Girl with the blue scarf

For all my male friends who have been lusting about Playboy India bunnies, this post is dedicated to you all. Think Playboy , and the first thought would be about wild, raunchy, alcohol-laced parties with pretty women and desirous men. Right? Well, wrong. The brand Playboy is a big player in the entertainment and hospitality industry. And not the magazine, but the apparel and fashion brand has forayed into the India market. My excited friend says, "Not the magazine? What a bumme r." INDIA-INSPIRED BUNNY : It was tough for Playboy Bunny to look sensuous and yet not get too provocative for the Indian market. So, Andhraiite designer Mohini Tadikonda based in New York used her design sensibilities and ushered a clearly great Indian saree-inspired bunny outfit . Lo! The Indian bunny is exotic and yet not raunchy. Kudos to Mohini! PLAYBOY APPAREL : Dressed to the T, Mathrew Nordy (standing in the middle in pic below) is the Executive VP and Chief Revenue Officer of ...

Bikinis, cover-alls, boy shorts, straw hats and beachy sandals ... sounds fun already, isn't it? Taking this maxim ahead was the second edition of India Resort Fashion Week (IRFW 2012 ) right on the shores of Candolim Beach in Goa . PARIS HILTON TIME : I couldn't resist watching a fashion show, replete with backstage chaos, music, choreographer stand-off point, cameramen stall and front row jazz - all in place yet happening on a ramp built on sand. At the second edition of India Resort Fashion Week, it was finale designer couple Falguni and Shane Peacock who convinced me to watch it all. Their showstopper was American celebrity deejay-socialite Paris Hilton . Apart from her, world-renowned deejays playing alongside the ramp area was too good to miss out on. (Of course, some coordination hiccups did arise of sleepy drivers refusing to pick invitees on time and problems on entering the nightclub area with +1 guests). I LIKE : Anupamaa Dayal's...

Nimi says: All the men we love gotta have some signature fashion sense Move over Bollywood biggies including Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan . The cine scene in India is already boasting of some fashionable young men, who don't like to play safe with their looks. Keyword: Experimental. And women love that . Josh Duhamel aka Danny Mc Coy of Las Vegas show: Spiky short hair, chiseled chest and looks that can kill. Love his boyish charm . Ashton Kutcher: Man-o-man. He's only grown cuter post his split with wife Demi Moore . Quite dishy, what with the cleft chin. Unkempt, unstressed look. Like the play of blue on him. Imran Khan: Met him in New Zealand and spent many days during his film shoot of I Hate Luv Storys. His wife Avantika has a say in his style and I like the tweed jacket that he pull off over a slim-fit white or pink shirt. PS: He must stop wearing those coloured printed socks though. Rohit Bal: Lotus man, who's as soft sp...

Gifting a unique gesture can be easy, pocket-friendly and immediate. Check out the festive gifting options and order them right away... SMELLS HEAVENLY: Finally, a fragrance - ‘L’Ambre des Merveilles - for women that's non-floral from the house of Hermes . Packed in a pretty bottle with a tinge of gold on its pretty circular lid. A small dab of this fragrance is enough to keep you smelling just great. In the words of the Hermes in-house perfurmer, Jean-Claude Ellena, the fragrance offers ‘ a willful, woody, non floral femininity ’. NIMI SAYS: It's good for evenings, especially during parties and get-togethers. May seem a bit strong for mornings. GET IT: hermesparfumeur.com for more details. LA-PAIN MACRONS THAT SPELL DESIGNER: Nachiket Barve came up with this unique idea of extending his 'Silk Route' inspired travel collection into sumptuous macrons by collaborating with Le15 Patisseries for the festive season. Well, not the draggier ones, every ...

