In an industry obsessed with looks, it is hard to find someone who wears her scars as victory marks and struts down weddings bald headed. Meet Anisha Oberoi, Fashion Editor at Amazon India. With over a decade’s experience in branding, marketing, media strategy, communications, etc across verticals such as hospitality, media and fashion, it is her instinct to understand people that set her apart.
Her first big break in fashion came with the 100 year old Italian luxury menswear label- Ermenegildo Zegna where she handled PR and Communications. In her current role, Anisha is responsible for creating the voice of Amazon Fashion through engaging content for onsite assets as well as for Amazon India Fashion Week, making fashion simpler to understand and consume. The idea is to engage and educate the customers. “My experiences in diverse environments have equipped me with unique skills and mindset that is open to change and experiment, and the ability to engage with different types of people in any geography. I take a lot of pride in everything I do, and I am enjoying this evolution,” says Anisha.
Time froze for her when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. This was just before she was leaving to pursue her MBA degree from the prestigious INSEAD. But she didn’t get into the victim zone and got into the survival mode pretty quickly. She did feel ugly and depressed from time to time but hope gave her strength and lifted her spirits. “Today I still deal with the repercussions of what happened back then because of medical implications and consequences of choosing such a hard treatment but I am a new person as a result of what I went through. I became deeper, stronger, more loving – life became more meaningful. I lost two girlfriends to cancer at the same time and I carry their fight in my heart,” she adds. She calls cancer a special experience which made life more meaningful for her.
Her advice to all the budding fashion enthusiasts is “propel yourself to the dream and not be scared to try new things and take risks. Have the belief that the universe will manifest your convictions. You have to create opportunities to evolve to the best possible version of yourself; no one is going to do that for you. Never take no for an answer, and never give up.”
Anisha’s Quick Fix
1. The craziest thing you have ever done- Bungee Jumping!
2. Describe yourself in three words- Brave. Passionate. All-heart.
3. Your comfort food- Guacamole (Mexican)
4. Your Fashion idol- I don’t idolize anyone as such but I admire Victoria Beckham’s tailored dressing which can be both powerful and feminine. Gwyneth Paltrow and Charlize Theron also do this very well, and the stylish fuss-free way that Blake Lively dresses. Have you seen Suits? I want Jessica Pearson’s work wardrobe!