Designer Anju Modi tells this writer how national and international boundaries are bridging to create acceptance for all the cultural differences in designs.

Since most of your designs are based on bridal couture, how do you blend the Western silhouettes and Indian fashion aesthetics?

The boundaries have melted and there is a cultural mix all around. Fashion has become important these days; there are destination weddings, gigantic and theme-based weddings, where designs depend on the theme. If it is happening in Banaras, the dresses would be in Banarasi brocade, or if it is taking place in Florence then they would be in soft, muted tones. I feel there is nothing like Indian and Western anymore.

Fashion is never constant. How do you cope with the changing global trends?

Creativity is dynamic. It changes with social changes, automatically my creativity works the same way and I bring global trends into my design.

India has a rich heritage of fabrics, which now are being increasingly recognised as art, unlike before when it was a mere hierarchical symbol. What is your take on this?

We have a textile history of over 500 years. It has been evolving since then. I take my inputs from the weaver and the artisans too.

As an Indian designer, I feel that it is my responsibility to take it forward and help in reviving and regenerating our textiles.

What is your greatest source of inspiration as a designer?

Nature is my biggest inspiration. Different cultures and traditions, architecture, art and music inspire me a lot.

What is new about the India Couture Week this year? What was your unique signature at the show?

Now that there are no boundaries and there’s equal exposure everywhere.

We are creating a future look for brides and bridesmaids where the silhouettes are refreshed in soft colours with detachable white collars and cuffs, while some extra flounces are added to the skirts and bodice taking on a V-shape and the dropped shoulder. Exaggerated ostentation, tight corsets, gigantic hoop-skirts and outrageous bustle make today’s fashion trends look sedated by comparison.

You have designed for some films. How do they help in dissemination of fashion sensibilities and as a designer how do you change your ways for the screen while keeping your signature intact?

I go with the flow of my thoughts and ideas. I transport myself to the era the film is from, and think from that very era’s character. I express my thoughts and ideas for that era through the costumes I make for the film. This way, every film’s costumes are unique and also do justice to the film.

What are the other projects that you are currently working on?

I am currently designing the costumes for Chiranjeevi, Amitabh Bachchan, Nayantara and Tamannah Bhatia for the film Sye Raa, which is based on Uyyalawada Narasimha Reddy, an Indian freedom fighter.

Writer: Pioneer

Courtesy: The Pioneer

Chahak Mittal says, although prejudices can be crippling, Renee Kujur fought them all, emerging to be an overnight sensation.

The obsession with fair skin, a perfect body shape and size has made it difficult to accept flaws and features as they are. We have set impossible pictorial standards for every woman, be it a model, actress or even an ordinary woman. However, model Renne Kujur, commonly known as the Indian Rihanna because of her uncanny resemblance with the RnB singer, breaks through these standards. The 33-year-old model, who started modeling at 28, has a film-like story to tell. Being a dark-skinned, flat-nosed and skinny girl, who hails from a tribal village of Chhattisgarh, Renee has worked hard to earn a place in the Indian fashion and modeling industry. Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) acknowledged her grit and passion to pursue her dreams. A felicitation programme was hosted formally introducing her as a model on the second day at the India Couture Week 2018.

Famous supermodel Sonalika Sahay introduced her, “For a model like Renne, it hasn’t been easy like us city girls.”

She narrated how Renne had been bullied and teased all her life for being dark-skinned. “When she participated in a fancy dress competition as a fairy, somebody told her ‘Pariyaan kaali nahi hoti (Angels are not dark),’  but her hard work has paid off. Her journey is to learn something from,” said Sonalika.

“Since childhood, I wanted to be a model but I kept facing challenges. I belonged to a very middle-class family. When I finished school, I didn’t want to be a burden on my parents. So, I worked and saved money for my portfolio. But all my life, I have faced the wrath of prejudices against my caste, a tribal background and my colour. People used to say that no girl like me is made for modelling and only for a government job. But I believe that girls like me can do a lot of things. All my life I have heard ‘you have a flat-nose,’ ‘kaali pari,’ ‘junglee;’ these harsh words have made me feel strong and given me strength to fight. I have been blessed by this face and the fact that I resemble Rihanna has given me an edge perhaps,” said she.

FDCI chief Sunil Sethi questioned her about how her following began and reached to what it is today. Laughing and teary-eyed, she claimed, “There was a headline ‘Overnight sensation,’ but I want to say that the night was indeed very long.”

Sethi invited her parents to the stage, whom she hadn’t seen in six years. Highly overwhelmed by the reunion moment, she had to fight back her tears in front of the whole fraternity while thanking Sethi. Talking about her parents, Renne said, “They are my biggest support system, my lifeline. If they hadn’t encouraged me and allowed me to step out of the house, I wouldn’t have had reached where I am today. I feel like a celebrity today and I owe all my success to them.” The model is on her way to becoming the face of a Tommy Hilfiger campaign, a brand for which she had worked as a store executive once.

