Bollywood Fashion: When celebs turn designers

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.

Gauri Khan-Satya Paul

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.

ALia-Bhatt-Jabong

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.

VERO MODA MARQUEE by Karan Johar

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.

Deepika Padukone Van Heusen

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!

Bipasha Basu-The Trunk Label

What: Bags, shoes, jewellery

Where: Available at The Trunk Label

Bollywood Fashion: Sonam Kapoor’s designer explains her quirky look in Khoobsurat

A royal palace, a prince, and a very propah rani. That’s hardly the right place for a vibrant, quirky, almost boho clothes. But then there’s the movie Khoobsurat and Sonam Kapoor pulling off the most outrageous looks in this high-society setting.

Khoobsurat poster

Sonam Kapoor plays Dr Milli Chakravarty in Khoobsurat, and her hard-to-miss outfits will get your fashion radar beeping. There are quirky colours and prints, perfectly complimenting her candid dialogues. Karuna Laungani, who has designed costumes for Sonam Kapoor in Khoobsurat , explains how it all came together.

How did you go about creating the look for Sonam Kapoor in Khoobsurat?

I was inspired by her character Milli- she’s a very unique personality. She doesn’t care what the world thinks of her, and is bit of a tomboy. But she’s also feminine, a bit Indian and modern. Her look is therefore a bit androgynous mixed with prints. She has lots of things running though her mind at a time, which shows on her clothes. So she would probably end up in a pair of mismatched socks!

What did you keep in mind while designing Sonam Kapoor’s look?

The director Shashanka Ghosh’s brief was clear—Milli needed to stand out. The movie is mostly set in a royal palace, so everyone and everything there is very proper. With her kooky persona, the reaction she is mostly likely to elicit from people is: “OMG, what is she wearing?!” But Milli carries off the look and makes it her own. Sonam’s look by itself may not make sense, but with her character’s personality, it all falls together.

Khoobsurat selfie- Sonam Kapoor

So what is Sonam wearing in Khoobsurat?

Since Milli she expresses herself with what she wears, I’ve played around with androgyny that’s mixed with Indian prints. There is also plenty of layering, and mixing of colours and prints. Since she’s eccentric and experimental, she may not wear a typical salwar-kurta. Instead she’ll wear dhoti pants and a Rajsthani patchwork jacket. And she’ll wear boxers with cute onesies as nightwear.

Sonam Kapoor in Khoobsurat trailer

Where did you source Sonam Kapoor’s costumers from?

The sourcing was too much fun! We got to try a whole range of brands, looks and designers with all sorts of garments and accessories. I sourced a lot from Indian designers like Anupama Dayal, Karishma Shahani, and Pero (for scarves). From high Street, I chose Bhane for basics, and other brands like Vero Moda, Only, Zara and Asos. Her sneakers are from Adidas, worn with Happy Socks.

What about the accessories?

Milli’s accessories are fun, just like her. She wears Adidas sneakers throughout the film, they’re very sporty! You will also see her in jootis (since she’s living in Rajasthan) and her red watch. You would have already seen her maroon oversized spectacle frames in the posters and trailers. When it comes to jewellery, she’s wearing sensible studs (she’s a physiotherapist after all!), and there’s an arm party happening with lots of arm bracelets and arm bands! She probably got them on Friendship Day from her student days.

Khoobsurat-accessories

What is the one trend that you think stands out in the movie?

The Workout Look. Since Milli is a physiotherapist, she needs to wear practical clothes for working out. But she has fun even with her active wear. So she ends up wearing pink or blue tights with a striped sports bra, and interesting bomber jackets with floral prints.

What is the one thing you would to steal from Milli’s wardrobe?

EVERYTHING!! I like prints, colours, Indian textiles, and I love mixing everything up so it’s really difficult to say. But if I had to pick just one thing, I’d choose her sneakers.

