Girl with the blue scarf

Delhi is the fashion capital of India ...In just the way Mumbai is an unbeaten Financial Capital The year 2010 has come to an end and as the New Year begins on a hopeful note, there's a great bit of enthusiasm that Delhi's fashion heads are holding within. Mumbai's pride Lakme Fashion Week is brimming with new 'technologically-advanced' plans as well, but are all ears to Delhi's news...straight from the horse's mouth - Sunil Sethi, President, Fashion Design Council of India . So, here goes: According to Sunil Sethi, who I think is a fabulously gifted business management expert, Delhi's got what it takes. Mumbai's not far behind either. In just the way Mumbai is known and established as the Financial capital of India , Delhi remains the undisputed Fashion capital of our country . Be it bling, couture, pret or craft-based design. "But then I am quite envious of people in Mumbai who are able to manage fashion events and are also good with the media

Technology's got a new haute touch Google's Boutiques.com knows what you want to wear before you do! Google has launched a shopping search engine to not only make it easier to find clothes you like, but to actually predict what those clothes will be. The site, called Boutiques.com, is organised into a series of 'boutiques,' which aggregate clothing from more than 250 designers and online stores, reports Wired.com. The online pages are curated by bloggers, fashion people, actresses (or their stylists), designers and, to a degree, you. The visual-search technology behind the online fashion aggregators teach the computer how to 'look' for clothes in your style. While the boutiques are interesting, it's the potential of the visual-search technology to make online shopping an intuitive experience that stands out. The idea is that the machine will know what you want before you do. This is particularly exciting to those of us masochistic enough to insist on having

Rohit Bal changing loyalties? Delhi-based veteran designer Rohit Bal aka Gudda will now move closer to Mumbai. In a surprise move, the designer has joined in as a Lakme Fashion Week advisory board member, and will be present at the board meeting on January 13, 2010. Known for his loyalty to the FDCI - Fashion Design Council of India (which holds the Wills India Fashion Week) - till date, the designer did not divulge reasons for this move. He has been invited by the LFW board to participate in the crucial selection of the Gen Next and Emerging designers. Mumbai’s always remained close to Gudda’s heart as he loves the energy of Mumbai’s fashionistas. And now for some more surprising international news from beyond the shores... Marc Jacobs picks a transgender model for campaign Blonde-haired Andrej Pejic has been chosen to front Marc by designer Marc Jacobs Spring/Summer campaign, it was recently reported. Pejic recently shot the campaign in Marrakech, Morocco, with renowned photographer

The 'casting couch' is serious trouble for male models in India The Casting Couch is a reality. Not just for female models but also the males in India’s buzzing fashion industry. In a quest to make it big, acquire fame, money and a high-profile lifestyle, many male models face the rude reality of ‘talent hunts’ under the guise of ramp show auditions. While many such auditions are genuine, others are ‘indecent proposals’ or a fast dial way to make it on the ramp for big designers and then to the silver screen. Incidentally, under the scanner of late is model Sid Gupta (name changed) , assistant director in a recent Shah Rukh Khan film, who was given a shot on the ramp to open and close the KJo-Varun Bahl’s menswear show in Delhi and the India Couture Week in Mumbai. Fashion circles in both cities are abuzz with rumours about he being a toyboy for his godfather. Not just him, in the recent past model Inder Bajwa and then Lalit Trehan were rumoured to have been the boyfriends of d

Funk it up! Ganji with Patialas, shirt with bright pyjamas, scarf with a churidaar kurti. Try these low cost, super trendy Indo-western fusion options and make heads turn suggest designers It was actress Kareena Kapoor in Jab We Met , who looked oh-so-gorgeous in a sleeveless tee teamed with Patiala salwars. Thank designer Manish Malhotra to set that Indo-Western wave in motion for collegians and yuppies in India. Since then, the sensibility is here to stay. The good news is that it's an innovative and also affordable way to mix your wardrobe essentials and keep it apt for college functions and also special occasions. Here's what the designers suggest: KRISHNA MEHTA : East meets west is a popular theme amongst the youth. Most would love to look fashionable by teaming up western clothes with an eastern touch. In fact, even western countries are influenced by eastern designs and vice-versa and hence fusion wear has become very popular. @ Wear skin-fitted jeggings with a rich sequ

Pamela Anderson will wear a ghaghra choli Pamela Anderson , who's currently in the Big Boss house for a reality television show, shocked everyone around when she claimed that she's 'clothesophobic' and can't stand too many clothes on her body. Designer Ashley Rebello who's been roped into dressing her up had a tough time getting what she likes to wear. He said, she's been wearing sarongs because she doesn't want to wear too many clothes. However, tonight (Friday Nov 19) when she will meet actor Salman Khan , she will be wearing a ghaghra choli in aqua shades. Those who are watching Pam for reasons best known to most can heave a sigh of relief as the growing TRPs of this show will only give her big monies. Pam's a mother of two and wants to clear her debts back home.

Canadian actress and Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson , the special international guest at Hindi reality show Big Boss 4 is excited to try out all things Indian but no leather Mumbaiites who waited with bated breath at the international airport on Monday November 15th night, to catch a glimpse of the voluptuous international celebrity Pamela Anderson were in for a little bit of a dampener. While they fell on to her car, tried to touch her and take pictures, Pamela dressed in a casual grey tunic made her way quickly to her parked vehicle. Onlookers however made hushed remarks about her appearance. It's true that Pam’s recently undergone breast size reduction and is a size 34-D now. Her waistline is an enviable 24 inches. This hands-on mother of two, is gorgeous (open to debate) nevertheless. So, when designer Ashely Rebello (yes the one who's showstopper actress Sonakshi Sinha tripped on the Bangalore fashion week ramp in September), was approached to design something really cool

Drop that corporate look and add a bit of festivity in your workplace ensemble. What's Diwali without its share of colours. If you are going to be working all of this Diwali week, then there's enough reason why you should dress according to the occasion. Sure, none of us like to go overboard with our dress sense at workplace. Most would like to keep it simple yet festive. Designers in Mumbai come to the rescue with some handy tips. 1. Accessorise : Designer Maheka Mirpuri suggests one opts for accessories to revamp the regular office look. "Try neck pieces, brooch or even cuff links in semi-precious stones or silver. Accessorisation always almost catches attention." With office wear, a choker can be worn with a shirt where the neck is partially exposed. Earrings such as hoops or chunky jhumkas in kundan can add colour. Hair accessories are equally in, try that. Nice belts which have a chunky feel, can add to the long shirt or tunic. 2. Try some make-up : We often do

Sridevi stumbles, Sonakshi trips, Wendell Rodricks does not show up and a fully set fashion week does not even take off. Are we getting more and more tolerant of these runway misses? The past one month has been rather unfortunate for Indian fashion designers. While Kolkata Fashion Week never even took off (despite making tall claims of getting Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka to walk at the finale) last month; Mumbai and Bangalore too did not witness much great luck, what with actress Sridevi stumbling on the Mumbai ramp and Sonakshi Sinha tripping on the Bangalore ramp. Goa-based designer Wendell Rodricks was not informed that his name was being used for a Gitanjali-sponsored Indian Princess show in Mumbai city. While incidents like these are unfortunate as they mar the name of the designer and the fashion week that they participate in, the only streak of hope is that all is pardoned...by the audience, designer fraternity and also the buyers. Neeta Lulla , who is presently basking in the gl

The 'selling point' at fashion weeks More and more fashion critics seem to be worrying themselves over lack of new trends on the fashion ramp. Point in question being the recently concluded Lakme Fashion Week Festive/Winter 2010 which was on since Sept 17 - 21 at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai. There were hushed talks about how ' thanda ' the entire atmosphere was, compared to last season. How designers weren't distributing goodies along with their press releases. How sponsored shows were shifted to the 9 pm slot instead of 7 pm slot and most importantly, how there were hardly any new dramatic trends that sprang up apart from buyers who were rumoured to be attending most shows but were hardly spotted by me (or even other journalists). Critics accused Paris-based Indian designer Manish Arora for showcasing what he had shown at Paris in Summer of 2010 season. Bollywood designer Neeta Lulla to have forgotten to bridge the gap between film costumes and designer wear as her

CURTAINS DOWN ON LFW WINTER/FESTIVE 2010 And finally it was closing day of the Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai with Delhi-based designer Malini Ramani bringing the curtains down with the grand finale. Firstly, the finale, which was scheduled to begin at 9.30 pm started at 10.30 pm. So, there were guests who were twiddling their thumbs in anticipation. Some even commented if this would even begin today or not. But then, we were all there inside the show area and the colourful show began with thumping beats. PERFORMANCE TIME: The Audio/Visual clip had Malini come on-screen speaking about the universe, inspirations from nature, yoga benefits and more so, what lies within our hearts and soul - true happiness. It did look a bit like a comic script, where a person would be perched on a lotus and many lights would go revolving behind. So, here was Malini doing just that and announcing her collection's nomadic inspirations. And then amidst a burst of colours, models showcased the four season

