Satya Paul

In Bollywood Fashion, Celebs, Fashion, News, trends

Bollywood Fashion: When celebs turn designers

Speaking ChicFebruary 11, 2015February 11, 2015Leave a comment

WANTED: Fashion designer

Must-have qualities: Should be famous

Design experience required: Nil

Since Indian celebrities have peddled everything from cars to rice to fairness creams, it’s time for some fashion endorsements. Fashion brands (Indian and otherwise) recently began begun following the global trend of getting celebrities to design fashion clothing and accessories. Internationally, a number of celebrities have their own fashion and fragrance lines like Jennifer Lopez, Paris Hilton, Beyonce… you get the drift, but closer home, times are a-changing now.

These celebrities dress fashionably and have a great sense of style (or a great team of stylists). Here are some Bollywood celebrities who have created their own clothing lines for well-known fashion brands. Design experience: not required!

Gauri Khan for Satya Paul

The most recent entry in this field, the star wife turned fashionista turned interior designer is now trying her hand at fashion. Gauri Khan is creating her signature line of clothing and accessories for Satya Paul called “A Tropical Wonder”. Expect abstract art and digital prints on casual and occasional wear separates like sheer tunics, flowing kaftans, shift dresses and saris.

What: Saris, tunics, kaftans

Where: Available at Satya Paul stores

Alia Bhatt for Jabong.com

This young actor is barely a few movies old, but she got her own fashion line last year. Alia Bhatt for Jabong.com is affordable, fashionable and trendy though there are some outrageous pieces- like the metallic jeggings and two-coloured denim.

What: Tops, dresses and jeans for women

Where: Available at Jabong.com.

Karan Johar for Vero Moda

Being fashion designer is just one of Karan Johar’s various facets. This super-talented man turned designer for the chic high street brand Vero Moda with the Marquee Limited Edition collection. The collection had stylish dresses and separates, and I especially liked the party pieces (bought a cowl neck sequined top!). The clothes all had a rich feel and were packed in special shopping bags for that luxe touch.

What: Dresses, tops, jackets, skirts for women

Where: Available at select Vero Moda stores (may be sold out)

Deepika Padukone for Van Heusen

I always thought of Van Heusen as a men’s formal wear brand, till Deepika Padukone came along. In 2014, she designed two Limited Edition collections for the brand, comprising mostly formal and evening dresses with some smart separates.

What: Formal dresses

Where: Available at select Van Heusen stores (may be sold out)

Bipasha Basu for The Trunk Label

This online fashion accessories brand is “curated” by Bipasha Basu. With plenty of options and extremely affordable pieces, any girl would want to shop here!

What: Bags, shoes, jewellery

Where: Available at The Trunk Label

In Fashion, WIFW AW 2013

WIFW AW 2013: B&W to be around next season too?

Speaking ChicMarch 14, 2013March 13, 2013Leave a comment

Maybe we should hold on to our black and white prints end of this season, ladies. For black-and-white promises to be around next season, according to Anupama Dayal and Masaba Gupta among others.

(Below: Looks from Anupamaa by Anupama Dayal)

Islamic and Mughal art inspired Anupama Day’s zigzag and checkerboard prints on sharara-like trousers, jamas and angarakhas creating a flowy effect; while Masaba Gupta’s watercolour prints were true to the Satya Paul DNA.

(Below: Look from Masaba for Satya Paul)

Are you wearing black and white yet?

In Fashion, WIFW AW 2013

WIFW AW 2013: Masaba is more offbeat than ever with Satya Paul debut

Speaking ChicMarch 14, 2013March 13, 2013Leave a comment

Designer Masaba Gupta finally made her debut for Satya Paul on the first day of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2013.

Masaba’s creations were quirkier than ever with lipstick prints and paint splotches. Lipstick motifs were all over the clothes and accessories—saris, dresses, vanity cases and clutches.

Masaba clearly made Satya Paul appealing to her fans and beyond with her offbeat prints, neon trims, and contrast jackets with saris. I can already imagine copies of the lipstick prints everywhere. Maybe nail paint is not too far behind? 😉

Take a look at Masaba Gupta for Satya Paul (WIFW AW 2013) in this video:

In 2012, Fashion, News

Chic 2012: Fashion news makers we talked about

Speaking ChicJanuary 4, 2013January 3, 2013Leave a comment

Masaba Gupta
The designer, known for her quirky prints and a page 3 darling, landed the big job as Fashion Director at Satya Paul. Masaba has been hired to revitalize the brand and to attract the younger crowds who seem to like Masaba’s fashion. Clever move, win-win for everyone!

