This year, we looked at the elusive quality of innate and one-of-a-kind chicness as we drew up our annual Best Dressed List. As India’s premier fashion and lifestyle magazine, we constantly seek out those who have mastered the power of dressing as a form of self-expression. These discerning style-makers throw together garments and accessories that mix and match high fashion with low; delve into their mothers’ and grandmothers’ closets to dust off vintage gems and don them with contemporary air; and their comfort in accessorising with even the most daring pieces is peerless — just look at our October cover star Sridevi Kapoor. These original women are comfortable in their own skin, and have no problem shucking trends and breaking the rules. As designers and the industry as a whole have begun to realise the importance of addressing the obvious reality that women come in all shapes, sizes, ages and colours, we at Verve also strive to empower our readers by providing a broader world view on what it means to be stylish, and above all, what it means to be an Indian woman today.