Wearing her Alexander McQueen dress and Louboutin shoes she walks into the room. Heads turn. Anu Mahtani, fashion designer, brand owner, retailer looks every bit the part. And then she has this perpetual glow on her skin. She epitomises the phrase beauty is skin deep.
Anu started her brand Ananya just by chance but her dream was to create a line of clothing which in her words could be worn straight “from the beach to the club”. With Ananya which means ‘one of a kind’ in Hindi, she was able to achieve exactly this look. A kaftan with a western twist is what made her famous.
And then she hit her trump card by opening a store in swish, stylish Notting Hill, across the road from restaurants like Osterio Basillico and E&O. The mannequins dressed in her signature brights look straight into the eye of the smart set that frequent this area. Her cash register does not stop ringing.
The queen of kurti, Anu has celebrity clients such as Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham and Madonna. Her typical client is bold and daring and fun. Her garments depict these qualities.
The ultimate endorsement of the look she is selling lies in the emergence me-too products and brands. There are various brands trying to capture her niche in the market. Anu manages to beat competition by personally looking into each design and managing production in a hands-on manner.
“I believe that the key for me to stay ahead of the competition has been to promote Ananya as more than a brand, but as a lifestyle — and in the end that is what people are buying into,” she says.
Her style icon has been Sophia Loren for her unwavering glamour. And Angelina Jolie for her understated style. “At the moment I also like Kate Middleton’s style — the way she manages to look effortlessly elegant and chic simultaneously, and Jennifer Lopez’s ability to look sexy without looking trashy”, says Anu.
Anu’s personal style is individual and bold. “ I like Dolce & Gabanna and Alexander McQueen for their evening dresses, J Brand for jeans, Topshop because it always has a great selection of fashion forward pieces and Zara and Joseph for basics, and of course — Ananya,” she says with ease in her typical effortless manner. Her soft lilt in her voice makes her popular in the social arena and her close friends always talk of her generous and kind nature. She has an all- rounded personality. “I believe in being healthy so it is imperative that I go to the gym at least 3 times a week”. After hours are spent relaxing “In the evenings I meet friends or attend industry-related events”.