OH MY GOD! I am saying OMG and not IMG (ha-ha) because on Day 4 of Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2010, we spotted many guests including actors and their chamchaas and now hold your breath -2 transvestites . Dressed in dull polka-dotted frocks, they sauntered in, towering over many others peering at the lounges and Lakme salon, clearly inviting curious gazes. If you want to know who's guests the two were? One Mr Shah got them in, guffawing all the way. Moving on to more serious matter now — of the shows. The day's last three shows were heavy duty. Good designs, sleek cuts and loads of Bollywood actors who came in to cheer. Swapnil Shinde's designs were impressive. It revolved around a courtesan lavni dancer, Chandrakala, the poet Rafael and a club owner Zidler. With romance and villainy underlining the look of the collection, Swapnil dipped into the 17th and 18th century styles of Europe but added on the Indian lavni dancers of Maharashtra clothing for impact. Ghungroo

Now that's what we call as festive! Day 3 of the Lakme Fashion Week saw a fabulous splash of festive colours, something that the previous two days couldn't pull through. And along with some brilliant designs came stars who we thought would give a skip to LFW this season. On Sunday, when Ganesh pandals in the city drummed beats of traditional Ganpati songs, some 'not-very-famous' but have 'fire-in-the-belly' designers were all set to showcase their worked-upon collections. I've always believed that the younger ones take the theme more seriously than the senior ones. Perhaps that's why the Winter/Festive theme came alive on Day 3 and how... THE SHOWS: Masaba Gupta : This girl opened the show on Sunday. Purvi Doshi and VJ Balhara followed. Masu (as Masaba is lovingly called by her pals) created a sensuously-woven and wearable collection. She chose a peppy number of 'Choli Ke Peeche' song, made famous years ago by actress Madhuri Dixit's dhak-dh

The power is with the Gen Next and yes Mumbai knows that... For some reason, the most breathtaking show on Day 2 of the Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2010 was by not the stalwarts who showcased and that includes Ritu Kumar and Babita Malkani, but by the group of 10 designers who had started from the Gen Next platform themselves some years ago. Call it a kind of thanksgiving by designers Aneeth Arora, Kallol Dutta, Anuj Sharma, Rahul Sharma, Swapnil Shinde, Nachiket Barwe, Nitin Bal Chauhan, Rahul Mishra, Rimzim Dadu and Sailex Ngairangbam , the group of 10 were equal to the force of 100. Such was their diversity and design expertise. Celebrating five years of defining fashion with the top ten Gen next designers was a fabulous idea as the buyers did make maximum enquiries with these designers post their show. THE SHOW: Aneeth Arora: His 'Global Local' show was aimed at fashionistas around the world. With international trends, traditional fabrics and crafts, this lady showca

WHEN BIZARRE BECOMES BEAUTIFUL I need to confess that on Day 1 of the Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2010 at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai, the buzz was not as much as it was last season. But the most anticipated show of the day was that of Manish Arora's. Everyone had different expectations from this Paris-based designer who's dressed celebrities including Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. But he couldn't care less of what we wanted to see, Manish came and shattered our aspirations and built a new empire — that of hi-tech looks for a super confident modern woman. So, if you have the gall to call the shots, yeah, you can be Manish Arora's client. He'll dress you up like no one else. At his 9 pm show on Friday (Sept 17), people flocked in way before time despite road blocks due to Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in the city, lest they miss their chance to get seated on time. Not many actors came in but some very serious buyers made a front row appearance. I saw

Manish Arora to rock the Mumbai ramp Designer Manish Arora, yes! the one who dressed up Britney Spears for her Circus tour, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and many more, is now making his way to participate at the Lakme Fashion Week in September 2010. He answers a few straight-offs... @ You are a Mumbai boy essentially. You moved to Delhi and then almost made Paris your base. How does it feel to come back to the place where you did your first big show (India Fashion Week) way back in 2002. Excited, nostalgic, curious? M: To me, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, etc are all home. India is by home. So I feel very happy to showcase my designs here and even more ecstatic when I am appreciated in my country. @ Tell us about your show, the collection at Lakme Fashion Week 2010 and of course, how you will effortlessly weave neon prints? M: As an artist, you can find inspiration from almost anything, from eras and civilizations to people and places - The list is endless. During the time that we were designing t

