Namrata Tripathi has mastered the ‘power sari'

Fast Company

6 days ago

'Hybridity has always been central to who I am,' says Namrata Tripathi, the founder and publisher of Kokila, an imprint at Penguin Random House for children and young adults that highlights voices historically marginalized by publishing.
Being Odia and Punjabi Sikh, Ms. Tripathi grew up in an Indian home that blended two distinct aesthetics, cultures, religions, and languages. Because her parents were both diplomats for India, her family also moved frequently. She was born in Moscow, but she then lived in Afghanistan, India, Canada, Pakistan, Germany, and Poland before moving to New York to attend university.
'I think of myself very much as a professional alien,' she says. 'And I think the power in that is in adapting to my environment, but never erasing myself.'
When she first entered the American corporate world, she observed what clothing was deemed appropriate, but she always questioned what power and leadership look like. For her, the answer involves the sari, which she saw her mother wear to work every day when she was growing up. 'I thought: One day I'm going to do that. And then I thought: Well, what day am I waiting for? '
Around 10 years ago, she felt confident enough to start wearing 'power saris,' as her colleagues now refer to them, to the office for big meetings, and then more regularly. Previously, she'd only worn saris to formal work events, such as the National Book Awards and galas, 'because they are beautiful, and I was excited to wear them.'
Sometimes, she'd wear saris her mother passed down to her, and she was often the only person in the room wearing non-Western clothing. One time, when she wore a churidar kurta, which consists of a tunic and trousers that bunch at the bottom, a well-intentioned colleague pulled her aside to tell her that her pants were too long.
'At first, I did it to connect with my mother and her mother, whose saris I also sometimes wear, but over time, I saw how it influenced other people, too,' she says. 'I had young people from various cultural backgrounds in the company comment on the pieces I'd worn, and I realized how impactful it had been to them, and how it reinforced the idea that the body is political. I'm interested in a different kind of leadership, and this is a way to show it. I like that it sends a message to people who aren't often in the room that I'm trying to bring them into it.'
Describe your style in a sentence.
Mera joota hai Japani, yeh patloon Englistani, sar pe lal topi Russi, phir bhi dil hai Hindustani.
What's the one piece in your closet you'll never get rid of?
An oversized white button-down because I've always loved menswear.
How long does it take you to get dressed in the morning?
Tying a sari takes me about two minutes. Managing my hair can be . . . a process.
What do you wear to a big meeting?
Always a sari. (A 'power sari' if you ask my team.)
What's the best piece of fashion advice you've ever gotten?
Don't ever try to hide yourself.
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