In one of his last public appearances on January 26, late Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar wore a light mauve bandhgala, an outfit he liked. What few people know is that this subtle, finely detailed and meticulously cut piece was made by Pune-based custom designer Nivedita Saboo, daughter of Pawar’s sister Dr Rajani Indulkar.
For 15 years, Nivedita designed Ajit Pawar’s outfits, even more so in recent years, when almost all of his clothing for special occasions and guest appearances came from her brand, The House of Nivedita, a luxury haute couture and prêt brand.
Nivedita’s forte is designing for political and business leaders, policymakers and high achievers who prefer understated clothing that doesn’t shout but subtly speaks of responsibility and power. She specifically studies their personalities and growth paths and designs custom outfits that will fit their social standing and background.
As the niece of the late leader, Nivedita learned the importance of detail and perfection from a very early age. “He paid extreme attention to detail in his outfits and accessories, and everything looked and felt perfect. Whether it was eating with him, traveling with him, or designing his outfits, everything had to be done with utmost perfection because he would notice the smallest things. You could never argue with him because he was so observant,” she says.
‘The whole family was influenced by his standards’
The last rites of Ajit Pawar, who lost his life in a Plane crash on January 28They were held the next day at Baramati. A day after returning from the funeral, Nivedita speaks fondly of her uncle’s way of walking around his relatives’ houses and “quickly running a finger along the underside of a railing or a window sill.” “If he found dust on his hands, he would say, ‘How can you not clean this?’ The entire family was influenced by these standards. Or you’d be walking down the street and call a contractor when you noticed a poorly placed slab and say, ‘Yeh aise kaise hua?’ “It made me a rigorous defender of perfection,” she adds.
An award-winning designer, Nivedita graduated from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) when she was 19 and worked as a lead designer for Arvind Brands for two years before starting her own label. “As my work gained momentum and my processes became more perfect, I had the courage to approach him and tell him that I would like to make something for him or show him something I had made. I think the craft has to prove its worth,” says Nivedita.
Ajit Pawar would never settle for “99.99 per cent, it had to be 100 per cent”. “He was particular about how his kurta should fit, what he would like on his bandhgalas, how many inches of cuff turn was required, where his pen pocket should be and what the exact style of his pants was,” says the designer.
Story continues below this ad.
He worked on these aspects and, over time, he gained confidence and faith. “I gave him what he appreciated and he received praise. My fashion philosophy is based on understanding a person and creating clothes that make him feel better. As a brand, we make fashion with a function that adds value to his everyday life,” says Nivedita.
Nivedita Saboo graduated from National Institute of Fashion Technology and worked as a lead designer for a brand before creating her own label, House of Nivedita. (Express Photo)
‘No jewelry, no gold’
At first, Pawar used to ask him the most detailed questions, but then things became very comfortable. He hired her to design all of his outfits for his son’s wedding. “I was showing him concepts and he said, ‘I’m not going to anyone else.’ Obviously the rest of the industry had approached him, but he said, ‘Nivedita knows my style, my quirks and what I don’t like,'” she says. “That kind of confidence in me and my craft was like a testimony.”
The leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (PCN) was conscious of the freshness and fit of his clothes, the quality of the fabric and the accessories that he chose with great care. She knew exactly how she wanted to style her outfit on any given day. “He would get ready in five minutes, but he was very well groomed. There was always a change of clothes in his car. Clothes were an extension of his personality. He never took them lightly. His daily clothing was always very high-quality linen. The style had to be clever and very discreet. Even during the ceremonies, there was no jewelry or gold, only embroidery with threads of the same color,” she says.
Nivedita adds that the opportunity to design for her uncle was very rewarding, even if she and her team were on their toes checking every detail many times before the designs reached the leader. “Once you delivered perfection, he let you know how happy he was with the clothes,” she says.