Designer in my pocket Gone are the days when we cringed at the thought of sporting a designer wear for our special occasions, only because it would cost too much. And more so, those famous designers were always busy designing for the biggies including actors and wives of industrialists; touring around the world and taking a bow at various fashion shows. In these scheme of things, where did the common man exist? And guess that's why, we, the janta just made the most of the ware at local boutiques and felt happy whenever a nice looking outfit that fitted well, fell into our lap. But you know what. Tell me when did celebrities ever pay for their clothes, anyway?. After creating a buzz in the newspapers and television channels about which actor wore who's design that night, the designer only got compliments — alas! at his own cost — because the 'biggies' never bothered to pay up. And then came along a realisation, the designer started to look for 'real' customers b

Touched-up beauty Your fave actor’s flawless, sexy picture on the hoarding may now carry a body image disclaimer. Is it about time to bust the ‘ beauty myth' ? A thing of beauty is joy forever. Is it? May not be for long though, especially if it isn’t in its purest natural form. With more and more people, especially the youth trying to ape their fave actors and models right to the extent of attaining a sculpted bod like their idols, fashion heads and sociologists feel strongly about taking stock of this situation. Incidentally, late last year, a law was proposed in France that would see digitally enhanced images carry a warning to viewers that the image has been retouched to change the physical appearance of a person. The proposed statement which is on the brink of getting passed as a legislation may eventually apply to billboards, advertisements in magazines and newspapers, photos on packaging, art photos, and press photographs. If that happens then scores of celebrity advertiseme

Meet Malini — the gypsy queen Delhi-based designer Malini Ramani — Art of Living enthusiast and a dark chocolate fanatic — is super-excited to become the Grand Finale designer for Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2010, this September The fashion week fever is hotting up in the city. Model auditions for fresh ramp faces are done with and now comes the big news — designer Malini Ramani will present the grand finale at the Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2010 (from September 17-21). Sure, this is a hat-trick for Delhi designers to have presented the grand finale in Mumbai for three seasons in a row but LFW never maintained a Delhi-Mumbai barrier, anyway. I spoke to Malini about her plans on the Mumbai ramp. “The rains in Mumbai are beautiful, of course, only while I am indoors working on the ‘Gypsy collection’ for the winter palette,” revealed this svelte designer who’d pass off as a ramp model herself. “Now, who doesn’t want to look cool and glamorous while they are touring, she asks.

Thank God, I am TSF' ...that's Tall, Slim and Fair, say the young ramp aspirants who made a beeline to audition for the Lakme Fashion Week (September season) in Mumbai What makes for a good professional model? Well, not just tall height, good skin tone with a slim body, for sure, if that's your first guess. Instead, a whole lot of individuality that makes for a winner. And that's precisely what Lakme Fashion Week model auditioners looked out for, recently. Young ramp aspirants who fit the bill as TSF (Tall, Slim and Fair) lasses who came for the model auditions recently, went home with a realisation that it takes much more than physical attributes to take to the ramp. Incidentally, the minimum height criterion for female models has been increased from 5ft 7.5 inches to 5ft 7.7 inches for female models. Sorry guys! no male model auditions are planned to be held for the Mumbai Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2010 season. I happened to peek into the female audition rounds wher

...And it costs only Rs 3,500 It so happens that I am currently basking in the glory of becoming designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee's first customer at his new boutique in Kalaghoda, Mumbai. Yeah! the feeling is 'ecstatic'. And before there is any assumption of the price tag of this saree that I recently bought, let me tell you it's only for Rs 3,500 (I wouldn't have invested in a saree for anything more than that though, for I don't wear sarees often). Sabya (as this Kolkata-based design genius is lovingly called) is supporting a non-profit initiative called 'Save the Sari' . With this, the handloom weavers of Murshidabad, a place near Kolkata, will get a new lease of life by way of funds for their livelihood. Sabya says that he has been sitting with the weavers for many months now and weaving cotton sarees with so much love.Today, these sarees are beautifully displayed at his store and come at a cost which wouldn't pinch even if you aren't truly a

Are you an 'Emotional Eater'? If obesity is an alarming health disorder then Emotional Eating (EE) is a close relative. Surprisingly, it is a common occurrence with both men and women but often goes unchecked as a diet concern. Over time, EE often results in diet-related disorders and can cause disturbance in blood pressure, sugar levels and weight fluctuations. Health experts speak about how rampant emotional eating disorder is with most of us urbanites and if this concern can be curbed with help. EXPERT SPEAK: Naini Setalwad , nutritionist says that the ideal way to recognise this disorder is when you start to eat in response to your feelings. “At times when you are not particularly hungry, and are overeating due to your emotions, you can be assured that you are an emotional eater. And yes, you need help.” Pooja Makhija , nutritionist and dietician maintains that emotional eating is a phase. “In some people, the EE phase can get prolonged or get checked before it escalates an

