Shweta Bachchan Nanda on her personal style: “High heels make me miserable”

A Google search on Shweta Bachchan Nanda isn't very telling. If you were looking for clues on her personal life, you won't find them on the internet. Her Instagram account (titled a no-frills ‘S'; no bio) is a vignette of family and friends, but she posts sparingly. As the daughter of Amitabh Bachchan, undisputedly India's biggest superstar, the author (her first book Paradise Towers came out late last year) and designer (she co-designs for MXS, her label with Monisha Jaising) may have been handed the limelight and famous last name at birth; but she was never one to bask in its gaze.

What the otherwise reclusive mother-of-two will readily open about, is her style. You'll spot in her repertoire a love for unconventional pairings that not many can carry off as naturally—she'll wear a white three-piece suit with a giant emerald pendant to a wedding party, or toughen up a pretty midi skirt with a tailored blazer.

“I really love fashion, I always have,” Bachchan Nanda admits during a telephonic conversation with us. “But I can't do labels from head-to-toe. Comfort has always been my biggest emphasis. So, while I do stay updated with trends, I won't wear something I know will not suit me.” Short silhouettes and bandage dresses don't make the cut anymore, and you'll never find her in a cold-shoulder anything. “You become adept at mixing different colours, looks and trends as you grow older. Now, I walk into a store and look for quality and versatility. I've become more cleverly self-styled.”

Her wardrobe staples include Adidas tracks and trainers (which she admits to having one too many of), and her trusty uniform of jeans and smart shirts (she loves MXS and Equipment). “I don't like fussy evening looks either. For starters, high heels make me miserable,” she laughs. “I'll often pick a flowy dress or skirt. Androgynous looks are another favourite—so a man's suit, a tuxedo shirt, or tuxedo trousers with a tank top.” Statement jewellery is Bachchan Nanda's trick to adding personality to any look—pendants charms and earrings by Hanut Singh are her go-to.

It's easy to catch glimpses of the designer's personal style in her collections for MXS as well. “It's a lot of luxurious casual wear, which is how Monisha and I dress too. Street wear is another inspiration; what the kids at Sunburn and Coachella are wearing these days. We launch 20 new styles every month, and they always feature elements that can go from day to night. We hope to launch our men's range later this year too,” she adds. So while MXS' sensibility may be inspired by her own, who has most impacted Bachchan Nanda's aesthetic? “My parents, and designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla,” she says without missing a beat. From her mother (actor and member of Parliament, Jaya Bachchan) and the couturiers, she learnt all about the heritage of Indian textiles and luxury in fashion. In fact, the best advice she got from her mother was to never compromise on quality. Her father on the other hand, she says, is a true fashion lover. From pastel Versace suits back in the '90s to aubergine ones now, he has always been a fearless dresser according to her. “At 76, he is fashion-forward and a risk-taker. He's extremely in the now—I shop with him often because he has such a fine eye.” Her Instagram style crush—even though the multi-hyphenate is on a self-imposed social media detox restricted to 15 minutes a day—is fashion entrepreneur Sarah Rutson. “She gets this mix of casual yet fancy yet funky bang-on,” says Bachchan Nanda.

Quiz the writer about her guilty indulgences, and she divulges that she is an incurable makeup hoarder. She has more beauty blenders than she will ever need, and swears by the Crema Nuda Supreme Glow Reviving Tinted Cream by Giorgio Armani Beauty and Ultrasun's Face Tinted Anti-Ageing Sun Protection. “Giorgio Armani Beauty, La Mer, Nars, Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier are huge favourites. I can't stop buying beauty products, no matter how many I already have. Same with books.” It figures that Bachchan Nanda has mastered juggling her many interests—and with effortless flair, at that.

She also admits to having found a renewed sense of purpose in her '40s through her work. “Nothing makes you feel more alive and vibrant than self-defining your purpose and meeting your goals (work-related or not). My kids had flown the coop, and MXS allowed me to challenge myself. It has been wonderful to see it grow,” she says. “At 40, a finishing line to spur you on is something tangible. You know exactly what you want (or don't want) without the rose-tinted sentimentality of your youth. The knowledge that life is flawed, there is no such thing as a soulmate and nothing lasts forever, is so empowering.”

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