Chic ideas: Monsoon must-haves, rainy day accessories

The moody south-west monsoon seems to have finally settled down, and has promised to bring with it plenty of shower spells. So now that rainy days are here to stay (for a while at least), gear yourself up with Speaking Chic’s monsoon must-haves.

Rain wear

Umbrellas should be your best friends for the next few months. Those who can’t deal with upturned and flyaway umbrellas can opt for stylish windcheaters instead. Stay safe and odour-free with quick-dry fabrics, especially at office.

And if you’re in a fun/ romantic/ playful/ brave mood, don a chiffon sari and dance in the rain with your special someone. 😉

rain wear- umbrella, windcheater

1- Windcheater jacket with biker elements and utility flaps from Kunal Rawal.

2- Stormwear chinos from Marks & Spencer

3- Red umbrella from Zara

4- Animal print umbrella from Marks & Spencer

5- Polka dot umbrella from Zara

6- Kareena Kapoor and Aamir Khan in a still from 3 Idiots

Monsoon accessories

Whether you manage to stay dry or not, your Blackberry needs to be moisture-free at all times. So carry waterproof bags and purses at all times. Glossy finishes are especially trendy this monsoon. Your shoes must be comfy and non-slip, and get into cute gum boots for a few fun splashes.

Monsoon accessories- bags and shoes

1-Frame bag from Esbeda (Color Splash collection)

2- Shoes from Catwalk (Drops of Joy collection)

3- Beach crocs in lime

4- Bag from Marks & Spencer

5- Clutch from Miss Sixty

6- Gum boots from Tresmode

What’s your monsoon must-have?

Lakme Fashion Week update: New models, GenNext designers for Winter/Festive 2011

Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2011 is still a while away, but preps for Mumbai’s biggest fashion event are in full swing. Speaking Chic brings you mid-season updates from LFW W/F 2011.

GenNext and Emerging designers for LFW W/F 2011
To start with, the list of debut Gen Next designers is out. The designers/ teams are from around the world—from Nagpur to Vancouver! Here are the lucky eight:

  • Farah Sanjana from Nagpur
  • Mohammed Javed Khan from Bangalore
  • Nikhil Thampi from Mumbai
  • Shashank Raj & Prajwal Badwe from New Delhi
  • Siddharth Arya from Mumbai
  • Theresa James & Roger Prince from Vancouver
  • Thinles Chosdup & Niranjana Adhya from Noida
  • Urmi Ghosh from Kolkata

Meanwhile, the emerging designers line-up has some familiar names, including Shivaji Dutta, Anna Liza Ganguly/ Anita Walia and Pam & Arch. A glimpse of the GenNext show from the previous season (Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2011):

GenNext Designers at LFW SR 2011

Nine new faces on ramp for LFW W/F 2011
Earlier this week, an LFW jury selected nine new models to walk the ramp this upcoming season.

Ta-da!!

New faces of Lakme Fashion Week-(L-R) Keren SilveirraKaren LimaXamira MohlmannNoelia BarreiroDiana LobodaMariia CherniakovychSweta DolliNijhum Pat

Check them out (pun intended!) from left to right: Keren Silveirra, Karen Lima, Xamira Mohlmann, Noelia Barreiro, Diana Loboda, Mariia Cherniakovych, Sweta Dolli, Nijhum Patra and Mitali Rannorey.

The long-legged lasses impressed the jury comprising choreographers Anu Ahuja and Marc Robinson, designer Aki Narula, photographers Prasad Naik and Vishesh Verma, Monikangkana Datta, Anil Chopra (CEO- Lakme Lever) and Anjana Sharma (Director- Fashion IMG Reliance).

Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2011 will run from August 16 to August 21, 2011 in Mumbai.

Chic accessory trend: Cross-body bags for casual, smart, dressy (and all other) looks

Here’s one fashion trend that’s high on style and function. Cross-body purses are cute and stylish, and they’re also the Bluetooth of bags (they keep your hands free).

And because they come in whatever style you want them to, we suggest you make a cross-body bag your best friend for the next few months.

Here’s our pick of some cool cross-body bags to go with a variety of looks:

Casual

Take your pick of colour and embellishment to go with your jeans and tee.

