Best Dressed 2016: Surelee Joseph

Text & Interview by Saumya Sinha. Realisation by Divya Mahindra, Girish Masand, Shweta Navandar, Prateek Patel and Anuradha Gandhi. Photographs by Sheena Dabholkar

For making thrift fashion look swanky

Model; Mumbai

An experiment you nailed
I love wearing oversized outfits. When a baggy shirt is styled well, it looks really classy.

Fashion confession
I hate wearing heels!

Menswear you love to flaunt
A well-fitted Rajesh Pratap Singh suit.

Shopping destinations
I have a passion for thrifting, so I love New York. You find some amazing designer vintage pieces and they are a steal.

A trend you cannot get enough of
Denim, I’m a sucker for anything denim; and athleisure.

Favourite place to escape to
Thailand — give me the ocean and lots of papaya salad and I’m the happiest girl alive.

The best thing about your job
Other than travelling and discovering new places, I’ve met some of the most interesting, quirky and talented human beings who have indirectly taught me so much about myself.

First brush with fashion
Honestly, other than going through a few magazines as a kid, I never really thought too much about what I wore. To this day, sometimes I still prefer wearing simple, well-fitted jeans, a T-shirt and sneakers.

Young Indian designers
Kallol Datta 1955, Lovebirds and Shift by Nimish Shah.

Sartorial thumb rule
I never wear anything too fitted, I like having a bit of room to breathe. My ankles are really thin, so when I wear ankle booties, I always pull my socks a bit higher to cover them. Otherwise I’m a very casual, sporty dresser.

Next, Kayaan Contractor.