Meet Shraysi Dang, a celebrity stylist who has worked on various projects like the Filmfare cover shoot with Jacqueline Fernandes and with production houses like Dharma and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Some of the movies she has assisted on are “The Kargil Girl”, “Tuesdays and Fridays”; “Brahmastra” “Drive” and more. She has also worked on ad films, print campaigns and personal styling for celebrities like Vidya Balan, Nora Fatehi, Divya Khosla Kumar and more.
She has also recently started her own online thrift shop called “DyelogByShra” with the hope to promote and practice more conscious buying and living. Her collection ranged from retro printed shirts to quilted skirts. Since most of them sell out within hours of posting, be sure to check them out and give them a follow on Instagram.
Instagram: @tailored.state.of.mind
Thrift Shop: @dyelogbyshray
Shraysi Dang is a celebrity stylist and entrepreneur who has worked on cover shoots with Jacqueline Fernandes and production houses like Dharma and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. We got to ask her some of your questions!
I’d say street-style describes my style perfectly. I have never been the one to follow trends or buy pieces that would be found in other people’s wardrobes. My closet has a lot of one off pieces that I’ve collected over the years. While I love to draw inspiration from the retro era, layering and oversized clothing are my go-to styles.
WHERE DO YOU GET STYLING IDEAS FROM AND HOW DO YOU STAY INSPIRED TO CREATE NEW STYLES?
A lot of my inspiration is derived from Japanese and South Korean fashion. They are very individualistic, layer like a pro and rock androgyny effortlessly. I also follow street styles at fashion weeks abroad. It gives me a global viewpoint on fashion! Playing dress up has always been therapeutic for me and I consciously try to curate different styles using the same pieces.
Androgyny: the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics into an ambiguous form
WHAT PIECE OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO WANT TO ENTER THE FASHION INDUSTRY AND THE STYLING DEPARTMENT?
To begin with, it’s going to be a lot of hard work! But in the end it all seems worth it. Always remember that styling is not a regular 9 to 5 job and you will have long working hours. You’re going to be hustling all the time. But for me that was the most exciting bit because routine is boring for me. Another very important piece of advice would be to take out some time to keep yourself fit and healthy because the long hours can sometimes take a toll on your well-being. As long as you’re taking care of yourself, you’re good!
WHO HAS BEEN YOUR FAV. CELEBRITY TO STYLE SO FAR AND SHOW US SOME OF YOUR FAV. LOOKS?
I’ve worked with quite a few but my favorite has to be Vidya Balan. She is extremely professional and also very easy going. I really admire her. Jhataleka Malhotra is also great. I worked with her for the movie Tuesdays & Fridays and we had an absolute blast!
HOW DO YOU DECIDE ON A BUDGET IF ANY?
We have to work with budgets all the time. It’s best to start with breaking the script down to the number of characters. Then we calculate the number of outfit changes per character. For each change make sure your budget accounts for the clothes, accessories and shoes. Follow the head to toe technique so you don’t miss out on anything and always keep options for every change. This should be a part of your budget. The genre of the movie and the production house are additional factors while calculating budgets.
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE CLOTHES ONCE A CELEBRITY HAS WORN THEM?
This totally depends on the type of event. Pieces that are sourced for promotions/editorials/poster shoots or any similar event, go back to the designers/stores once it’s over. Due credits are given to the designer on the celebrity’s or their stylist’s Instagram handle. When it comes to movies/ads the outfits are usually bought and are sent to the production house once the shoot is done.
WHAT ARE SOME STYLE STAPLE PIECES YOU THINK EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE IN THEIR CLOSET?
Few wardrobe staples everyone should have:
– A statement blazer
– An interesting white shirt
– A white tee
– Dark blue jeans that fit you well
– A denim jacket
– An LBD (little black dress)
– Black pumps
– Ballet flats.
WHAT MAKES STYLING FOR AN EDITORIAL DIFFERENT FROM FILMS AND ADVERTISEMENTS? (TELL US BRIEFLY YOUR THOUGHT AND WORK PROCESS).
Styling for editorials is very different from commercial styling (movies/ads). Editorials give you creative freedom and are refreshingly liberating. It can be a medium to express emotions, thoughts, concepts et al and it totally depends on whether you want to make it real or surreal. It can transport you to a parallel universe. You have all these talented designers and brands at your disposal and to collaborate with. On the other hand, when it comes to commercial styling you have to consider the client’s wishes/views, and you have to make it relatable because it’s usually for the masses. You have to keep budgets in mind. I’d say editorial styling is for the soul and commercial for our bank accounts.
WHAT HAPPENS IF A CLOTHING ITEM IS TORN OR DAMAGED DURING AN EVENT? HAVE YOU HAD ANY HORROR EXPERIENCES?
Usually we have a person from the styling team present at the event so we try to fix the piece by either sewing it or try to hide it by styling it differently. Other options could be layering the piece or tweaking the garment. It’s totally situation dependent! We also keep options handy for SOS situations. Thankfully, I’ve never been in a situation that went out of hand.
WHAT ARE SOME SKILL SETS YOU THINK EVERY STYLIST SHOULD HAVE? E.G. TIME MANAGEMENT ETC.
Something that will really come in handy are your research skills and proficiency at PowerPoint. Being a team player largely benefits because you are working with so many people all the time. An exceptional eye for detail and great aesthetic sense will take you a long way as well.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE OUTFIT FOR A SHOOT DAY?
Even though I like to be comfortable on set, I make sure to put thought in my outfit. So it has to be a midi skirt, a tee, an oversized jacket and sneakers. I love wearing skirts 🙂
WHAT IS ONE TREND YOU CAN’T STAND AND ONE TREND YOU ABSOLUTELY LOVE?
I’m sure I’m not the first one to tell you that I cannot stand the sight of Crocs.
I’m currently obsessed with 70s fashion.
IF YOU COULD STEAL SOMEONE’S CLOSET, WHOSE WOULD IT BE?
It has to be Leandra Medine Cohen of Man Repeller fame and Anna Dello Russo. I absolutely love their sense of style and the pieces they invest in: out of the box and one of a kind!
TELL US A STYLING TRICK/ TIP?
A great tip would be to invest in wardrobe staples and working your capsule wardrobe.
Or if you’re someone who likes to have fun with their outfit: mix prints, patterns or textures (you can never go wrong with stripes and paisleys, one print noticeably being smaller or bigger than the other)
WHO IS YOUR CELEBRITY STYLE CRUSH?
My celebrity style crush would be Harry Edward Styles hands down.
PLEASE TELL US ABOUT DYELOGBYSHRAY?
I am stoked to tell you about DyelogByShray, a brand I founded last year. We are an online store that not only sells thrifted, upcycled and ethically made pieces but we also curate styles for our consumers. You get the best of both worlds at Dyelog: products and styling services. My vision is to build a community where people practice conscious living and express their individuality through fashion. The aim is to bridge the gap between fast fashion and slow fashion consumers. I have always been inspired by street fashion and want to build Dyelog as a platform that helps people stand out.