions are a great canvas for her skills. “Yes, it is a very different city from what it used to be,” she says. “Not so green; the weather’s changed. But it still has a lovely, cosmopolitan mix of people.”

Jung is a cosmopolitan woman herself, well travelled, a mix of affluent assurance, earthy charm, an easygoing temperament and a desi-ness that is reflected in the rich tones of her living area and the crafty elements of her wardrobe. “I’m quite ethnic in my dressing,” she says. “There’s a traditional touch to most things that I pick up.” Even her personal LV ballerinas have a somewhat mojri look. In the comfort to style ratio, she leans more towards the former, but after the exercise in the super elevated Vuitton peep-toes and the Khanna stretch leggings, she is a little more inspired to bear the discomforts of fashion. Descending to ground level after parting with the multistoreyed heels, she observes, “Maybe I should try this rock-star look more often. I think I had fun.”

FAMILY FEMME
PINKY BALJEE
Homemaker and philanthropist

It is unusually sweltering weather in the city, and the pampered urban folk are all complaining, “Bengaluru was never like this. We’ve always had great weather throughout the year…” Inside Pinky Baljee’s spacious abode, though, it is cool and soothing, due to the large patch of green visible though the French windows of her conservatory-styled living area. Baljee, in white, is all afternoon chic. “Summer gear has to be light and comfortable,” she says. “And also appropriate for my age and frame.”

Family photographs dot many areas of her home. An entire wall is dedicated to a timeline of snapshots featuring travels and holidays with her husband, sons, daughters-in-law and most importantly, her infant grandson. They are her universe, and even as she takes me through her wardrobe’s enviable lineage of top brands – Louis Vuitton (“I have so many. I pick up something from each new collection.”), Chanel, Bottega Veneta, Prada and the gang – she narrates anecdotes like “My son gifted me that one with his first salary” or “I picked up the same ones for my daughters-in-law.” From the selection of ‘gifts’ that she has received, it would appear that all her family members have great taste. She beams with pride, “Yes they do. My daughters-in-law are gorgeous and impeccable. They’re the daughters that I’d always longed for, but never had.”

Perhaps the desire to doll up a daughter of her own stemmed from her mother’s keen interest in fashion. “I grew up with fashion magazines, thanks to my Mom,” she tells me. “We didn’t have as many choices then, but Mom kept, and still keeps herself updated.” Along with an appetite and appreciative eye for beautiful things, Baljee has also inherited exquisite pieces of heirloom jewellery. Of course, there have been many additions of her own. The self-confessed “ardent shopper” is a fashion devotee, devouring glossies and following timely trends. “I even have set shopping routes when I travel to Mumbai and Delhi. I pick up a lot of pieces from Tarun Tahiliani, Rohit Bal and Monisha Jaising, for dressy occasions like weddings and functions, and even daily attire for work.”

Baljee has worked quite closely with various aspects of her husband’s business – 12 properties across the country under the Royal Orchid Hotels group – but now chooses not to make it her regular routine. “Five years ago, we set up the Baljee Foundation, which provides food and basic necessities to the elderly, and also primary education to underprivileged children. That is my focus.” How does she find this philanthropic role? “It’s my way to give back. I must say that it is very fulfilling.”

ARTIST À-LA-MODE
VINITA CHAITANYA
Interior designer

My day begins early, with a workout at the gym or a swim,” Vinita Chaitanya speaks of her schedule. “I try to be as dedicated and disciplined as possible. After a certain age, there needs to be additional effort.” The ‘effort’ signifies only willpower. The gym is two steps across the road; the pool is part of her villa-style residential complex. Rather comfortably convenient. “Life should be about convenience, no?” she asks. We agree.

One of Bengaluru’s premier interior designers, Chaitanya has created and customised spaces for many prominent individuals and corporate organisations in the city. “I travel to design fairs and exhibitions across the globe, to keep myself updated about what’s happening, what’s new, what’s out there,” she tells me. Quality – not quantity – is her operative word, as she restricts the number of assignments that she focuses on, at one time. At present, her pet project is her own holiday home in Coorg. “You should visit,” she extends an invitation. “It’s got a different flavour from the city houses.”

