HELLO! India Exclusive: How Vinti Lodha plays luxury's ultimate muse

We are perched on the 44th floor of Lodha Ciel in Mumbai. The boardroom where we chat offers a sweeping view of the electrifying skyline of ‘Upper Worli,’ where new lifestyle and residential destinations abound, reminding one of touristy Manhattan skyline souvenirs… When Vinti Lodha arrives, we immediately get into a friendly banter, picking up on our first encounter.

FLASHBACK 2021

One still remembers Vinti dressed in a smartly structured Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla black blouse and monochrome digital printed silk skirt, doused in sparkling emeralds, looking the evervivacious, fashion-forward hostess on a bright Sunday morning. This was a brunch party at Lodha Ciel, where she showcased the first showflat designed by AJSK and the Lodha Group, high up on the 76th floor of the tower.

Emerging from a year filled with lockdowns, the mood was truly celebratory. Mimosas met light, healthy bites, specially catered by a Michelin-starred chef. Vinti posed with influencers, media guests and socialites, as well as serious buyers who flocked to savour the marriage of global and contemporary Indian aesthetics, in this very Atlas Shrugged new-age residential complex.

A GLOBAL SUPER-SHOPPER

As much as she sees her consumers as global, Vinti is quite open to experiment with influences from around the world.

“I love luxury. I love fashion. I think clothes are a way to express oneself!” is her first take. “But comfort is key. I can’t be completely blindsided by aesthetics alone. I do like things that are different, but I really like being at ease.”

“My body type hasn’t changed much, and I’m still most comfortable in shorts! I think when you’re post 40, it’s just nice to be comfortable. So, I live in wedges, and 90% of the time, I’m in dresses, sometimes shorts.”

And while the crowd remains loyal to the Pradas and Valentinos of the world, Vinti has her eyes trained on the Land Down Under.

“It’s surprising, but over the past four to five years, I’ve been so into Australian designers,” she shares. “I think they have taken over fashion in a huge way for all of us — especially women in their 30s to 40s.”

“There’s a brand named Alemais. There’s Aje. There’s Zimmermann — I’ve lived in their clothing for a decade now… These brands are fun, young, colourful and very summery. They really go with the vibe and weather Indian women are used to.”

CLASSICS FOR ALL SEASONS

When in London (which now seems to have four seasons in a day!), Vinti loves to buy the classic knits and tweeds. “Those Chanel looks are perennial for cold days. I do quite love buying winter wear,” she says

We remind her of how London’s Selfridges presents Arabian, Parisian, Italian, Chinese as well as Japanese fashion statements. From this varied fashion menu, which country offers her sartorial favourites?

“A close favourite is Italian. I love their sensibility. Even for flamboyance, Italy is the best! So bring on the Versace Medusa in gold!”

“I also love Parisienne brands. I love Louis Vuitton, but I prefer the more understated collections because I don’t like logos. My choices have more to do with tasteful tailoring, and how the garment fits.” Vinti also believes Gucci is a hallmark brand that has evolved over the decades. “There was a time when they only designed with monograms, which I hate. But they’ve started coming up with really nicely contoured ensembles. Their style DNA appears to be changing.”

FROM LEGAL EAGLE TO LUXURY PURVEYOR

Looking at Vinti’s privileged and exciting life as a force of change in the lifestyles of the rich and famous, few would imagine she was quite the grounded young woman growing up in Delhi, studying sociology and law. Practicing law, however, wasn’t possible as her father, Dalveer Bhandari, was then a Supreme Court judge. “He later became the Chief Justice of Bombay High Court, so I could never practice law because it’s unethical when your dad is heading a court!” she explains.

When studying law, Vinti had a stint editing with The Times of India in Delhi. And when her family moved to Mumbai, in 2004, she honed her latent talents working with KPMG. It was around this time that she met her husband of 20 years.