Writer: Chahak Mittal

Courtesy: The Pioneer

Celebrated designer Manish Malhotra talks with Chahak Mittal on his 13-year-old journey.

How has the fashion sensibility on ceremonial lines and wedding couture undergone a change in India?

The industry is seeing a fundamental transformation in today’s day and age in the way we create, consume and communicate about fashion. Luxury is today as much about the experience or the story as it is about the product.

The wedding market has evolved a lot over the years through styling in movies showcasing modernity of Indian clothes and the growing digital advancements that have now made the world a much flatter place. Brides are also changing their styles; they want more contemporary, versatile and bespoke designs and lean towards bold colours, silhouettes and styles for a diversified look. Also for grooms, while the options still remain a bandhgala, sherwani and kurtas, we see them experimenting a lot more with the overall look that is a combination of colours, texture, appliqués and drape of fabric.

The direction of my label is representative of a new movement in the world of Indian fashion, where the aesthetic mixes the functional with the beautiful and is more comfort-driven and highly wearable.

How is the blend of Indian textiles and Western silhouettes bringing about a change in the Indian fashion sense?

The new generation is much more vocal with their opinions on craftsmanship and designs we showcase or the national and international influencers we dress. The consumer landscape is truly changing, all thanks to social media. Constructive modern silhouettes highlight the traditional vibe. Women are pairing crop tops, capes, corsets and blouses with lehengas, shararas andpants to embrace utility and comfort in style. I attribute this to the blending of the old with the new. Individuality is in vogue and people today are more receptive to dressing according to their personality and mixing trends and global influences in fashion.

Fabrics, from being a hierarchical symbol, have evolved to be recognised as art. What is your take on this?

Handloom has taken centre stage in the Indian fashion industry and sustainability is back to becoming a lifestyle choice. The growing impact of social media has enabled consumers to contribute to this conscious effort and share the need for sustaining and reviving our heritage textiles and crafts across a global platform. My designs too are a tribute to the quintessential Indian aesthetic as seen through a contemporary lens. I have always believed fashion to be a form of art that celebrates people and thus, a culture. The vision, narrative, skill and intricacy that goes behind crafting each piece of a Manish Malhotra garment is done to celebrate the one who is wearing it. People today are extremely well-travelled and focussed on ethics of going back to their roots to opt for more traditional fabrics with a contemporary twist.

Needless to say, these crafts are finding form in everyday wardrobes as well as formal and traditional outfits. From saris crafted in handwoven textiles to details by way of hand-embroidery and embellishment techniques, our handicrafts have a very versatile and global appeal.

You have maintained your connect with films, styling for Jhanvi Kapoor in Dhadak. Do films impact fashion or is it the other way around?

Hindi cinema has always been a huge fashion influencer for people across boundaries through the decades. I recall, when the concept of styling was non-existent in the industry, that is where I saw the opportunity to merge my twin passion of design and films. Today, I am so proud of my contribution to movies and what in turn it did for me. As a child when I used to watch films, I think it only steered and made me believe in the direction I wanted to take in life. Of course, it started with the movies, but I wanted to take my creativity beyond the silver screen.

When I started my label, 13 years ago, Indian fashion was still fledgling; the industry made clothes and did not tell the stories that went into their making. It took a few years for our economy to open up. People have started travelling more and exploring many more options to enrich their lifestyles. We have left the norm of austerity behind and had just started embracing aesthetics that helped us to express ourselves. And that is when I realised that I had the wonderful opportunity and time to carve my own niche.

As far as I knew, I wasn’t creating fashion, I was finding and presenting ways that accentuated a fashion-lover’s personality.

What is the biggest thing that you stand for and support as a designer?

From the very beginning, I was adamant that my label would not follow “trends.” We would listen to our clients and work with their preferences to devise our collections. Trends come and go; they are so transient. I would rather create pieces that are timeless and could revive our crafts, accentuate the wearer’s confidence and let them enjoy.

What is your biggest source of inspiration?

I derive a lot of inspiration from old-world charm. The beauty of older films, old architecture and so on hold a special place in my mood-boards. This, combined with a sense of opulence and glamour in the detailing, sum up the design prism of my label.

Writer: Chahak Mittal

Courtesy: The Pioneer

Making a prosthetic hand out of an out refrigerator – now that’s a great example of imagination. Aris Athanasopoulos, the narrator of the show Made by Destruction, has a quick chat with Chahak Mittal about what the show is all about.

Actor, director and producer Aris Athanasopoulos has taken a quirky road to saving the planet. He lends his voice to the show Made by Destruction, an oxymoron by the sound of it, in which old, discarded items lying around the house are broken apart to create something new, creative and useful.  This is not a simple exercise in recycling but an upcycling process during the show.

