**Photos by Joanne Pio for The Assemblist**

OUR COLLABORATIVE STORY SERIES WITH THE STYLE LINE HAS ALLOWED FOR US TO GET TO KNOW AND CELEBRATE THE INCREDIBLE TALENT WITHIN THE BRAND ASSEMBLY COMMUNITY. BY NOW, IT SHOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE HOW MUCH WE LOVE FOSTERING EMERGING DESIGNERS AND SHARING A GLIMPSE INTO THEIR WORLD. THROUGH THESE EXPERIENCES WE'VE GOTTEN TO MEET SOME SERIOUSLY STYLISH PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY (REMEMBER OUR AFTERNOON WITH ALYSSA COSCARELLI?), WHICH LEADS US TO TODAY'S STORY FEATURING ARUSHI KHOSLA. ARUSHI IS AN EMERGING FASHION PROFESSIONAL AND DIGITAL MAVEN WHO KINDLY TOOK SOME TIME TO STYLE A FEW PIECES FROM OUR LORD & TAYLOR SHOP. SHE ALSO CHATTED WITH US ABOUT CONTEMPORARY STYLE, HER ASPIRATIONS AND LIFE IN NEW YORK. CHECK OUT THE INTERVIEW BELOW AND HEAD OVER TO THE STYLE LINE FOR A FOLLOW-UP CHAT AND AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK STYLED BY ARUSHI...

"The first item my eye was drawn to was the Hunter Bell 'Beatrice' top because it looked like something a modern day flapper would wear."

PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF!

Hi world! I'm Arushi. I'm a blogger, student, and I work in digital. Outside of work, I enjoy a great concert, a good cup of coffee, and a strong gimlet, in addition to time spent with friends.

AS AN EMERGING FASHION PROFESSIONAL TALK TO US ABOUT THE CONTEMPORARY MOVEMENT - FROM FASHION TO ART AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS MARKET/MENTALITY AND HOW DOES IT INFLUENCE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE?

When talking bigger picture, the contemporary movement in fashion is certainly the immersive technology that now forms the cornerstone of the industry, the consequent dramatic democratization of the fashion universe, and the emergence of fashion as a form of pop culture, created for mass consumption.

As a student with a limited budget, the contemporary world of fashion certainly gives me access to incredible clothing and accessories - something that would not have been possible 20 years ago. It creates endless opportunities for dialog, for creative outlets, for visual stimulation, for new voices, for the hyper globalization/crossover of trends.

On the flipside, there is definitely considerable over saturation... when fashion becomes purely about celebrity, it dilutes its ability to be original or subversive or iconoclastic and reduces it to merely reactionary, running behind celebrities with its tail wagging. So there are two sides but I would say the pros heavily outweigh the cons.

SHOP HUNTER BELL: LORD & TAYLOR AND HUNTER BELL.COM

"Another standout was the Sachin & Babi 'Alejandra' top for its texture explosion."

WHAT DO YOU ASSEMBLE DAILY?

The basics. My ideal wardrobe, and I'd like to think I'm pretty close to being there, is one where I'm able to pull out any two separates and they seamlessly work together. I like to invest in the building blocks so when you play around with the extraneous stuff, your foundation is solid.

WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL DEFINITION OF THE FOLLOWING: (1) CONTEMPORARY FASHION, (2) FALL FASHION (WHY DO YOU LOVE AND/OR HATE IT!), (3) NEW YORK FASHION - DO YOU THINK THERE’S ONE ELEMENT THAT TIES ALL THREE TOGETHER?

To me, contemporary fashion is a culmination of decades of cultural influences, defining moments in history, the zeitgeist of the time, and all of it coming together wordlessly to create people's current sartorial mood. It's a beautiful thing.

Fall fashion is the ultimate sartorial sweet spot - right in between light summer clothing and heavy winter wear. I personally love it - one gets to wear all the leather jackets, structured outerwear, and comfy knits sans the dreary cold.

New York fashion is utilitarian but polished, with a rough edge. Traversing the city requires clothing that is functional so that is always key to the quintessential aesthetic of this city's people.

SHOP SACHIN + BABI: LORD & TAYLOR AND SACHINANDBABI.COM