LFW WF 2013: The best evening wear trends (with gif & instant style tips)

LFW WF 2013: The best evening wear trends (with gif & instant style tips)

Architecture at Amit Aggarwal
Amit Aggarwal’s dresses were beyond ordinary red carpet gowns. They were architectural wonders, sculpted and moulded in a fine manner with metal, drape, chiffon and jersey. You got to be bold to wear this look.

Instant style tip: Look for skirt and 60s inspired dresses that have a bit of buckram or tough lining that support the flare.

Amit Aggarwal at LFW WF 2013

(Taken on Nokia Lumia 820)

Gold at Vikram Phadnis
Sticking to our favourite metal (and festive colour), Vikram Phadnis’s dresses, jumpsuits and separates were rich and very wearable. Especially if you love gold too. 🙂

Instant style tip: This one’s easy enough for the bling lovers. If you aren’t one, you could always carry a sequinned clutch or pair of shoes.

[Check out the slide show below… more info after the jump!]

Bold construction at Jatin Varma
Jatin Varma combined structure with fluidity in eye-catching colours (shocking pink and cobalt blue). The nylon mesh and crochet binding on the intricate gowns were stunning!

Instant style tip: Tough to find, even tougher to wear. Best to pay a visit to the designer himself!

Fire on the ramp at Kommal Sood
Kommal Sood presented gorgeous cocktail dresses that shone bright in fiery colours. I loved the idea of orange evening wear and short capes.

Instant style tip: Mix and match sequinned pieces with luxurious separates for an offbeat red carpet look.

Dark ages at Rocky Star
Black has turned into Rocky Star’s signature statement, this time with lace, tulle, silk and velvet. Sheer was everywhere, and so was opulence. Only for the daring!

Instant style tip: This look has to be worn with stark makeup or you’ll look “incomplete”. The lips should be dark and the eyes deeply coloured.

 

IBFW: Hot colours, new looks, WTFashion moments & more…

IBFW: Hot colours, new looks, WTFashion moments & more…

Aamby Valley India Bridal Fashion Week Delhi 2013 drew to an end last week, so here’s a quick look at some “trends” I observed from the various shows.

Brides want to try new styles…
A whole new set of designers are experimenting with bridal wear and creating radically new looks for the modern Indian bride. While Falguni & Shane Peacock did a goth bride, Shantanu-Nikhil used sharp silhouettes and unusual neckline shapes for their bridal outfits. (Below: Neha Dhupia for Falguni & Shane Peacock, Shantanu-Nikhil)

Neha Dhupia for Falguni & Shane Peacock at India Bridal Fashion Week

Shantanu & Nikhil at India Bridal Fashion Week Delhi 2013

… While some designers look at the past
Mughal, Renaissance and Kotwara influences- the days of yore fascinate designers, brides and fashion-loving Indians in equal measure. (Below: Meera Muzaffar Ali, Ashima-Leena)

Meera Muzaffar Ali at India Bridal Fashion Week

Ashima Leena at India Bridal Fashion Week Delhi 2013 (2)

Hot colours for brides are oranges and nudes
Jewel tones like rich purple, bright blue and peacock green have almost disappeared from most designers’ colour palette, in favour of orange, coral and peach shades, with nude, ivory and beige. Must say that some shades of orange I saw on the ramp were delicious. 😉 (Below: Ashima-Leena; Tarun Tahiliani)

Ashima Leena at India Bridal Fashion Week Delhi 2013

 

Tarun Tahiliani-India Bridal Fashion Week

 

Gold is still the black of Indian bridal wear
Embellishments are golden… ’nuff said. Us Indians will always be obsessed with the yellow metal.  (Below: Sonam Kapoor for Rohit Bal; Suneet Varma)

Sonam Kapoor for Rohit Bal at India Bridal Fashion Week

Suneet Varma at India Bridal Fashion Week

 

Fashion weeks will never be short of WTFashion moments
From Rina Dhaka’s overtly kitsch collection to some sort of headbands at Adarsh Gill, ramp shows will always have some seriously WTFashion styles. (Below: Adarsh Gill, Rina Dhaka)

Adarsh Gill at India Bridal Fashion Week

Models for Rina Dhaka- India Bridal Fashion Week

What did you think of the collections at Aamby Valley India Bridal Fashion Week?

LFW SR 2013: The best jewellery of the week

LFW SR 2013: The best jewellery of the week

While I enjoy watching clothes at the fashion shows, sometimes the best part of the shows are the accessories—whether it’s the bags, shoes or jewellery. At Lakme Fashion Week Summer Resort 2013, there were plenty of accessories on the ramp, and some were as exquisite as the clothes. Here’s a closer look at the best jewellery at LFW SR 2013. (More accessories to come in future posts).

Best Jewellery

Pallavi Foley’s designs focus on “movement”, customisation and unusual shapes, but are still wearable at all sorts of occasions.

