HELLO! India Exclusive: You won't find a sister duo chicer than the Nagar sisters

There’s something lyrical about sisters Priyanka Narang and Neha Nagar Gupta completing each other’s sentences, piecing together cherished memories of a shared life. A deep love for fashion and aesthetics fortified this bond, which has seen umpteen dress-ups, fit-checks, trial room shenanigans, and countless “twinning” moments.

A tête-à-tête with the siblings at their mum’s sprawling Delhi home is a trip down memory lane — right from their school uniforms to wedding ensembles. Today, as young mothers navigating busy households, they are also carving out a distinct space in the digital fashion landscape. From creating content for Instagram to getting decked up in their favourite designer wear during couture weeks, their passion for fashion fills their life with the trendiest outfits, jewellery, runway showcases, and accessories — all with a healthy dose of sisterly bonding. “Doing this together is what makes it so special,” says Priyanka, on a sunny summer afternoon. “It gives us time with each other in a way we didn’t ever expect, especially after marriage when we no longer live under one roof.”

The two are often at each other’s homes to plan shoots and decide on an Instagram post for their steadily growing social media following. Most recently, they made their stunning presence felt at India Couture Week, where they dressed to the nines — if they were a sight to behold in red in creations from Roseroom by Isha Jajodia, their black-and-white looks for Manish Malhotra’s soirée was every bit as stylish. “Given our love for fashion, we’ve been attending fashion weeks as guests for years. So last year, we thought, ‘Why not share a look put together by our favourite designers, dressed head to toe in their designs?’ The idea really clicked for us and even helped us create great content together,” says Neha, the older sister. 

A NEW CHAPTER

Venturing into the digital space wasn’t a planned gig for either of them. For Neha, creating content began fortuitously. Married in 2020, her bridal photos, shared online by her makeup artists and designers, went viral. She was a “diamond bride,” dressed in pastels by their favourite, Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. “One day, I opened my Instagram to find 11,000 follow requests!” she says. “It was the magic of that moment. There were a few weddings taking place, and people were curious.” What began as a personal account soon turned into a platform, with brands reaching out incessantly. Even through her pregnancy, Neha enjoyed documenting her fashion choices. “I gained 24 kilos, but I embraced it. Dressing up and collaborating with designers gave me joy.” Priyanka joined Neha roughly a year later, after her younger son was born, and together, the sisters created a brand of their very own.

RAISED IN STYLE

Fashion wasn’t a new “fad” in the Nagar household. Growing up in a farmhouse in Delhi’s Ghitorni locale, they were all about defying the prescribed rules of dress. “Anyone who knows us from back in school remembers our obsession with fashion,” laughs Priyanka. “Even in uniform, we found a way to stand out, wearing short kurtas with patialas instead of salwar-kameez.” Most summers were spent in London, which meant hours wandering through Claire’s, carefully choosing accessories to flaunt at school. “Our father would patiently wait outside for two to three hours. He’d be amazed at how we’d return with so many accessories,” reminisces Priyanka, also remembering one of their earliest memories of dressing up for a Teacher’s Day celebration at school.

“My mom and Neha hunted for a month for the perfect saree, and finally settled for a yellow chiffon one with a belt. I was so happy with the look, but unfortunately, the principal made me loosen the belt and said, ‘Teachers don’t wear sarees like this!’ I was so disappointed,” she laughs. Neha, too, distinctly recollects how they started their cherished tradition of getting ready together: “I was 13, and like every other summer, we had gone to London for our holidays. This time, I was allowed to pick my own outfits. Back in India, Priyanka and I started wearing those new dresses alternately whenever we’d go out. I think that’s how it all began for us.”

TWO OF A KIND

Now 38 and 37 years of age, the Nagars were often mistaken as twins while growing up. This was thanks to their mother, who would dress them identically time and again, much to Neha’s annoyance! “I remember this one birthday when Priyanka and I were both in the same frilly frock. I was not pleased!” At present, while their sartorial aesthetics seemingly overlap, their styles are noticeably different. “Neha is more chic, edgy, and trendy. She has a model figure,” explains Priyanka. “I’m more feminine, and love dresses, florals, and skirts. You’ll never see me in a cap, whereas Neha always wears one.” “We’re each other’s mirrors. Every look still gets shared, approved, or edited by the other before it leaves the house.”

DRESSING FOR MILESTONES

Weddings have served as the ultimate fashion playground for the two of them. Priyanka’s 2014 nuptials into the family of famed jewellers Hazoorilal Legacy was a six-month-long project for both of them, curating varied stylish looks for their numerous celebrations. “For that half a year, if someone were to ask me what I was doing, I’d say planning my sister’s wedding,” says Neha, her cap firmly in place, looking cool-chic in casual pants and a summery white shirt, wearing subtle day makeup and pretty little Van Cleef earrings. “We planned every detail, from lehengas to jewellery. It was an event for all of us... Priyanka was a Sabyasachi bride. We had attended a fashion show, where she literally chose every outfit from the runway.”

AN ENVIABLE GENE POOL

Sartorial savoir faire is in their blood. Both sisters credit their mother’s exceptional fashion sense and refined taste for the stylish path they undertook themselves. “During our childhood, my mother would source fabric from London and get it stitched here in India with specific designs she had in mind. We inherited our style entirely from our mom,” says Neha. Perhaps why their mothership continues to be involved in deciding their outfits even today. A glance at their Instagram page would make it evident that the sisters love to experiment with homegrown Indian brands. Even so, their fashion choices remain classic and timeless. “Chanel is our global favourite — feminine, classic, eternal,” says Priyanka. “I still remember when my mother gave me my first Chanel bag. I must have been in Class XI or XII. It was perhaps the most memorable moment for me.” For Neha, a cherished fashion memory was getting her first Hermès Birkin when she was just 20. “My mom was getting one for herself at the time, so I asked for one. She bought it for me, but I was allowed to use it only after I turned 25.”

When it comes to Indian designers, the entire family swears by the expertise of Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. And for now, the Nagar sisters are happy to take their journey as it comes, one curated ensemble at a time. “We’re not chasing numbers or titles,” Neha says. “This is about expressing our passion for fashion, doing it at our own pace, and enjoying the process.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: ANTONY KURUVILLA JOSEPH, STYLING: AMBER TIKARI

MAKEUP: EKTA LULLA, HAIR: SACHIN KHIWAL