There have been other shows around the same concept of reconstructing things from waste or abandoned items. How is your show different from those shows?

I think this show is different since it has a segment talking about how an unused product lying in your home works and its value. Then it is broken apart and using those pieces, we can reassemble them and make something like a prosthetic hand. The show has three different segments in each episode in which something new is made. It uses products that would have landed up in a landfill, adding to the pollution on the planet.

What was the field work involved during the shoot?

For me, as a presenter, I do my work from inside the recording studio. I get the scripts while the incredible production team does all the field work and assembles the photography of the show. They record it and then put it together. I do the research myself after receiving my scripts. I wanted to make sure that I had done justice to the production team’s efforts. The show is great for educating about recycling.

What is the one cause that you support and stand for?

I support protecting the environment. That is why it was so wonderful being involved with the show. The series is the finest way to entertain and to educate its viewers about the incredible ways of reimagining solid waste.

What was your biggest source of inspiration as an actor?

I grew up watching movies and television shows and they inspire me even today. I also love watching documentaries on nature.

Would you like to share something that happened during the shoot or when you began shooting for the show?

Like I said, one of the segments of the show is the highlight. Once we made prosthetic hands out of old refrigerators. We took a huge piece of waste and made it into something that can be useful and helpful for someone who really needs it. I realised that people watching the show have the chance to learn a lot and they could be amazed by some of the transformation that happen on the show.

What led to this transformation from being an actor to hosting a show on TV screen?

Well, I am still an actor. This is more like a happy and wonderful opportunity to do something a bit different from what I normally do. It was really exciting and a learning experience to step out of my everyday routine as an actor. And the best part was that I too got to learn about the process of recycling as well as how things are transported from one factory to the next and then into the hands of the artist or someone who has engineered or created something new.

Made By Destruction premieres August 20 at 9pm on Sony BBC Earth.

Writer: Chahak Mittal

Courtesy: The Pioneer

Trendy Montenegro Trendy Khadi

13^TH JULY National Day Celebrations of Montenegro in India 2018

This event was held at the Consulate of Montenegro by H.E the Honorary Consul General of Montenegro in India Dr Janice Darbari was witnessed by an exclusive presence of high ranking dignitaries from India and the Diplomatic core gathering of Ambassador’s and High Commissioners and members of the diplomatic core of different countries present in India.

Dean of the Diplomatic Core H.E Mr Frank Hans Dannenberg Castellanos Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Dominican Republic, Deputy Dean of the diplomatic core H.E Mr Alem Tsehaye Woldemariam Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Eritrea, Honorary Consul General of Montenegro in India Dr Janice Darbari and Mr V.KSaxena Chairman of Khadi and Village Industries Commission and members of the KVIC board.

The Chief Guest Mr Subrata Bhattacharjee of the Ministry of External Affairs in India, speaking at the Occasion said quote “Hon’ble Minister of state Mr V.K Singh has visited the beautiful country of Montenegro and I am good friends with the Ambassadors of the Balkans you can count on me and my Ministry as friends of Montenegro wish the Khadi promotion a great success”. “The Honorary Consul General Dr Janice Darbari thanking Mr Saxena Chairman Khadi weaving a thread and a big friendship with Khadi Trendy Montenegro Trendy Khadi, Hand woven hand spun each one of us in our country has the beautiful tradition of hand spun and hand woven our artisans and handicraft with the support of the Dean we can take it to the Global level and can knit the cultural network all over the world and make it a celebration for every human being who wants and love freedom, knitting this yarn right through the grassroots level. I think we can bring a lot of economic freedom to everybody, Welcome to a signature fashion show .How this fabric is worn in India in a very friendly way.”

The Dean of the diplomats who had just flown in from abroad especially for this event stated, “On behalf of all my colleagues Montenegro is the very envy of all of us. We wish we had a good Honorary Consul General like you. We are very happy you are very active you do a great job, and, I congratulate Montenegro for having appointed you and than you for being one of us. You are always a part of our activities and doing a great job for strengthening ties between India and Montenegro.”

Mr V.K Saxena the Chairman of Khadi gram Udyog stated “I want to Congratulate Montenegro Dr Janice Darbari on the Occasion of the National Day   joining hands with Khadi by Montenegro is a great conversion, a long way to see Khadi going Global. Khadi means honesty, purity, hand woven and hand spun is also called the National fabric of India. Joining hands with Montenegro is a historical Day today because Khadi is going global. I am thankful to Ms Janice Darbari for giving this opportunity to take it Global.”

The signature Fashion Show was choreographed by the Teachers of D.A.V School Mausasm Vihar ,their alumini and senior students participated  as models.

