Common people keep wondering how and what the fashion industry has to give back to the society. Whereas people who are interested in design and want to make a career in it keep thinking how to earn a living out of this industry. At the recently held ‘Amazon India Fashion Week AW’16’ many of these doubts were dealt with on a twin-day panel discussion sponsored by Pearl Academy, India’s leading private school of fashion and design. The discussions were graced by the presence of stalwarts of the industry who are increasingly devising new ways to reach out to the untapped-but-interested-masses, micro small and medium enterprises dealing in textiles. The discussion also had a special feature to address the doubts of students regarding the management practices of this dynamic industry. The first initiative of Pearl was #BeSomebody, an inspiring talk for all the budding designers as experts shared their experience in this industry. They narrated anecdotes from their own journey – including both success and hardships they faced. Anju Modi whose career spans over two decades, recalled how her designs charmed director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. It eventually resulted in her collaborating with him for two of his epic movies – Ram Leela and Bajirao Mastani. She described the process of designing for these two celluloid dramas for which she undertook strenuous research expeditions by visiting the hinterlands of India. She also remarked how she would rather look into India than going to the international hubs like Milan and Paris to be inspired. These visits to the remotest parts of India (like Kutch), have shaped her views regarding the importance of giving back to the society. She has plans to set up an R&D centre to promote development of crafts. Rahul Mishra, on the other hand, had a clear perspective on how …
Continue readingMarch 2016
Travelling anywhere in the world is judged on the parameters of being a success or otherwise, based on the mode of stay. If one is able to eat well and sleep well throughout the journey, the trip definitely ends on a happy note. Swissôtel Kolkata is one such property in the newly established area of Kolkata, that promises a comfortable stay with almost every aspect of amenities one can demand for. I will call this property the perfect business traveller’s abode and a couple’s romantic escape! Business Traveller’s abode because it is situated nearby the airport and gives access to all business related protocols that a company can expect. A couple’s romantic escape because it is situated away from the hustle bustle of the city life, offers exquisite Bengali flavours, has a club to unwind at and rooms with private pools to romance at. Right from trying out flavours of Bengali cuisine to celebrating Halloween at a Rain Dance Party, I had a gala time residing at Swissôtel Kolkata throughout my stay. About the Property Swissôtel Hotel Kolkata is located in the New Town area of the city, which is approximately 10 minutes away from the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport. The hotel comprises of 147 elegantly designed guest rooms, which includes luxurious suites with landscaped deck and open Jacuzzi. The hotel is perfect for hosting Business conferences and offers conference halls measuring 7064 sq. ft. As per the current norms of constructing hotels, Swissôtel Hotel Kolkata too has a massive shopping mall attached to it. The architecture is such that the mall’s crowd and noise doesn’t interfere with the workings of the hotel at any time. The mall turned out to be a blessing for me, since I forgot to carry my memory card while travelling. The Bars & Restaurants Swissôtel …
Continue readingThe one thing that I absolutely love about the marriage season is getting dressed up! With the kind of indo-western influence that has weaved up in our traditional ways of ‘ethnic dressing’ the game has anted up many folds. Right from wrapping up a dhoti-saree ensemble to bringing in the vintage Sabyasachi silhouettes, I just can’t get enough of experimenting with the apparel traditions for every family function. Now experimentation can be a big hit or a faux-pas, but one element of the entire dressing game keeps everything in sanity – The Jewels. For my daily dress up, I prefer keeping a minimalist approach and opt for jewels that are sublime in nature. But when it comes to dressing up for a family gathering, I just can’t do without making a statement. Even in that case, my preference is wearing something which is exclusive, rich in elements and yet makes me look young and fresh! Khanna Jewellers have come up with an exclusive range of royal ornaments that tend to make you look like a contemporary queen. If you too follow the likes of Sonam Kapoor (like me) and are in awe of how flawlessly she carries traditional jewels in a refreshingly modern avatar, then you are definitely going to fall for this range of jewels by Khanna Jewelers. My Experience When I got a chance to visit their store at South Extension, Delhi and try out some of their signature designs; I was definitely left spellbound by the beauty of the craftsmanship and the whole concept ideation upon each piece of the jewel. One can definitely feel more beautiful and powerful by simply adorning one of their Polki necklaces. What I really loved about the collection is its sophisticated design. Each peace emphasizes on the placement of the precious …
Continue readingIf you happen to be in Mumbai during the ‘winter season’ (and you belong to a colder region like Delhi) then all you need to do on your visit is soak up the warmth of the sun, put on some anti-tan lotion and feel boho! That’s exactly what I did in the month of January, when I was flown down to Mumbai to attend the launch of OPPO F1 smartphone. Post the media event, I took a mini break to experience the hospitality of The Resort and to bask in the glory of a beautiful beach. The Resort is situated in front of the Aksa Beach, which is quaint and much cleaner as opposed to the super-crowded beach life of Southern Mumbai (note : Juhu Beach & Bandstand). Now beachwear in India is a little different from the western world. We don’t get to flaunt a bikini (Mumbai is not eligible for even a sarong) and so the beachwear comes down to the breezy silhouettes in light fabrics. Forever21 in India is filled with a section that only speaks about bohemian flavours. Right from the earthy colour palette, fringe décors to the tribal embroidery and prints; one can find a variety of summer-friendly designs at F21. This Georgette midi dress in crisp white with minimal thread work is apt to keep the sweat away and makes one feel at leisure. So to keep up with my Bohemian spirit, I thought of doing an OOTD post and pose for the camera right on the Aksa Beach. Usually I either wrap up my hair in a bun, but for this added boho flavour, I decided to braid down my tresses in fine gypsy style. Now the look works apt in case you have long tresses, a beach to hit and don’t want the …
