MUMBAI: For one who follows the latest fashion trends and keeps themselves abreast of the latest happenings in the industry, it certainly is a weekend to remember for all the right reasons. Unravelling the way-forward, a Virtual Showcase of Fashion – FASHION FIRST is being hosted by none other than Femina and Grazia and sees the country’ leading fashion designers, industry icons, celebrities and experts ring in the new era of the fashion industry. One of the many webinars during the three-day event sees Bollywood Actress Aditi Rao Hydari in a riveting conversation with Ruchika Mehta, Editor of Femina where she shared her thoughts about how being simple has helped her stay fashionable and stylish through the years along with her beauty secrets, her cultural upbringing, etc.

The gorgeous and talented actress, known for looking her resplendent self in every outfit, talks about being very clear about her fashion sense right from childhood. Knowing exactly what she wanted, her tastes and preferences, have, over time, evolved into something minimalistic, yet able to make a statement/heads turn. She says, “I remember doing a show for Jayanti Reddy who had a lovely lehenga and lots of jewellery for me. As a kid, I used to always pick up jewellery and put it on my head. Even when I used to dance, I used to wear the full matha-patti. I picked up that and asked her if I can just wear that. I always wear that one piece and want that to stand out. I don't want the jewellery and clothes to wear me, I want to wear them. Never ask me to pick because it will look the simplest, but it’ll be the costliest.”

Belonging to royal lineage and having been brought up in the culturally-rich city of Hyderabad, it is no surprise to see the actress being true to her roots. Aditi, a fan of Gajri, Mashru and Ajrak silk and Kanjeevaram, Bengali cotton saris, talks about her childhood being heavily inspired by fashion. “Thanks to my dance classes that I started when I was 5, I learnt to tie a sari even before I was a teenager. My mother and grandmother all wore saris. I have grown up seeing the most beautiful of textiles, traditional jewellery and saris around me. So naturally, I grew up loving that and feeling that it was beautiful and something to be proud of. Over time, in these 9 years of being in the industry, I feel like there has been so much pride in handcrafts and textiles. I feel that everything that I grew up with is now fashionable again. I have always been proud of the Indian aesthetic.”

The three-day fashion fiesta got off to a glamourous and successful note with fashionistas such as Aditi Rao Hydari and Diana Penty amongst others sharing their thoughts about all things fashion in some insight-driven webinars. With a multitude of master classes, digital pop ups, interesting DIY sessions and exclusive celebrity talks, Fashion First takes thingsana up a notch on day 2 with two of the biggest fashion designers in the form of Masaba Gupta and Manish Malhotra packing a punch on Saturday. And going strong to the end on the third and final day, stylista Sonam Kapoor and leading couturier of the country Tarun Tahiliani make for a splendid Sunday.

(Also Read: Aditi Rao Hydari: It is not the film industry but the film that matters to me)