Bold and beautiful Fashion victims no more, Mumbai’s stylistas are tuning in to their personalities and designers are loving this refreshing change A lady in her 40s sporting a striking deep backless LBD, her gal pals go for sexy off-shoulder numbers and the male brigade opt for well-tailored double-breasted coat with more than just a glimpse of toned chest. Yes, this is the style sense of Mumbaiites in the social circles currently. And no, these aren’t filmy people. Quite a depiction of the changing times in this city, no longer are people settling in for frivolous imported trends that don’t suit their individual tastes. Going right ahead with a new look which pleases their sensibility, the aam Mumbaiite today is designers’ refreshing delight. Says Manish Malhotra , “Of course, Mumbaiites are getting bolder with their dress sense. And thank God for this.” Unlike cities like Delhi where weather demands a change in wardrobes, Mumbai does not experience a stark change in the temperatures

World, hold on! Single parent child wins the crown again Remember the times when we gaped in awe at the three beauty queens on the Femina magazine cover, year after year. There was Sushmita Sen, Aishwarya Rai, Lara Dutta, Dia Mirza and then memory fails me to keep a check on who else's face can be recollected off the cover. Well, quite obviously that craze of Miss Indias has definitely mellowed down, what with girls (like us, we'd like to believe) around looking just as confident and beautiful. But in a population of 7 billion, a renowned title like 'Miss India' matters and can turn out to be quite a launchpad for any smart girl. And so on April 30 in Mumbai, it was the Pantaloons Femina Miss India 2010 pageant finale, out of the 18 finalists who walked the ramp, talked the 'compassion' talk, three dusky beauties whisked away the titles amongst 18 finalists. The winners were: 22 year-old Manasvi Mamgai (crowned with World title) from Delhi, 20 year-old Nicole Fa

Livin' on orange juice For all of us who've oohed and aahed on finding the calendar models look so fit and toned, this is a word of enlightenment. And it came as a surprise to me when one of the calendar models offered to divulge the truth about their bods. She said, 'You know, it's all about Orange juice'. About 15 days before the shoot schedule for pin-up calendars begins at exotic locations, we receive a verdict from the organisers to start working out and stop eating bulky meals. And so, 'Drink orange juice' is the maxim these models follow. Once the calendar shoot is done with, the photographer edits the raw pictures with loads of air brushing and heaps of make-up correction. Once done, the final look comes out just amazing. But now that we are in the humid month of April, why am I talking of calendars (it should've been in the beginning of the year, isn't it). That's because I myself got a dose of the orange juice diet. I was down with feve

Indian Models during IPL = More Work+ Great Moolah It’s the first quarter of the year and Indian models are truly enjoying a treat right now, in terms of good work and great monies. The reason being that the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2010, which has recently concluded happened a month prior to its usual schedule (in March instead of April). And due to this shift, it comfortably made way for Wills India Fashion Week Autmn/Winter 2010, which is all set to kickstart from March 24. But to most models, fashion weeks are usual business. What came as an icing to this format are the Indian Premier League matches in India. With 55 fashion shows organised by Mehr Jesia Rampal (yeah, that's actor Arju Rampal's wife and former supermodel), which are already underway at different locations of the matches, models walking for fashion shows there are truly in big demand. Take a look at the statistics. Consider this: The highest amount charged by an Indian model is Rs 50,000 and it is ru

Gimme that night fever...we know how to show it Delhi-based designer Suneet Varma brought the curtains down with a stunning grand finale at the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2010 on March 9, 2010 Of course, it's a kick-arse deal to do the grand finale. But unlike what most people think, a 'grand finale' isn't completely about the Autumn/Winter or Spring/Summer designs which are showcased at the fashion week. It's a brand initiative where a specific look is unveiled. And so, at the Lakme Fashion Week grand finale in Mumbai, designer Suneet Varma revealed 4 pretty looks that women can sport and they can attain that by opting for a range of cosmetics available at the Lakme counters (Got it, why it's called 'Lakme' Grand Finale). Now moving to the super buzzing grand finale show put up for a select audience of fashionistas by designer Suneet Varma. It was as if Tuesday evening had turned into a Saturday night discotheque on March 9 at the Lakme Fashion W