It`s been 100 years since The Great Gatsby was first published, but the echoes of F Scott Fitzgerald’s seminal classic still ring loud and clear — whether in terms of its exploration of the quintessential American dream or its exquisite portrayal of the Roaring Twenties. Indeed, the Jazz Age novel has inspired designers across the ages, including Ralph Lauren, Joseph Altuzarra and Miuccia Prada, while leaving a lasting imprint on the very definition of ‘dressing the part’. “What makes The Great Gatsby such a lingering influence on the world of fashion can be attributed, in part, to how cleverly it depicts fashion as an expression of both individual personality and social status. The 1920s were also a transformative time. Women had gradually begun to eschew the corseted, overly structured and columnal silhouettes of the 1910s in favour of looser clothing that revealed their arms and legs. This was also a period marked by important social change — women were entering the workforce, and had earned the right to vote. The spirit of emancipation reflected in their wardrobes, which became more androgynous. And then, there was the unmistakable rise of flapper fashion, which has its roots in jazz music and dance,” shares Niti Gupta, luxury fashion curator and founder of The AFRA World.  

She and celebrity stylist Mitali Ambekar share how these trends can be reimagined and woven into more contemporary sensibilities.