Monday 15 October 2012




Fiama Di Wills presents ‘Exotica’ with Ranna Gill 

Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Spring / Summer 2013



Fiama Di Wills is an embodiment of innovation and style. Each product range has been crafted exclusively with a touch of inspiration and originality. Its constant endeavor to seamlessly weave into its fabric, passion and novelty makes Fiama Di Wills a brand that constantly delights consumers with its varied products for youthful skin and hair. Fiama Di Wills brings out its passion and its concept of continuous innovation, through ‘Exotica’ with designer Ranna Gill at the Spring/Summer 2013 edition of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week.

Fiama Di Wills brings forward a range of personal care products with extracts of exotic natural ingredients. Bearberry leaves, Blackcurrant, Sea weed, Lemongrass, Peach, Avocado Macademia Nut Oil, Almond Nut Oil and Brazil Nut Oil come together to form a perfect blend. ‘Exotica’ represents the myriad exotic natural ingredients that are combined with advanced scientific technology to give consumers the most gorgeous and expert-led range of products.

Nilanjan Mukherjee, Head of Marketing, Personal Care Products Business, ITC Limited says, “In our long relationship with Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, we have continuously endeavored to innovate, inspire and stimulate with Fiama Di Wills. ‘Exotica’ germinates from the exotic ingredients and its extracts used by Fiama Di Wills to create differentiated and innovative products for our consumers. We are happy to associate with Ranna Gill, whose work radiates sheer originality and presents an interesting adaptation of exotica.”

Ranna Gill believes that Fiama Di Wills is made up of a unique fusion. “Innovativeness and invention relentlessly meet style and panache. There is a youthful grace to all of its products and I wish to showcase this through ‘Exotica’. There is a continual integration taking place in the world of Fiama Di Wills and this is woven through the fabric of my designs. Each cut and colour, each weft and warp carry forward the theme, where a multitude of interesting ingredients amalgamate to form desirable creations.”

Ranna Gill’s adaptation of Fiama Di Wills’ Exotica: Spring / Summer 2013

Ranna Gill has sustained a combination of style and substance that makes all her collections so stunning. The designer showcases Fiama Di Wills’ Exotica with nature as her chief inspiration for Spring Summer 2013 and her collection is evocative of an exotic sculpture garden... perhaps her own personal Garden of Eden. It made for a surreal fantasy and you may find yourself hankering for some of the sensuous feminine forms sheathed in silk jerseys and silk georgettes and in-house woven brocade.  Her collection is a mélange of exotic flora and fauna. There are orchids and birds of Paradise and natural locations. It has worked well for the designer who has graduated into a force to be reckoned with in the womenswear world.

Ranna Gill is chockablock with ideas. She has always favored sparkle and trimmings and here too it is achieved in part by detachable embellishments (sequined animals and birds or a crystal neckpiece that appears to be a part of the garment but is removable) and in part by sequins. There is an absorption and reimagining of some of her signature styles and indomitably glamorous spirit in this decadent collection. The beautifully woven maxis and kaftans, Jersey dresses and tunics and skirts indicate a move toward easier Seventies styles and further evidence of this drift is in the tie-dye looks which are a little nostalgic though the shibori patterns of flora and fauna feel modern. These are the pieces that any girl would love to put on and never take off! The collection is presented in a profusion of color—though unlike colors you'd find in nature as hot fluorescent shades and pastels are splashed on a white base. 

 Nisha Jamwal with Vikram Baidyanath

At Fiama Di Wills presents Ranna Gill - Pre Show Party 

Neera Nath with Ranna Gill

Nida Mahmood

Nisha Jamwal with Raul Chandra and Nida Mahmood

Ranna Gill with Shabnam Singhal


Tanisha Mohan

Ranna Gill and husband Jason Holland with Mr. Atul Chand - ITC Wills Lifestyle

Seema Jajodia and Radhika Chanana




MONTE CARLO CELEBRATES ITS ASSOCIATION WITH STUDENT OF THE YEAR

Hosted a Meet & Greet Event For Social Campaign Winners


Monte Carlo, the premium brand in the apparel industry hosted a meet & greet event with Student of the Year star-cast at BluO, Gurgaon. Present at the event was Sidharth Malhotra, Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan talking about their debut movie. Seen excited about the movie release, all three debutants greeted winners and mingled with the crowd.

Cited on the event, Mr. Anoop Dass, Marketing Manager, Monte Carlo Fashions Ltd. said '“On this ocasssion, firstly I would like to thank Dharma Production and the team of SOTY for giving us this opportunity. Being a youth focused brand, it was a strategic decision to be associated with this movie, since the concept of the movie caters to young generation. Moreover, all three leads are fresh faces and we at Monte Carlo always try to promote young talent.

 Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt and Sidharth Malhotra,

SOTY starcast with Monte Carlo digital campaign winners

Sidharth Malhotra, Alia BHatt & Varun Dhawan at Monte Carlo event




AM:PM 
Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week 
Spring Summer Collection 2013 












TWO equals ONE

Arjun Saluja Spring-Summer 2013

“Woman and man are words other people use, not me,” Dimple says to the narrator.


“Before Dimple came to be called Zeenat, she worked part-time for Rashid and disappeared every evening to the hijra’s brothel. Is it better to be a man or a woman? Dimple said: For conversation, better to be a woman, for everything else.. better to be a man. Then I asked if she was a man or a woman and she nodded as if it was the first time she’d been asked.
She said: Woman and man are words other people use, not me. I’m not sure what I am. Some days I’m neither, or I’m nothing. On other days I feel I’m both. But men and women are so different, how can one person be both? Isn’t that what you’re thinking? Well I’m both and I’ve learned some things, to my cost, the kind of thing you’re better off not knowing if you mean to live in the world. For example I know something about love and how lovers want to consume and be consumed and disappear into each other. I know how they yearn to make two equal one and I know it can never be.”
Beauty and identity. Trust and betrayal. Sainthood and destruction. These are the issues that concern Dimple as she descends further and further into the seedy underbelly of Bombay’s opium dens. Beatings become commonplace. Prostitution becomes more and more hazardous. Men murder each other in the street with hammers and heroin becomes the poisoned lifeblood of the city. Despite the bleakness of her surroundings, Dimple continues to search for beauty - at the movies, in pulp magazines, at church, and in a new burkha-wearing identity.
She explores works of art, she picks up books on reincarnation, she interrogates poets -- all in the quest to understand herself and her visions. Yet through it all, Dimple retains her dignity and grace even in her most desolate moments. Dimple focuses on the best that life can give her and it is here, when she is alone and dying in the clinic, dreaming her crazed, prophetic dreams, that we realize that the beauty that Dimple has been searching for all along is in herself.
She may have been viewed as ‘half’ of each, but within, she was complete". 

(Excerpts from: Narcopolis by Jeet Thayil & G. Justin Hulog’s review of the novel)

Arjun Saluja Spring/Summer 2013
Collection

Arjun Saluja’s continuing exploration of androgyny – the paradoxical or compatible union of the male/female selves, finds a kindred spirit in Dimple. Identity, call it ‘yin-yang’ or ‘ardhanareshwar’, and the beauty within that identity have always played the central theme in Saluja’s aesthetic. Dimple’s own search for completion, for singular truth in opposing facets, gives the impetus to incorporate her journey and her authenticity into this collection. Saluja’s chevron of masculine femininity or vice versa, incorporates both the physical elements of Dimple’s environment vis-a-vis the print story, while the silhouettes themselves explore her personality. The ‘hakama’ sari, for instance could be a reference to strong influence of Mr. Lee, who shapes Dimple’s early life; the ‘burkha’ and ‘pathan’ suits, that which Dimple adopts in her later life. Holistically, however, what Saluja is inquiring into, is the concept of ONE – the unity of the opposing and complementary.

The colour palette of opposites and complements in white and black, nude and red, grey and cobalt, tells the story of struggle and strength, truth and dreams, reality and escape, destruction and liberation.




















Cheemo
Unveils Glittering Handbags in its Ethnic
Wedding Collection 2012


Make a style statement with Cheemo’s ethnic range of handbags crafted for adding an extra oomph to a wedding wear.  This new variety of handbags will complement a women’s Indian classic look.

Indulging an essence of elegance, the collection is made up of beautiful karigari work, colourful stones, diamonds and pendants. Collection includes variety in itself like bag made in jute material embellished with natural agate stone, evening hand bag embroidered with Austrian crystal and zardosi work. Clutch is the one that speaks for itself andCheemo unveils exclusive clutch bags made in brocade combined with rawsilk embellished with kundan mirror nawabi necklace, hand embroidered clutch with cut danna and beads with crystal diamond twist. Colours are strong and will match with varied attires like glittery golden, silver, deep blues and maroons.






About Cheemo

Synonymous to elegance and style, Cheemo’s presence in the fashion and lifestyle arena for over three decades has made it an unprecedented leader in offering exquisite handbags & accessories for the contemporary woman. The name Cheemo is synonymous with stylishly hand crafted, exquisite, hand embroidered designs in women’s handbags & accessories. Renowned worldwide for its designs and style quotient, Cheemo’s collection surpasses expectations in more ways than one.  In sync with global fashion trends, Cheemo’s success is largely attributed to its in-house Designing Team, who successfully translates world fashion into high quality handbags and accessories. Cheemo’s collection incorporates in its designs remarkable trimmings like Swarovski Crystals, Pearls, Canvas, Jute, Zardosi Embroidery.



