Kinnari Jain
From the Corporate World to Walking the Red Carpet at the Cannes Film Festival
Neelima KS
4 August 2024
“When you look at yourself in the mirror, do you feel confident? In my opinion, personal styling can help build that confidence. If you feel good, what others say doesn’t sting as much as it might have before,” says Kinnari Jain.
Kinnari Jain is a Mumbai-based fashion influencer and personal stylist who has garnered over 500,000 followers on Instagram since its launch in 2022. After leaving a corporate job in the US and completing her master’s from the Kelly School of Business at Indiana University, Jain returned to India at the beginning of 2022.
During her time in the US, Jain was exposed to a wide palette of fashion and cultures, inspiring her to hone her skills in personal styling and carve a niche for herself within the industry through her Instagram page, ‘The Pear Shaped Stylist’.
“Over those five years in the US, I developed my own personal style and figured out what styles suited my body shape best. I also read extensively on the subject and followed certain influencers in the West who were excellent at explaining the logic behind personal styling. So, when I moved back to India, even though I followed many fashion influencers, I noticed a gap—none of them spoke about aesthetic personal styling,” says Jain.
Jain began posting reels on her page depicting personal styling concepts she was already familiar with. Within four months, her page started to gain significant traction. She focused on high-quality content, both visually and substantively.
Consistency in posting regularly during the first two to three months also sustained the page’s growth. Jain revealed that her experience working on another page previously and the soft skills gained from her corporate background helped her crack the Instagram algorithm.
“I take a lot of feedback from my followers. I listen to them in my comments and DMs and hold Q&A sessions weekly or twice a month. Even when I post a reel, I receive comments with questions about styling, ideas, and inspiration for my next reels. I believe that when you listen to your audience more, they connect with you better, creating a two-way relationship,” says Jain.
Jain was invited to the Cannes Film Festival for a movie premiere titled ‘Manthan’, a 1970s film that premiered at the festival in May 2024. The Film Heritage Foundation restored ‘Manthan’ for re-release in theatres, along with other classics in the past. “It was an exhilarating experience. I couldn’t believe it and didn’t know what was happening for the first two days. I was meeting people and attending events, but it hadn’t completely sunk in,” says Jain.
Jain wanted to make the most of this opportunity and attend the event. The entire process of arranging outfits, jewellery, and a visa was completed quickly, as she was notified just 15-20 days before the festival.
Jain created three looks, and since she had no connections with designers nor was she an insider, her agency, Iplix Media, based in Delhi, helped her make the necessary contacts.
One of the main challenges Jain faced during the initial phase of breaking into the industry was connecting with brands for collaborations and agencies to monetise her page. Though brands were already reaching out, she was uncertain about the appropriate rates to charge for each collaboration.
“I was used to a constant paycheck, receiving a salary every month, and transitioning to a varying income, where sometimes I get more business and sometimes not,” says Jain.
Initially, Jain managed brand collaborations on her own but later sought influencer marketing agencies to represent her and help negotiate deals and commercials. She also had to change agencies multiple times to find one that met her professional standards.
“In my opinion, body shaming is beyond an individual’s control. People who want to body shame will do so, and it’s not something you can change or stop. The only thing within your control is how you react to it,” says Jain.
Personal styling may not stop people from making hurtful comments, but it helps one feel better about themselves and manage other challenges more effectively. Although it is difficult not to be offended or feel underconfident, Jain believes that over time, one can condition oneself to disregard others’ opinions and feel confident in their skin.
Personal styling aids in building that confidence. Transitioning to becoming an influencer was a significant change for Jain after leaving her 9-to-5 job. As an influencer, she has pushed her boundaries and challenged herself to pursue a new career path. Jain is on her way to making an impact through personal styling.
