Monthly Archives: August 2014

‘Many Hands Make Beautiful Work’ A Ritu Kumar Fashion Film

27th August 2014

I’ve seen a few snippets of the collections showcased at Lakme Fashion Week via twitter but I haven’t had the time to take a proper look and put together my usual trend posts. I have however been watching some of the short films presented at LFW. My fave is the ‘Many Hands Make Beautiful Work’ A Ritu Kumar fashion film by Mummy Daddy Media Pvt Ltd and Chintan Gohil, a budding artist and videographer. This is the first of the series of four films Ritu Kumar will be releasing celebrating the beautiful craftsmanship and rich textiles she uses in her work. A stunner of a fashion film.

Follow me on Facebook and Twitter!

Tagged , , , , , ,

Vogue India Fashion Fund 2014: Top Five finalists announced

20th August 2014

It’s time for a little more Vogue India love (hey when isn’t it a good time?!) The reason I blog about Indian fashion is because its so god damn EXCITING. Yes, I rave about Manish and Sabyasachi but its those newbies that really make me go ohhhh. Designers that are finding their own groove. Such confidence and swag don’t you think? So each Vogue around the world has a Fashion Fund where a panel pick a winner from the country’s new design talent. Prizes include some start up money, a one year business mentoring from industry experts and coverage in the style bible that is VOGUE. Vogue India’s fashion fund winner last year was Frou Frou by Archana Rao-find her latest yuminess @ Pernia’s Pop Up Shop.

Hemant & Nandita, Top Five finalists Hemant & Nandita

Ikai by Ragini Ahuja via Vogue IndiaLove these looks by Top Five Finalist Ikai by Ragini Ahuja

This years 20 finalists were- HUEMN by Pranav Mishra & Shyma Shetty, Aarti Vijay Gupta, ikai by Ragini Ahuja, Ridhi Mehra, ilk by Shikha Grover & Vinita Adhikari, Quirk Box by Rixi Bhatia & Jayesh Sachdev, 431-88 by Shweta Kapur, Sneha Arora, Urvashi Kaur, Surendri by Yogesh Chaudhary, Chhaya Mehrotra, Hemant and Nandita, PINNACLE by Shruti Sancheti, anavila by Anavila Misra, Mrinalini by Mrinalini Gupta, [Ka][Sha] by Karishma Shahani Khan, Divya Sheth, Bounipun by Zubair Kirmani, GaGa by Tanya Sharma, BODICE by Ruchika Sachdeva

I’ve blogged about the awesome HUEMN by Pranav Mishra & Shyma Setty, Ridhi Mehra, Surendi by Yogesh Chaudharym (Ka)(Sha) by Karishma Shahani Khan & BODICE by Ruchika Sachdeva. Looking forward to getting to know the work of the other finalists!

So the final five have just been announced- Hemant & Nandita, Ikai by Rajini Ahuja, (Ka) (Sha) by Karishma Shahani Khan, Bodice by Ruchika Sachdeva & Quirk Box by Rixi Bhatia & Jayesh Sachdev.

Ka Sha by Karishma Shahani KhanI’ve blogged about this talented lady on the blog before here and here! Top Five finalist Karishma Shahani Khan

Bodice by Ruchika Sachdev Top Five Finalist Bodice by Ruchika Sachdev

Quirk box via Vogue India Top Five Finalists Quirk Box by Rixi Bhatia & Jayesh Sachdev.

I’m def going to be emailing some of the designers on the list to get an interview for the blog! So watch this space for more info on India’s latest design talents!

All images via Vogue India

Follow me on Facebook and Twitter!

Tagged , , , , , ,

Textiles of SouthEast Asia: Tradition, Trade & Transformation: by Robyn Maxwell

15th August 2014

The publishers of the book: Textiles of South East Asia kindly sent me a copy. If you’re after in depth knowledge on the history, culture and influences on the area this really is the book for you- all 432 pages. As a designer and having traveled to several parts of South East Asia (I went backpacking in the area after uni) I was really looking forward to the book but I found it too text heavy for me. There’s some beautiful imagery accompanying the text but I would have preferred far more images and I would have liked to see more images showing traditional weaving, dyeing and block printing techniques.

img006

img007

The book is available to buy @ Amazon

Tagged , , ,

Manish Malhotra Store Review & My Manish Civil Ceremony Lengha

7th August 2014

I recently posted My Mumbai Wedding Shopping Guide and thought I’d follow up with some individual store reviews. First up is Manish Malhotra. He has two flagship stores opposite each other (address’ are below). One is for full on Bridal yuminess and the other houses his diffusion ranges. I was looking for something lighter to wear for my Civil Ceremony (I didn’t want a Western Wedding Gown) so choose a beauty of an Ivory Lengha from his diffusion store. Actually my Mum and Sis choose it and made me try it on. I was reluctant to buy another Lengha and had it in my mind that I’d buy an Ivory sari. My thinking was- if I buy a sari I’d prob wear it again.

