Your Navratri fits can’t outdo Falguni Pathak’s

For Mumbai-based designer Nimish Shah, growing up in the ’90s in a Gujarati home inevitably meant season tickets to singer Falguni Pathak’s garba shows. He recalls, “I have vivid memories of the build-up to her entrance. There was always an opening act that then lead to her rockstar performances, where she really hyped up the audience. It wasn’t just the allure of her voice; it was also how she interacted, the expressions full of theatricality. What was interesting about her style was that it was devoid of style, this utilitarian aesthetic that did not conform to adornment or trends. It was very cool.”

Shah is not alone in this memory. For many millennials, Pathak was a defining part of pop culture in the late 1990s. Her syrupy voice was prime for the emerging genre of desi pop that was on Channel V at the time, and her music videos gave us many of our formative male crushes. Who can forget their introduction to a young Shahid Kapoor in ‘Doli Doli’? In many of her videos, Pathak would pop up alongside the female lead, usually in a simple, colour-blocked sports jacket or blazer with trousers or jeans, like a friendly fairy godmother. She didn’t dress like other pop stars or the 20-year-olds you saw on TV at the time, and in that sense she was always a maverick, albeit one who was embraced by the mainstream.

In the vein of musical and performance legends like Michael Jackson and Cher, Pathak built instant recognition, thanks to a uniform that included her inimitable short bob, chunky sneakers, layered overshirts, Ray-Ban aviators, and, always, a thick metal watch on her wrist (usually a Breitling).

Now in her fifties, she continues to entertain audiences with her Navratri tour, but what’s evolved is her style. The nondescript blazers have been replaced with maximalist bandhgalas and are accessorised with Gucci or Christian Louboutin sneakers. Everything is more elevated but still falls within the genre of her appeal.

Unlike other celebrities, her new look isn’t orchestrated by a coterie of stylists but is the product of her own longstanding relationships with a handful of designers. And yes, everything is customised.

“When Falguni first reached out to us to create some pieces, all the Gen Z girls on our team shrieked in excitement,” shares Shubhika Davda, founder of Papa Don’t Preach. “I’ve grown up listening to her music, but it’s heartwarming to learn that her fandom continues. Falguni is very quiet yet clear on what she wants, and the brief is consistent—she has small shoulders, so she likes highlighting them, and the outfits need to pop without much effort. It’s like creating a superhero’s costume.”

This is the third year of their collaboration and Davda and the artist have refreshed her bandhgala for the upcoming season—traditional Indian motifs have been replaced with 3D embroidery and OTT beadwork, there’s something she describes as a “tropical bandi”, and Pathak will also take the stage in a suit of ombre and sequinned kurtas.

Over a span of three years, Davda and her team have collaborated with the musician to create various iterations of her stage outfit, usually the steadfast bandhgala, which gets treated to a variety of embellishment techniques spanning 3D embroidery and laser-cut acrylics. Also on her roster are made-to-order pieces by veteran designers such as Rohit Bal and Archana Kochhar and more traditional embroidered ensembles by Ahmedabad-based designer duo Shyamal & Bhumika. 

As Navratri draws closer, we had a rare audience with the icon herself. On a Zoom call the artist is reserved and reticent, a surprising contrast to her animated onstage persona. Yet she speaks candidly, though carefully, in Hindi, as she walks us down memory lane to unravel her unique sartorial journey and the makings of a star performance look.

What are your earliest memories of fashion?

From a very young age, I was immersed in the world of music. Fashion me mera dhyaan kabhi nahi gaya. I belong to a middle-class family and I have four older sisters. As the youngest, I was always dressed by my parents in boys’ clothes. Even as I grew older, I saw my sisters wearing the traditional salwar-kameez, but I was never inclined towards dressing that way. I always felt more comfortable in trousers and a shirt. My hair has always been the same length. In my younger years, the few pieces I owned were street finds from Mumbai’s Fashion Street and Linking Road. I think the first memorable purchase I made was in the 11th grade, when I was taking part in a college festival—I remember buying a bright yellow jacket for ₹350 from one of the aforementioned spots. Before that, I never paid much attention to clothing.

What was it like when you first started to film your music videos in the ’90s? Did the producers want you to look a certain way?

One afternoon, before shooting the video for my song ‘Yaad Piya Ki Aane Lagi’, I was called in for a meeting with the directors. Before me was laid out a buffet of wigs—some wavy, some curly—and I was told I’d have to wear one of these to conceal my short hair so I could look the part of a pop singer. At the same time, a costume designer started presenting a slew of slinky, tight tops and dresses as suggestions for what I could wear. I was flabbergasted and told them this wouldn’t work for me and they could drop me from the video if they liked. Eventually, I had a cobalt blazer made by my local tailor, which you see me wearing in the video.

Did that affect you—this expectation to fit a mould?

Nai re, I never cared. I am not interested in wearing trendy clothes, nor in aping anyone else’s style. On one rare occasion, on somebody’s suggestion, I wore a bright red salwar kameez with a bindi for a show, only to have certain members of the audience very lovingly tell me that they have always liked my original style and that I should switch back to it.

What’s your brief for your on-stage wardrobe?

I want to feel comfortable. I choose the bandhgala because it offers me freedom of movement, and I can layer it over a lighter kurta—more embellished versions when I’m on stage and lowkey pieces for the everyday. Over the years, I have collaborated closely with the designers themselves, often commissioning several pieces for the season. Everything is created with intention. Navratri is such a vibrant celebration; my clothes always need to be practical but the colours must encapsulate the energy of this festival.

You love collecting shoes. What fuelled this obsession?

I started doing shows at the age of 10. Once I received the payment from my first gig, a sum of ₹25, my father added another ₹10 to it, and I bought myself my first proper pair of shoes from Churchgate station. I wore them to death, often patching and repairing them as they fell apart. That’s when the seed was planted.

Is there a prized piece of clothing in your closet that has special meaning?

Yes, there’s a jacket from Paul & Shark that I purchased in London from one of my first trips abroad, perhaps my first luxury purchase. It sits preserved in great condition.

Today, in your fifties, how has your style evolved?

Pehle paise nahi the, abhi thode hain, so I am able to afford these indulgent pleasures in life.

‘Radiance Dandiya with Falguni Pathak’ is on from September 22 to October 1, 2025, at Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai