Girl with the blue scarf

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...