Pallavi Foley jewellery

Pallavi Foley jewellery

This was my first chance to see Pallavi Foley’s creations up close and I liked what I saw, especially the way she moulds the metal into shapes with white spaces. I took a fancy to these earrings. 🙂

Pallavi Foley jewellery

Suhani Pittie’s tribal-inspired work was a tad disappointing this time, because the tribal-inspired pieces almost seemed kitschy and repetitive. Some of the pieces were ordinary  (like the kadas), though she’s still with complex neckpieces.

Suhani Pittie jewellery LFW SR 2013

Suhani Pittie jewellery LFW SR 2013

Amrapali, as usual, was great (as seen in Vikram Phadnis’s show for Swades Foundation).

neha dhupia in Amrapali- LFW SR 2013

Chic Accessories: Jewellery inspirations and how to wear them (Part 1)

Chic Accessories: Jewellery inspirations and how to wear them (Part 1)

Like clothing trends, fine and art jewellery is inspired by everything around us- from popular culture to mundane objects to wild nature. Here’s a look at jewellery inspirations and how to wear them:

Inspiration: Safari

Choose an exotic animal or bird- tiger, rhinoceros, giraffe or kingfisher. Then wear it on your wrist, finger or neck.

Chic Tip: Wear with a loose blouse, feminine skirt and kitten heels. The idea is to look cute, rather than just cool.

Below: Elephant charm and Fantasy bird ring, both from Toniq

Elephant Charm from Toniq

Fantasy Bird- Ring from Toniq

 

Inspiration: Vintage

Oversized coloured rings and pendants are popular these days (I have a white stone pendant). So are faux and real diamonds designed in the 1940s style.

Chic Tip: Diamond earrings look gorgeous with delicate lace or net saris. Wear it to a cocktail, sangeet or reception. And don’t forget the red lips.

Below: Ring and earrings from Aldo Accessories

Aldo Accessories vintage ring

Aldo Accessories earrings vintage

Inspiration: Horror

Skulls remind me of exorcists in old Hindi movies. But they can be fun accessories!

Chic Tip: Don’t think so much! Throw on an old crew neck cotton tee and jeans. Or better, borrow your brother/ boyfriend’s graphic print tee.

Below: Touch skull bracelet from Mango.

Mango Touch skull bracelet

Inspiration: The heart and soul

If you’re a “thinker”, jewellery designs with metaphors and multiple meanings will appeal to you. For instance, Eina Ahluwalia’s recent collection presents the heart in a new form and perceives the eye to be the window to the soul.

Chic Tip: Wear unique pieces of jewellery with minimal looks, and make the accessory the centrepiece of your ensemble.

Below: Heart of Gold earrings,  Door to the Soul necklace, both from Breathing Space by Eina Ahlawalia.

Eina Ahluwalia Heart of Gold earrings

Eina Ahluwalia Door to the soul necklace

 

What jewellery inspiration are you wearing today?

More jewellery inspirations to come. Watch out for part 2.

Chic or Eeks? Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla at Cannes

Chic or Eeks? Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla at Cannes

Dear Mommy Aishwarya,

I’m happy you haven’t bowed down to the pressure of losing your post-pregnancy weight immediately after birth.

Aishwarya Rai Bachhan Cannes 2012

So while you can’t carry off a body-hugging evening gown (or more importantly, the snobbish designers won’t have samples in your size), at least choose an outfit that’s stylish and flatters you.

The gold work on this Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla outfit is a bit too jarring for me and the genteel folk at Cannes. You could have done with a lighter blouse  for instance.

Or how about trying on a looser silhouette- there are so many flattering designer dresses for heavier and curvier women. The A-line is always flattering.

Also, how can you wear an Indian  outfit and leave your ears bare? Earrings are the one accessory that pull an Indian ensemble together.

BTW, the makeup is gorgeous! Loved the eyes.

What do you think of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s ensemble at Cannes 2012?

Day 1 at LFW W/F 2011: Rina Dhaka, JJ Valaya dazzle with their Indian wear

Two veteran Delhi designers (Rina Dhaka and JJ Valaya) showcased their collection in Mumbai on the first day of Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2011 and lived up to their reputation.

Rina Dhaka

Rina Dhaka’s collection of easy-to-wear court couture was completely feminine in colour, silhouette and fabrics. The colour palette included delicate hues like lilac, plum, soft pink and champagne. The fabrics were sheer, and as Rina Dhaka later explained, “from the 1990s”, such as tissue, chiffon and organza. We loved the use of lace and lamé (both contemporary fabrics).

Rina Dhaka at LFW W/F 2011  Rina Dhaka at LFW W/F 2011

The metallic embellishments, however, were modern, with gota, plisse and sequins, along with pewter beads. While most garments were simple straight-cut kurta sets, Rina Dhaka also sent long sheer skirts, lace and cut-out tops and even a pre-stitched sari.

Rina Dhaka at LFW W/F 2011  Rina Dhaka at LFW W/F 2011

JJ Valaya

Meanwhile JJ Valaya, who loves photography almost as much as fashion, showed his collection in a viewfinder-and-lens themed set as giant screens played a series of photographs in black and white, sepia, colour and digital formats. Each theme formed the colour palette and mood of that segment. The garments included saris, lehengas, churidar-kurta sets for women and bandhgalas for men.

