In conversation with Lucknow’s Celebrity MUA Ishitta Chowdhary
Known for bringing revolutionary makeup trends to the city, celebrity makeup artist Ishitta Chowdhary is the first and only professional in Lucknow to have learned this craft from the best MUAs across the globe. Ishitta Chowdhary got certified training from 9 countries. She aims to bring world-class makeup education to Lucknow via KNK Salon & Makeup Studio. Here is a snippet of our conversation with Ishitta on her experience of dolling up models at the London Fashion Week.
Q- How would Ishitta Chowdhury describe her journey from a makeup lover to a certified makeup professional?
A- Honestly, my journey from Lucknow to London has been nothing short of a dream. From starting out under my mother’s guidance to learning from Bobbi Brown and Mario Dedivanovi, I have explored global makeup trends and widened my horizon. Makeup is not just a profession but also my passion. I keep trying and learning something new every day. I impart the same knowledge to makeup lovers who wish to explore this beautiful craft.
Q- What is a single takeaway from your London Fashion Week experience that you teach your students now?
A- At the LFW, I learned the trick of managing everything smoothly in chaotic surroundings and with strict deadlines. That is something that I teach my students as well. If we perfect our skills then we can excel even if the odds are not in our favor. I make sure that my students know how to do the perfect makeup. Moreover, they also have the management skill to ensure everything goes well in every project that they take up. During our course at KNK Academy, I oversee each and every test that the students take on models in real time. I also shared my feedback to give them a hint of the true London Fashion Week feel.
Q- What difference did you see between beauty education in London & makeup education here in India?
A- In 2019, I had the opportunity to witness the real London Fashion Week backstage experience. That time I realized how different makeup education was in London and in India. Back in those days, the only thing that was taught in India was how to make your model fairer and a set of 2-3 looks that students were asked to practice and perfect. The makeup learners would then move on to doing just those looks on their clients. There was no scope for originality or experimentation.
However, in London during my training, we got the encouragement to try something new. This is something that I absolutely loved because Ishitta Chowdhary has always been a curious girl. Even when people here were not so comfortable with creative and fashion makeup in Lucknow, I started doing it. Initially, people found it odd but now my brides request me to do a ‘graphic liner’ on their wedding day!
I make it a point to teach creative and fashion makeup skills to my students at KNK Academy to give them overall growth. I like to strive to learn and explore new techniques. Also, I teach my students the same so that they don’t confine themselves to the norm but stand out from the crowd. There is no point in being ordinary and mediocre for an aspiring makeup artist. Because the art of makeup urges you to be inquisitive, curious, and courageous enough to try something different and keep trying until you perfect yourself at it.