For a desi makeover

Telly review

Do you want to give yourself a makeover? Are you looking for professional advice for your skin, hair, clothes and make-up? Well, if you answered yes to either or both of these questions, your answers are in the just-launched new season of the show Get The Look on NDTV Good Times. The best part? Get The Look gets a whole new look this year. Being the longest-running fashion makeover series on Indian television, the show is donning a whole new avatar this season.

And this comes from the fact that this season is all about celebrating cutting edge Indian style by exploring Indian fashion with a fresh perspective (of the global desi). The 13-part series will work with 13 people who are willing to step out of their comfort zone and make wearing Indian attire a part of their style palette.

Hosted by the stylish Ambika Anand, who is the editor-in-chief, fashion, at NDTV Good Times, each episode of the show will present the beauty of wearing traditional garments in a fun yet modern way. The show aims to be an honest endeavour to translate the magic and mysticism that lie within the woven thread and make it a preferred choice for daily wear for all occasions.

So I ask Ambika why the team zeroed in on the Indian theme and she explains, “The last few seasons of fashion weeks have shown that a lot of designers have started using handlooms. So, handloom became an obvious choice. In fact, when we were at the ideating stage, we were thinking of doing ‘13 ways of draping a handloom sari’, but then we thought working on handlooms with different designers will make it more appealing to the younger audience. Even the recent Amazon India Fashion Week 2017 had a whole day dedicated to handlooms. In fact, in the finale show by designers Amit Aggarwal and Tarun Tahiliani, Amit used pre-owned patola and Benaras brocades to create contemporary clothes.”

Dermatologist Dr Kiran Lohia, designers Rajesh Pratap Singh, Sanjay Garg, Monica and Karishma, Gaurang Shah and Rohit Bal, stylist Mohan Neelakantan, hair expert Rod Anker and make-up artiste Vidya Tikari are partnering on the show to give the chosen 13 a complete makeover. Dermatologist Kiran Lohia will help with skin treatments and participants and viewers will be given tips on hair styling, colouring, extensions, accessories, and some quick fixes.

Each episode will feature a mix of runway trends, new quirky young brands, accessories, home remedies, DIY’s, hair, make-up, and beauty tips to tell viewers about the textile of the week and how it can be worn in different silhouettes. “What is going to be interesting for the audience in this season is that they can understand their mother’s wardrobe better. For instance, no one would know that Patan patola is so expensive. We were shooting and I found that a paithani duppata costed Rs 2.6 lakh! I am sure people will have more respect for their mother’s wardrobe now,” says Ambika.

In this show, Ambika will also be wearing only 100% handloom and says that they will be working on handloom stories and hair and skin care stories for men as well in a segment.

In every episode, Ambika and a stylist find a quirky store in the city and source the latest trends from them. So I ask Ambika about her memorable shot. “I am constantly fascinated by the variety offered by small stores. A shop I really liked was Nimai in Shahpur Jat, Delhi, and they have put together Indian and international jewellery brands under one roof,” she says.

So, are you ready to go desi and rock?
Get The Look airs on Thursdays on NDTV Good Times.