Below: Ballestero cross-body bag from Aldo; Ambrosiana from Hidesign.

Aldo Ballestero crossbodybagHidesign Ambrosiana02

Satchel

Great for college or work, these spacious cross-body bags with extra pockets and buckles are great to dump your wallet, keys and makeup kit!

Below: Glasto linen satchel from French Connection; City bound foldover convertible cross-body satchel from Nine West

French Connection Glasto Linen Satchel Nine West City Bound Foldover Convertible Cross Body

Dressy

Shiny, embellished or printed—match (or clash) your evening or day dress with a eye-catching sling bag or miaudière.

Below: Poppy Love clutchbox from French Connection; Party box animal minaudière; Patent shoulder bag from Zara

French Connection Poppy Love clutchbox Nine West Party Box Animal Minaudiere Zara patent shoulder bag

So which bag is your pick?

Chic accessory trend: Cross-body bags for casual, smart, dressy (and all other) looks

Here’s one fashion trend that’s high on style and function. Cross-body purses are cute and stylish, and they’re also the Bluetooth of bags (they keep your hands free).

And because they come in whatever style you want them to, we suggest you make a cross-body bag your best friend for the next few months.

Here’s our pick of some cool cross-body bags to go with a variety of looks:

Casual

Take your pick of colour and embellishment to go with your jeans and tee.

Below: Ballestero cross-body bag from Aldo; Ambrosiana from Hidesign.

Aldo Ballestero crossbodybagHidesign Ambrosiana02

Satchel

Great for college or work, these spacious cross-body bags with extra pockets and buckles are great to dump your wallet, keys and makeup kit!

Below: Glasto linen satchel from French Connection; City bound foldover convertible cross-body satchel from Nine West

French Connection Glasto Linen Satchel Nine West City Bound Foldover Convertible Cross Body

Dressy

Shiny, embellished or printed—match (or clash) your evening or day dress with a eye-catching sling bag or miaudière.

Below: Poppy Love clutchbox from French Connection; Party box animal minaudière; Patent shoulder bag from Zara

French Connection Poppy Love clutchbox Nine West Party Box Animal Minaudiere Zara patent shoulder bag

So which bag is your pick?

Chic Insider: Big B’s Bbuddah… fashion story (by stylist Leepakshi Ellawadi)

If you’ve seen Amitabh Bachchan in the promos of the upcoming movie Bbuddah… hoga terra baap, you’ve seen his brand-new look: bold, striking, even quirky. There are bright colours, eye-catching prints and funky accessories (think green glares and yellow scarf).

Bbuddah hoga terra baap stylist Leepakshi Ellawadi Leepakshi Ellawadi, a sub-30 Mumbai-based fashion designer is behind the much-talked-about look. Her creativity has come full circle since her days in NIFT Bangalore, where she won the Best Design Collection award for her Hindi film-inspired collection (starring mostly Amitabh Bachchan).

As costume stylist for Big B in Bbuddah…, Leepakshi has come a very long way in a very short time. In an interview with Speaking Chic, Leepakshi narrates the story behind the fashion and costumes of Mr Bachchan in the movie.

Understanding Amitabh Bachchan’s character
The director Puri Jagannadh didn’t tell me the kind of look he wanted for the movie’s lead character. All I got were some CDs with his dialogues and character sketch. Mr Bachchan’s character is an ex-gangster in India for a mission. He’s sarcastic, outlandish and likes to be the centre of attention. Most importantly, he doesn’t believe he’s old, and doesn’t like being called “Bbuddah”.

Peeking into Amitabh Bachchan’s wardrobe
The first-look trial with Mr Bachchan went well. I discovered that he’s experimental and open to new ideas, and was surprised with the range of garments and accessories in his wardrobe. I absolutely loved his pair of tiger-print jeans which is nothing less than a work of art.

Costume concepts
Mr Bachchan and I sat together to discuss every scene of Bbuddah… hoga terra baap. As we evolved the looks, I realised that I needed to strike a balance between the character’s flamboyance and the essence of the scene.

