Girl with the blue scarf

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....