FASHION FEST 356

It’s no news that is India is home to countless embroideries, surface embellishments and textile treatments. Bandhani, kalamkari, kashida and rabari are literally the tip of the iceberg – there also lies an uncharted pandora box housing lesser known techniques from quaint little parts of our nation. Given the rich textile legacy, it’s but natural for the west to turn to our centuries spanning heritage for designing collections that pay homage to our motherland. Apart from a few ill-researched and boorish interpretations by some folks here and there, we can always look up to artists who possess the maturity, respect the nuance & are sensitive to differences between cultures. Spotlight on design biggies like Dior, Louis Vuitton & Chanel, who’ve tried incorporating desi elements whilst steering clear from the appropriation mandate. via GIPHY There are some that are doing right and here’s a list. Louis Vuitton’s India ‘Rani Pink’ Shoe Collection Image Credits: Louis Vuitto...

Retail therapy is solely responsible for keeping me happy on most days. When I say that, I mean spending hours on beauty e-comm, scouting for the newest product launches or even a few tried-and-tested favourites too! As a beauty enthusiast, most of my needs when it comes to skincare, makeup and haircare are always resolved by one of the most sought-after platforms for beauty currently, Myntra. The best part is the delightful mix of international, domestic and new-age consumer brands one gets to pick from— Barry M , Caudalie along with Minimalist and Arata! To gain a few insights into the dynamic beauty and personal care category of Myntra, we spoke to Sharon Pais, Chief Business Officer and Rahul Sachdev, Senior Director – Beauty and Personal Care. ELLE: The beauty and personal care category is constantly evolving. How do you see this change? Sharon Pais: It’s no secret that the beauty and personal care category at large is a burgeoning one. There’s a massive difference between wha...

It is the early 1870s. In his tailoring shop, Jacob Davis is busy at the machine – his “work pants” have found many takers in the thriving mining industry in California. The resourceful Davis adds copper rivets on canvas trousers making the pants more durable and adding to the ease of movement. Convinced about the potential of the product. Davis gathers his copper riveted waist overalls and hauls it over to his dry goods supplier Levi Strauss. The two team up on a denim and duck canvas version, which they patent in 1873, and this was the officially launch of what would become known as the 501® jeans. The thing about the 501® jeans is that it’s no longer considered just a piece of garment. It’s part of a culture, an icon. It’s been a favourite with the fashion crowd in particular. Hailey Beiber has been a fan of the jeans- one that she’s described as a relaxed fit that she loves. Kendall Jenner has often been spotted in the jeans, her pick for a casual day about town, or for a coffee r...

The recently concluded Mumbai Urban Art Festival brought together a plethora of artists and diverse practitioners to create interdisciplinary projects including landmark murals, experiential exhibitions, immersive installations and public programming across key venues. Exploring different areas of the city, the festival offered opportunities for rediscovering lesser-known paths and forgotten narratives. From having mindful accommodations for people with disabilities and LGBTQIA+ representation to braille catalogues and animal pods for stray animals— The Mumbai Urban Art Festival 2022-2023 put inclusivity in the foreground to ensure an accepting environment for all. We sat down with Giulia Ambrogi, co-founder St+Art India and Vasudhaa Narayanan, curator to discuss all things art and inclusivity. ELLE: What were some significant moments at MUAF 2022-2023? Vasudhaa Narayanan (VN): For us to do the Mumbai Urban Arts Festival with one of the locations as Sassoon Docks was especially s...

Reclaiming queer identities that have so often been erased by mainstream media can be back-breaking work – the popular opinion is often swayed easily, the stereotypes endure and undoing this is a mammoth ask. Pankaj Dahalia is an independent and queer photographer who seeks to shift the narrative of queer representation from the sidekick to the main hero with his art project ‘ Kya Aap Mujhe Pehchante Hain’ . “Queering Indian streets ” as he describes it, using Bollywood-inspired posters as his medium, the dynamic artworks found their way into public spaces breaking down the concept of queer visibility to its very essence.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by क्या आप मुझे पहचानते हैं? (@kamph_pankajdahalia) Pankaj’s visual art is not just eye-catching; it makes you question a lot of things. For some, the posters out on the streets could be a war cry, a form of silent protest, perhaps the beginning of a conversation and for...

Meet someone from Bengaluru and the conversation invariably becomes a competition about why the city is better. Mumbai and Delhi come armed with conversations about space (Delhi wins) and air quality (Mumbai used to win) and Bengaluru people will, of course, talk about the weather. Then ,light hearted ribbing about the traffic situation ensues and Bengaluru inevitably must admit defeat. Of course, they bounce back with all the talk about the greenery in the city and the thriving culture and food scene. You’ve got to hand it to them. And now, Bengaluru has another feather in the cap, and every other city will have to work doubly hard to match up. The Museum of Art and Photography (MAP) has opened up in Bengaluru and as the name suggests, this is a treasure trove of information – tracing and documenting the many, many threads of India’s extensive and rich history. MAP’s collection is exhaustive- more than 60,000 works are here and the collections cover a lot of ground from paintings an...

We’ve reached the end of the month of love but we’re still finding things to fall in love with. Be it a new Netflix series to binge-watch or a new restaurant’s menu to binge-eat, our indulgence of choice has to be the month’s beauty launches. So, from Victoria’s Secret intoxicating perfume to Laneige’s mouthwatering flavour, here is a list for you to browse through- Bath And Body Works Dream Bright Collection   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Bath & Body Works India (@bathandbodyworksindia) This uniquely fragrant collection complemented with stunning sparkly packaging includes a body lotion, body cream, shower gel, fragrance mist and a single-wick candle. Packed with the goodness of Hyaluronic acid, aloe, Vitamin E, shea butter, coconut oil and cocoa butter- Bath And Body Works’ new launch is this month’s most luxurious indulgence. Victoria’s Secret Bare Eau de Parfum   Vi...