Masaba Gupta at LFW S/R 2012

Manish Arora
Designer Manish Arora went in and out of Paco Rabanne before anyone could say “Paris Fashion Week”. The design house claims that hiring Manish was a short-term move anyways, but the real reason for his quick exit will probably never be known by us mere mortals. Meanwhile, Manish is back to his usual space-age OTT creations.

Aneeth Arora and Payal Pratap Singh
As winner and runner-up of India’s first Vogue Fashion Fund, both designers are set for a promising career. Hope to see even better fashion from the two women this year onward.

Below: Aneeth Arora with her creation

Kallol Dutta
First he made news as finale designer at Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2012, then as the author of a scathing article in a news magazine sparing almost no one in the Indian fashion scene.

Pankaj-Nidhi
Givenchy Fall Winter 2012 and the designer duo at Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2012- inspiration or imitation? You decide.

Shefalee Vasudev
The ex-editor of Marie Claire India wrote an insightful account on Indian fashion, covering both ends of the spectrum. I enjoyed every word of her book Powder Room.

Nonita Kalra
Elle editor has quit after a long tenure of 12 years. Greener pastures beckon?

Playboy India Bunny’s costume
The modified outfit, adapted to Indian sensibility, made for fascinating news and hilarious tweets.

In 2012, Fashion, News

Chic News: Junglee is here, brings limited fashion choices

Speaking ChicFebruary 7, 2012February 7, 2012Leave a comment

Amazon.com’s Junglee is here! I was quite excited to know Amazon.com had finally made a foray into India so I’ve spent good amount of time over the past few days on the website.

Junglee.com’s got over 1.2 crore products to choose from with over 14,000 brands selling books to electronics to clothes to garden furniture. But of course, I’m more interested in the fashion. 🙂

Brands, brands, brands

On the fashion front at Junglee, there’s not-so-good news- the fashion choices on the website are still limited.

While there are quite a few big fashion and accessories brands on their seller list, Junglee still has a long way to go to make a mark. Especially if you compare it with amazon.com and amazon.co.uk’s brands- they’ve got some really cool brands like Mango, Desigual, Diesel, Gas and Esprit, among others.

Currently, the fashion (clothes and accessories) brands on Junglee.com include Label by Ritu Kumar, Satya Paul, Fab India, Hidesign, Gitanjali, Bata, Puma and a handful of others.

Facing the fashion competition

Junglee will have to face competition from the fashion and flash sales websites that have been around for a while (Fashion and You, 99 Labels, Myntra) along with the more recent launches (Freecultr, BeStylish.com).

I would love to see Junglee’s fashion section acquire a strong local flavour with focus on Indian brands and designers like Latin Quarters, Wills Lifestyle, Metro, AND, Seven East… you get the drift. Junglee could even seek to carve out a niche in this area as a supporter and an online store for several Indian brands.

Some cool international brands would be fun too! It would be good to see top brands on Amazon during the season throughout the year, instead of just seeing old maal on flash sales sites.

In terms of user experience, the website is easy to navigate, clutter-free and has a good range of filters—like price, colours, sellers and brand.

Waiting to grow

Of course, it’s still the early stages for the site and for Amazon in India (someone told me Amazon has big plans for India and Junglee is only a beachhead for them). I assume the folks at Junglee will be working hard to expand their fashion brand base… fingers crossed!

What do you think of Junglee.com?

In Fashion, trends

Kate Beckinsale wears corset in Underworld Awakening, so how about trying a bustier?

Speaking ChicJanuary 23, 2012January 23, 2012Leave a comment

If you’ve watched Underworld Awakening over the weekend, you couldn’t have missed the super-fit Kate Beckinsale dressed in an all-leather outfit and, most importantly, her leather corset.

It seems that Kate Beckinsale was more concerned about fitting into the leather corset than the daredevil stunts and the heavy-duty action scenes. Not surprising, considering that the first Underworld movie was shot almost a decade ago.

Nevertheless, if you think Kate Beckinsale looks sexy in this (I certainly do), there’s an easy way to get the corseted look without time-travelling to the Victorian era or holding your breath.

Say hello to the bustier!

Ok, not this bustier (from La Senza), but the ones I’ve written about below. Read on…

Why a bustier?

Sure, bustiers are usually associated with lingerie (they give the woman a higher bust line and a shapely waist), but as innerwear transformed into outerwear over the past few seasons, bustiers had a coming out of sorts (pun intended).

Bustier v/s corset

So what’s the difference between a bustier and a corset? For one, a bustier lacks the lacing and “boning” of a typical corset (they give shape to the wearer). Secondly, a bustier usually ends at the ribs or waist, while a corset can be of varying lengths.

If you want to wear a bustier to get a more defined torso, take your pick from the options below.

Bustier as a dress

Bustier dresses can be fitted or A-line, long or short.