Mrs Paridi  Sharma N.G.O working with khadi and Raj Darbari helped in designing the trendy clothes .Mrs Sheila Darbari  aged 90 years popoualry known as the daughter of the British era the oldest Alumini of DAV College dating back to 1947 brought back nostaligic memories of 1942 as  her father Jagdishwar Nigam I.C.S was the district Magistrate in Ballia who allowed a massmovement a crowd of 25 thousand satyagrahis enter Ballia all wearing Khadi. She walked the ramp amidst a great applause as the song “Apne azadi ko hum hargish mita sakte nahi sar kata sakte lekin sar jhukha sakte nahi” (We cannot forget our freedom we can get our heads cut but we cannot bow our head.) The show stopper Mrs Swheta Dagar former first runner up Mrs India worlldwide 2017 ,wore a khadi saree looking absolutely stunning.

The event was applauded by the distinguished gathering.

Opinion Express News Bureau

Taking a walk at IGNCA, Chahal Mittal observes and understands that Manav Gupta uses pottery to make a statement on preserving the ecosystem and sustainable development.

Artist Manav Gupta has given a new meaning to everyday exotic. He has used earthen lamps, tea cups and smoking pipes, unremarkable in their simple functionality, to create remarkable installations in the gardens of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA). So while the chillums dangled from branches like rain, the lamps cascaded down concrete steps like a river and the cups honeycombed to form a Noah’s ark. Positing himself at its helm, this is the artist’s powerful message on the art of sustainable living and preserving Mother Earth before it crumbles and threatens our survival.   

Arth: Art for Earth is a concept that the artist has been working on for quite sometime. “For the past two decades, Arth has reigned in my being, my art, my process as the sutradhar. The word arth in Devanagari script refers to ‘meaning’ and ‘wealth.’ I have explored both of them in the context of our existence on this planet as we use the ‘wealth of earth’s resources’ — the five elements (panch maha bhoot) — as well as our meaning and purpose in life while we are here,” says Manav.

Rain, the first of the six artworks by the artist, has chillums tied together with strands of thread on neem and arjuna trees and are used as droplets falling on the lap of the earth. “My ‘rain’ over half an acre of the lawns, is my tribute and nurturing of arjuna and neem trees on this earth,” says Manav.

As you walk in the rain, do look at the round beehives perched on the trees, which are made using clay tea cups or kulhars and are  huge enough to host a swarm. “I have used clay objects to portray the earth. Diyas are hugely discarded after they are used. The earth seems to have a similar fate, and hence the lamps act as a metaphor.”

As you take a few steps further, we reach the Bed of Life that extravagantly symbolises love, which is “yet another dimension of sustainable development.” The artist shares the intimate statement of love through the use of the masculine and feminine idioms of existence. Despite being fragile, the emotion is ethereal and sublime in its existence, which is why it makes the world go around and upside down.

River Waterfront is an ode to Ganga while Matighar portrays the lyrical formlessness of time along the flow of the river. The multi-dimensional sensuousness of strands of the rain dramatically pouring down against a waterfront is a well-executed poetic device.

As we walk towards the safe entrance of the IGNCA’s block A, our way is blocked by the prodigious Noah’s Ark made with a thousand chillums and kulhars.  “We are all clay and could all be Noahs if we protect ourselves against doomsday by adopting sustainable living. We need to take the future generations of our families and other species to an evolved and secure life,” says Manav.

Predictably enough after the ark, we come to a hardcore message of the Time Machine. The artist uses earthen cups to form an hourglass to highlight the transient nature of our existence. “Water and all the five elements of nature are our sources of sustenance. Ancient civilisations have respected and understood this sanctity. They drew nourishment from the great rivers, be it our sacred Ganga or the Mississippi. As we grow, it’s time we excavate the ancient philosophy of sustainable living. And we are all clay, dust to dust must return. In between, we just get to shape ourselves,” says Manav. At the end of it, we question how our ignorant habits towards the environment can subtly change the very discourse of nature. And that is the artist’s larger purpose, to set us thinking.

Writer: Chahal Mittal

Courtesy: The Pioneer

Stand-up comedian Amit Tandon, who will be launching his new show Tandon Talkies soon, talks about his inspiration in everyday life in a freewheeling chat with Chahak Mittal.

Delhi-based comedian Amit Tandon, commonly called “The Married Guy” of the Indian stand-up comedy scene, is laughing all the way to the bank — for a reason. He recently touched a milestone when he completed 100 shows in the last one year.

Tandon opens up about how he ended up doing 45-50 shows in 32 cities across the US last year. “I have been to 15 countries  last year but in terms of experience it has been both very surprising and pleasant because I never knew the kind of reach that social media could give me. In the UK, we had planned four shows but we ended up doing nine.” Across the Atlantic, things became even bigger. “Something similar happened in the US as well, where initially the size of the venue that we were booking was only 300-350 seater but we sold out two months in advance. So, we shifted to 1,000-seater theatres and completed around 45-50 shows across 32 cities in the US.”