Available across Mumbai, Pune and New Delhi 


1. CHEEMO LEATHER BOUTIQUE
   THE OBEROI SHOPPING CENTRE, 
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   A 3 DISTRICT CENTRE, SAKET,
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ASH HAUTE COUTURE COLLECTION 
SPRING / SUMMER 2013
L.A FASHION WEEK 

Set you DATE 
18th October 2012
Vibiana Cathedral 
Los angeles, California 



The collection is more about a mood than about a specific inspiration. Ashna A Kalra adds "This collection, for me, is like a walk through my dreamland, a walk through the broadways and outlines of my imagination. The inspiration is so amorous; I wanted to splash the collection into colourful and romantic elements. Therefore I decided to work with a bright, soft colour palette of reds, pinks and yellows. I also wanted the focus to be on the silhouettes and the textures of the collection, adding and enhancing the colours". 

The silhouettes for this collection have a soft and gentle form, adding to or enriching the curves of the body. The look is chic, modern and very delicate. It also has an element of female beauty where the woman is strong yet maintains her femininity. My concepts for the collection are directly inspired by the stage I am in right now in my life. Starting a new chapter of Love, the joy and flirtation is evident in the collection, in its colours, textures, silhouettes and adornment. It’s not just a dress or just a blouse; it’s a jeweled
piece of art. It’s the divine obsession to have the perfect dress, the urge to preserve for all eternity in that dress. I focused on the fusion of age-old techniques of hand embroidery and interpreted with a very modern expression to produce contemporary silhouettes.

The fabrics for the collection are Chiffons, Nets and Silk. Softness was the key appearance of this romantic attitude. Interlacing with grace and strength, the natural essence of these fibers explodes in the nobility of the fabrics. The touch of the fabric shows the desires of the skins. Silk stays in first position and competes with rich nets. 

Completed by fine hand embroidery and ornamentation with Swarovski stones. All the surface explorations are in sync adding a new dimension and shape to the collection."

This collection also showcases the launch of her label which seeks to reinterpret luxury wear. It is a highly personalized expression of style with which is not restricted by conventional definitions of what's beautiful. It is vibrant, decorative clothing that portrays an image of playful yet glamorous femininity. With attention to detail and with the use of high quality fabrics and workmanship the range is young and accessible and can be worn day into night.

The intricacy, beauty, energy and sparkle of each outfit etch a lineage, an era of royalty and exclusiveness.





Designer Ashna A Kalra

Ashna A Kalra is a 27-year-old Couturier who went to the U.K in 2004 to study B.A Fashion at University of Northampton. She studied Fashion design, Footwear design and Textile design in her three years at University, specializing in woman’s clothing.  During her study at University she had a short stint with Joop, Schwarzkopf, Richard Nicoll and Ashish Soni. After her graduation she worked as a freelance designer for French Connection, Burberry, Nicole Farhi and Aurora Fashions.

While she was working with these various brands, she also started her own handbag line called Ashna Gupta, which were beautifully hand made clutch bags encrusted with Swarovski crystals. Later she started the couture label, ‘Ash Haute Couture’. The designer is now participating in the forthcoming LA Fashion week in October 2012.





Thursday 11 October 2012


Designer Malini Ramani & China Doll 

hosted post show cocktails
 

The talented fashion designer Malini Ramani celebrated the success of her collection: ‘Warriors of the Rainbow’ in association with restaurateur Yuvraj Kohli at the recently launched China Doll, South Extension. The collection brings together a fusion of craft, patterns and colours from across the globe to present the style of the future, and was presented on day 4 at the WIFW.

The evening saw the guests enjoying themselves and swaying to the beats of the music. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres did rounds and the spirits were literally high. The lively bar, the serene ambiance at China Doll took the energy to a different level all together, and perfectly complimented the spirit of celebration in honour of Malini’s show.

The event is sure to have left an impressionable mark on the minds of all the guests.

Seen at the after-party were Malini Ramani, Gautam Kalra, AD Singh, Gauri Karan, Deepak Bedi, Joey Mathews, Designer Surily Goel, Sheeba Shaw, Sapna Kumar, Mallika Vadehra, Indrani Dasgupta, Deepak Agarwal, restaurateur Yuvraj Kohli, Sadhvi Shahi amongst others were all seen partying till the wee hours of the morning.

AD Singh

Deepak Agrawal & Deepak Bedi

Gauri Karan with AD Singh

Gauri Karan with Sheeba Shaw and Surily Goel

Malini Ramani

Mallika Vadehra with Marquet

Model Joey Mathews

Restaurateur Rachit Khanna

Restaurateur Yuvraj Kohli