Sonam Kapoor Khoobsurat poster

What is your favourite look from Khoobsurat?

It’s already on the poster. It’s a purple and pink cropped sweater with checked pants. Also, I like the dhoti pants with a blouse and blue shrug, with purple aviataors. It’s such a cool Indo-western look.

What advice would you give anyone who wants to take inspiration from Milli?

Think out of the box. You can clash prints and mix them up, or wear a fun tunic or kurta with denim and sneakers. You could try a printed skirt and printed blouse, but make sure they go together. It’s nice to wear Indian-inspired accessories (like silver jewellery) with skirts and shorts or even shirts. Electrical blue skirts would look great with sneakers and Indian kurtas.

All you need is the right attitude, and should know your style constraints. Of course, good taste in putting things together really helps. Most importantly, think about your personal style and what works for you and your body.

What was it like working with Sonam Kapoor, a fashion icon?

Sonam is an actor first, then a fashion icon. For her, it was getting into the skin of the character above anything else. She was very sporting and I loved how she could make every look work. She kind of inspires you to push the edge and try to do better. So when I would hesitate, she would say, “Come on, add another layer to this look”, and voila! It would look great.

Khoobsurat releases September 19 in cinemas across India.

Chic First Look: Vero Moda Spring / Summer 2013

Chic First Look: Vero Moda Spring / Summer 2013

What to Expect from Vero Moda’s Spring/ Summer 2013 collection

Get stylish casuals to dressy club wear at Vero Moda this Spring / Summer. They’ve got a wide colour palette (bright fuchsia, mint green, white) in simple easy-to-wear silhouettes. The prints include two-tone bold stripes, ombre effects, tie and dye and the ever-popular florals.

Vero Moda WP STRIPY LS LONG SHIRT rs 1995

Detailing includes beading, with lace and neon hints on lightweight and sheer fabrics like silk, satin and organza.

PS—British model Poppy Delevingne is the face of Vero Moda for 2013, chosen for her fresh look and easy elegance.

Poppy Delivigne - new face of VERO MODA 2013

Bang on Trend

The “True Summer Look”: Lots of soft hues in pinks, whites and washed blues, seen on light fabrics.

Vero Moda BALCONY SL TOP IN RS 1695 (2)

Vero Moda GELLER HW ZIP LEGGINGS rps 2295

Updated Florals: They’re on dresses, tops, pants and shorts—but get a 2013 summery twist with the new colour palette.

Black and White:  This classic combo gets a bold edge at Vero Moda from Spring/ Summer 2013, with larger-than-life stripes and prints.

Vero Moda WP BLACKY SL SHORT DRESS rs 2295

What to Buy

Floral printed pants and shorts

Vero Moda printed pants GAMBLER LW CURVED YOKE FLOWER rs 2695

Black-and-white pieces (as stripes or colour blocked dresses)

Vero Moda WP YANNI BLAZER STRIPED rs 2295

Feminine white tops (the basics for the season)

Vero Moda AMELIA LACE 34 TOP- NFSC2 rs 3495

Chic Guide: 5 things you need this December

Chic Guide: 5 things you need this December

Winter jackets and coats

For the cold, cold weather! Choose from leather, faux fur and wool.

French Connection (wool)

FC Wonderland Wool Coat

Gas (faux fur)

DELIZIA copy - Copy

Blingy dress

To party the last few nights of the year away!

Vizyon

Vizyon-party dress

Mango

Mango CONTRASTED SEQUINS VELVET Dress 6390

Vero Moda

SUCCESS SEQUINCE MINI DRESS - NFSC mrp 2695 - Copy

 

Embellished lehenga

There will be plenty of weddings to attend this month- and you need to dress to impress!

Pallavi Jaikishen

Lehenga Pallavi Jaikishan_LFW WF 2012

Manish Malhotra

252-Manish Malhotra.

