A Fairytale Wedding

Nishka Lulla and Dhruv Mehra’s wedding

Fashion designer Nishka Lulla, daughter of veteran designer Neeta Lulla got married recently with her sweetheart, Dhruv Mehra at ISKCON temple, Juhu, Mumbai. This wedding was a classic example of simplicity, splendor and colours weaved deliciously in sacred threads of our rich Indian culture.

Nishka Lulla at her wedding

Nishka looked like a delicate princess in a bright pink lehenga coupled with a lime yellow dupatta and parrot green choli. She adorned the look with elaborate kundan jewellery and a golden clutch. Her better half, Dhruv donned a simple yet very elegant yellow kurta.

Nishka Lulla and Dhruv Mehra’s wedding

The post wedding celebrations took place in Bangkok, wherein a two day celebration planned by both families took place at the Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa. The mother-daughter duo designed décor for most of the functions themselves along with a Bangkok-based wedding planner, Ragini Modi.

Hema Malini at Nishka Lulla and Dhruv Mehra’s wedding

The ceremony was a very intimate affair with family and friends; amongst tinsel-town dwellers, actress Aishwarya Rai and Hema Malini graced the occasion.

Blurring Fashion Borders

Meher and Riddhima

Meher and Riddhima, an evening-wear brand launched in 2002 caters to fashion that reflects delicately influenced rich heritage and tradition of a region. They produce gorgeous evening gowns, cocktail dresses, formal jumpsuits, accessories and children’s wear. Based out of Dubai, the label also has offices in New York and India. This venture is a creative alliance between Meher Mirchandani and Riddhima Whabi.

Meher and Riddhima

The designer duo’s design philosophy revolves around combining contemporary shapes with traditional influences. It is an evening wear brand with couture attention to detail. The brand has a balance of western sensibilities with eastern influences in the design. The inspiration for the collections is derived from art, architecture, music, travel, interiors and prominent women in history.

Meher and Riddhima

Define your label and forecast some upcoming trends…

Our label is made to make the wearer feel special, happy and beautiful. For the upcoming season, we would recommend fashionistas to look out for bright floral prints, crop tops, flowy skirts and pop-colored dresses.

Meher and Riddhima

Who has been your role model during your formative years and why?

I would say my mother as she is perfect in everything she does; she is a successful entrepreneur, loving mom and dedicated wife and great human being. She inspired me to express my fashion sensibilities through my designs and reach out to many…

Meher and Riddhima

How different is Indian fashion industry in comparison to its western counterparts?

Indian fashion industry focuses more on ethnic Indian wear, which again reflects a lot of Indian influences on fabrics, colors and embellishments; whereas, the western industry is all about minimalistic styling and contemporary, luxe fabrics.

Amrit Kaur’s Fascination with Retro

Amrit Kaur’s Collection

Speaking of retro trends of the season…

This season is all about return of the retro in modern style. Swooping bellbottoms, tightly-fit tops, and psychedelic prints—everywhere we look, the 1970s style is back in heavy rotation with touches of contemporary style. For instance, flared pants are given a modern look by teaming it up with crisp white shirts or a crop tops; also, take note of oversized sunglasses, polka-dotted hair accessories, bright floral prints and more.

Tale of fabrics, color palette, prints and silhouettes…

For this summer, I have played with cotton silk, chiffon, chanderi and blend of cotton and raw silk. The fabrics portray a palette of bright colours and prints. With vibrant pop colours such as yellow, orange, green, purple, blue and red taking the center stage, I have played very strategically with bold prints and floral prints to make my garments look more fun and lively. I used floral-roses to cast hints of feminineness, and tropical prints, wild flowers along with long leafs with subtle colors and geometric prints to recall disco elements in crop tops, blouses, sheer capes, mid-cuff skirts, pencil-cut skirts, short dress and pantsuits for woman.

Amrit Kaur’s Collection

What went behind making of your latest collection?

Love of retro and love of summer went behind conceptualizing this collection. Movies like American hustle and TV shows like the 70’s show got me really inspired.

Tell us about your fascination with the good-old 70s fashion…

70’s fashion is a statement to be bold, fun and joy. Pop colors, bold prints, high-waisted flared trousers, symmetry and hints of disco gold on jumpsuits, capes, and dresses often bring out the hippie in you. I am in love with this unpretentious and fearless style statement. Rugged hairdos, statement headgears, Bohemian scarfs, oversized hats and big sunnies always arrest my attention.

Amrit Kaur’s Collection

The muse…

The whole look and energy of 70’s era inspired me; the era reminds me of times that were hassle-free, fun, optimistic and unpretentious in terms of fashion. The pop culture, disco trends and hippies really stood out amidst two oil crisis movements, the end of the Vietnam War and suffering economy. The 70’s were a time of beauty and freedom, when femininity was pushed forward. Bold prints and vibrant colors has always been my favorite but 70’s also give us bold flashy gold look—think of big loops, jewelry and belts.

