Ajit Pawar’s niece and designer Nivedita Saboo on late leader’s signature style: ‘he noticed smallest things, never settled’

Nivedita’s forte is designing for political and business leaders, policymakers and superachievers who prefer understated clothes that don’t scream but speak subtly of responsibility and power. She specifically studies their personalities and growth paths and custom-designs outfits that will suit their social standing and trajectory.

As the niece of the late leader, Nivedita learnt the importance of detail and perfection very early. “He paid extreme attention to detail in his outfits and accessories, and everything looking and feeling perfect. Whether it was having a meal with him, travelling with him, or designing his outfits, everything had to be done with the utmost perfection because he would notice the smallest things. You couldn’t ever argue with him because he was so observant,” she says.

‘Entire family got influenced by his standards’

The last rites of Ajit Pawar, who lost his life in a plane crash on January 28, were held the following day in Baramati. A day after returning from the funeral, Nivedita talks fondly of her uncle’s way of walking through the homes of his relatives and “running a finger quickly through the underside of a railing or a windowsill”. “If he found dust on his hands, he would say, ‘How can you not clean this?’ The entire family got influenced by these standards. Or he would be walking on a street and call a contractor on noticing a misplaced tile, saying, ‘Yeh aise kaise hua?’ It made me a stickler for perfection,” she adds.

An award-winning designer, Nivedita graduated from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) when she was 19, and worked as the lead designer for Arvind Brands for two years before setting up her own label. “As my work gained momentum and my processes became more perfect, I had the guts to go up to him and say that I would like to make something for him or show him something that I had done. I think the craft has to prove itself,” 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 needed to fit, what he would like in his bandhgalas, how many inches of the cuff turn was required, where his pen pocket needed to be and what was the exact style of his trousers,” says the designer.

She worked on these aspects and, over time, there was a gain of trust and faith. “I was delivering to him what he appreciated and he got compliments. My fashion philosophy is based on understanding a person and creating clothes that make them feel their best. As a brand, we make fashion with function that adds value to your everyday life,” says Nivedita.

Nivedita Saboo graduated from the National Institute of Fashion Technology, and worked as the lead designer for a brand before setting up her own label, House of Nivedita. (Express Photo)

‘No bling, no gold’

In the beginning, Pawar used to ask her the most detailed questions but later things became very comfortable. He roped her in to design all his outfits for his son’s wedding. “I was showing him concepts and he said, ‘I’m not going to anybody else’. Obviously, he had been approached by the rest of the industry, but he said, ‘Nivedita knows my style, what I am particular about and what is not to my liking,’” she says. “That kind of trust in me and my craft was like a testimonial.”

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief was conscious of the crispness and fit of his clothes, the quality of the fabric, and the accessories that he would very carefully pick. He knew exactly how he wanted to team up with his clothes on any day. “He would get ready in five minutes, but he was so well put together. There would always be a change of clothes in his car. Clothes were an extension of his personality. He would never take them lightly. His everyday wear was always of very high-quality linen. The style had to be astute and very quiet craftsmanship. Even during ceremonies, there would be no bling, no gold, only self-coloured thread-work in terms of embroidery,” 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 went out to the leader. “Once you delivered perfection, he let you know just how happy he felt in the clothes,” she says.