The human face is his canvas. Remember Aaamir Khan in his various avatars in the Coca Cola ads? From the babu moshai from Bengal to the Nepali porter, they were all designed by Cory Walia. His brush with the film industry started with Raveena Tandon’s look in Aks, followed by those of Siddharth and his gang in Rang De Basanti, except the Khan here. From the elegant Aishwarya Rai to the ravishing Sushmita Sen or the hot Bipasha babe, he has painted them all when the ramp was their showcase. His strokes will soon colour the stars in Madhur Bhandarkar’s upcoming Fashion. Today he is on a mission different. “I want to make the ordinary woman look beautiful and elegant. There is no thrill in creating beauty out of beautiful and glamorous people. I want to introduce the ordinary woman on the street to the magic of makeup”. Walia, who considers “style static and fashion dynamic”, reveals what are his hues when it comes to brands.

Casual Comfort

I prefer Zara when it comes to t-shirts. I wear a lot of export surplus and even pick up a lot of unknown brands while shopping in Bangkok. I prefer cotton trousers and hate jeans. I think my body structure is not suited for jeans. I also like Banana Republic.

Formal Tucks

My outdoor clothes depend on the city or the weather. Basically I like comfortable, smart and printed shirts. I love Gin Tonic shirts. Black is my favourite colour. Rajesh Pratap Singh tops my list of favourite Indian designers. I also like Shahab Durazi, Rohit Bal and Tarun Tahiliani.

Accessorise

I’m crazy about Fossil watches. I also like brands like Swatch and Tag Heuer.

Bags are very important for me in my day-to-day life as I carry a lot of rubbish around. I prefer Diesel bags.

Be Jewelled

I like silver jewellery. I do not have any special preference. I pick them up from all around.

Under Secrets

I’m a boxer guy and prefer Gap and Calvin Klein.

Foot Loose

When it comes to footwear, comfort and style are the two factors in my mind. I love brands like Aldo and Andrew Brown.

Brands I Long For In India

When it comes to fashion, I would want Viktor & Rolf. In cosmetics, I really long to see Bobbi Brown in the country.

Shopping Destination

I do a lot of shopping on the high streets of London and Dubai. I also like the small boutiques in Bangkok. I sometimes even shop at department stores meant for women. In Mumbai, it is the export surplus shops that I target.

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Published in IMAGES Business of Fashion

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