How often have you picked up an outfit and put it right back because you thought it wasn’t for you? Or judged someone by the outfit they wore or why a certain outfit makes you happy? While style is an important aspect of everyday life, it is the psychology behind it that fascinates Harsheen K. Arora. The trained psychologist channels her creative side through her photography venture Stupid Eye and her luxury bespoke line The V Renaissance.
“The psychology of fashion is quite fascinating . It’s all about understanding what a person wears and how it affects him/her. It’s also about how it would impact the person who sees it. For example, if you go to a conference and meet a man in a well-tailored suit and another in formal shirt and trousers, your mind will automatically perceive the man in the suit to be high up in the hierarchy. Even a cop in uniform will be taken more seriously than one in plain clothes,” she explains.
“This is where fashion psychology steps in. You will notice that there are certain people who dress to enhance their personality; they recognise their strengths and accentuate those. On the other hand, there will be people who don’t want to be in the limelight and prefer subtlety. How we dress is a reflection of our self-esteem and thought process,” says Harsheen.
Harsheen reveals that her tryst with fashion psychology began when she decided to express herself creatively. “I moved to Mumbai in 2010 and began to pursue creative direction along with psychology. I partnered with Vipul Amar and we published our research called ‘Stupid Eye’ that is now used as a therapeutic tool. She moved back to Delhi and decided to add the luxury factor to their venture. And The V Renaissance (TVR) was born a year-and-a-half ago.”
The bespoke luxury line that is helmed by her and three other partners today caters to a cross section of people. “At TVR, we conduct a session with each client, understand their personality and then design the product they want. It could be anything from a photographic artwork, leather card holder to a helmet and clothing. The idea is that the product reflects their personality and is a part of them,” she says.
“We don’t follow fashion trends so much; in fact, none of us come from a fashion background. We design from what we have experienced and what we understand about people. For instance, we are trying to promote the idea that leather can be worn through the year and not just in winter. It could be in the form of leather accents on an outfit or maybe knits that can be worn over a bikini and even a leather bikini,” she says.
Being a luxury brand, their clientele is limited to people above the age of 35. “We also find that there’s a lot more awareness about bespoke-wear based on fashion psychology among our international clients. Indians are catching on too,” she says.
We design from what we have experienced and what we understand about people