Samantha Ruth Prabhu Talks Fashion, Self-Expression And Supporting Kresha Bajaj In Dubai

When Kresha Bajaj had her first-ever international showcase at Dubai Fashion Week, the runway wasn't just lined with models - it carried with it the weight of a personal milestone - and among the front-row guests was actor Samantha Prabhu, Kresha's long-time muse and confidante, who admits she was as nervous as she was proud.

“Kresha is like a sister, so there's a bit of nervousness involved,” Samantha shared in a chat with City Times after the show.“It feels like you are on this test as well and then you have to pass this test. But once the first model came out, I just knew that it was going to fly. Every outfit was just so amazing.”

The collection titled The Archives of Hidden Things, marked by bold accessories and playful details, left Samantha impressed.“The handbags were so unique - they were a statement by themselves. I think you're going to see a lot of those handbags,” she said, pointing out a structured suit with a matching black bag as one of her favourites. We concurred.

But for Samantha, Kresha's work has always gone beyond aesthetics.“When you wear her outfits, they never overpower you. It's always you wearing the outfit, and that's what I love. Very few designers do that - where you feel like you belong in the outfit and your personality can shine through it,” she explained. To her, Bajaj's creations embody“fierce feminine energy - playful, modern, even a little naughty - beautifully encapsulating the feminine.”

That synergy is more than professional. Over the last few years, Samantha has almost exclusively worn Bajaj's designs.“The fact that we are friends and that she knows me so well creates a synergy of sorts. I don't feel like wearing anyone else. We're quite the team,” she said.

Beyond her loyalty to Kresha, Samantha reflected on the larger story of Indian fashion stepping onto global platforms.“India is so rich in tradition, and now we have designers mixing the old and the new in ways that feel palatable globally. That's what Kresha symbolises - she believes fashion is the romance of the past and the present. She can take something old, like a vintage necklace, and build an entire collection around it.”

Her own style, too, has seen transformation.“Earlier, I was just a follower of trends - whether it suited me or not. But now I've really come into my own. Finally, the clothes don't wear me. I wear the clothes.”

For an actor who is constantly shapeshifting on screen, fashion has become one of the few avenues of pure self-expression.“As an actor, you rarely get the opportunity to express who you are because you're always becoming different people. For me, fashion is that chance. It allows me to show my personality, and that's very important.”

On the red carpet, she doesn't have to think twice about what represents her best:“Anything from Kresha Bajaj.”

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