Her constant travels become collection tours, both for her home and wardrobe. Candles, art (with an affinity to charcoal sketches and monochrome watercolours) and Kosta Boda glassware are plenty and placed in many parts of her house. She likes creating an ambience, and enjoys dressing up for occasions. “My work wardrobe and my cocktail clothes are very different,” she takes me through her hangers. “In the day, I’m mostly in jeans and white shirts and blousons. I wear a lot of Abraham & Thakore, and Pratap. They’re so understated and beautiful.” Evening sees a diva-esque transformation. “I prefer dresses that are well-cut and somewhat tailored, but at the same time, feminine.” A grape DKNY number is her current favourite. “Rich, solid colours suit me. And no prints please.”

Her simple taste in apparel means that the lady is an accessory junkie. The collector in her has stacked up an impressive number of jewellery pieces. “I love polkis, kundans and uncut stones,” she shows me. “And chunky gold. They have to be impactful pieces, to add a bit of drama.” From her collection of handbags, she can set up a small personal Louis Vuitton counter at their store; she is quite the bag-a-bond! “Shoes are slowly acquiring my interest,” she says. “I wear both flats and heels, though not skyscraper ones. They have to be somewhat comfortable.”

All the enviable contents of her closet will probably be passed on to her daughter, who is away in college at present. A husband who sails the seas means that family time is very precious. Until then, she has her housekeeper cum cook for company. “She is the reason why I have to hit the gym anyway,” she jokes. “She makes the most divine food. How can I stop eating?”

GILDED GIRL
AMRITA MARWAHA
Homemaker

The afternoon sun is blinding and the fresh coat of white on Amrita Marwaha’s sparkling new house can put detergent commercials to shame. The interiors are cool, with marble flooring and blinds. Marwaha is apologetically welcoming, “These powercuts – despite the generators – have really become a bother.” Another person to reaffirm Bengaluru’s changing status from residential paradise. But then again, each will swear that the city is still the best choice, compared to the alternatives.

Marwaha plays the host to perfection; her well-dressed and trained house staff offers trays of delectable appetisers and she even insists on uncorking a chilled bottle of bubbly in the Verve team’s honour. A loud pop…and cheers! To a good photoshoot, we toast.

Her love for a bit of bling is evident in her wardrobe investments, as well as the collection of artefacts displayed in her home. Glass surfaces and mirrors are decoratively utilitarian. Gold is strongly present on wall-mounted frames and bric-a-bracs. Her jewellery pieces, though, are more subtle. “I don’t like to wear too many ornaments at a time,” she says. “And not a lot of make-up. I like it clean.” Given her clear complexion, clean works just fine.

“I don’t pick something on the basis of the brand name,” she says about her favourite fashion finds. “I have to like it, and it has to suit me.” Her taste is eclectic – from a minimalist lime Moschino day dress to a fringed black ‘rock-grunge’ Gaultier tunic – everything depends on the mood and the moment. “I have a lot of Indian outfits, but I don’t wear them too often; only on traditional occasions.” A sequinned Charu Parashar kaftan and an embroidered Hemant and Nandita outfit are recent “quirky” additions. She does not think of herself as a label loyalist, but “Gauri & Nainika’s classically feminine styles are such great investments, and I have quite a few pieces from them.”

The accessories cupboard is packed with all her Pradas, Choos, Fendis and Louis Vuittons. (“Sorry it’s overflowing at the moment, I need to make more space,” she smiles.) A mix of comfort, utility and style is the winning mix that always floors her. Elevation means head held up high, but with feet planted firmly on the ground. “I don’t mind heels. But they have to allow me to walk around as well,” says the practical fashionista.

Shopping is a therapeutic extension of her travels, and lately, collecting limited edition pieces has also become a hobby. “There were only three of these in India,” Marwaha shows me her sequinned Vuitton ‘Speedy Gold’ handbag. “I booked one because not too many ladies will be carrying them around. It’s unique, and that’s how I like it.”

CORPORATE CHICA
RUCHIRA RAINA
Director of media house

Yikes, these are high!” Ruchira Raina exclaims as she slips on a pair of Vuitton stilettos for her shot. “I love and live in my flats.” She does not understand the point of towering heels that kill feet, but gallantly sacrifices her comfort and patiently poses for the camera.