Shyamal-Bhumika

Shyamal-Bhumika Shodhan 1

Gorgeous earrings

For party nights (diamonds), for sangeet (jadau and polkis), and for weddings (traditional).

Myra by Tara Jewellers

Myra's the New Age Chic Collection by Tara Jewellers earrings

Neety Singh

Neety Singh polki earrings

Nizam Collection by Ganjam

Earrings - Nizam collection, Ganjam

High heels

Special occasions call for special shoes… who knows, your Cinderella story might come true. 😉

Metro

Metro 35-507M15 Rs1690

Steve Madden

Steve Maddden OBSTCL-S_BLACK-STUDS

Shopping News: Phoenix Market city opens in Kurla, but will we see new brands?

Shopping News: Phoenix Market city opens in Kurla, but will we see new brands?

The mall Mumbai shopaholics have been waiting for is now open! Phoenix Market City had a quiet inauguration last week, and our fashion radar tells us that a few stores and restaurants are open (no specifics yet, but I’ll update you as soon as I know more).

Here’s an early-stage visualisation of the mall:

Phoenix Markey City Mumbai

Phoenix Market City is technically not located in a “prime” shopping area—it’s in Kurla, but it’s huge. With retail area of over 16 lakh square feet, wonderful atrium for special events, and an Adlabs multiplex, this mini-city is bound to get shoppers from all over Mumbai.

As for the fashion brands that will open at Phoenix Market City, I expect the usual suspects like Zara, Mango, Benetton, and the rest of the gang to open there. After all, there will be plenty of room for everyone. BTW, we have confirmation that Vero Moda and AND  have opened at Phoenix Market City.

Could be a lovely mall, but…

While a new mall is always good news, I really wonder if Mumbai needs another one. Especially if it’s going to be like any other mall.

What would really excite me is if we get some new brands, concept stores or a new whole new look. Things we haven’t seen before, stores we haven’t explored before. And of course, the mall’s layout would play a huge role in deciding whether Phoenix Market City will be a comfortable place to shop and hang around. I don’t want this mall to be yet another giant structure that looks like every other mall, only larger.

What say, shopping lovers and mall rats? Anyone been to Mumbai’s Phoenix Market City yet?

Winter mini-guide: How to wear woollens with a twist

Winter mini-guide: How to wear woollens with a twist

When it’s dark and cold, I’m usually not in the mood to put on something chic, trendy or fun. Besides, it can be a bit difficult to think out-of-the-box with winter wear. So I’ve put together this this mini-guide to help you wear your timeless winter essentials with a twist. So your winter days don’t need to be dull. 🙂

The basic: Sweater/ jumper

The classic sweater is comfy, soft and available in a range of colours.

Below: Basic sweater from Zara, Santana stretch jumper from French Connection

Zara-basic sweater Santana Stretch Jumper French Connection

Wear it different: Sweaters can be fun. If you like colours, opt for jumpers in pop colours or with patterns.

Below: Look from S.Oliver, Sweater from Benetton

s.Oliver Casual 1 29006 - Copy

The basic: Cardigan

The buttoned V-neck and round-neck cardigan is a winter essential for both men and women. Dark colours are especially great for the incredibly short days and long nights.

Below: Cardigan from Zara, Knit cardigan from Mango

Zara cardigan with contrasting detailingMango-knit cardigan

Wear it different: The “unbuttoned” cardigan (aka “cover-up”) is a chic way to show off your top below or keep it casual. Think kimono-style cardigans with no buttons, cardigans with in-built belts and loosely worn cover-ups.

Below: Cardigan from Sisley, Dymo LS Long cardigan from Vero Moda

29780 - CopyVero Moda Dymo LS Long cardigan

The basic: Winter dress

Long sleeves, muted colours, simple patterns and a hint of detailing—that’s a winter dress.

Below: Pleated studio dress from Zara, Linda 3/4 mini dress from Vero Moda

Zara-pleated studio dressVero Moda Linda 3-4 Mini dress

Wear it different: Try a knitted or crocheted dress with feminine frills like lace or other sheer fabric.

