As a woman and mum of two girls now comfortably in my 40’s, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about and understanding my own style dna, changing body shape and how I want to feel in the clothes I wear.
This has most definitely ‘evolved’ over the years. Accepting my body, and knowing how best to dress, has been a long and colourful journey. And yes – there have been some ‘questionable choices’ along the way! But I think that’s all part of it, discovering what suits us, understanding what works within the context of our own lifestyles… and ultimately making us feel aligned with the person we see in the mirror.
My path into fashion began at age 3 when I was bundled along to work with my mum. She assisted at a quirky boutique hidden in the bustle of Carnaby Street in the early 80s’ (this probably explains my inherent pull towards a confident shoulder and being totally unphased by neon should the fashion call arise!)
Skip forward to 2004, and while completing my Postgraduate studies in Fashion & Marketing at UAL I found myself lucky enough to gain experience as a personal stylist and body consultation specialist at one of Saville Row’s brightest Fashion Houses – Ozwald Boateng.
And then, life happened…
…including a move to Derbyshire to undertake a 65-bedroom Hotel renovation project (Imagine Faulty Towers with masses of terracotta thrown in for good measure!) It needed a great deal of work, and I got stuck in! Looking back, this project taught me so many essential skills and provided some tough lessons…preparing me for the journey ahead.
Now returning to London (the place I call home) with my family, It was the perfect time to find my fashion-feet again. So, I enrolled at The London College of Fashion to study Personal Styling with renowned fashion stylist Polly Holman, giving me the tools to make real steps forward in my commitment to women and how they feel every day. I later went on to gain a distinction in Colour Analysis Advanced Diploma CAFC with LCS.
And after much deliberating and of course many name changes…
Style By Manisha was launched…
