Five years ago, Sapna Handa was the director of 5 Senses, a restaurant on Khader Nawaz Khan Road, but she took a sabbatical to fulfil her dream of becoming a fashion consultant.
“I was looking into what I could do as an individual to row my own boat,” she says. After a course with an image consultant in Canada, Sapna began her journey as a style and etiquette guru.
She considers herself an ‘Image Imagineer’. “I dream of somebody becoming something and I act as a catalyst towards that goal.”
Dressed in an aquamarine bodycon midi dress, a smart black blazer and a thick gold necklace, Sapna speaks about the workshops she conducts pan-India. As a fashion consultant, Sapna tries to make the interaction as personal as possible.
“When it comes to one-on-one consulting (or personal style clinic), I take my client’s lifestyle into consideration. On an average, it takes me a minimum of three hours to analyse what type of life one leads; how many hours one spends at office or home and what are the individual’s values and attitudes. My team and I look into both the physical and psychological characteristics before we style clients. The personal style clinic tries to strike a balance between one’s clothing and lifestyle,” she explains.
When you go to a regular store, a sales person might suggest an outfit worth Rs. 70,000 just because the garment has been lying stagnant on the racks, she says.
“They won’t try and match the garment, silhouette and fabric to flatter your body type. I don’t try to sell my client anything; I try to enhance who they already are.”
Sapna doesn’t believe in following trends either — she believes in clothing that seamlessly transitions from a day to a night outfit, with the help of layering, accessories and confidence. “We waste so much money buying designer pieces that go unused. My rule of thumb in fashion is ‘less is more’.”
The fashion consultant’s passion for work is palpable. “My clients are neither thin nor fat; they have figure and body variation that can be hidden or accentuated through clothing dress. Clothes can change the way you look, feel and think, and how other people react towards you. I work to give other people a fresh start.”