He adds, “It was a great learning experience though it was back-breaking in terms of the schedules because the flights for the US are pretty long. There is no time for the body clock to adjust. But at the same time, I felt that the more people you meet, the more material you collect in terms of comedy and the more you get to observe.”

Amit believes that social media has been instrumental in allowing him to reach out to the masses. He says, “Earlier you had to be either on television or in movies to do that, since those were the only media through which you got recognition. But now WhatsApp groups, Youtube and Facebook have provided a platform to showcase your skill set on your own and find your market, which is exactly what happened with me.”

Ever wondered how do these comedians find inspiration or ideas for their stomach and jaw-aching jokes? As far as Amit is concerned, he has a very realistic and observational approach. He says, “In terms of inspiration, comedy is tragedy plus timing. Whatever bothers me, I use it for comedy. A lot of it is observational comedy. For example, the struggles of a middle class person, mobile phones, traffic are things that everyone sees and I use them in my gags.” He illustrates with an example from daily life. “It could also be the things that irritate me. Today, when I was at the airport, waiting in the queue, there was a person who tried to break the queue. Then I realised, this is a habitual offence at airports everywhere.”

Being a comedian isn’t an easy job, neither a fixed one, so how does he manage to keep his jokes evergreen? Amit says, “This is a constant worry that plagues a comedian that maybe you have written your best set already so what will you write next. And is there an exhaustion of jokes? You just need to get out of your comfort zone every now and then to get new things and find inspiration.”

There is, of course, a dark side to being funny man. The pressure of performance is such that comedians hardly get to look at real issues in their lives. Here is what Amit has to say about it, “Well! Mujhe toh depression nahi hua hai abhi tak (laughs).” He adds, “Depression is becoming very common among artists, no matter in whichever industry. In a time of social media, there is a constant struggle among celebrities, like even Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, to update their social media profiles to connect with the people and project the sunny side of their lives, even when they are not feeling so.” He says, “Comedians are as serious as anybody. So it is not just confined to comedy industry only.”

Amit believes in jokes that stay within the people’s conscience. “Today you read a hundred jokes on whatsapp but forget them by the evening. I believe in taking a joke back home. There is a saying that you should be able to live your joke, which means that people should be able to relate it to themselves.”

He shares one of his most memorable experiences about how he had to jump on the improvisational theatre pattern. Says he, “When we were booked for a show in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the show was advertised in English but it was a comedy club, so we ended up with a 100 White people and two Indians. They just wanted to see Indian comedy. But the show was in Hindi and English, a mix of both. At the last minute, there were two of us, me and Deveshu, and we had to completely re-do our show in English. First, Deveshu turned to the stage and did a half-an-hour interaction in English, which went pretty well. While he was on the stage, I sat down to translate all my sets into English — which was a three-and-a-half hour script of jokes that I had written so far. Thankfully, it went pretty well. In fact, so well that I have been booked for a one-hour show by the same Crackhouse Comedy Club in KL next year. That is one show that I will always remember. It was a great sense of achievement for both of us, because we regularly do Hindi-English mix comics, and we ended up doing a one hour 15 minute show, which was completely in English, for a White audience. We got a standing ovation at the end of the show.” Clearly, he is, as the parlance goes,  “killing it,” one show at a time.

Writer: Chahak Mittal

Courtesy: The Pioneer

Despite celebrating her silver jubilee in the profession, designer Payal Jain is not showing any sign of slowing down. Currently, she is working on her Spring-Summer 2019 collection to be showcased in Paris. She tells this writer how she works hours to meet strict deadlines and achieve big targets.

India has been widely accepting global fashion trends. What changes have you brought about in your designs that involve international as well as Indian fashion cultures?

I have always created Western garments from the inception of my business in the early 1990s. At that time, Indian fashion sensibility of most consumers was very ethnic. Over the last two decades, I have seen these preferences change completely across the country. We have gone from a primarily saree/salwar kameez-wearing nation to one where jeans, pants, dresses and skirts have become the standard way of dressing in the cosmopolitan cities. This is limited to not only a few cities but has also filtered down to tier II and III cities. Today the Indian consumer is well aware of the global trends and is up to date with  international fashion. They want the latest fashion trends and are cost-conscious, expect comfort and durability and need an ease of wearing and maintaining.

I have followed the international fashion predictive to an extent from the beginning of my career but these are good only for a broad guideline of the season. They cannot be adhered to completely while creating collections which represent your brand identity and ethos. That is a personal journey and the one, which each brand must define. Earlier, we used to create different collections for the Indian market and Western trade shows as market preferences varied. Those days are long gone, now we book orders on the same collections across the globe as well as India.

Design as a sensibility is flowing from fashion to the commonest utility item. What has led to such artful consciousness?