Amitabh Bachchan in Bbuddah hoga terra baapSo even though I’ve experimented with colours and prints, I used mix and match, pairing the brights with more subdued tones. We needed to make sure everything’s in sync and nothing clashes. Even the inner linings of jackets are reds and greens. We teamed prints with contrasting shirts. For example, I’ve used a bright turquoise and shirt with a black body.

 

Shopping with Mr Bachchan
Mr Bachchan and I went shopping for the movie in London for 10 days, my look sheets in hand. He helped me a lot, telling me what he liked, even as people asked him for autographs and pictures.

We shopped at Harrod’s, Armani, Burberry, Tom Ford, Hugo Boss, Paul Smith, Gucci and Etro.

Amitabh Bachchan in Bbuddah hoga terra baap Amitabh Bachchan in Bbuddah hoga terra baap

About the famous glares—several of them are Mr Bachchan’s personal collection, handmade and handcrafted, and cost around Rs 15-20 lakh each. [Speaking Chic note: OMG, really?] I also used my personal collection of Pucci and Etro scarves that I’ve garnered over the years. and Mr Bachchan’s personal collection of watches in the movie.

Prints galore!
Amitabh Bachchan in Bbuddah hoga terra baap1

Print-on-print is bang on trend right now, and Mr Bachchan wanted me to make some such pieces. I had some fabric from Chennai lying with me, so I made a piece for him. (He’s wearing that piece in Rang barse in the movie.)  The prints are mostly florals and paisleys and “engineered” prints.

The Big B experience
Leepakshi Ellawadi with Amitabh Bachchan for Bbuddah hoga terra baapIt has been an amazing experience working with Amitabh Bachchan—like living a dream. Early on in the shoot, when I’d knot Mr Bachchan’s scarf, my hands would shake. One day he grabbed my hand and asked why they shook. “It’s you!” I replied.

Thanks to Amitabh Bachchan for being so patient and stylish—he’s anyway so stylish,  he made my job a cakewalk!

Bbuddah… hoga terra baap releases July 1, 2011.

Chic Insider: Big B’s Bbuddah… fashion story (by stylist Leepakshi Ellawadi)

If you’ve seen Amitabh Bachchan in the promos of the upcoming movie Bbuddah… hoga terra baap, you’ve seen his brand-new look: bold, striking, even quirky. There are bright colours, eye-catching prints and funky accessories (think green glares and yellow scarf).

Bbuddah hoga terra baap stylist Leepakshi Ellawadi Leepakshi Ellawadi, a sub-30 Mumbai-based fashion designer is behind the much-talked-about look. Her creativity has come full circle since her days in NIFT Bangalore, where she won the Best Design Collection award for her Hindi film-inspired collection (starring mostly Amitabh Bachchan).

As costume stylist for Big B in Bbuddah…, Leepakshi has come a very long way in a very short time. In an interview with Speaking Chic, Leepakshi narrates the story behind the fashion and costumes of Mr Bachchan in the movie.

Understanding Amitabh Bachchan’s character
The director Puri Jagannadh didn’t tell me the kind of look he wanted for the movie’s lead character. All I got were some CDs with his dialogues and character sketch. Mr Bachchan’s character is an ex-gangster in India for a mission. He’s sarcastic, outlandish and likes to be the centre of attention. Most importantly, he doesn’t believe he’s old, and doesn’t like being called “Bbuddah”.

Peeking into Amitabh Bachchan’s wardrobe
The first-look trial with Mr Bachchan went well. I discovered that he’s experimental and open to new ideas, and was surprised with the range of garments and accessories in his wardrobe. I absolutely loved his pair of tiger-print jeans which is nothing less than a work of art.

Costume concepts
Mr Bachchan and I sat together to discuss every scene of Bbuddah… hoga terra baap. As we evolved the looks, I realised that I needed to strike a balance between the character’s flamboyance and the essence of the scene.

Amitabh Bachchan in Bbuddah hoga terra baapSo even though I’ve experimented with colours and prints, I used mix and match, pairing the brights with more subdued tones. We needed to make sure everything’s in sync and nothing clashes. Even the inner linings of jackets are reds and greens. We teamed prints with contrasting shirts. For example, I’ve used a bright turquoise and shirt with a black body.

