India's most talked-about singer, the nightingale of the country - Lata Mangeshkar left for her heavenly abode early Sunday morning, leaving a vacuum in the hearts of all music-loving Indians. While her music resonated with millions of people across the world, her simple and elegant style will always be etched in our hearts.
Those shy eyes did not meet ours, but they left an enigma behind forever. The sheepish smile lit up any room and made everyone notice the lady in that sparkling white sari with a few diamonds or pearls for company.
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She loved the color white and that was obvious from her choice of clothes and jewelry.
One of India's most popular celebrity stylists, Isha Bhansali took a moment to remember the grace of the queen of melody, "One thing we can take from her style legacy is consistency and passion. Her signature bordered saris draped around both her shoulders with her signature twin braids and round bindi. All blended very well with her soothing and sweet voice," remembers Isha.
"Not to mention her signature solitaires and pearl strings," Isha feels Lata Ji will always be remembered for her graceful style.
Designer Gautam Gupta from the label Asha Gautam also expressed his condolences on the passing away of this legend. "Lata Mangeshkar was a legend and it's a great loss to the nation. Her song, 'Ae mere watan ke logon....' is my all-time favorite. Apart from being great in the craft she always carried herself with elegance and class. She has inspired a lot of people like me to love and respect your work. She has left a legacy for many to get inspired from not only in singing but in every field," says Gautam.
For all those who wonder why Mangeshkar never wore colorful saris, in 2013 she told Bollywood Hungama “The chorus girls laughed so hard I swore never to dabble in color ever again,” reminiscing about a time when she was made fun of for experimenting with colourful saris.
While her rich closet full of white handloom saris was always written about, very few knew about her love for diamonds. “With my first income, I bought gold jewelry for my mother,” she told Telegraph India in 2005, adding, “For myself I got a…specially designed diamond and ruby ring with ‘LM’ on it. I still have that ring. It’s one of my most prized possessions.” According to reports, Mangeshkar paid INR 700 for the ring in 1947. It was her friendship with singer late KL Saigal and her Rakhi-brother, Tamil actor/musician Shivaji Ganesan that triggered her interest in diamonds.
She even designed a range of diamonds for Indian diamond exporter Adora in 2005. They say diamonds are forever, well one can say the same about Lata Didi, the lady whose red bindi and trademark braids will always remain unforgettable.
