AlanFoley&KrishenSamuel: IN THE CLOSET

For the lucky few who have had the pleasure of entering the couture aisles of establishments such as Saks 5^th Avenue, Harrods or Galeries Lafayette, you will know the immense thrill of experiencing items made with exquisite fabrics, incredible tailoring and precise craftsmanship. This is – for most of us at least – a brief love affair which ends sorrowfully the moment we leave the store; even though the aching, hollow feeling never quite leaves us until we own one of those incredible fashion masterpieces.

An individual such as Tarina Patel has this fantasy shopping experience on a daily basis. Except, for her, it’s her real life and her very own closet. She merely needs to walk into her closet and select an item, any item, of clothing. We had the pleasure of going into Tarina’s closet and after the experience, there was no doubt why she has been hailed as having ‘one of the most enviable wardrobes in the country.’

A Lionel Smit painting of Tarina

Tarina betrays her girlish playfulness by deciding to take us through her closet in a pair of Victoria’s Secret silky shorts and a sweater. Her casual attire evokes an instant pyjama party scene as we start delving into her formidable closet and spreading Tarina’s items around the bedroom. As she opens up her closet to us, she also takes us on a whirlwind tour of her world and reveals aspects of her personality.

We had a great time going into Tarina's closet

More than anything, it is most fascinating to hear Tarina’s stories about acquiring the pieces in her wardrobe. We start off by looking at Tarina’s considerable bag collection. ‘I love beautiful things and oftentimes, it’s expressed in the bags that I choose to buy. Truth be told, I am definitely an Hermès family member.’ She goes on to show us a magnificent collection of Hermès Birkins, starting with the signature orange Birkin. There is also a one-of-a-kind Birkin which her husband was lucky enough to procure for Tarina on a trip to Russia. The process of acquiring certain pieces displays the level of dedication one has to have when you absolutely must have a particular item as part of your collection, and Tarina’s stories reflect this (including being at a store in Milan at a precise time and a rushed trip to St. Tropez all in pursuit of the perfect bag). This creates a wardrobe with a story behind it which encompasses an individual’s personality and experiences. This is most certainly true in Tarina’s case.

Tarina's first Hermès Birkin, in signature orange

A keepsake: a pink Chanel bag
- Tarina's father bought her this on a trip to the US

This fashion doyenne certainly has a knack for shopping and for collecting items that would make most Hollywood celebrities drool with envy. Tarina recounts the story of purchasing a collector’s edition Chanel jacket in Singapore: ‘the lady at the Chanel store knows me well because I’m a patron of the brand. She says that she has something in my size that has just come in and that has been custom-made for the Singapore Grand Prix and she brings out the most unbelievable Chanel jacket,’ says Tarina, who then goes on to reveal a magnificent flaming-red Chanel jacket. She also related an incident where Karl Lagerfeld himself complimented her on how she chose to wear a Chanel piece – as one part of a sari ensemble. Tarina is thus adept at blending Western and Eastern fashion elements effortlessly.

The red limited-edition Chanel jacket

Tarina’s shoe closet reflects the crème de la crème most often associated with fashionable footwear: Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin to name a few. In addition to her fabulous collection of heels, she also loves her Etro flats and slippers by Valentino. Her shoe collection is extensive: from killer black Versace boots with a formidable heel (‘they make me feel a bit like Donatella,’ says Tarina) to uber-cute fluffy White Dior snow-boots and everything in-between, Tarina is covered for all seasons and occasions.

Shoe mania - literally a dream closet

The most thrilling part of Tarina’s closet has to be seeing some of her exquisite dresses. From her shoe cupboard, she sashays back into her closet to reveal a Dior masterpiece. She adeptly moves between dress bags to select a magnificent green Oscar de la Renta gown and then delves swiftly back into her wardrobe to reveal an unusual Alexander McQueen dress which she was seen in at the Glamour Women of the Year awards in 2014. Lanvin to Valentino, Tarina’s closet has them all: it is evident that her passion for fashion is endless.