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, 

   SHOP NO. 44, NARIMAN POINT, MUMBAI - 400 021

2. CHEEMO LEATHER BOUTIQUE

   THE OBEROI SHOPPING CENTRE,

   SHOP NO. 31, NARIMAN POINT, MUMBAI - 400 021

3. CHEEMO LEATHER BOUTIQUE

   THE TRIDENT HOTEL

   SHOP NO. M -28, MEZANNINE FLOOR,

   NARIMAN POINT, MUMBAI - 400 021

4. CHEEMO LEATHER BOUTIQUE

   INDIA HOUSE NO. 2,

   KEMPS CORNER, PEDDAR ROAD, MUMBAI - 400 026

5. CHEEMO LEATHER BOUTIQUE

    THE PALLADIUM,

    S - 17, HIGH STREET PHOENIX,

    LOWER PAREL, MUMBAI - 400 016

6. CHEEMO LEATHER BOUTIQUE

   PHOENIX MARKETCITY KURLA,

   SHOP NO. LG - 76, L.B.S MARG,

   KURLA (W)

   MUMBAI - 400070

7. CHEEMO LEATHER BOUTIQUE

   SHOP NO. UG - 21, UPPER GROUND FLOOR,

   PHOENIX MALL, VIMAN NAGAR,

   PUNE - 400 014

8. CHEEMO LEATHER BOUTIQUE

   SELECT CITY WALK MALL,

   SHOP NO. F-71,

   A 3 DISTRICT CENTRE, SAKET,

   NEW DELHI - 110 017

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.

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

Buck’s

Unveils New range of Women’s Handbags

Make a style statement with Buck’s exciting new range of women’s leather handbag collection. As a distinct part of women's wardrobe since ages, handbags have evolved over time with numerous innovations. The most versatile companion of the fairer gender, handbags accompany afternoons, evenings, business and travel alike.                   

Made with finest genuine leather with satin interiors, Buck’s handbags are inspired with timeless classic design.

“Ladies worthy” by Buck’s includes: Clutch, handbag and Coin Purse. Buck’s Clutch is an ode to the smaller vanities, a hard case creation in finest genuine patent Italian leather with plush silk inner case. The special gold plated chain and lock mechanism enhance it for making a statement at night. It also unveils limited edition Handbags for daytime, available in a choice of three English colours made with finest genuine leather with satin interiors that will accompany afternoons, evenings, business and travel alike.