If the elegant Elie Saab can’t do it for the green-eyed Bollywood dreamboat, then many stylists feel, nothing really can. The blue embroidered tulle gown with the hideous hairdo made Aishwarya Rai look as if she was

trying too hard at the Cannes film festival recently where she made a not-so-memorable red carpet appearance. There is just something that Mrs Bachchan doesn’t do right, somehow despite being God’s favourite child (she’s got those killer looks), she often misses the boat.
Many feel that her off white Roberto Cavalli gown last year was her most sensible choice of ensembles till today. “I think she really doesn’t understand her body type and has no personal sense of style, plus it is really sad to see that after so many years on the red carpet, she goofs up consistently. I really didn’t quite like the layers on that gown and she looked plump and the gown was most unflattering,” says designer Gautam Rakha.
With the French Riviera buzzing with celebs dripping diamonds and flaunting Harry Winstons and Bottega Venetas, our tall and statuesque Deepika Padukone managed to create quite a buzz with her “right choice”. She wore a stunning mildly embroidered sari by Rohit Bal. “I think she is just beautiful, long limbed and I am not saying this because Deepika chose to flaunt a sari, but I feel she has a strong style radar and it catches what will look good on her,” says designer Jatin Kochar.
Though Jatin does add that a gown made out of a vintage sari would be ideal for Ash, as it would reflect Indian sensibility in a very western way. “Why must she always try to fit in, and wear gowns, why not a sari? After all she is representing India on a global platform,” says Jatin.
What surprises many is that Ash, despite having access to the best designers and stylists, never manages to get the look quite right. “She definitely needs help and I would go so far as to say that her horrendous gowns really do nothing to accentuate that chiseled face and perfect frame. What she needs is a simple, sexy look and not a complicated gown that makes her look dowdy,” says stylist Harmeet Bajaj.
Many designers have quite liked Deepika Padukone’s sari, though some feel she could do better. Designer Anju Modi suggests that she could have gone in for a happier colour, but as she is just learning to handle the fame and fortune, she is bound to get better with time.
But Ash seems to be everyone’s favourite punching bag even though some do give her credit for the Armani gown she wore in 2007. “Why can’t she stick to Indian ensembles? They look best on her, as she is a classic beauty. Though I do feel that her hairstyle too was a bit too much, that beehive on the top of her head needed to be smoothened out. She needs to adopt a more relaxed look that makes it stand out and not fit in,” says designer Pankaj Ahuja.
Agrees designer Gaurav Gupta, who adds that he would give her one of his experimental saris and let her hair loose, to unleash her real beauty. “I don’t understand how and why Ash can’t hire western or Indian stylists who can guide her and bring her on track. There is no need to overdo it, though I must say that she has come a long way from the yellow kurti and brown trousers in 2003 to now Elie Saab,” he says.
Though Ash’s trial with hair and makeup and her trysts with hairstyles are likely to continue, designer Manish Arora feels that Ash may not have swung it in her favour completely but she has been better than before. “I thought it was not great, but it wasn’t so bad either,” he adds.
Kolkata-based style guru Anamika Khanna feels that Deepika Padukone was wise enough to wear a sari, it was the right choice. “Though I don’t like to comment on star’s personal style, I feel that Indian women always do much better with the Indian look, Ash’s look was like a borrowed one. Indian women need proper gowns, some parts need to be hidden some highlighted, we need gentler looks at all time. Ash is gorgeous, she needs a bit lesser and if you look around you will see it’s a very less so heavily done up appeal, it’s super sexy, it’s not as if you spend the whole day getting ready,” she adds.