Before one can ask whether this was a love story with colourful twists, she shares, “It was fully arranged… It’s bizarre but our families have known each other [for decades]. We are Bhandaris, a JainMarwari family. Abhishek is also Jain. Both our dads are from Jodhpur. Even our grandparents knew each other quite well, and that’s how we met. We got married in 2005.”

DOWNTIME AS FAMILY

“Every summer, we shift base to Belgravia, [an upscale neighbourhood] in London, for two months. Then we travel from there,” shares Vinti. “It’s a mix of a home away from home, combined with work. For all our holidays — even for the shortest of breaks — we go to London. Be it Halloween, summer holidays, Christmas or New Year.” Also, as Vinti’s parents live between the Netherlands and Delhi, being in London makes it convenient for them to meet.

“It’s just a one-hour flight from London. For the past 13 years, Dad has been a judge at the Hague — the only Indian judge to have a second term at the International Court of Justice. It’s a huge honour,” she says, beaming.

BUILDING ON EXCLUSIVITY

Generating new ideas to keep her luxury vertical on the cutting edge is Vinti’s mainstay. While she doesn’t have the look of a foodie, fine flavours paint the luxe life for her and the communities she oversees.

“We organise events, say, three times a year. In the past couple of years, we have tried to fly down a chef from a Michelin-starred restaurant. These are for consumers already in luxury homes. It’s not to entice new consumers… In 2023, we had Pietro Leemann visit from Milan — he’s the only chef to have three Michelin stars for a vegan menu. Last year, we called Chef Pam — she’s the number one female chef in the world! So, we fly these guys down for just 20 of the topmost luxury clients, so you get that experience replicated here.”

The kicker — these 20 core couples invited would have to shell out Rs 35,000 per person if they were to feast privately on these culinary creations! In London, too, Vinti has waved her wonder-wand, visualising luxe parties parallel to her efforts in India. In 2023, she roped in Louis Vuitton to participate in its first-ever garden party.

“They brought all their outdoor furniture, which they had never done for any company. We had a food counter by Cedric Grolet and had tied up with The Connaught patisserie… Again, just for our luxury consumers, and all in the heart of London.”

There’s a touch of luxury and the high life in every aspect of her life — albeit with a generous sprinkling of culture. She’s been part of her family firm’s association with the renowned Victoria & Albert Museum in London for a Dior exhibition exclusively for Lodha Luxury consumers.

We booked the V&A Museum for a few hours for our consumers. They could visit the place, enjoy breakfast, and take a look around at their own pace. It’s a different experience from seeing the place packed with hundreds of people, as it usually is.” Vinti’s “super-accomplished” team in London has comprised the who’s who of the biggest brands: “They’ve been the heads of Baccarat and LVMH for 20 years, working with us for the past 15 years.”

There’s more: there’s always a Lodha Luxury lounge at the Frieze Art Fair in London, VIP boxes at Wimbledon exclusively for Lodha Luxury consumers and many other such partnerships. “Since our clientele spans two continents, there’s a whole range of things our concierge can facilitate. They can create experiences, access… Because these are the best minds coming together for this.”

LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST

We’re fascinated by how Vinti, who is vocal about being in her 40s, slides easily into teenage thrill seeker-mode, riding the tide of her passions — like squeezing in an experience of watching and meeting Bryan Adams when he performed at Nesco Centre in Mumbai, just before catching a flight out of India.

“The concert was at 7pm, the flight at 11am,” she chuckles like an infatuated fan. “I had my suitcase all packed and in the car; I headed straight to the airport from the show!” Yes, it was her father who secured the personal encounter with the pop star. “I told him this was the one thing I needed him to do for me!” she laughs. Even the First Lady of luxe living sometimes needs to pull strings! 

HAIR & MAKEUP: KAUSAR LATIF

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR: SHALINI KANOJIA

PHOTOGRAPHY: RYAN MARTIS

CREATIVE DIRECTION: AVANTIKKA KILACHAND RAJ

STYLING ANUSHREE SARDESAI

This story was featured in the September '25 issue of HELLO! India. For more exclusive stories, subscribe to the magazine here.