Aki Narula is an Indian fashion and costume designer and wardrobe stylist in Bollywood films, who received praise for styling some A-list stars in films like Bunty Aur Babli (2006), Dostana (2008), Rockstar (2011) and others. One of the most sought-after fashion designers in the Bollywood industry, Narula runs her own brand label “AKI”, which introduced new exciting fashion trends in the industry. The designer is generally known for his eclectic style and bright, fun and cool fabrics that vary in drape and texture.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Aki Narula was born in 1968 (age 53 years; as in 2021). Born and brought up in Kolkata, he completed his schooling at La Martiniere Calcutta in 1987. He graduated from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata with a bachelor’s degree in commerce, and after graduation, he worked with Lintas Group as a management trainee. After working there for ten months, he went to Arizona State University in America to pursue a course in communications. Aki returned to India in 1992 and delved into his cost accounting programme.
Physical Appearance
Height (Approx): 5′ 6″
Hair Color: Black
Eye colour: black
Family
parents and siblings
His father is an engineer and his mother was a housewife.
wife and children
Aki is unmarried and has no children.
relationships/affairs
The designer is openly gay and has a close relationship with Shakeel Sutarwala, a publicist. Reportedly, the couple met near an empty swimming pool on a beach in Juhu, Mumbai in 2008 and have been together ever since.
Aki Narula and Shakeel Sutarwala seen together in a magazine
Religion
Aki follows Sikhism and occasionally visits a Gurudwara.
Address
Aki Narula’s address is C/O Swaraj Designs, F 322 3rd Floor, Lado Sarai, New Delhi, 110030.
livelihood
early years
Aki Narula’s foray into fashion took place in 1994 when she won the ‘Best Fashion Designer Award’ from Kolkata, which was organized by Damania Airlines across five Indian metros. Her victory gave impetus to her fashion career in Kolkata. Three years later in 1997, Narula launched her signature fashion brand label “AKI”. The designer showcased the collection for his newly launched label at his first fashion show “Melange”, a designer boutique at Opera House, Mumbai. The melange paved the way for Aki to sell her designs at 11 stores across India. In 2000, the stylist was invited by the Fashion Development Council of India (FDCI) to participate in the first India Fashion Week, which according to Aki received an overwhelming response and boosted her career in the fashion industry. Following its debut at Fashion Week, Narula’s entire collection was picked up by Selfridges, a high-end department store in the UK. In February 2002, Sheetal Design Studio in Mumbai hired Aki as design director, and after a year, the designer began retailing in international markets in Zingara, Cannes and St. Tropez. Aki was also a part of the grand finale of India Fashion Week in 2004, where he presented his collection on a 1950s theme.
bollywood calling
In 2005, after showcasing her collections on various runways, Aki gained recognition in Bollywood in Mira Nair’s Monsoon Wedding. Although he also designed actors in other films, the stylist got his big break in Bollywood in 2005 with Yash Raj Films’ Bunty Aur Babli, directed by Shaad Ali. This project made Aki popular in the fashion world for her new Patiala salwar and kurtis look and this led to many films in her kitty which made headlines because of the clothes she designed. When Aki was asked about her early days as a stylist in the film industry, she said in an interview,
I hated it. Coming to films from the fashion fraternity, I didn’t like my first day on a film set at all. Just the whole process seemed different and the experience was not pleasant at all.”
Aki Narula’s styling for the film Bunty Aur Babli
However, in later years, Aki’s involvement with film projects distanced her from mainstream fashion designing, and she was rarely seen at fashion weeks. The designer admitted this in an interview:
I did my last fashion week in 2009 and now I am not participating in them because I am working on films. I do about two to three films every year and one film takes more than a year or sometimes even more.
other enterprises
In 2009, Narula signed a collaboration with sports-lifestyle brand PUMA to create ‘Black Label’, a line of apparel, footwear and accessories which arrived in PUMA stores in February 2010. Aki also designed costumes for theater and a national award. Winner Bengali Film. Apart from clothes, Narula also tried her skills in designing lifestyle linens, candle stands and screens. In 2011, Belvedere Vodka worked with designer Aki Narula to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS. For this effort, Narula designed the bottle for (Belvedere) Red Special Edition in India along with a series of limited edition red chiffon scarves, which were sold at select design stores in early 2012. Aki also started on TV as the host of the show TLC. What Not to Wear India with actress Soha Ali Khan as co-host in September 2012. In the 13-episode show, Narula educated the Indian audience about body types, fabrics and prints and techniques as well as some styling tips. He said in an interview,
I couldn’t have had a better TV debut than this. For me, the high point was talking to real people and getting some real insight. I can share what I’ve learned over the last 10 years with real people and deal with personal and emotional issues.
filmography
Aki Narula has styled actors in these Hindi films:
- Monsoon Wedding (2001)
- Bunty Aur Babli (2005)
- Garam Masala (2005)
- Bluffmaster! (2005)
- Don – The Chase Begins Again (2006)
- Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (2007)
- Tashan (2008)
- Bhootnath (2008)
- Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008)
- Dostana (2008)
- Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008)
- Kambakkht Ishq (2009)
- Shortcut (2009)
- Kurbaan (2009)
- Pa (2009)
- Housefull (2010)
- Lamha (2010)
- I Am (2010)
- Tees Maar Khan (2010)
- Chillar Party (2011)
- Rascals (2011)
- Rockstar (2011)
- Agent Vinod (2011)
- Housefull 2 (2012)
- Highway (2014)
Some Bollywood Movies Styled by Aki Narula
controversies
accused of copying a work
Aki was accused by another famous designer – Suneet Verma of copying a creation from Verma’s 2003 Fall/Winter collection for Rani Mukherjee’s outfit in the 2005 Yash Raj film, Bunty Aur Babli. Sunit also considered suing Aki, Yash Chopra and Rani Mukherjee. For copyright infringement; However, he did not proceed further due to lack of sufficient evidence. Aki had denied all such allegations.
Awards, Achievements
- Aki won the regional Damania Fashion Award in 1994.
- He won the Bollywood Style Awards in 2009 for styling Kareena Kapoor in the film “Tashan”.
- In 2013, she was awarded the IIFA Award for Best Costume Design in the film “Barfi”.
Favorite
- Indian Fashion City: Delhi
Facts/General Knowledge
- Aki Narula has got “Swaraj” written on the front of her neck.
Aki Narula has a tattoo of Swaraj on her neck
- The designer’s other interests include painting, reading and experimenting with interiors, props and set dressing. Aki also revealed in an interview that after fashion styling, she loves cooking.
- When Aki was pursuing graduation, her newfound passion for costume designing led her to design clothes for concerts, college plays, and her annual college festival Zavotsav. The designer admitted in an interview that he has not received any formal training in fashion designing and said,
While studying commerce at St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta, I became completely attracted towards fashion. And despite having no formal training in fashion designing, I started designing outfits for my friends.
- Apparel from established designers are available at some of the best designer stores in India, such as Ensemble in Delhi and Mumbai, Melange in Mumbai, Ffolio and Cinnamon in Bengaluru, Ogan in Delhi and Kolkata, Sosas in Goa, Kali in Kolkata, 1 MG Road, Camelot. , you grasshopper, etc.
- Narula has dressed many A-list Bollywood stars including Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor, Rani Mukherjee, Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif, Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, John Abraham and many more.
Categories: Biography
Source: vcmp.edu.vn