Below: Woollen dress from Sisley, Lace details dress from Mango

29798 - Copy Mang-lace details dress

How are you wearing your woollens this winter—the basic way or with a twist?

Chic Interview: Priyadarshini Rao on Mineral, seasonless fashion and more

Fashion designer Priyadarshini Rao and her husband Jaydeep Shetty have a new baby—Mineral. This ready-to-wear label made its runway debut at Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2011, and bids goodbye to fashion seasons (its tag line is “no more seasons”). The focus is on bringing postmodern, versatile and stylish fashion to Indian women. Priyadarshini Rao at LFW SR 2011

Priyadarshini Rao talks to Speaking Chic about Mineral, seasonless fashion and the Indian fashion scene.

What’s the story behind the Mineral concept?
I’ve seen the evolution in the Indian fashion industry over the past 15 years, and even though retail has become significant, Indian designers are largely focussing on wedding, trousseau and bridal wear. There is a pressing need for affordable, good-looking fashion, for both impulse and pre-meditated purchases. The brands that have come in from foreign countries focus on western wear for Indian women. Indian women do like to wear good, sophisticated clothing, but not necessarily spend Rs 5000-10,000 per outfit. At Mineral, we realise this, and address this need.

What’s the idea behind “no more seasons” at Mineral?
We’ve become used to the idea of fashion seasons, though in Indian cities like Mumbai seasons don’t matter, and don’t make sense to people. Hence the idea behind seasonless fashion, though this doesn’t mean that the clothes in the stores won’t change. Our mission is to provide something classic and stylish that will last beyond six months. We focus on a great product, that is wash- and heat-friendly, and will be cherished for a few years.

What has been your key learning from your earlier retail experience with Shoppers’ Stop and Sepia?
There is a lot of learning everytime you do something new. In Shoppers’ Stop, I realised that unless you give your 100 percent, you can’t do well. At that time [2008-09], it was tough to sell clothes in the price range Rs 3000-6000. I worked on Sepia in its formative year; it started well and people related to it. I’m in charge of product and will not dilute quality—will raise it like my own child. With Jaydeep’s 18 years of retail experience, we know which way we want to go, though we know that mistakes do happen.

How is Mineral different from your eponymous label?
Priyadarshini Rao is clearly a different product from Mineral, and I’ve pushed it to the level of luxury pret. It’s got my aesthetics and signature, with a lot of fusion wear and the garments are priced between Rs 10,000 and 15,000. A woman may buy a “Priyadarshini Rao” product three to four times a year, for special occasions, even as she buys Mineral 10, maybe 20 times, a year.

Who is the Mineral woman?Mineral by Priadarshini Rao at LFW SR 2011
She is a working woman trying to balance her home and office. She’s well-read, connected and travelled. While she’s not too much into fashion, she wants stylish clothing and looks for garments to wear to meetings and other places without needing to change thrice a day. The woman who comes to Mineral to buy understands what looks good on her, and often buys 3-4 garments at a time.

Which brands do you consider competition?
The competition is tough now with some Indian brands. In terms of quality I’d consider brands like Vero Moda, Esprit and Tommy Hilfiger as competition. While Zara concentrates on fast fashion, and Mango is kind of high fashion, Mineral is more about core fashion such as a linen shirt.

What are the challenges you face at Mineral, considering it’s a new venture?
We have our own design team and we produce smaller lots, which makes production more expensive. Our design team is always on its toes, and keep their fingers on the pulse of the Mineral customer. Luckily, the team is deeply committed and involved in the product, and we realise how important it is to keep things moving, and to keep customers coming. We introduce 15-20% change to our collection every 6-8 weeks.

Mineral’s flagship store is at Infiniti Mall, Malad (Mumbai). Also available at select Central and Shoppers’ Stop stores. Prices range from Rs 800-2500.

