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Fashion Spotlight EXCLUSIVE: Ashwin Mawle talks about his journey with Allu Arjun, opens up on idea behind Jr NTR’s Oscar look
In an exclusive interview, Ashwin Mawle, the stylist, opened up about how Allu Arjun asked him to style his look and the idea behind Jr. NTR’s Oscar look.
In an exclusive chat, Ashwin Mawle, the popular stylist known for the reason behind Allu Arjun and Jr. NTR’s strong style statements, opens up about his journey and experience working with the leading actors. When asked about his journey as a stylist, the only term that can define it is “COINCIDENTAL.”
Walking us through his journey, the stylist mentioned that he had never been to any fashion or styling school and had never thought of building his career as a stylist. He was pursuing his career as a model when he met Allu Arjun, who appreciated his fashion and said, “You’re the most fashionable guy in the city I have ever seen.”
He also further mentioned that the actor loved how he matched his outfit and everything he wore, which Ashwin was doing because of his experience in modeling. Then, one day, the Pushpa star reached out to him asking to be his stylist for the film Aarya 2, and that’s how the journey of Ashwin Mawle from model to becoming one of the leading stylists started.
In the fun conversation, the stylist revealed some of his interesting secrets, experience with Allu Arjun and Jr. NTR, and valuable insights.
Highlights from the Interview
1. How was your journey with Allu Arjun so far?
Talking about the journey with Allu Arjun from start to end, Ashwin mentioned that it was absolutely phenomenal and incredible, with so much learning. Adding to it, he said, “Apart from him being a star or actor, the knowledge he has on fashion and the inputs he gives about styling and everything, I think I have learned a lot in my journey, styling him for his film and events.”
He also expressed that being unknown to this industry, Allu Arjun was the first to ask him to style his look for the film; he taught him many things and introduced him to his passion for styling. And all the movies and events he has styled him were a part of the learning, resulting in a great journey.
2. When working with Allu Arjun, how much input does he have in choosing his outfits, and how do you collaborate on styling decisions?
Regarding Allu Arjun’s inputs in choosing his outfits, the leading stylist said, “That it depends for like if it’s a movie then me, director and the cinematographer sometimes, have a discussion to see how the character is shaping up and what kind of look are they looking at. And then Arjun, being knowledgeable about trends, fashion, and the character, has his input also, and then when I come up with the character graph or lookbook for his film, he knows like he trusts me; it’s always the green signal the moment I show the presentation.”
The stylists also revealed that the actor likes to keep things safer so that the audience enjoys them.
3. Jr. NTR’s Oscars look in a black sherwani and tiger design was one of his most iconic red carpet moments. Can you walk us through your thought process behind styling this look? What elements did you focus on to create such a powerful statement?
Ashwin expressed his gratitude to Jr. NTR, who trusts his stylists and offers flexibility when experimenting with him. When given the opportunity to style his Oscar look, it was an overwhelming moment that brought lots of nervousness and excitement. After many sleepless nights, the stylist decided to recreate the famous RRR tiger scene, and he, along with Gaurav Gupta, prepared an iconic ensemble.
It was a classic Sherwani designed with black velvet fabric and tiger detailing in the corner, symbolizing the famous RRR scene and Indian fashion. His thought process was to keep things simple but complement Jr. NTR, go by the norms of Oscars red-carpet rules, the reason for him being there, and the actor’s roaring role in the movie.
4. For Berlinale 2024, you chose a traditional black outfit for Allu Arjun. Was there a specific reason behind this choice?
When asked about the reason behind choosing the traditional outfit for the international film festival, the renowned stylist mentioned that as the actor represented the Indian film Pushpa: The Rise, they wanted to bring the flavor of India to an international platform. With the black sherwani, they intended to keep the actor looking simple and classy yet very Indian to the point.
5. What colors do Allu Arjun and Jr. NTR usually prefer wearing, and who are their style inspirations? Also, who are Allu and NTR inspired by for their style?
We have often seen Allu Arjun opt for dark shades, whereas Jr. NTR embraced various colors. When discussing this with Ashwin, he opened up by saying they like to keep things flexible and don’t stick to one color. For example, if it’s an evening look, both stars love to wear darker colors.
But moving further, he also revealed that most of the time, Allu Arjun prefers dark shades like white and black, whereas Jr. NTR prefers shades of blue, black, white, and lots of pastels.
Regarding style inspiration, Ashwin said neither actor has any style inspiration and believes in inspiring others.
6. What are the key challenges you face between men's styling and women's styling?
Talking about the key challenges in men’s and women’s styling, the stylist said that being a women's stylist can be a bit overwhelming, with lots of accessories, jewelry, and a variety of clothing options. On the other hand, men’s styling can be a bit tricky, with limited options like jeans, T-shirts, shirts, suits, and Indian wear. Each time, we make efforts to make the latest look different from the previous ones.
During this conversation, Ashwin also mentioned that Allu Arjun and Jr. NTR neither want many options and asked him to send just 4-5 options they choose from for memorable fashion moments.
7. Can you please share your insights on red carpet styling, casual fashion, and how personal style plays a role?
Sharing his insights on style and fashion, the stylist mentioned that he kind of believes in “less is more.” For red carpet styling, he likes to keep it very sophisticated and very edgy and likes to play with cuts instead of something flashy. Moving further for him, red-carpet styling is always something soft and elegant yet statement.
For the casual fashion, he considers the day, the season, and the timing of the outfit. Talking about his preference, he likes to keep it comfortable. Lastly, sharing his thoughts on personal style, Ashwin believes it is 50-50, saying, “Everyone has their personal style and like If ask me my personal style these days are like oversized, loose pants, loose t-shirts and all. But then that cannot be okay for every event.” In terms of styling, he always likes to keep the essence of the actor’s personal style while creating an ensemble.
For years, Ashwin Mawle has been strongly committed to his work in the fashion industry. We would be lying if we said that every time, he didn’t manage to leave us awestruck. Sharing his inspiring journey, the stylist has not only left a significant mark but is also inspiring young aspirations.
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