Future plans?

Right now I am working on my new collection for autumn/winter 2015-16 in which I am taking further my retro theme in winter style making more of coats, jackets and sheer dresses. Rest all is a surprise (she smiles).

The Summer Edition by Ogaan.com

Ogaan.com

Ogaan went online just about a month ago. At the brink of the changing season, the website is now live with its Summer Edition, packed with easy pieces, saris and some gorgeous, drama-infused jewellery. Here’s what to look out for in the airy summer edition.

Ogaan.com

Raw Mango’s beautiful hand-woven chanderi saris in bright juicy colours— perfect for summer weddings. Sanjay Garg of Raw Mango says of the collection online with Ogaan, “This line has Raw Mango must-haves. You can dress up these saris with a brocade blouse for a wedding or you can wear them with a simple cotton blouse.”

Ogaan.com

There’s a wide range of jewellery on Ogaan.com with a collection from Dang inspired by nature, flowers and twigs made especially for Ogaan – the champa, bail, and nargis earrings being particularly dramatic and fun. Also, spunky haath-phools from Astha Jagwani and India Modern ear cuffs and maang-tikas from Divya Chugh are trending high!

Ogaan.com

Viange Vintage has picks from Vintage Dior, YSL, Sonia Rykiel and more and Ritika Sachdeva brings chunky, modern pieces that go with everything. Ogaan.com allows for gift notes with orders and has a special measurements panel that allows you to figure out your size quickly and easily. You enter your four key measurements and save them; then you can compare them with precise measurements for each size to figure out your own size painlessly.

Ogaan.com

Selections on the website will be changing continuously, reflecting Ogaan’s favourite pieces each season, and in the coming months, Ogaan expects to add more labels from among their extensive list of celebrated and upcoming designers.

Desi Roots – Progressive Indian Cuisine

Desi Roots

Décor: Desi Roots, a brand new café nestled in Saket, New Delhi is one of the very few restaurants that brought back fond memories of childhood in mind, as I walked in for lunch on a balmy Sunday afternoon. The first instinct was a happy feeling—colours like warm orange, dull beige, bright turquoise, royal violet and more popped out from different corners only to make you feel like you have stepped into a cheerful space. This restaurant has taken ‘quirky’ to a whole new level; the décor proudly flaunts pieces like—a sewing machine turned into a table, almost-vintage Bajaj scooter headlights acting as lamps and more.

Desi Roots

Also, the chosen interior had strikingly contrasting aesthetics; for instance, a royal chair with bright cherry colour was spotted accompanying a super quirky teapot printed chair. The bar area was mostly radiating pop-culture vibes; vintage posters with an amazing sense of humor was placed on walls facing the arena. My favourite poster was of an Indian lady, precisely from the sixties, sitting with a newspaper in her hand, clad in the most traditional way and waiting to sip some beer from a mug kept in front of her; now this is called ‘chilling like a villain’!

Nehari Kulcha a la Oudh with Salgam and black carrot achar

Food: The menu captures essences from regional kitchens across the country. This restaurant is on an expedition to revive those long lost desi elements through their food. I ordered quite a few number of dishes from the menu and absolutely traditional ones at that—but I was taken to surprise by the way good-old food was contemporized. Presentation gets full points here and the best part is that the character of the food remained unaltered. Today’s foodie looks for international gastronomical features in every dish that they dig into. Be it a simple Galouti Kebab or a Soda Shikanji—modern way of presenting mouth-watering food has become a major criteria. However, you are not allowed to compromise on the joy your taste buds used to experience when you ate the same dish in its most traditional avatar.

Desi Kurchan Tacos- Pulled Kathal

I started with the Kasaundi Fish Tikka with Babloo Sauce; delicious, succulent and mildly spicy, these fish cubes were an instant hit. Thereafter, I rejoiced upon some Kulle Chaat—an Old Delhi speciality made with watermelons, boiled potatoes, cucumbers, pomegranates and some secret black masala. Post this, we savoured upon some warm lamb Galawati Pate—this was my favourite starter. Super soft, almost-melting, warm kebab served in a small glass jar was definitely a first. The taste reminded me of lanes from Lucknow, where kebabs are the order of the day and the presentation was simple yet so innovative. For the main course, I started with the traditional Daal Baati Choorma with methaniya chilli salsa. This was followed by Mutton Kuttu with Malabari Poronta and Onion Pachdi—once again a delicious dish. The best part was that, this rich looking curry was not overtly oily; it had a diverse flavour thrown in by a gamut of regional spices. Finally, the last main course comprised of Ambala Cantt Mutton Curry with Tikone Parathe and Kumquat Achaar—it had the perfect desi tadka to it combined with carefully balanced spices and modern culinary practices. I loved every bit of it.

