We recently connected with AmbiKa Sanjana and have shared our conversation below.
AmbiKa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
Risks place us in situations that make us uncomfortable, and through this discomfort, we learn lessons and life skills beyond the imaginable. Immigrating to a new country to pursue a career in styling has been the greatest risk worth taking, as it has challenged my resilience, perseverance, and determination to succeed in an industry where I’m underrepresented. I have learned many lessons along the way, but the most important lesson has been understanding how to use my multiculturalism background as an advantage – taking my experiences in different cultures, fashion trends, and styles to foster a more inclusive and diverse industry. Through celebrating and embracing many cultures, my collaboration with other artists, talent, and crew creates a safe space to develop our creativity together. Surrounding myself with creatives, embracing adaptability when challenges come my way, and being persistent in a world full of quitters, I will continue taking calculated risks to reach my ever-evolving goals in my professional career.
AmbiKa, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Growing up in India, I was raised by a family of musicians. My family immigrated to America when I was in high school. Immersed in the performing arts as a child, I chose to pursue the arts in college to continue a career inspired by creativity. I was born into this industry by way of the arts; however, I was first passionate about the disciplines of theatre and dance. I first learned how to utilize fashion as costuming for onstage live performance, and I expanded beyond this as I traveled to multiple countries to pursue this as a professional career. In 2012, I officially moved back to Los Angeles from India where I began my journey in production in Hollywood with my first show being the Video Music Awards (VMA’s) in 2010.
I have a versatile range of products and services I provide, but my specialty is in overall production and creative conceptualization of projects based on client needs (whether needing guidance on a specific concept or taking control of the entirety of the project). Recognizing the massive polarity in my jobs, I work closely between creativity and logistical thinking. Styling focuses on my creative side, producing focuses on my logistical side, and as a creative director, I use a balance of the two. Of course, styling and production involve the use of both creativity and logic, but each one has a clear focus on one or the other, allowing me to learn and progress in both areas!
Living a multicultural lifestyle, my aesthetic is influenced by my travels and professional experiences around the world, each including a wide range of projects. I believe that I offer diversity that other stylists don’t have – I am multifaceted and have many dimensions that are influenced by my versatile experiences in both my personal and professional life. With many successes, I am most proud to be a self-made woman who is the first in my family to have achieved this feat! I have lived every aspect of the “American Dream.” I went from dreaming of this idea as a child in India, hoping to one day know the meaning behind this wild concept, to saying “I will make it happen.” I didn’t rely on anyone else – I took a bet on myself. I listened to my gut and went out to achieve this dream knowing that my family didn’t believe in me. I have shown the world what I have to offer, and through trials and tribulations, I have found peace in knowing my resilience and perseverance have led me to success. The path was not linear, but the journey I have taken to where I am today has developed a strong, independent woman who will never falter in the face of adversity.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
To support a thriving, creative ecosystem of creatives and artists, I believe it is important to invest in or take chances on the “underdog” artists and brands. The majority of the general population choose name brands or famous/well-known creatives rather than the up-and-coming, newer artists. The “underdogs” create a more diverse atmosphere with new perspectives when we uplift the BIPOC artists, LGBTQ+ artists, indie artists, etc. These new perspectives can lead to greater brand development and unique and innovative outlooks that will challenge the conventional ideas being built upon today.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
The lesson I had to unlearn was the concept of being humble. As a woman raised in India, where society frowns upon self-promotion and self-belief, I was raised with the mentality to not speak up, be subservient, and blend in. Immigrating to America, it has been an ongoing, difficult journey to unlearn this concept by promoting myself, talking about my attributes, and being proud of being different. It is still a challenge for me today, but to break into the industry, I had to unlearn the shame of being proud of who I am and train myself to speak up, look up, and take control of my own destiny.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.styledbyambika.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/styledbyambika/