In this episode of Magical Mornings, we featured Alia Al Rufia. She is one of the bollywood’s most wanted and most desiring stylist with a list of celebrities and brands on her resume. She single handedly changed the bollywood styling industry with her first free looks.
Here’s the interview of Allia Al Rufai with UnitePod.
Q. With your keen eye for amazing fashion trend and to be one of the Bollywood’s most wanted stylist, can you tell me briefly how this entire journey started off for you?
Allia: My journey around fashion started around 15 years ago when I interned for the Bollywood movie Fashion. Shortly after which I remember The Devil Wears Prada came out and I remember seeing it sitting there in the cinema and wishing and wanting this job with big eyes and it just happened. I ended up coming to India shortly after that and I ended up getting a job at the magazine and there was no looking back from there. I spend a few years with Harper and doing absolutely amazing shoots. After that I started my own style company and here I am today.
Q. You have created so many amazing looks on celebrities. What is that one look that you have created that you are most proud of?
Allia: One of the most memorable looks that I have styled was Nargis Fakhri from the movie Spy in London. She wore this amazing red peek a boo dress from the Indian designer Monica Jaisingh looked absolutely striking.
Q. Do you have any styling signature look that you always try to find?
Allia: I would say that my signature styling look will always be towards the minimalistic sensibility, slean line and just beautiful silver silhouette.
Q. When did you know that you had this incredible sense of aesthetics and how did you cultivate it?
Allia: I would say that my fashion aesthetics was born from a very young age. My mother was superbly stylish and we would spend almost all our summer and winter travelling around the world and I would watch people on the street and loved how they dressed. My relationship with fashion goes back a very early age.
Q. We all like classic designs. So what would you say is your favorite timeless wardrobe staples?
Allia: I would say that my favorite wardrobe staples is a oversized jacket, a great pair of denims that fits really well and classic white t-shirt and a few statement t-shirts actually which has something to see and I love it when you carry a message with fashion.
Q. How important is body size inclusivity to you in the fashion world and what are some steps that you absorbed taking yourself towards the change to make it not just a trend but a norm?
Allia: I believe that there has been a huge evolution in fashion, the way people think, the way people precede things because body inclusivity is something where it has a lot to do with things finding in visual point of view about how a person feels inside themselves and how you embrace and you think in a more soulful way. I am happy how fashion has opened its door and sort of include everybody and make everybody feel that they can wear what they want and express what they are.
Q. If you could step into my shoes for a moment, what would you ask yourself that I haven’t yet?
Allia: I think the question that I would ask myself is how you stay relevant in such a fast phased industry like fashion where things are constantly changing; staying relevant is something that is so important. I find myself constantly challenging my own self. I like to give up all the information that I have or I received whether it’s the students who interned with me or my colleagues or my peers. I believe the more information that you give out, it just make more room for you to take in more and more. I also like to stay relevant by learning something new year by year. It could be any subject and not only related to fashion. I kept up to date doing summer school courses in different subjects. And I think it’s a great way to set a challenge for yourself, you keep learning something new even if you can’t attend summer schools today we have access to so much information online. That is a great thing to do and it’s a way go constantly learn.
Q. What message do you have for our listeners and where can they connect with you online?
Allia: The message that I have for everybody out there who wants to make a career for them out of fashion is dare to dream, make a vision and put what you want out there, visualize it and be focused on what you want. With a little bit of hard work, there are so many things through which you can achieve success. You can connect with me over instagram or over email. Have a look on my website aliaalrufai.com.
Thank you so much for sharing such a beautiful message with our listeners, now we know how to connect with Alia. And finally Alia, thank you so much for being here with us today on this beautiful day. You shared not only tips and advices but also a great message. Thank you once again.
Allia: It was lovely chatting with you and thank you for having me here and have an amazing year ahead. Go chase your dreams and live consciously.
That’s a wrap of another episode of Magical Mornings featuring Alia Al Rufia who figured out that the best thing about being a fashion stylist is the constant change. She made the following statement about it, “Season's change, Fashion evolves”. Her strong ideas reflect what a strong base she has laid for herself in the industry.
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