A mini version of her boutique, the wardrobe of Komal Mirchandani, the stylish owner of Sanskrit on Lyndhurst Terrace, is immaculately organized.
Areas of her cupboard are cordoned off for her Western outfits, her shimmering saris, designer bags and bejeweled shoes. And there's a small area reserved for her husband to hang his shirts. "Otherwise, the place is all mine," she says with a laugh.
"I know where every single item is. I hate a messy environment and thankfully my kids have inherited that from me. Well, my son has. My daughter is studying in Britain now and when she comes home, it's like typhoon has hit the room."
The clothes are a reflection of her identity as a Hong Kong Indian. "I've lived in Hong Kong for five decades and it is really my home. I go to India often and have been to many of the fashion weeks that are held in Delhi and Mumbai, and I pick up pieces that suit my lifestyle."
She likes pieces that have a Western silhouette with an Indian touch. "It isn't practical in the heat and humidity of Hong Kong to wear traditional saris all the time or a shalwar kameez, so we - and I can speak for many Indian ladies in Hong Kong - wear them for special occasions only. I try to remember how my mum taught me to wear a sari, but now there are many ready-made saris I can just zip into."
For her daily wear, Mirchandani goes for comfort with a splash of style. "I pick up outfits with little Indian embellishments, like a sparkling arabesque pattern at the collar, or a print that's colorful."
She often wears Indian designer shoes, but also has a collection of Jimmy Choo, Giuseppe Zanotti and one pair of Christian Louboutins. "His shoes are gorgeous, but they are so painful after 10 minutes. I'm sure many women secretly agree with me."
For Mirchandani, a personal touch is important in fashion. "There are are some designers who I won't work with or buy from as they are difficult for no reason. It's really important for me to like them, that we have an understanding and a connection.
"Not only do I wear the designs of Satya Paul, Rina Dhaka, Rabani and Rakha, and Anjalee and Arjun Kapoor, I sell their pieces in my shop. I knew Anjalee and Arjun before all the Bollywood stars started wearing their outfits - they're lovely, talented people, who understood that many of us non-resident Indians need to mix and match, it can't be too traditional or too Western. They have reconstructed pieces for me, to suit the weather and style here."
Mirchandani travels often, and prefers shopping in London to the US. "In the US, you see the same brands in every mall. You see them in Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, you'll find them all in Hong Kong too, so the temptation to shop there is limited. In London, it's great to find these off-the-beaten path boutiques in Marylebone Lane, and Marylebone High Street, Knightsbridge, New Bond Street and Notting Hill."
She prefers authentic jewels and stays away from costume jewelry. "My traditional sets of kundan or polki jewelry or the bigger diamond sets are locked away and come out only occasionally.
"I'm glad fashion evolves constantly, " she says. "Remember when people frowned if your bag didn't exactly match the colour of your outfit? Thank God, we've moved on from matchy matchy."
Text: P.Ramakrishnan (ramakrishnanp @ hotmail dot com)
All photos by Carmen Chan.
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