Chic Interview: Priyadarshini Rao on Mineral, seasonless fashion and more

Fashion designer Priyadarshini Rao and her husband Jaydeep Shetty have a new baby—Mineral. This ready-to-wear label made its runway debut at Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2011, and bids goodbye to fashion seasons (its tag line is “no more seasons”). The focus is on bringing postmodern, versatile and stylish fashion to Indian women. Priyadarshini Rao at LFW SR 2011

Priyadarshini Rao talks to Speaking Chic about Mineral, seasonless fashion and the Indian fashion scene.

What’s the story behind the Mineral concept?
I’ve seen the evolution in the Indian fashion industry over the past 15 years, and even though retail has become significant, Indian designers are largely focussing on wedding, trousseau and bridal wear. There is a pressing need for affordable, good-looking fashion, for both impulse and pre-meditated purchases. The brands that have come in from foreign countries focus on western wear for Indian women. Indian women do like to wear good, sophisticated clothing, but not necessarily spend Rs 5000-10,000 per outfit. At Mineral, we realise this, and address this need.

What’s the idea behind “no more seasons” at Mineral?
We’ve become used to the idea of fashion seasons, though in Indian cities like Mumbai seasons don’t matter, and don’t make sense to people. Hence the idea behind seasonless fashion, though this doesn’t mean that the clothes in the stores won’t change. Our mission is to provide something classic and stylish that will last beyond six months. We focus on a great product, that is wash- and heat-friendly, and will be cherished for a few years.

What has been your key learning from your earlier retail experience with Shoppers’ Stop and Sepia?
There is a lot of learning everytime you do something new. In Shoppers’ Stop, I realised that unless you give your 100 percent, you can’t do well. At that time [2008-09], it was tough to sell clothes in the price range Rs 3000-6000. I worked on Sepia in its formative year; it started well and people related to it. I’m in charge of product and will not dilute quality—will raise it like my own child. With Jaydeep’s 18 years of retail experience, we know which way we want to go, though we know that mistakes do happen.

How is Mineral different from your eponymous label?
Priyadarshini Rao is clearly a different product from Mineral, and I’ve pushed it to the level of luxury pret. It’s got my aesthetics and signature, with a lot of fusion wear and the garments are priced between Rs 10,000 and 15,000. A woman may buy a “Priyadarshini Rao” product three to four times a year, for special occasions, even as she buys Mineral 10, maybe 20 times, a year.

Who is the Mineral woman?Mineral by Priadarshini Rao at LFW SR 2011
She is a working woman trying to balance her home and office. She’s well-read, connected and travelled. While she’s not too much into fashion, she wants stylish clothing and looks for garments to wear to meetings and other places without needing to change thrice a day. The woman who comes to Mineral to buy understands what looks good on her, and often buys 3-4 garments at a time.

Which brands do you consider competition?
The competition is tough now with some Indian brands. In terms of quality I’d consider brands like Vero Moda, Esprit and Tommy Hilfiger as competition. While Zara concentrates on fast fashion, and Mango is kind of high fashion, Mineral is more about core fashion such as a linen shirt.

What are the challenges you face at Mineral, considering it’s a new venture?
We have our own design team and we produce smaller lots, which makes production more expensive. Our design team is always on its toes, and keep their fingers on the pulse of the Mineral customer. Luckily, the team is deeply committed and involved in the product, and we realise how important it is to keep things moving, and to keep customers coming. We introduce 15-20% change to our collection every 6-8 weeks.

Mineral’s flagship store is at Infiniti Mall, Malad (Mumbai). Also available at select Central and Shoppers’ Stop stores. Prices range from Rs 800-2500.

Chic Fashion: Summer essentials

It’s April already! The sun is out, and the days are getting longer and warmer. It’s time for a wardrobe upgrade. We bring you our list of chic summer essentials:

White shirt

Great for work and play, and versatile enough to be worn in several ways. Go casual with jeans, flats and an eye-catching clutch or wear it to office with tiny earrings or pearls and a formal office tote.