Practicality is the foremost fashion aspect for Raina, who sorts her wardrobe into three sections – work, holiday and ethnic. “I’m mostly in jeans at office. If there’s a presentation, then I wear a sari. I do have tailored separates, but jeans are so comfortable,” she tells me. For holidays, there is a sizeable collection of jackets. “I have a bit of a grunge sensibility,” she observes about herself, showing me some subtly military detailed outerwear. “I find shopping de-stressing. I pick up things that appeal to me, regardless of their label. I’m not a brand slave.”

The brands do dot her closet space though – apparel, footwear (no heels, of course) and accessories from Burberry, Jimmy Choo, Chanel and Louis Vuitton have marked presence. “I prefer subtle branding. Even with my Vuittons, I like tonal embossing without a loud logo,” she says. Understated works well with her jewellery collection too – diamonds and pearls worn in measured numbers dress her up without overkill. But her biggest passion comes in the form of six yards. Saris from every corner of the country crowd a separate wardrobe. Regional textile specimens (the ikats and Dhakais are absolutely delectable), as well as designer drapes are preserved with pride. “Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla have exquisite work,” she displays an orange georgette and brocade number. “I recently visited Kolkata and picked up a champagne beaded piece from Dev R Nil.”

Heading the Indian office of media giant DENTSU in Bengaluru is a demanding affair; therefore, holidays with her husband are essential every few months. (She recently returned after hopping all across Spain.) But she is very attached to her job and does not want to be slotted in a ‘society lady who shops and lunches’ category. With her razor bob and down to earth efficient persona, she is very much the corporate lady. “I’m not a Page 3 person,” she insists. “And thankfully, in this city, that culture is still more restrained than elsewhere.”

She takes off those “killer shoes” and observes them. “Hmmm, maybe I will pick heels in future. Not this high, but they may actually be worth a try.”

PEDIGREED PANACHE
HARATHI REDDY REBELLO
Real estate developer

There is something very ‘Bree Van de Kamp’ (of Desperate Housewives) about the air of elegance that Harathi Reddy Rebello wears. Like the way she hangs out her designer wardrobe options – complete with complementing footwear and accessories – on a rail. The spotless décor of her airy and spacious home. The way she has trained her maid to set the table and serve a meal. Her precise and polite way of speaking. And now she is also writing a cookbook. Yes, very Bree. But minus the aloof coolness.

The foremost name on Bengaluru’s fashionable elite roster, Reddy has found a place in almost every ‘best dressed’ or ‘most stylish’ list published by the country’s glossies. “I’m not sure how I got there in the first place,” she says. “I don’t dress according to trends, but know what suits me. I’ll never wear something uncomfortable to make a statement. Maybe that’s what’s appreciated.” She admits to following a personal formula – “You may say that it’s boring.” On the contrary, her wardrobe is far from ‘boring’ – there are many covetable classics (“investments”) and measured adventurous pieces from Marni, Jean Paul Gaultier, Stella McCartney, Hervé Léger, Raakesh Agarvwal and “the creative genius and my absolute favourite” Gaurav Gupta. Her Louis Vuittons hold sentimental value. “When I started college, my mother gifted me my first Vuitton because I did well in school – I had to earn it – and more than a designer statement, it was a durable, good quality product, and that’s what I’ve associated the brand with.”

Her ‘perfectionist’ image is a result of “my disciplined lifestyle, and ensuring that I’m healthy and well-groomed. I may not be perpetually immaculate, but it’s ingrained in me to be presentable.” Whether her appearance, entertaining guests, work or spending quality time with family, “everything gets my 100 percent. I will put my heart and soul into something I do, but when I need to unwind, I shall completely switch off. How do you recharge otherwise?” Right now, she is into ‘soul’ food. “With my mother’s help, I’m working on a book that is a tribute to my grandmother, great-grandmother and all the ladies of the house before her, for the love, passion and integrity with which they cooked traditional Andhra food from the scratch.” There is also a breast cancer awareness programme to organise, and her real estate business to run. The manicured hands are full.

She likes her Bengaluru life because “the people here are relaxed, educated and well-mannered. Despite this injection of the ‘high life’, there is still no vulgar wealth flaunting and an ostentatious culture. Not yet – knock on wood.” But she never wants to be overwhelmed by the pace of urban life. “When my husband comes home from work, our cell phones are put on the silent mode. And at ten, they’re switched off. That is our time.”

Bree would certainly approve.

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