 

Shopping with Mr Bachchan
Mr Bachchan and I went shopping for the movie in London for 10 days, my look sheets in hand. He helped me a lot, telling me what he liked, even as people asked him for autographs and pictures.

We shopped at Harrod’s, Armani, Burberry, Tom Ford, Hugo Boss, Paul Smith, Gucci and Etro.

Amitabh Bachchan in Bbuddah hoga terra baap Amitabh Bachchan in Bbuddah hoga terra baap

About the famous glares—several of them are Mr Bachchan’s personal collection, handmade and handcrafted, and cost around Rs 15-20 lakh each. [Speaking Chic note: OMG, really?] I also used my personal collection of Pucci and Etro scarves that I’ve garnered over the years. and Mr Bachchan’s personal collection of watches in the movie.

Prints galore!
Amitabh Bachchan in Bbuddah hoga terra baap1

Print-on-print is bang on trend right now, and Mr Bachchan wanted me to make some such pieces. I had some fabric from Chennai lying with me, so I made a piece for him. (He’s wearing that piece in Rang barse in the movie.)  The prints are mostly florals and paisleys and “engineered” prints.

The Big B experience
Leepakshi Ellawadi with Amitabh Bachchan for Bbuddah hoga terra baapIt has been an amazing experience working with Amitabh Bachchan—like living a dream. Early on in the shoot, when I’d knot Mr Bachchan’s scarf, my hands would shake. One day he grabbed my hand and asked why they shook. “It’s you!” I replied.

Thanks to Amitabh Bachchan for being so patient and stylish—he’s anyway so stylish,  he made my job a cakewalk!

Bbuddah… hoga terra baap releases July 1, 2011.

Chic OMGs: Venus Williams in lace jumpsuit at Wimbledon, Sephora coming to India?

In yet another tennis fashion disaster of the Venus Williams kind (ahem!), the American player has got fashion critics wagging about her new on-court outfit. Here’s what it looks like:

DV_To_Getty_5044692_0 venus williams jumpsuit back

The outfit is a very low neck sheer lace jumpsuit (or playsuit, as some would say) with a gold zipper in front, crest on the upper left, coordinated innerwear, and cut-out sleeves and back. Accessories are dangling earrings and a superthin belt.

And then the lady says:

“Right now I’m really trending towards simplicity. I’m not sure why. It’s just how I feel right now. Everything is getting more simple.”

Really?

We’re not anti-trends, and while we think a lace jumpsuit is actually quite sporty cool, we don’t like:

a) Its presence on the tennis court (sheer is a look ALL sportspersons should avoid.)

b) Trying to make making it work too hard with too many trends

c) The cut-outs are a bit too glam to be on a tennis court

Not sure how long it will take us to get over this one.

Sephora coming to India?

Ladies, we’re not sure when this will happen, but the corporate grapevine has it that LVMH is in talks with Reliance Brands to bring Sephora (one of our favourite beauty stores) to India. (FYI: LVMH owns Louis Vuitton, Sephora and a gazillion other fashion and beauty brands). They’re even scouting for store locations!

It’s been a while since Reliance Brands jumped on to the retail bandwagon, tying up with foreign brands and retailers interested in paving their path to India. Cases in point: Diesel, Steve Madden and Timberland.

No news yet of how long this will take to materialise (if it does at all), so keep your fingers crossed! Meanwhile, here’s couple of photos of my recent Sephora makeup haul:

Sephora makeup haul

NARS blush from Sephora

Chic OMGs: Venus Williams in lace jumpsuit at Wimbledon, Sephora coming to India?

In yet another tennis fashion disaster of the Venus Williams kind (ahem!), the American player has got fashion critics wagging about her new on-court outfit. Here’s what it looks like:

DV_To_Getty_5044692_0 venus williams jumpsuit back

The outfit is a very low neck sheer lace jumpsuit (or playsuit, as some would say) with a gold zipper in front, crest on the upper left, coordinated innerwear, and cut-out sleeves and back. Accessories are dangling earrings and a superthin belt.

And then the lady says:

“Right now I’m really trending towards simplicity. I’m not sure why. It’s just how I feel right now. Everything is getting more simple.”