Kareena Kapoor's Heroine costumes by designer Manish Malhotra , Rani Mukerji 's Aiyyaa song costumes by Neeta Lulla and Sridevi 's English Vinglish costumes by Sabyasachi Mukherjee , lakhs are spent on the leading lady's styling. But does it really help the film? Let's begin with Bebo , who's now gearing up for her weddings pheras with Saif Ali Khan . Kareena looked a million bucks in the black 'hardly covering' saree. Heroine was average but her looks were appreciated. Hell, was anyone watching? Sridevi's sarees in her film English Vinglish were rather regular. Designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee draped her sarees from all his previous collections. The film did well and her looks were just about all right. Is Sabya happy with his work? Rani Mukerji's Aiyyaa songs are already a rage. Her song costume styling is by Neeta Lulla. The film is bound to do well, for Rani's a great actress. But will her songs go down history as melodies? Wi...

JJ Valaya sells couture off the streetside in Turkey Never mind the late hour, the grand finale of Aamby Valley City India Bridal Week 2012 at Grand Hyatt, Mumbai on Monday 17 September was absolutely worth the while. The 4-way ramp was decorated with Istanbul lamps , commonners from Turkey, local women and belly dancers. Music added to the decor and yes the finale's feel was impactful, no end. Miss India Ankita Shorey - the face of the Week walked past and after her amidst models, social biggies including Bikram Saluja, DJ Aqeel, Narendra Kumar Ahmed, AD Singh took to the ramp and added to the surprise element. Rockstar girl Nargis Fakhri was JJ's showstopper . Girl with the Blue Scarf says: In its third edition, India Bridal Week organised by FashionOne headed by Vijay K Singh had to notch a brownie point. And JJ Valaya's stunning grand finale just effortlessly upped the benchmark.

Madhuri Dixit's sweeping elegance Mumbai was host to the third season of IIJW ( India International Jewellery Week 2012 ) at the Grand Hyatt and look who presented the grand finale with PC Jewels - Madhuri Dixit. Looking absolutely drop dead gorgeous at 46 years, the dancer-actress is a favourite ambassador for anti-wrinkle creams, elegant designerwear and also wedding jewellery. With such a strong fanbase waiting for her back in India, little wonder, why she came back from Denver with her bag and baggage, husband Dr Nene and sons, in tow. Meanwhile, actress Sonam Kapoor has been the brand ambassador of the IIJW since its inception. She too walked the ramp and look as stylish as ever. Girl with the blue scarf says: Now, amongst Madhuri Dixit and Sonam Kapoor, who wore her jewels better. You decide!

Sabyasachi and Manish: Rockstars at Delhi Couture Week 2012 Little wonder why Mumbai designers Sabyasachi Mukherjee and Manish Malhotra skipped two seasons in Mumbai and headed to Delhi to showcase their collections. Simple to guess, their buyers are in plenty in the capital city and the Delhiwalas love the two. At the PCJ Delhi Couture Week (7-12 Aug, 2012), presented by FDCI, Sunil Sethi , the president of FDCI gave the very best slots to Manish and Sabyasachi. While Manish provided the Saturday Night Fever with the gorgeous Katrina Kaif as his showstopper, Sabyasachi Mukherjee presented the Grand Finale on Sunday with Sridevi (my fave heroine)as his special guest. On both days, the buyer line-up was different and exclusive. The buzz was tremendous and anticipation was heavy in the air. Manish Malhotra: Using a lot of zardosi and Kashmiri embroidery, sheer backs were the highlights of the collection. Model-actor (Filmfare awardee for film Force) Vidyut Jammwal opened th...

Lakme Fashion Week Gennext Winter Festive 2012 batch: Awesome It's show time in Mumbai where the Lakme Fashion Week Winter Festive 2012 season is on in full swing. One of the most anticipated shows is by the GenNext , which gives a platform for young student designers to make a mark and leap into the professional world of fashion. And so on Aug 3, amidst a packed house of fashionistas, buyers and journalists, I sat witness to the batch's ramp show (who were also given tips, such as facing the camera, acknowledging guests in F-Row and what to wear to represent their collection, etc, by me as their media mentor a few days ago). I was so proud to see these focussed youngsters turning into hotsteppers as they confidently took to the ramp with their models sporting their collections. Amongst the 10 designers (7 labels) namely Aniket Satam (Mayan collection), Asa Kazingmei (Manipur lad with Immortal fashion), Astha Sethi And Sidharth Arora (A Stylish Androgynous Look), Kavit...

