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Surily Goel has styled the look of Bollywood divas Preity Zinta and Rani Mukherjee in films such as Salaam Namaste, Janeman and Ta Ra Rum Pum.
She also designed the uniforms for Yuvraj Singh and his Kings XI Punjab team mates during the recent IPL Cricket Tournament. And her own label, Surily, is known for its chic look and celebrity clientele.
But the young designer seems untouched by the glitz and glamour. Goel was in Dubai recently for the launch of her summer 2008 collection at Samsaara in the Souk Al Bahar.
Dressed casually in jeans and a white shirt, she came across as a down-to-earth girl driven more by professionalism than passion and focused on balancing her personal and professional goals.
“I did not plan to be a fashion designer or a Bollywood stylist. After graduating from university in Mumbai I wanted the experience of studying abroad. Not being academically inclined, I decided to enrol for a course at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles. Later, I worked as an assistant to Bollywood designer Manish Malhotra, before launching my own label four years ago," said Goel.
“I got a break in Bollywood with the title song of Kaal featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Malaika Arora just because the original stylist was not well and they asked me to step in at the last minute," she added. The designer shared her Bollywood and IPL experiences with tabloid!.
Excerpts from the interview:
What is the most important lesson you learnt from Manish Malhotra, who is Bollywood's first professional stylist?
I learnt the importance of hard work and dedication. Having talent gives you an edge but success will come only if you are hard-working and committed.
What is it like to work with Preity Zinta and how difficult is it to keep creating different looks for the same actress?
I was fortunate to work with Preity in my first film project Salaam Namaste. She is easy to work with and gave me a fair chance. The film was set in Australia and for most of it Preity's character was pregnant. It was my first trip to Australia and it was difficult to find the right stores, but it was a great learning experience.
I have also styled her for Janeman, Har Pal and The Last Lear. It is not difficult to create different looks for Preity because she chooses films with different and well-defined characters and she can carry off an Armani gown and street fashion with equal élan. In her forthcoming film, The Last Lear, she plays a Bengali actress and is dressed in traditional Bengali saris with long hair and a big bindi.
How do you research the look for your films?
I choose to work only with directors who have well-defined characters and have done their research to provide me a clear briefing. It becomes easier with actors like Preity and Rani who are very involved and ensure that I get it right. So, if the look works, I must share the credit with the director and the actor.
Tell us about your IPL experience.
I did not want to design the uniforms for Preity's team (Kings XI Punjab) because I have never done menswear, but she pushed me. Her brief was to create a young, peppy yet corporate look. It was not easy but finally I think our team had the best and most practical uniform.
The entire IPL experience was amazing. I saw all our team's matches live and have learnt a lot about cricket. The energy in the stadium is exhilarating and I am glad I was associated with the IPL.
What are your goals for the future?
I want to travel and see a new place every year. From now on I will take on two films a year and take a break every three months to travel. It is important to balance work and fun and travelling is a great way to refresh the mind.
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