The Reigning Stars Of Street Style: Pia Alizé Hazarika

Text by Sadaf Shaikh. Realisation by Ekta Rajani. Photograph by Uma Damle. Hair and Make-up by Kalpana Sharma and Rozar Lobo, from The Body Shop, New Delhi

This ‘wild child with a golden heart’ is in active pursuit of building an eco-conscious capsule wardrobe

A style chameleon in her own right, 30-year-old Pia Alizé Hazarika took on a goth persona when she was younger. Her vibe travelled all over the place for a while, making a pit stop at tiny, shiny bags for a brief time before finally reverting to the goth-grunge identity in a controlled and minimalist fashion – very witch on a beach. “A wild child with a golden heart” who, by her own admission, suffers from a mild caffeine addiction and a major existential crisis, she is in active pursuit of building an eco-conscious capsule wardrobe.

How do your sartorial choices liberate you?
“I stopped buying into trends and trying to ‘fit in’; that was a big start. I also consciously started investing in slow fashion as compared to its fast counterpart. Another big step was to stop stressing about size or gender labels and just buy what fit, or in some cases, fell under the anti-fit category. The older I got, the less I stressed about the mundane things in life, and in turn, I rarely ended up stressing about what I should or should not be wearing. My relationship with my body got a lot better, which allowed me to have more fun with clothes. I’m as cool as a cucumber and I’d like to think my style reflects that. I’m all about minimalism; I like the idea of having a uniform and having my life as streamlined as possible. Clutter freaks me out and then I can’t think straight or get anything done, so I’m actively trying to remove things I don’t need or use.”

Would you say that you use your sense of style to change people’s perception of you?
“I don’t— in fact, I think I come off a lot more hostile than I actually am, just based on the way I present myself. Or maybe, it’s just my face.”

Who are your style inspirations?
“Rick Owens. I love him.”

Your own fashion thumb rule…
“Impersonating Beyoncé is not your destiny, child.” – Ru Paul

A fashion staple that enhances your outfit…
“My face, I think. I don’t like a lot of things going on in one outfit, so I’ll usually wear a basic ensemble and pair it with an oomphier element. More often than not, it’s jeans that are falling apart at the seams, a T-shirt and a pair of sneakers. I might have a sneaker problem. Scratch that, I definitely have a sneaker problem.”

What is your signature style?
“I’m pretty boring. I like comfortable and utilitarian clothes, so I need to have pockets. I’m not a fan of accessories because they clack together when I’m working or moving around and it drives me up the wall. I live in track pants and pyjamas — I’m pretty laid-back overall.”

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