Manish Malhotra, The Asian Fashion Journal, Nina Patel, WEdding, Lengha, Shaadi, MumbaiPic of the Diffusion Store via Manish Malhotra Facebook

Well they got me in it and that’s when I fell in love with the Lengha. Plus the sales assistant said I can get a Sari made to match the blouse as well as get an embroidered or embellished body made to wear with the skirt and Duppatta making it look like a gown! She said its what lots of customers do and when we met our tailor a couple of days later he said the same. Well you learn something new everyday hey? (or does this just show how clueless us NRI brides are!)

manish malhotra, India, Fashion, Shaadi, Wedding, Lengha, Sari, A snap I took before we left the store so I remembered what I’d ordered!

We asked if the sample could be adjusted so we could take it back with us and the asst measured away and said it could be possible but it wouldn’t be comfortable for me in the armhole and it would be much better to get a fresh made to measure piece done. Like I’ve said previously after hearing so many horror stories of brides ordering pieces while in India only to receive ill fitting outfits posted over I was a little reluctant but as it was only one order we thought we’d take the risk. Also we paid by credit card- hey you never know its better to have that security in case you things do go wrong and you need to dispute the charge.

manish malhotra, India, Fashion, Shaadi, Wedding, Lengha, Sari, Detail of the gorgeous thread work

We were given a delivery date and told to expect a phone call a few days prior to re-confirm delivery address. And guess what? Mansi rang us like she said she would when she said she would and the package came over on time.

The blouse fit was like a second skin, shaping and lifting in all the right places (if you know what I mean) even though it was essentially a tiny blouse. The skirt was really loose on me although I think that was down to the upping of pre wedding workouts- I had to get my tailor over here to adjust the skirt.

From the experience I had of shopping from the store I’d highly recommend shopping at Manish Malhotra. I would happily order made to measure pieces from the store in the future (just got to wait for my sis wedding now!)

Manish Malhotra, Real Bride, Wedding, Shaadi, Lengha, The Asian Fashion Journal, Nina Patel I’ve cropped my Hubs out as well as my head. As much as I’m fine with sharing pics of me normally- I’m just not as comfortable sharing my wedding pics.

MANISH MALHOTRA FLAGSHIP BRIDAL STORE
Showroom no 3/4/5 Vishnudham CHS,
Corner of 14th Road & Linking Road,
Khar West, Mumbai 400 052
T: +91 22 26050723 / 26050724
M: +91 9987719978 / 9167982755

MANISH MALHOTRA DIFFUSION STORE
Showroom no 3/4/5 Vishnudham CHS,
Corner of 14th Road & Linking Road,
Khar West, Mumbai 400 052
T: +91 22 26054674/ 26053673
M: +91 9821222355 / 9833946835

Of course he has plenty more stores across India- Here’s a link to the full list.

Follow me on Facebook and Twitter!

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Will.i.am ft Cody’s ‘It’s My birthday’ Vs A.R. Rahman’s ‘Urvasi Urvasi’

6th August 2014

I have had ‘It’s My Birthday stuck on loop in my head for the last couple of weeks (yep Summer is mega birthday time for friends and family) So I was killing the song with my out of tune singing when my friend said- do you remember the original? Me : Ohhhh that’s why it sounded sooooo familiar! Friend: Urvasi, Urvasiiii, take it easy Urvasiii. (yep she stated singing too)

It makes a change to hear a Western song inspired by a South Asian song rather than the other way round!!!

Follow me on Facebook and Twitter!

Tagged , , , ,

Weekend away in Herefordshire

1st August 2014

Last weekend I went on a long weekend to Herefordshire with a bunch of girls to celebrate a friend’s Hen. We hired a cottage off the beaten track and filled the weekend with good food, dirty cocktails, a buff butler and a whole load of hen related games. Out of the hundred and fifty odd pics these few are the only ones I can get away with sharing! and seeing as I’m a posing dunce I’m glad new blogger Tess (will be posting details of her blog soon) directed me in a few pics of me on the Sun.

photo (54) Our home for the weekend.

photo (52) I got a Mask of Zorro thing going on here lol!

photo (51)

hen 2 Cider tasting.

photo (57)Serious gastro pub overload- ate way too much over the weekend!

Hen 1Not tools for torture- time for cocktail making woo hoo!

photo (53)The walking pose as directed by Tess! lol

photo (50)

Follow me on Facebook and Twitter!

Tagged , , , , , , , ,