Deepika's wowy Cocktail look Sa if Ali Khan's home production Cocktail film with Deepika Padukone is already making waves (it released on Friday 13 July). Well, while some are liking the film's music to the hilt ( Bandhu song shot beautifully in South Africa ), most urban audience is raving about the stylish look of the film. Nevermind the content of the film, the two beauties make up for every design flaw. Deepika Padukone's Aztec skirt (short with motifs on it), high volumnised ponytail (sure, you too can make it) and chunky accessories are truly wow-worthy. Girl with the Blue Scarf says : It's return of the cool, stylish fun girl look. Thanks to Cocktail , there's no reason why you mustn't try it out now. Go on Youtube and check the link, which gives step-wise display of making volumnised ponytail. And team the high hair with a short skirt and tee. You go girl!

Cheers to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan It's a given that most Indians who follow Bollywood, Fashion and the Miss India pageant were excited to know what Aishwarya Rai Bachchan , the original Indian choice for Cannes Film Festival , former Miss World and a longstanding ambassador of L'Oreal Paris will wear at Cannes in the beginning of May. But most of us are relaxed and happy now. Aish's choice of outfits have been rather suitable and safe on most occasions, especially during media calls at the French Riviera. Post her child birth in November 2011, she has made fewer public appearances for obvious reasons. A hands-on momma, she visited Cannes with her daughter Aaradhya , mother Vrinda Rai and her stylist and then made heads turn with great elan. Girl with the Blue Scarf says: Take a look at Aish's different looks at the Cannes Film Fest Festival 2012 over the 5 days. She chose Angelo Katsapis on Day 1; Roberto Cavalli on Day 2; Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla at the amfAR...

Brad Pitt at Cannes Film Festival 2012 Here's one hottie who's made heads turn at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival 2012 at the French Riviera. He came to attend a photocall for the film 'Killing Them Softly', by director Andrew Dominik. I find such attitude in his face that his height or lean physique doesnot even cross the mind. Now, waiting for Indian beauty Aishwarya Rai to make her presence felt at the red carpet there as the brand ambassador for L'Oreal. Wonder what thsi young mommy would prefer to wear - a saree or a salwar kameez.

Many years ago, I happened to watch the film Bucket List , starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman . The duo were terminally ill and decided to jot down extreme things they wanted to do before they kick the bucket. The idea fascinated me to no end. So much so, that I made my travel bucket list , where I would visit a place and do something extreme there (desirable enough in my eyes). And so, in New Zealand , I tried white river rafting in rapids 4. The gush of strong currents in the water, crew members of different nationalities and one wrong stroke, we would've ended up capcising in the cold waters. Sky diving was another WTF moment. But absolutely worth it. This time, I'd like to ask you to jot down your travel bucket list. Where would you wanna head and what would you like to experiment with. Here go the suggestions: 1. Dance with Dervishes in Turkey . Connect with the spiritual world. But don't cheer or clap, it's considered an insult as the ritual is...

The Grand Finale presented by Rohit Bal , designer par excellence and the ultimate Master of Craft and Creative Design, was a mind blowing collection inspired by Lakmé Absolute Fast & Fabulous woman to end the Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2012. Akin to Rohit Bal’s inimitable style, Lakmé for the first time hosted the Grand Finale at the lawns of the Grand Hyatt, Mumbai . Pristine ivory pillars served as a backdrop for stunning models that walked down the ramp. Five carved life-size white cones lined the ramp (with models standing inside) while numerous hung from the branches of the trees surrounding the lawns. True to its legacy, Lakmé launched its Fast & Fabulous collection of 30 fashion forward nail colours that speed dry in 40 seconds. (They are already available in stores). The show opened with Silver Strings - a spirited trio of beautiful ladies, who enthralled the audience with their virtuosity on the violins. As the lights came on, the five cones rose to rev...

