Born in Aizawl, Edward had a normal upbringing and spent a lot of his early years in boarding school. He says it was more or less a ‘boring childhood’. Son of a civil servant, he never consciously thought about pursuing a career in fashion. ‘At that time, becoming a doctor or engineer was all the rage and I thought that I would also choose one or the other when the time came.’ But it seems life had something else in store. ‘I happened to meet a career counsellor who told me about NIFT and that is how it all started.’ He feels that one of the main reasons for his interest in fashion is his mother. ‘She is not a designer but she was always interested in stitching and knitting. Her designs were original and people would love what she made. So, even when I didn’t pay much attention, I guess subconsciously I was being exposed to fashion in that way.’
Of course, it was not easy convincing his parents to let him pursue a career in fashion because they felt that it would be hard getting a job but in the end they decided to let him follow his dream. ‘My father, especially, was extremely supportive.’ When he was studying, he would be a backstage helper at fashion shows. He then happened to meet a show director who offered him a chance to assist her at Lakme Fashion Week. There he connected with many models and photographers. ‘I met Vishesh Verma (photographer and director) who must have seen some talent in me. He introduced me to the people at Elle. They seemed positive but they didn’t get it touch till the time I graduated so I felt that it wasn’t going to happen after all. But 2 months after, they called and asked me to be the fashion stylist.’ Edwards worked with Elle India for two years, and later joined Vogue India where he worked as Fashion Editor till 2012.
Currently he is Fashion Director at Harper’s Bazaar India. He has worked with many models and fashion designers. He has also styled well-known celebrities in India such as Priyanka Chopra and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. He also travels quite a bit to attend fashion shows around the world. ‘Being a stylist is all about understanding people. Although it can be tiring because of the long hours, I am blessed to be able to do something that I love.’ Edward feels that all this is just the beginning. ‘I think I still have a lot of achieve. I also look forward to make a mark globally.’
Fact File
- He is Fashion Director at Harper’s Bazaar India
- He has worked with popular Bollywood actors like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Sonam Kapoor and Kangana Ranaut
- He has worked on campaigns for reputed brands such as L’oreal, Pantene, Lakme, Raymond and Pepsi.
By Meeta Borah
This feature was first published in Eclectic Northeast (November 2017) issue
