'Always be a drama queen'

Designer Malini Ramani on mistakes, making amends through hard work and finding inner peace

MALINI Ramani's dimpled smile
fails to reach her eyes. And yet, she comes alive when deftly re-arranging outfits on mannequins, re-styling one ensemble in three different sexy styles. It's nice to see her at work. She recently unveiled her new collection at Ensemble, Bandra. That's where we catch up with her for a chat on the roller coaster ride her life has been.

Here are 10 things she learnt professionally and personally

Never stifle your creativity
In 2000, I participated in the first Indian fashion week. I wore the Indian flag dress for its opening party. The next morning, the organisers woke me up saying that the police were at my door. That they had come to get me because wearing the Indian flag was illegal. I was very upset. In retrospect, that dress made news all over the world. Hence, never stifle your creativity.

Take criticism constructively
For my second fashion week, I lost direction. I made horrible clothes u2013 my worst collection. I was bad in every way. But I'm glad I did it because I learnt from that. I faced lots of criticism. That's when I started working really hard. At that point I used to make clothes for skinny people because I am very skinny. So I would just put it on me and say 'oh this looks nice'. You give the client what they want. It's good to take criticism or advice and work along that line.

Don't limit yourself
I am a fashion designer but it doesn't mean I do just that. Fashion represents design, creativity and art. I am into interiors and restaurants. It's important to broaden your horizon. My latest project is a healing centre in Delhi.

It will have alternate healings like reflexology, acupuncture, deep tissue massage, angel therapy, acupressure and yoga. I plan to start it small with just one yoga meditation room, a spa and a shower room at my house Devi Ghar. See, I don't even need to change the name and the house is right opposite the Garden of Five Senses.

Let your sense of fashion reflect your personality
I don't know how to design clothes I don't like. If you follow that, you can't go wrong. I know designers who design something and dress up in a completely different manner. It doesn't match. That's like going against your own grain, your own belief and style. That's why I don't follow any trends.

Convert negatives into positives... no self-pity
Life is not a birthday party. Sh't happens all the time. It's fine to suffer for a while because that's the way to learn. As you grow older, you realise that all the clichu00e9s you have known are actually true. So when they say that when one door closes, the other opens... it happens for a reason. You need to gather yourself and move on. When you are going through a bad experience, somehow the universe is pushing you into a direction that you can't even see. But follow that direction and move on instead of wallowing in self-pity.

Surround yourself with friends
You shouldn't get carried away by the good, the bad or by the celebrity status your work gets you because one day, you may be a celebrity, the next you may not. It can be quite a shallow world. So you need one or two persons in your life who will not sugarcoat things and say, 'Wow you are fabulous'. Instead, they will be upfront and give real advice.

Rediscover yourself... find inner peace
Like I said the outside world can be shallow. What is the fashion world all about? Glamour and all that it is.
I meet so many people at parties... but after a point you need real people around. So where do you go? Inwards. That's the only place where you can get inner peace. And I must tell you, that's where the fun really happens.

Don't follow the herd
Everybody has his or her own path and journey. You ought to remember that and it's hard because you can get carried away. Sometimes my peers say 'Oh we are going to Paris fashion week, London fashion week'. And I think, 'Oh sh't, I should be doing that'. I can't be thinking that. Then I feel that's not for meu2026 I am the resort girl. I make kaftans. I have fun at my shop in Goa. One has to follow one's intuition.

Embrace your Indianness
I use my culture in my clothes. And I want my clients to wear clothes that will show off their Indianness. And if you see my work, you will realise that luckily, I have succeeded in doing just that.

Always be a drama queen
There's a reason why my friends call me Melo Ramani. A little bit of drama makes things exciting. I add spice into clothes through colours and cuts. And personally, one has to let go, be happy and try to bring a bit of madness everywhere. I mean, you don't have to really try. Let it be natural.