NO FILTER: ‘Never trust a skinny chef’ unless they have great fashion sense

Less than five days in, out went my resolution as I heard the news that one of the coolest millennial-owned designer brands in India was coming to town.

One of the buzziest homegrown labels in India known for their quirky prints, Masaba Gupta is a household name. It’s only fitting that Shitija Nahata — who we need to thank for the yummy goodness that we get from Cupcake Company and Café Chai Nashta — has forayed into fashion and will be opening the Masaba Store’s Chennai chapter.

Shitija was named one of Chennai’s best dressed by Vogue India in 2013 and a quick glance at her social media profile tells you why. She posts a delectable mix of photos of cupcakes and designerwear that she is rocking, peppered with cute photos of her child — what’s not to love?

Shitija tells me, “I truly love my clothes and fashion. Earlier this year, for a wedding in the family, I really wanted to wear a Masaba creation and my only option was to order it online without a trial or travelling to other cities and that’s when the idea struck me. I rely on my intuition combined with my understanding of the city that is my home. So in June I reached out to them and in just six months we are all set to open the store here.” Wow she does work fast! While we are already procrastinating on our New Year resolutions Shitija I’m sure is looking ahead and has big plans for the year.

Opening a store in Chennai wasn’t part of the plans for Team Masaba until Shitija convinced them to do so. They trusted her instincts and her understanding of the city and its fashion set that she is very much a part of. Stores like these are long overdue here. Contrary to popular belief, Chennai is a very evolved market where everyone is well-travelled and sport some of the buzziest labels but prefer flying under the radar. As I was chatting with her I could deduce that this was a passion project and that’s how she probably convinced Masaba and her team.

Game of Thrones fans will be excited to know that along with the final season this year, the much-awaited collaboration between GoT and Masaba will release. The merchandise includes apparel, jewellery and home products. I can already see fashionistas and fans of the show lining up on Khader Nawaz Khan Road to snag the merch; I’ll probably be first in line so see you there.

Shitija’s understanding of Chennai, its residents and her love for fashion combined with her go-getter spirit makes her a person to watch out for in the year to come. She is looking for more designers whose creations she enjoys and can bring to the discerning Chennai audience. We have all heard the saying, ‘Never trust a skinny chef.’ I guess it’s now time we changed that to, ‘Never trust a skinny chef unless they have great taste in fashion’ — like Shitija.