Divya Saini, stylist and founder of Bodements featured in Vogue Magazine - 27th February, 2019

27 February 2019

"I recently acquired an Emmanuelle Khanh jacket from Berlin. Very '70s, something you would imagine Freddie Mercury wearing!” says Divya Saini, stylist and owner of lived-in fashion label Bodements. Two years ago, Saini chose to stop shopping cheap and cheerful fast fashion; a prerogative that resulted in Bodements, where she curates well-loved vintage from monolithic labels like Burberry, Jean Paul Gaultier and Saint Laurent. “I have an affinity for fashion steeped in history, like YSL's legacy of introducing menswear codes in womenswear,” says the vintage collector who realised bringing back little treasures from her travels through Europe could grow into a business endeavour. So far, it's been a series of successful pop-ups in Mumbai, Delhi and Paris. But has India really warmed up to the idea of pre-owned fashion? “Buying pre-loved and worn-in clothes can make some uncomfortable. For me, though, promoting a more ethical fashion industry and dressing accordingly is not just exciting, it's rewarding.” As someone who references the past through her closet, for the shoot she handpicks a snake-print polo layered under a psychedelic patterned suit and scuffed cowboy boots that tell a story of their previous wearers. I inquire about their origins and promptly comes her reply, “I can never tell you! An important lesson I've learnt as a vintage professional is to never reveal my sources!” —Akanksha Kamath