In an industry that thrives on reinvention, longevity is often the true marker of success.
Leepakshi Ellawadi’s career spans over fifteen years across fashion, cinema, and luxury, marked not by sudden hype but by steady evolution, adaptability, and an instinctive understanding of image.
Working between Mumbai, Dubai, and London, Ellawadi has built a reputation as a stylist who understands both craft and context someone equally comfortable shaping cinematic wardrobes, refining celebrity style narratives, and curating luxury for a global clientele.
A Foundation in Design, Not Trends
Ellawadi’s journey began with formal training in fashion. She studied at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in India, followed by further education at the London College of Fashion (LCF). This academic grounding gave her more than technical skill; it instilled an approach to fashion rooted in structure, research, and longevity.
While trends come and go, her work has always been guided by an understanding of silhouette, proportion, and personality. This design-first approach would later become central to her ability to adapt across industries and markets.
Early Career: Working with Icons
In the early phase of her career, Ellawadi worked with some of India’s most recognised figures, including MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Amitabh Bachchan, and Sonam Kapoor. Styling Bachchan for advertising campaigns became a pivotal moment, offering both visibility and credibility at a formative stage of her journey.
These experiences helped shape her understanding of public image how clothing functions not just as fashion, but as communication. It was during this period that she began building long-term relationships rather than one-off projects, a pattern that would define her career.
Cinema, Character, and Costume
Ellawadi’s work in films reflects a deep engagement with character-driven styling. Her costume design spans major productions such as Sultan, Tiger Zinda Hai, Saaho, and Oh My God, where wardrobes were developed through script analysis, research, and collaboration with directors and actors.
Rather than spectacle alone, her film work focuses on authenticity using clothing to reflect emotional arcs, backgrounds, and transitions. This balance between realism and visual impact has become a hallmark of her approach.
Celebrity Style as Long-Term Narrative
Over time, Ellawadi became closely associated with shaping consistent, evolving celebrity identities. She is widely recognised today for her long-standing collaboration with Saif Ali Khan, where his understated, refined style has become synonymous with her sensibility.
In recent years, her work with Tamannaah Bhatia has also drawn attention. Over the last year and a half to two years, Bhatia’s style has undergone a noticeable shift more confident, global, and fashion forward reflecting Ellawadi’s ability to recalibrate public image without losing authenticity.
Navigating Change: COVID and Reinvention
Like many in the fashion and film industries, Ellawadi faced a significant slowdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than pausing, she used this period to reassess and diversify exploring new formats, markets, and ways of working.
This phase led her deeper into luxury consulting, digital storytelling, and international collaborations, reinforcing a key theme of her career: not resisting change, but working with it.
Luxury Curation Beyond Styling
Parallel to her work in cinema and celebrity fashion, Ellawadi has established herself as a trusted luxury stylist and consultant within private global circles. Beyond film and red-carpet work, she styles across discreet, high profile environments where privacy, precision, and cultural sensitivity are paramount.
Her work includes styling for major international occasions such as the Ambani wedding celebrations, where she dressed heads of state and international dignitaries, including Tony Blair and his family, Boris Johnson and his family, as well as senior global business leaders such as the CEO of Aramco.
Working between continents, Ellawadi manages personal styling for high-net-worth individuals and global Indians, often curating complete luxury wardrobes. Her role frequently involves sourcing rare and collectible pieces Himalayan Birkins, vintage Chanel jackets, limited-edition couture delivered directly to clients across the world, quietly, efficiently, and with complete discretion.
Her understanding of luxury is less about logos and more about rarity, provenance, and timing. This restrained, knowledge driven approach has earned her long term trust among private clients.
Global Platforms and Red Carpets
Ellawadi’s styling has also found space on global stages, including international festivals and high-profile events. One of her notable recent appearances was styling Preity Zinta at the Cannes Film Festival an environment where restraint and precision often matter more than excess.
Her Cannes work was noted for its balance: elegant without being predictable, impactful without overshadowing the wearer.
Expanding into Storytelling
In 2024, Ellawadi added another dimension to her creative portfolio with her first web series, Partners. The project marked her growing interest in long form visual storytelling, bringing together her experience in costume, narrative, and character building.
The move reflects a natural progression from styling individual moments to shaping complete visual worlds.
A Career Defined by Continuity
Today, Ellawadi continues to work across films, celebrity styling, private global clientele, luxury consulting, and creative development. Her current slate includes projects with leading production houses and actors, alongside ongoing collaborations with international clients.
What sets her apart is not a single milestone, but consistency the ability to remain relevant without chasing relevance.
In an industry known for rapid turnover, Leepakshi Ellawadi’s career stands as an example of how education, adaptability, and restraint can build lasting impact. Fashion, for her, is not about noise. It is about precision, trust, and knowing when to evolve.
Do follow her on Instagram
Read More: Dubai’s Elite Choose Lotus Cars for Unmatched Performance and Style
