While we haven’t seen much of Diana Penty on the big screen of late, the actor-model’s diligent Instagram posts — chronicling her style endeavours and travels — have kept her relevant to her 2.6 million followers. The latest feather in her cap is her appointment as the first Indian brand ambassador for Estée Lauder, joining the likes of Karlie Kloss, Kendall Jenner, Liu Wen and Anok Yai.
It is a role she takes seriously: over the course of this interview, she dutifully recommends must-haves from the brand, including the Little Black Liner for a classic winged eye, the Sumptuous Knockout for thick lashes, and the Pure Color Envy lip balm for smooth lips.
That apart, the 33-year-old is happy to talk about designers, labels and brands that one would find in her closet. More on red carpet and travel essentials from her wardrobe.
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“I just returned from a trip to New York. Since winter is in full swing there, my travel essentials included my Zara and Bebe winter jackets, Stuart Weitzman thigh high boots (one of the reasons I love this season!), my Balenciaga tote and sunglasses by Yves Saint Laurent,” she says. I have a feeling that if we took a peek into her closet, we’d see a lot of high street. In London, she paired a Zara jumpsuit with a Prada fanny pack; this ensemble was followed by one finished with a pure wool and Alpaca bouclé Burberry cape. While a jumpsuit like the one she wore typically retails between ₹5,000 and ₹9,000, the cosy cape comes with a cool ₹1.24 lakh price tag — proof that she is not afraid to drop cash on the essentials. She also takes homegrown designers along on her jaunts. In France, she wore a trench coat by Dhruv Kapoor
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Red carpet ready
“I think metallic, from head to toe, is such a great statement to make,” says Penty, adding, “What’s great is that you have the option to dress them up or down by using separates. A metallic shirt with a pair of jeans and high heels or even sneakers would be cool for a relaxed get-together. Paired with a bold lip, highlighter and a winged liner, they can become the ultimate party look.” She admits to a long-standing crush on Alberta Ferretti’s pieces, especially the ones that went down the runway this season.
Her recent choices reflect this obsession. At the GQ Men of the Year Awards in September, she rocked Ezra’s half-blazer and wet-look trousers by H&M (left). For the International Film Festival of India in Goa last month, she sported a golden Amit Aggarwal gown with ruffles reminiscent of lionfish. They moved with hypnotic fluidity — I’m sure there were countless Boomerangs. Keeping the love affairs with both metallics and Aggarwal’s creations alive, earlier this week, she donned an asymmetrical coal-black gown with structured ruffles and leather detailing for the Star Screen Awards. She kept her usually tumbling locks slicked back. With these looks being some of Penty’s first red carpets since the announcement of her ambassadorship, perhaps she is looking to make a power statement?
Her style squad
Penty keeps her glam squad — comprising stylist Namita Alexander and hairstylist/make-up artist Shraddha Mishra — close, even while on the move. It is difficult to pinpoint just how far back this trinity goes, but she has definitely grown from her pre-Cocktail Forever 21-esque ensembles. As 2018 comes to a close, she reflects on her style story, saying, “I’d like to believe that I’ve tried new things this year, moved away from my signature classic style and brought some fun to my dressing. I think it’s important to mix things up every now and then. It makes things less monotonous!”