Really?

We’re not anti-trends, and while we think a lace jumpsuit is actually quite sporty cool, we don’t like:

a) Its presence on the tennis court (sheer is a look ALL sportspersons should avoid.)

b) Trying to make making it work too hard with too many trends

c) The cut-outs are a bit too glam to be on a tennis court

Not sure how long it will take us to get over this one.

Sephora coming to India?

Ladies, we’re not sure when this will happen, but the corporate grapevine has it that LVMH is in talks with Reliance Brands to bring Sephora (one of our favourite beauty stores) to India. (FYI: LVMH owns Louis Vuitton, Sephora and a gazillion other fashion and beauty brands). They’re even scouting for store locations!

It’s been a while since Reliance Brands jumped on to the retail bandwagon, tying up with foreign brands and retailers interested in paving their path to India. Cases in point: Diesel, Steve Madden and Timberland.

No news yet of how long this will take to materialise (if it does at all), so keep your fingers crossed! Meanwhile, here’s couple of photos of my recent Sephora makeup haul:

Sephora makeup haul

NARS blush from Sephora

Chic News: Manish Malhotra & Shaina NC’s charity fashion show; meet Ford’s new Indian supermodel

Two of Mumbai’s leading fashion designers Manish Malhotra and Shaina NC joined hands for the sixth annual Caring with Style fashion show for Cancer Patients’ Aid Association (CPAA) hosted by Pidilite.

What made the fashion shows different was that the “models” were not professional ramp scorchers, but women from various walks of life. There were actors, business persons, doctors and even outstanding students.

I loved both the collections and some outfits were especially gorgeous. Take a look at some of our faves.

From Shaina NC’s show:

Shaina NC with models Divya Dutta, Tisca Chopra

Shaina NC sari Shaina NC pink sari-- Tisca Chopra

From Manish Malhotra’s show:

Simone Singh in Manish Malhotra Manish Malhotra sherwani

Manish Malhotra model

Manish Malhotra lehenga

And we couldn’t help thinking when we saw Sheetal Mafatlal, “Here comes the queen of all pouts!” Check her out and decide!

Sheetal Mafatlal in Manish Malhotra

Meanwhile, Kajol attended the event looking resplendent in a beige sari, while Nita Ambani wore a superlong printed kurta. Vivek Oberoi (CPAA brand ambassador) walked the ramp in a Manish Malhotra outfit.

Kajol in sari, Shaina NC, Manish Malhotra, Nita Ambani, Vivek Oberoi

Vivek Oberoi in Manish Malhotra sherwani

Delhi girl named Ford Supermodel from India

Delhi lass Ninja Singh was named Ford Supermodel of the World—India couple of days ago. The young woman won the contest after she walked the ramp with other finalists. The Indian, evening and swim wear collections for the finalists were designed by Gauri & Nainika, and Shrivan-Narresh.

Here’s Ninja in her winning moment with her father Dr Jagan Singh. Awwwww!

Ford Supermodel winner - Ninja Singh - Supermodel of the World - India

Ninja will now be a part of Ford Supermodel of the World (the prestigious global contest), where she could win a contract of a whopping $250,000. She will also walk the ramp at FDCI’s next Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week.

Among the jury members were Bipasha Basu, Manish Malhotra, photographer Bharat Sikka Leila Alaoui of Ford Models, FDCI’s Sunil Sethi and model Fleur Xavier.

Chic guide: Quick fashion updates for the monsoon

OMG, it’s a whole new season! Which means it’s time for a teeny-tiny wardrobe update. Here’s a look at our quick picks to help deal with the rains:

Clothes
What you need: Lightweight and quick dry jeans
Try: Stormwear jeans from Marks & Spencer (below)

Stormwear Denims from Marks & Spencer

Accessories
What you need: Waterproof bag, non-slip and comfy shoes or sandals
Try: Catwalk’s Drops of Joy collection (below)

Catwalk Drops of Joy sandals

Beauty
What you need: Waterproof mascara… need we say more? 🙂
Try: Lancome’s Hypnose waterproof mascara (below)

Lancome Hypnose waterproof mascara

 

Coming soon: Speaking Chic’s monsoon essentials