Below: white shirt from French Connection.

White shirt French Connection

Capris

Capris, three-fourths and cropped pants are just what we need for summer! They’re available in a range of colours this season from the basics to the brights, and the latter are perfect to spice up the drabbest of looks. Get them printed or plain.

Below: Both capris from Mango

Mango capris Mango blue capris

Shorts

If you’ve got great gams, flaunt ‘em! Cotton and linen ones will be comfiest for summer, and are great for casual outings and lounging at home. Dress them up a bit by pairing with a nice blouse, and you’re set for a movie with friends.

Below: Shorts from Marks & Spencer

Shorts Marks & Spencer

Flip-flops and flats

Put your leather boots in your closet for the next few months, and shop for some fun flip-flops, flats and chappals. They’re everywhere, from the high-end stores to local street markets.

Below: Flip-flop from Catwalk

Flip-flops from Catwalk

Summer dress

I love strappy, flowery, printed summer dresses. I usually cut down on accessories when wearing these, and let the dress do the talking. 😀

Below: Dress from Vizyon

Vizyon summer dress

Mini skirts

Fashion glossies say hemlines are longer this season (think maxis), but that doesn’t mean we ignore the minis. Wear sheath mini skirts with fun blouses and simple detailing, or with an over-sized tee.

Below: Denim skirt from Lee

Lee denim skirt

Brights!

Yellow, pink, orange, blue… wear them bright, wear them with a smile! 🙂

Below: Pink blouse from Vero Moda, orange tee from Zara.

Vero Moda pink top Zara orange tee

Sunglasses

Summer sun = sunglasses!

Below: Sunglasses from Esprit.

Esprit sunglasses for summer

What are you shopping for this summer?

Chic Guide: Be summer-ready, get silky-smooth hair and give the gift of water

TGIF—yup, it’s that day of the week again. If you’re confused about weekend plans, let Speaking Chic be your guide.

Chic Thing No 1: Gear up for summer!

Its’ getting warmer, so it’s time to do some spring cleaning. Purge your wardrobe of clothes that really really need to be discarded: the sweatshirt you wore almost every week in the past few months, or the sweater you’ve had for years. Then reward yourself with a trip to your favourite store or mall for a spot of window shopping. New collections are in stores (Esprit, French Connection, Vero Moda, Chemistry), so take a look at the trends before you decide on the clothes you really really want this summer.

Lakme Studio Sleek mystique - Creative LookChic Thing No 2: Get straight silky hair, go to Lakme fashion week!

Lakme Fashion Week starts March 11, and it’s going to be fashionable fun! Not got an invite to fashion week? Not a problem—just visit any Lakmé Salon or Studio in Mumbai, ask for the Sleek Mystique service. If you’re one of the first 500 customers, you could get into one of the LFW fashion shows!

There are four looks you can choose from. I liked the Creative Look (picture on the left)—great for layered hair like mine. (The service costs Rs 950.)

 

Chic Thing No 3: Buy a perfume, donate clean drinking water to childrenGiorgio Armani perfume Acqua Di Gio (Homme)

It’s simple actually—every time someone buys one of two Giorgio Armani fragrances (Acqua di Gio and Acqua di Gioia), they generate a donation of 100 litres of drinking water per year to children and their communities.

Once you buy the perfume, you can log on to Facebook’s Acqua for Life application, enter the code on the perfume carton, and build your own community with friends.

FYI, this campaign was showcased at Giorgio Armani’s Fall/Winter 2011 show at Milan Fashion Week recently. The Acqua for Life project is part of Armani’s partnership with  Green Cross International and the Unicef Tap Water Project. (Hey, this is a great piece of trivia the next time you want to silence a pretentious hobnobber).