Chipotle Chicken Tikka with Avocado Raita

Finally, the dessert comprised of Cream Cheese Boondi Brownies and Jamaluddin Ki Kheer from Badal Beg Masjid, Old Delhi. What a delight it was. The first dessert came in a closed glass jar—soft chocolate brownie, warm and moist was blended with cream cheese and boondi; this is perhaps the best example of modern culinary concurrence. And the later made me feel like I had died and gone to dessert heaven. There couldn’t have been a better ending. So foodies and restaurant junkies please visit this place with your friends and family because the food is great, presentation even better and as they say it ‘celebration’ is their middle name!

The Magic of Shibori

109°F Fusion Beats- Shibori Collection

With temperature soaring high, a simple yet classy outfit that keeps the heat at bay, is something that we are always on a hunt for! 109°F, the women retail apparel brand’s Shibori Collection from their Spring/Summer’15 line, is a perfect pick for this season.

109°F Fusion Beats- Shibori Collection

Fusion Beats’, Shibori Collection from their SS’15 line celebrates free spirited, bohemian women of today. It is not just fashion, but an expression of who you are. The collection also takes inspiration from the traditional Japanese Shibori blended with rhythmical baroque that presents a fresh take on this SS’15 Line. Rather than treating the fabric as a two-dimensional surface, it is given a three-dimensional form by folding, crumpling, stitching, plaiting, or plucking and twisting. The collection includes flowing sleeveless dresses with abstract prints, fun jumpsuits and kitsch tops. Bright indigos highlighted with hints of yellow form the colour palette which is perfect to bask on sunny beaches.

109°F Fusion Beats- Shibori Collection

A 109° F woman has multiple facets; she is sharp yet carefree, powerful yet fun and likes to experiment with the exquisite and special characteristic of soft or blurry-edged pattern imprinted in the Shibori Collection. The effect is quite different from the sharp-edged resist obtained with stencil, paste, and wax. With Shibori, the dye works in concert with the materials, not in an effort to overcome their limitations but to allow them to attain full expression; and an element of the unexpected is always present. The rich sensuous colours of blue and white and the pliability of the material respond well to the movement and flow of the body. Keeping in mind funky, ferocious and cosmopolitan women of today, this brand has adapted the Shibori technique in crisp shorts, casual pants and free-flowing tops. The collection is priced between INR 1200-1800 and is available across 109°F outlets and online shopping partners.

Celebration of Florals and Whites

Vasavi Shah’s Spring/Summer 2015 collection

The spring-summer collection of 2015 has marked a return to basics. From highlighting uncomplicated colour schemes and providing a taste of past decades, to bringing forth femininity and exploring the classic, this collection, Flora Flora SS’15, by designer Vasavi Shah is all about celebrating newness.

Vasavi Shah’s Spring/Summer 2015 collection

Florals have always been gifted with a timeless appeal, representing a perennial style that is constantly invading the fashion radar. This collection effortlessly blends two of the ruling trends for this season – florals and white.

Vasavi Shah’s Spring/Summer 2015 collection

Flora Flora is bold by keeping things classy yet basic at the same time, comprising of oversized and light-weight silhouettes, unconventional fabrics, fresh colour schemes and super-clean lines.

Vasavi Shah’s Spring/Summer 2015 collection

This collection mainly showcases a feminine range of ready-to-wear garments. From hand painted flowers on box pleated midi skirts to intricately embroidered cascades of flowers on white organza jackets and appliquéd gathered sheer skirts—this collection is fresh, energetic, optimistic and modern like a breath of fresh air.

Pizzas just got better!

World Pizza Journey

The Restaurant: If you are an ardent pizza lover, then leave everything aside and head to WPJ- World Pizza journey—a brand new place that serves pizza in all its avatars. Now, if you still have time to read this entire piece, let me take the leverage to discuss in details my experience with you. Located in Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi, this place is meant for foodies who connect with the whole notion of global gastronomy. Name a country, and this place will serve you a pizza that has authentic flavours of your chosen destination. Be it pizzas from Italy or Hawai, India or America—options are galore. The best part is that they have even listed down complimenting alcohol that will satiate your taste buds even more. Pizza from your favourite country along with the best suiting drink is equal to party in the palette.

World Pizza Journey

The Décor: WPJ is a global pizza café in an urban casual dining setup. Sit back in its cocooning space and view the candy painted, bright walls, holding with much love, vintage posters, funny quotes and some interesting photographs of happy faces. Amidst lemon yellow, parrot green and bubblegum pink walls, pristine white table and chairs have been kept orderly. Old-school gramophones are placed occasionally on some tables, which add to the quirkiness of this restaurant. This bistro style outlet is a brainchild of Ankit Tayal and Abhishek Mathur who combined their efforts, experience and passion to bring forth a destination that offers pizzas from across the world in their most authentic form. The carefree, easy-going ambience is perfect for brunches with the girls, or night-out with the boys.