Bollywood stylist and leading designer Manish Malhotra will not showcase at Lakme Fashion Week Summer Resort 2012 on March 2, 2012. Instead James Ferriera will. The organisers of Lakme Fashion Week were in for a shock when designer Manish Malhotra cited date issues due to extreme work load in films and dropped out of showcasing at the LFW, in the prime slot of 9.30 pm on Day 1(March 2). Instead of Manish, veteran designer James Ferriera will return to his Mumbai roots after 6 long years and showcase in that slot now. Incidentally, the off-site show (Rohit Bal has done an off-site show last season) plan, which was to take place on March 1 and then followed by a 'By-invitation-only' party for fashionistas, models and designers did not take off. This time, only the party is happening and that has left some stylistas thinking 'What's up'? Now, the news of Manish pulling out also has turned out to be a dampener of sorts but James has filled in. Waiting for some youn...

Model Freddy Daruwala meets with grave bike accident, hospitalised Sunday evening (Feb 12, 2012) was a nightmare for leading male model Freddy Daruwala, who met with a major bike accident on the Mumbai-Nashik highway. He was immediately hospitalised at Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai and was diagnosed with a crack in the spinal cord, broken collar bone and damaged index finger. Out of danger now, every time the doctor induces anaesthesia to him, he keeps saying, "I should've been more responsible."  Freddy, former Mr India, was to take off to Delhi for the ongoing Wills India Fashion Week there. All his plans to walk the ramp for established designers now stay altered. He was also selected to walk the ramp at the upcoming Lakme Fashion Week for designers Rohit Bal and Manish Malhotra amongst others in March, now that too will be put on hold. Being a self-confessed biking enthusiast, he often took off to weekend getaways from Mumbai with his biking gang. His friends f...

Genelia D'Souza's beautiful bride It wasn't too long back when I met Bollywood actress Genelia D'Souza for an interview and picture shoot in Bandra, Mumbai for Christmas. Exuding with energy, she spoke of how muych the festival means to her because it brings her family together. She was a tomboyish girl in school, playing football, basket ball and more. One of the stylishly turned out actress we have in B-Town, I've liked her style of dressing her age. It's the effortlessness which stands out as the winning point. On February 3, Genelia tied the knot in a typical Mahashtrian wedding with co-star Riteish Deshmukh , son of politico Vilasrao Deshmukh . And while I'm not too big on what marriage offers in the long run, especially ones which are arranged by parents and not by the girl and the boy themselves, I am often keen to see what look the bride wore... Not for the clothes and jewellery but also because of the healthy diet and regime the couple starts...

Be it the Coco Cola advertisement with kids singing 'Sunshine Wali Dhoop, Ummeidon wali asha' , AR Rahman's 'Tum Mein Hai Hero' sung lyric by lyric by children, kids seems to holding our attention rather raptly. What set me thinking was: Are we done with the mush and skin show all around us and finally getting back to basics. Are we using kids to restore that last bit of innocence in us, that was threatened by sidewalk hoardings peering down at us in sensual poses... And then recently, my convictions were further strengthened at the maiden run of India Kids Fashion Week in Mumbai, held between January 17-19. Boys and girls, aged between 4-14, in ponytails and schoolboy shots made a beeline to walk the ramp and have fun sashaying some designer wear. I feared the worst, 'What if a kid walks off the ramp and breaks his teeth. What if a child gets lost amidst all the hullabaloo of multiple shows. What if kids go hungry and are made to wait endlessly backstage with f...