Continue readingOver centuries, jewellery has been crafted to symbolize royalty and riches. In the times gone by, the amount of jewellery a woman owned signified her importance in the society and the prestige that she’s lived her life with. In today’s time too, families save up heirlooms and invest in contemporary designed jewellery to giveaway to the leading ladies of the family. One piece of statement jewel is enough to ante up a simple black dress and enlighten the aura of the wearer. The jewels signify niche, grabs attention and becomes the reason for many compliments that the wearer receives. Gone are the days when jewellery was only considered as an investment or an heirloom to pass on at the time of a woman’s wedding. In today’s time when ethnic to modern designs are adorned by many celebrities, jewellery has come out as a statement. Stylists across the globe vouch by the importance of wearing one style of precious jewellery as a statement fashion accessory. For all our readers from Pune, it is time to feel evergreen and shine bright, because the renowned PNG Jewellers have recently launched their ‘PNG Boutique’ that guarantees to be one of its kind! A step ahead from the #PNGJewellers , this boutique is not like your regular jewellery store, but an abode of the finest jewels worth experiencing. On 26th February, 2016 PNG Boutique witnessed its grand opening at JW Marriott, Pune with the influencers of the town being witness to this celebration. Being famous for their precious jewellery designs, PNG Jewellers also launched their Diamond collection with Bollywood’s timeless diva – Madhuri Dixit Nene. The collection is called ‘Timeless by Madhuri Dixit’ and consists of some impeccable designs that meet the contemporary needs of a customer wherein balancing the traditional elements of jewellery making …
Continue readingI was actually going to do an OOTD post today, but the kind of incidents that we bloggers have been coming across lately had to be addressed urgently! First things first, a blogger is someone who writes journals (also known as blogs in digital world) to express their opinion on a certain topic. In earlier times, it was purely a journal based hobby, which as the world of web picked up, came in the parallel spotlight as well. Brands started associating with bloggers, asking them for their opinion about the brand’s services and goodwill. And those were the times when bloggers were obliged to give in their honest reviews. But in today’s time, doing reviews comes under the crucial radar of brands who prefer scanning the ‘drafts’, eliminating anything negative, highlighting the positives and only then paying the blogger to publish the content. But this post is not about the ‘Evolution of Blog’, but more about how bloggers are being exploited by Brands and Public Relations to get free promotions, shout outs and indirect marketing to benefit selves. So following are the 5 reasons why we bloggers CHARGE MONEY FOR PROMOTIONS. 1. We are not journalists who get fat cheques from publishing houses! This one really needs to be addressed out loud. Many PRs send across press releases, requesting us to ‘publish’ it on our esteemed ‘publications’. Sure, we do write ups, add critical comments and promote a brand on our social media like any print media; but we don’t have any publishing houses backing us to invest in our bank balances. 2. We don’t pay our bills with PRESS KITS! Unless, their is a parallel world where such barter deals really exist, our grocery guys, milk guy, electricity provider, water provider, tv cable provider, fashion store salesman and other …
Continue readingGone are the days when travelling by flight meant shelling out a big chunk of your hard earned money. With plenty of airlines and a complex network of flight schedules operating nationally, aircraft as a mode of travel has come down to a more pocket friendly option in the current times. I have been travelling all my life and still find myself being all excited about boarding a train or an airplane, every single time! But one thing that has degraded over time is the food quality of the airlines. No matter how much you pay for your ticket, the food quality remains average with no scope of improvement whatsoever. Their have been times when I have picked up a slice of pizza or some sandwiches before boarding a flight, only to avoid the kind of tasteless food that they serve in-flight. Now Vistara is comparatively a newer airline group that many of my travel friends haven’t experienced yet. So when I got my ticket from Mumbai – Delhi booked on this airline, I tried asking around my friends about their experience with it. Being a foodie and a blogger, I tend to ‘review’ almost everything. Well, you’ll be happy to know that this airline actually turned out to be a great experience for me and I absolutely wish to return again for some more of their hospitality. First things first, they have ample leg space, which is a big concern for tall people like myself (I am 5’11) so this came in as a welcome sign indeed! Now most of us are aware of the usual service of ‘regular water’ in cups in other airlines. Vistara maintained their niche of hospitality by welcoming everyone on board with some packed water bottles. With no hopes of getting a proper dinner, …
Continue readingThe Body Shop Black Musk might sound like a super dark concussion of ingredients that might be a little too powerful for a woman’s application but it is actually a balanced blend of fruity and sweet ingredients. This fragrance is not at all dark, but has a powerful spirit that definitely stands out amongst the array of musk based EDPs that are available in the market. The newest fragrance addition to The Body Shop’s huge range of fragrances is the ‘Black Musk’ range that comes in perfume, EDT and EDP formula. When I first lay my hands on this bottle of goth, I was prepared to whiff overpowering tones of musk with faint hints of vanilla. But to my surprise, the formula is a pleasing balance of black vanilla with hints of musk with the sweet notes of a pear. Prolly this is the reason why it has been introduced as being ‘naughty & nice’ as it tends to blend in the powerful base notes with feminine top notes. The Packaging Honestly, I am quite happy with its packaging. Especially the EDP, that comes in a compact black bottle which is light, strong and easy to apply. The entire black with violet colour scheme of the packaging stands out amongst other delicately packed fragrance bottles by The Body Shop. It is definitely travel friendly and fits in even in my hand bag without the fear of spoiling the contents upon uncapping. The Usage I spray the EDP behind my ears and on my front neckline. The fragrance lasts for a good 4-5 hours with all the notes settling in within a span of 30-40 minutes. About the Black Musk Range Become brazenly seduced by the dual scent persona of Black Musk Fragrance. The Body Shop’s Black Musk Fragrance is the darkest and …
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