‘Design’ is about your aesthetics in relation to the nature of art, beauty and taste with the creation of something beautiful. Design encompasses various facets of life, such as fashion, lifestyle, home furnishing, textiles, products, interiors, art, music, cuisine and travel. For an artist, everything becomes a medium of expression, be it a canvas or a loom, an instrument, a wall, a piece of textile, a mound of clay or a roll of paper. Design aesthetics have evolved greatly over the last few years. Today people want creative choices and options in everything, be it fashion, interiors, home furnishings, products, accessories, etc. They are also willing to pay a premium for creativity; hence I believe this shift has come about globally.

The Scandinavian countries, France, Italy and Japan were leaders in their particular design aesthetics for many years but now the whole world has followed suit and each country is creating its own unique handwriting.

There was a time when Indian formal design was about ceremonial lines and Western silhouettes in informal wear. Now Indians are more comfortable in their own skin, styling and cuts, silhouettes too. How have you tracked this change as somebody who has been around for 25 years?

That is very true. After graduating from the US, I returned home to start a career in fashion. We, as designers, were still treated as glorified tailors and no one understood that there was a skill and education required to pursue a career in fashion. Today, designers have a huge fan following and are treated as celebrities but the journey to this day has been long and hard. I ventured into designing Western outfits at a time when they were unheard of in India. When I started my fashion label in the early 90s, most Indians believed that an outfit was worth money only if it was a saree or an Indian ensemble, because it would be preserved as an heirloom or passed down to the generations. A beautifully draped gown or immaculately constructed suit was never their natural choice and certainly not an expensive one. Western outfits were limited to casual day wear, mostly by young people and a selected few corporate ladies. Western couture was neither heard of nor appreciated.

I have always been passionate about Indian textiles and crafts and merged these with Western silhouettes from the inception of my label 25 years ago. During those days, there was a minuscule market, which was at its best for this marriage between the East and the West, but I believed it was my strength and I stuck to it against all odds. Slowly, the customer sensibility evolved in India and from a handful of clients, my label now creates for a large segment of discerning women across the globe. The Indian woman is comfortable with her body, confident of her goals, clear about her choices and wants to make her own unique style statement. She no longer needs to hide behind the garb of tradition; she is proud of her heritage and carries it with dignity. Today, the entire world looks at India for its textile heritage and fashion amalgamation, catering to the global audience.

What are the shortcomings of being an individual designer given the growing preference for an online fashion market? Why aren’t individual designers forming a collective for prêt wear?

I sincerely wish designers would come together on a common platform, online being the most logical choice today. Individually, one can only expand one’s repertoire to a limited extent, no matter how organised or professional your organisation may be. Coming together as an industry is the most pragmatic way forward in my mind as the market for Indian designers is immense, both in India and globally.

There was a time when the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) was a cherished institution. What ails it now?

NIFT has shaped a whole new world of making fashion an aspired career choice for the youth in India. Several generations have benefitted from this institution and it remains India’s premiere institute for fashion studies even after all these years. I am not a product of NIFT so I won’t comment on what has changed internally with time but I do believe that spreading out too much with so many different locations creates a big challenge when it comes to maintaining quality and standards. I believe quality reigns over quantity and both must go hand-in-hand for growth.

How has women’s sense of style evolved over the years?

Fashion in India has gone through a revolution in the last two decades; the design sensibility of the consumer has changed completely from an ethnic and traditional taste to the current modern and global language. I feel blessed to have been a part of this change.

What is the project that you are currently associated with?

I am currently working on my new flagship store, which is in its designing stage at the moment and occupies every waking hour of my mind space. Other than that, there are a dozen or more corporate projects in hand spread over several countries. Also, Spring-Summer 2019 is getting ready to be showcased in Paris.

Do you refer to trend books like Promostyl for your designs? If not Promostyl, then what?

Fashion predictive is necessary for every fashion brand for basic season guidelines. Promostyl is very good but I personally like WGSN, as it is extremely comprehensive and well-articulated.

Fashion designers have a constant role throughout the year since trends keep changing with seasons. Do you feel burdened at times? How do you tackle the pressure?

My work is my biggest passion. It is a constant high for me like a shot of adrenaline pumping fire into my veins. I need nothing else to keep me on my toes day after day, month after month and year after year.

In fashion, you have to have something new to say in every two weeks, else your client will get bored or weary of waiting. There is a tremendous pressure to constantly create something fresh and new, keeping the brand ethos intact.

However, this is the best part of the business because there is never a dull moment and you are considered as good as your last collection, no matter how many years you may have been in the business of fashion. Everyone has an opinion on fashion, like food and films. I, personally, love the blood rush of crazy deadlines, endless working hours and unreasonable delivery schedules and over-ambitious targets. It drives me to give my best each day. I think a slower pace of work would bore me, I work at my best under pressure and what I achieve at those times is my absolute personal best.

Name a celebrity whose fashion trends you adore.

Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex.

What is your biggest source of inspiration?

Travel, nature, history and art, everything inspires me. I think the beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.