Below: Denim bustier dress, Sabrina bustier bandage dress both from Forever New; Winter Love strapless dress from French Connection, gown from Jatin Varma (LFW W/F 2011)

Bustier as a top

I spotted a number of bustier tops at Bebe recently, and they looked absolutely fab! They ranged from sporty to sexy, and the satin ones were especially attractive. 🙂

Below: Space dye bustier top, Embellished pleated bustier, heart-shaped satin bustier, all from Bebe.

Bustier as a camisole or Indian-style blouse

Wear a bustier as a camisole under a sheer blouse, shirt or jacket. Or wear a bustier as a blouse with your sari or lehenga this wedding season.

Below: Lace bustier camisole from Forever New, look from Satya Paul LFW S/R 2011

Bustier warning!

Wearing a bustier as outerwear is not easy, especially in India- it takes guts and a good figure. 🙂 So here are a couple of tips when you’re buying or wearing one.

A garment can only enhance what you already have—being in shape really helps. And not all bustier garments give good support. So be careful what you choose.

Innerwear matters: A bustier top or dress may require additional support from within especially if you’re a curvy girl. So shop for the right lingerie to look shapely and smart in your bustier.

Cover up: Bare shoulders and plunging neckline are not exactly appropriate or acceptable street wear in India. So wear a matching shrug or jacket over your bustier when you’re out, which you could take off when you’re indoors at a party or dinner.

Accessorise right: There’s nothing cooler than a long necklace to go with a bustier top or dress. Very flattering if you got the right curves!

Below: Feather charm necklace from Toniq

Are you ready to wear a bustier?

In Fashion, trends

Chic Trends: Marine Life (Nature Week)

Speaking ChicMay 13, 2011Leave a comment

This post is part 3 of Nature Week on Speaking Chic.

The underwater world is hidden hundreds of feet below, but fashion seeks insight even from the deepest waters. Think beyond mermaid gowns and typical blues—replicate scenes of marine life with your fashion choices.

From left to right: Lehenga close-up from Satya Paul’s Lakme Fashion Week S/R 2011 collection, look from Parvesh-Jai’s Lakme Fashion Week S/R 2011 collection, Ocean Deep Clutch from French Connection, Printed tshirt from United Colors of Benetton.

How is the sea inspiring you this weekend?

In 2011, Accessories, Fashion, LFW, LFW S/R 2011, trends

LFW: Fashion lessons from Day 5

Speaking ChicMarch 23, 2011Leave a comment

One would expect some exciting stuff happening on the last day of Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2011. Though the day began well, there were not too many “Wow” moments that day. Here are some fashion lessons we learnt on Day 5 of LFW.

Nude colours are still around

Harangad Singh and VJ Balhara used beige, sand and similar colours in good doses in their collections. While VJ Balhara sought rustic inspiration, Harangad Singh had aristocratic influences, and showed us an interesting way to wear beige this summer without looking dull—with soft colours like lemonade and pink.

(Below left to right: VJ Balhara, Harangad Singh)

Markets rule over fashion

At Satya Paul that evening there was marine inspiration and we saw enoughsequins, twinkles and other shiny things that made us blink more than needed. And at Abdul Halder, we felt the designer was trying too hard to be as wearable as possible that it almost bored us. The common thread? We suspect they’re both tailored (pun intended) for very specific markets (though different ones, of course).

(Below left to right: Satya Paul, Abdul Halder)

Feminine fashion is always in style

From Pallavi Mohan’s A Pocketful of Posies to Gauri-Nainika’s grand finale, we loved the soft feminine silhouettes, fabrics and details. At Pallavi Mohan’s Not So Serious show, there were cascades of ruffles, lace on sleeves and tiers, peasant tops and sexy baby doll blouses. At the finale Fantasy Collection, Gauri and Nainika showed us cocktail dresses with spiraling drapes and textures in pastel shades of white, blue, green, pink and yellow. And there was plenty of lace, frill details, tulle and soft satin. No better way to make you feel all girly and ladylike.

(Below left to right: Pallavi Mohan’s Not So Serious, Gauri-Nainika’s Fantasy collection)

We love quirky chic

We enjoyed some of the accessory designers who kicked off the final day of Lame Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2011. Prabhat Kumar showed us how accessories can be kinda crazy—with a reptile-like texture on bags… not for the light-hearted! Meanwhile, Rohan Arora showed us a riches-to-rags story, for the inflation-struck Indian fashionistas. From the colourful embellished heels to the flats with basic prints, they were all worth a look. Meanwhile, we also liked Rachana Reddy’s fan, rectangular, oval and pill box shaped clutches and sling bags.

(Below: Prabhat Kumar, Rohan Arora, Rachana Reddy)