Hence there were waistcoats with white motifs, paneled sheer kurta and black churidars, brown and off-white printed saris with crystals, lehengas and cholis with net dupattas and paisleys for men’s Raja coats.

JJ Valaya at LFW W/F 2011  JJ Valaya at LFW W/F 2011

Taking a step forward into colour, Valaya used red and blues in long coats, jackets with saris, bandhgalas and lehengas. Embellished yokes, printed saris and floor-length kurtas decorated with rich crystals, stones and sequins rounded off the Tasveer collection. Embellishments also included precious stones, gold detailing and velvet embroidery. BTW, we especially loved the waist pouches and hair jewellery.

JJ Valaya at LFW W/F 2011  JJ Valaya at LFW W/F 2011

The mainstay of the collection was JJ Valaya’s Alika jacket in raw silk, shot silk, brocade and lame, pairing it with a variety of garments—saris, lehengas and tunics. Can’t wait to get my hands on one!

JJ Valaya at LFW W/F 2011  JJ Valaya at LFW W/F 2011

Chic Jewellery Trends: Gold gets a twist, diamonds still rule

What image comes to mind when we say “gold jewellery”? Aunties loaded with bling, boring decades-old designs and weddings, right? We felt the same, till we saw some interesting new gold jewellery late last week.

Contemporary gold jewellery is about using the precious metal as moldable clay, focussing on intricate and delicate designs with special attention given to craftsmanship.

For instance, at the recent India International Jewellery Week 2011, jewellery designer Pallavi Foley made gold into wearable art. She twisted and turned 18K gold in unexpected ways, creating 3D forms, graceful drapes and waves and dramatic movements. Her latest collection is seems fun to wear. In the pictures below, Pallavi has used fresh water pearls with gold.

Showstopper for Pallavi Foley - Parizaad Zorabian in gold  Model sporting Pallavi Foley's jewellery
And at the India International Jewellery Show 2011, the World Gold Council presented a selection of jewellery especially targeted at young Indian consumers. The selection comprised pieces from Amrapali Jewellers and Derawala Jewellers.

Below: Statement cuff; Earrings from World Gold Council

Statement Cuffs by The World Gold Council Earrings from World Gold Council

Meanwhile, diamonds continue to be a girl’s best friend as we saw at the Gehna Jewellers show last week. Here is Angela Jonnson in a gorgeous tiara, cuff, ring and necklace.

Angela Jonnson at Gehna Jewellers at IIJW 2011

What do you think of the style of gold jewellery? Would you wear it?

India International Jewellery Week 2011 starts today, Sonam Kapoor to inaugurate

India International Jewellery Week (IIJW) is set for a grand opening show today with Gitanjali presents ‘Beti’, a presentation in association with Beti, a campaign against female foeticide. Dozens of celebs are expected to walk the ramp for the post-noon show. Sonam Kapoor, the brand ambassador for the event, will kickstart the show.

Below: Glimpses of IIJW collections of Anmol Jewellers and Gehna Jewellers.

Anmol Jewellers at IIJW  Gehna Jewellers at IIJW 

The jewellery designers and design houses scheduled to showcase at the five-day event include:

  • Gitanjali Group
  • Khyati (Eekani Jewels)
  • Sangam Chains
  • Amrapali
  • Gehna Jewellers
  • C Krishniah Chetty & Sons
  • Tanishq,Rosily Paul
  • Vijay Golecha (Golecha’s Jewels)
  • International Gemological Institute
  • Johara Jewels by Divya Ahuja
  • Scintillating Jewellery
  • Kays Jewels Pvt. Ltd
  • CVM Exports
  • GIA India
  • Dipti Amisha
  • Jewels Emporium
  • YS 18
  • Sawansukha Jewelllers Pvt. Ltd
  • Manubhai Gems Pvt. Ltd
  • Dwarkadas Chandumal Jewellers
  • Anmol Jewellers
  • Surana Gems & Jewellery
  • Laxmi Jewellery Exports Pvt. Ltd
  • Kashi Jewellers
  • Alpana Gujral
  • Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas

Below: From Eekani Jewels at IIJW, Dwarakadas Chandumal Jewellers at IIJW.

Eekani Jewels at IIJW 2011 Dwarakadas Chandumal Jewellers at IIJW

And if there’s jewellery, there’s bound to be glamour, high fashion, page three celebs and Bollywood. So fashion-watchers will see Sonam Kapoor, Kangana Ranaut, Bipasha Basu, Malaika Arora, Hema Malini, Zarine Khan, Kalki Koechlin, Zeenat Aman, Amrita Rao, Perizaad Zorabian and Feroze Gujral walk the ramp over the next few days.

IIJW will run from July 31 to August 4, 2011 in Mumbai. The event is organised by the Gem and Jewellery Promotion Council (GJEPC), and Sonam Kapoor is the brand ambassador for this edition of IIJW.

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