If you are looking for it, everything can and will inspire you. Inspiration for a collection can take root with a beautiful flower blooming, a mesmerising sunrise and travel to a new destination, a great book, a historical period or a character, an artist’s work or simply an inspired frame of mind. My love for India and its glorious past, rich culture, vast textile heritage, incredible costumes, musical legacy, art and architecture have all come together to inspire my work in fashion.

Writer: Chahak Mittal

Courtesy: The Pioneer

Ramola Bachchan is offering a readymade platform to young and creative entrepreneurs to showcase their talent.

Socialite Ramola Bachchan has always stayed away from the predictable. So though she has an unparalleled style sensibility, she has never hopped  onto to prevalent fashion bandwagons and instead created one that has her signature and promotes new talent. Her Runway Rising series has been on for some time but this year’s day-long  fashion exhibit focussed on creativity in any kind of design, be it beauty, wellness, precious and destination travel jewellery, accessories, gifting and home decor.

More than a 100  fashion and lifestyle brands displayed their eclectic collection. “We launched Runway Rising about six years ago when I decided to move to India from London. I was amazed and impressed with the entrepreneurship of the younger generation here. They were not scared of doing something independent and creative. I thought it would be a useful platform for young people to put up an exhibition like this to market and sell their original ideas and products,” Ramola told us. She hand-picks the designers who are innovative and whose products are market-friendly.

When we asked her about how the launchpad formula helps, she said,  “Participants look for sales, inquiries and an opportunity to network. Our objective is to act as a springboard to help them develop their brands by connecting them with high-quality clients.”

For her, style is about being comfortable in the way one carries oneself. “What you wear is important as times change. Women dress for women. They like it when other women appreciate their attire.”

One style tip she offered was less is good when it comes to accessories. “If I wear a heavy pair of earrings, then I make sure that I don’t wear a necklace with it. And when I am walking down for an Indian event, I make sure to wear something with Indian accents if not a sari. On other occasions, I love to wear Western.”

Designer Surbhi Soni, who had exhibited her designer sarees, said, “I have hand-painted them and tried to use floral prints which never go old, enhance every body type and add a texture to the look. It is perfect for every occasion.”

Writer: Divya Giri
Courtesy: The Pioneer

Through her avant-garde, she has created a niche for herself

Priya Priyadarshini aka Priya Jain has been in the business of the family which has had diversify interest in sectors like manufacturing Industry, Real Estate, hospitality, Retail & Exports. Under her vision, the family business has prospered to great heights. She is promoting FashionGypsy (fashiongypsy.co.in) an online platform to promote and market lifestyle brands as a marketing tool, a fable of fine design that brings the rich appeal to every lifestyle genre. Priya is inspired by the historic city of Delhi and other old beautiful cities of India. The luxury foray & social media platform adds an element of panache to everyday design.

Priya Jain belongs to a very affluent business family in Delhi, the national capital of India. Her father late DK Jain was the pioneer of Make in India story wherein he established the famous Luxor Group. Priya has diversified family business, her collection of various designs of lifestyle which fashiongypsy promotes looks at refined living of the present modern-day in a new light. From fashion that you wear on yourself to décor elements for your home, to tableware and travel gear and different kind of experiences in Spas, Restaurant & Hotels. It adds a luxe touch to many realms of design.

Surface ornamentation, the luxury of refined textures, an evolved color palette and an experiment with shapes and forms gives this social media platform FashionGypsy.co.in a fresh spurt of energy.

Redefining lifestyle in India and orchestrating a luxury fable the collection that includes the finest in tableware, fashion, silver, jewellery, art, home décor, hotel, spa and restaurant. The collection is a delight to experience and pride to possess.

She is a dynamic women entrepreneur with experience in business over last 10 years. She has the ability to do multi-task jobs and the willingness to take risk in business as well.

She has provided valuable vision to the various different projects research and developmental capabilities to create new products in the field of Hospitality, Education, and Real-estate. She also contributed to promote Indian Art and Artists in India and abroad.

She has also participated in different charities and cultural events and deeply committed to be a local Indian who thinks globally. Priya Jain treats obstacles as learning experiences and opportunity to look in different directions.

She has the ability to find solutions to every situation and widening her focus to tap in competitive markets.

Priya Priyadarshini is a social entrepreneur and has been promoting social causes for the upliftment of women and children. She has been associated with many NGO and registered charities with a quest to do development in this area in Delhi and in other cities in India. Her main endeavor and goal is to remove poverty for street children and women empowerment through women enterprise and education. In the recent times, she has contributed with her efforts and skills to these various causes.

• Priya Priyadarshini recently promoted a gala dinner for the charity NGO Laksham in Delhi to promote education and self-awareness for street children of Delhi.
• Priyadarshini is associated with helping hands in Mumbai a charity-based organization which raises funds through events exhibitions etc. for the welfare of children and there needs suffering from cancer in associated with Tata Memorial Mumbai.
• Priyadarshini recently supported Shiksha Abhiyan in Kathmandu Nepal with Ms. Maya Toffu for the welfare and education of the children in this SAARC country and the neighboring countries around India.
• Priyadarshini is always supporting through the year sisters of the people society – Delhi branch in aid of poor women slum children and aged people.
• She is also serving food with water every month to various different trusts like – Sai Baba Trust, Aims Society and many others around Delhi.

REPORT FILED BY Anshuman Dogra in association with AIAI.

Cheese making is still a relatively regional phenomenon, and are limited by climate, geography, and equipment. It is not just a faint of heart, it also requires both passion and patience equally. The reporter Asmita Sarkar finds out how one of the top innovators in the U.K. who is mastering artisan cheese making and going forward.

A soft, gooey centre emerged when we used a butter knife to cut through the slightly hard rind of the Brie cheese. The almost-smoky taste stuck to our mouth when eaten alone but paired with a red wine to mask the strong flavour, it quickly became apparent that this was a match made in heaven. The lingering aftertaste was strangely satisfying. You didn’t feel like mindlessly spooning out spoonfuls over casual conversations. And this was not shop-shelf, processed or imported. It was, in fact, made in small storage units for as little a time of maturing as three years.

India is still some way off till artisanal cheese-making becomes a mainstream occupation but in the United Kingdom and Europe, where the trend has picked up already, crafted cheese is innovating the menu.

For the independent cheesemakers, the size of their unit is the deciding factor behind the age of the cheese, since storing milk on the shelf for years requires space that may not be available in urban spaces. So, cheese-makers are focussing on younger and smaller cheeses that are easier to store and sell faster.

According to Himanshu Sharma, a cheese-maker whose unit is in Rajasthan and who claims to have India’s first cheese cave, the pursuit will become a trend in India soon. Right now there are a few experimental makers in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, the Himalayan states  and Rajasthan.

“In Britain and Europe, there is a tradition of making harder, older cheeses. We decided to look at a range of younger, smaller cheeses because of the size of the property we have in Tottenham, London,” said Philip and Keith, the co-founders of Wildes Cheese, who are bringing their varietal to India. They don’t consider themselves experts in cheese but believe that their passion is what drove them forward in this profession. Even as artisans, they hope to make cheese that most ordinary bite people would like.

“We went to a food market to give people samples of our blue cheese and most people told us that they don’t like it. The reason you get blue cheese is because of the strain of penicillin. To make it blue, you have to pierce holes through the cheese. The air goes inside and reacts with the chemicals to make it strong and blue. So, we innovated. We made the Baby Blue by putting the mould inside without any holes,” they said.

They started their cheesemaking business in 2012 in urban London and sourced their milk locally. The rapid turnover means their products will soon be  available at the Hyatt Regency as well, which is planning India’s first in-house cheese-making unit.

Generally, the traditional  blue cheese is shunned for its pungent nature but the innovated Baby Blue, aged for three years that they brought from London, is anything but that. Soft inside with a slightly hard rind, it goes well with a red wine, which was Chef Ivan Chieregatti’s recommendation for us. He also used the blue cheese in a praline with white chocolate. To call it interesting is only the beginning. It was an entirely new experience of eating chocolate for us since unlike our expectation of a sweet centre it had a faint saltiness and a creamy, milky texture.

The Baby Blue can be consumed within seven days. The flavour, however, would change week to week if one keeps it longer than  seven days, the artisans said.

One of the other cheeses they brought, the Lordship, spiced with garlic and herbs, was meant for consumption the same day. It is a fresh cow’s milk cheese made with vegetarian rennet, which is an ethical process for making cheese, according to the co-founders.

With smaller cheese-makers catching up on their secrets, it will be possible for many Indians to cater to customers’ tastes and choices. For example, we are already experimenting with non-processed vegan cheeses.

While coming up with ideas for their innovations, cheesemakers borrow from traditions and improve upon it for the palate of the new age turophile.

“You may know about Brie or Camembert. You change slight things and make your own version. When you make cheese it’s a simple process.

You heat milk up to a certain temperature, put the culture in, which comprises bacteria and enzymes, and depending on the temperature you take that to, you get a reaction from the bacteria that gives a flavour and texture. It’s about experimentation,” said Keith, 57.

The cheesemakers shied away from claiming any one of cheeses on display as their favourite or recommending any wine with it, but the tradition of pairing wine and cheese has been a long established because of mouthfeel.

“It is important to pair wines that are mild if the focus is to be on the cheese. There are studies about wines and food pairing but on a certain level it is a very personal choice. Many people say that red wine doesn’t go with fish but if you have flavour in it red wine would be a good combination. For me, the best form is to have bread and cheese,” said Chieregatti, executive chef at Hyatt Regency, and an Italian.

Writer: Asmita Sarkar

Courtesy: The Pioneer