World Pizza Journey

The Food: The dough is made daily; it’s fresh. Also, this is the only place in Delhi to have wood fired oven pizzas and conveyer belt pizzas. The place brings to you specialties from Italy, Malaysia, Moscow, France, South Africa, Turkey, South America, Thailand, Greece, Egypt, Brazil, Chicago, Hawaiian, Britain, China and more. So while the country’s best get the space here in the menu there are many chef creations like ‘An Original Pepperoni’, ‘Falafel Pizza’, ‘The Mediterranean Pizza’, ‘Nacho Pizza’ and more. They also serve a variety of fresh salads for the health conscious lot—Mexican corn salad, House Caesar salad, Thai green papaya salad, Rocky Balboa, Green Gourmet Salad, and Californian greens are few options on the menu.

World Pizza Journey

I tried a portion of Hawaiian pizza- Aloha; served in less than 15 minutes, this pizza came with a small flag of its nationality. Being intrigued, I asked the manager its significance and he stated they ensure they serve all pizzas with a small flag of its originating country to remind the customer, what they have asked for. Very interesting indeed. I opted for a thin-crust pizza; it was delicious. Pineapple slices, onion rings, ham, cheese and jalapeño melted in my mouth and I savored upon all six slices. I also tried a pizza from Florence, called, Florence-The Renaissance (thin crust) Pizza; it comprised of Parma ham basil leaves with chunks of mozzarella cheese. It was like, gastronomy heaven.

World Pizza Journey

Now, coming over to the drinks section, they have a well-laid bar menu. Also, mixologist Viju Raj has conceptualized the menu that has very interesting and innovative concoctions, which includes drinks like Chicago Orange brandy, Californian Whiskey sour, Russian bride, Monte carlo Hibuscus sour, Sicilian kiss, dutch botanical mule, Apretivo venom, New york Collins, Safran lemonade, Beit Moussallem, Chelada, Mogi Das cruzes, Khus Madira and more. So head over to WPJ to enjoy great cocktails with best of pizzas.

Like Quirky? Check out Lemon Trunk!

Ashutosh Maheshwari is the proud owner of Lemon Trunk—as the name resonates, this label celebrates the best of quirk and pop art, printed innovatively on bags. Their designs are vibrant and refreshing, and their colour palettes are spunky. From floral patterns in shocking hues to Aztec prints in a brand new avatar, this label has struck a chord with the young and peppy! Ashutosh talks to us about LT’s fun designs, pocket-friendly rates, and their range of products.

Lemon Trunk

 How did Lemon Trunk come into being?

Lemon Trunk came into being on a simple idea—‘We want to see India using beautiful, designer products’. The quickest way to achieve that was by creating a product that was mass-market and affordable, but without comprising on quality. Tote bags haven’t really evolved in terms of design and style and therefore, seemed like the best place to add our spunky, young and visually appealing designs.

Lemon Trunk

Why did you choose this name for your brand?

I wanted a name that was fluous…a word that isn’t restricted to a particular style or product, and is young and fun. ‘Lemon Trunk’ had the perfect ring to it and seemed like the right name that would appeal to my target audience.

Lemon Trunk

Tell us about your products

At Lemon Trunk, we design fun products. We use the finest quality materials and printing processes to make our prints look alive. Right now, we’ve launched our College Tote Bag in close to 30 prints. In the next couple of months, we will have added slings, satchels, messenger bags, laptop bags, tablet sleeves and shopping totes to our range, along with more prints. We want to have something for everyone!

Lemon Trunk

Tell us about the upcoming summer trends in tote bags…

We feel, the summer trend this year is going to be easy going—big bags, which are easy to carry, with smart prints in bright colours. Apart from this, of course, the one thing that will always be in demand is innovation in designs.

You may check out the latest Lemon Trunk designs and bags at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, from February 7 to17 in Mumbai or shop for their products on Flipkart http://www.flipkart.com/search?q=lemon+trunk&as=off&as-show=off&otracker=start or Myntra http://www.myntra.com/lemon-trunk?userQuery=true&s=acl

Tales of Benarasi Weaves

Vinayak Couture

Designer duo Asha and Gautam Gupta recently launched their exquisite handloom collection with much poise at Cavalli Café, Emporio Vasant Kunj, New Delhi. The occasion weaved layers of triumphant rustic eccentricities from the roots of Benaras (Varanasi).

Vinayak Couture

Asha and Gautam’s label, Vinayak Couture brought forth a celebratory bridal collection, with a colour palette as delicious as it could ever get; mango oranges, peachy pinks, lusty reds, emerald greens, pistachio greens, powder blues, buttery yellow, the colour of Ganga and more.

Vinayak Couture

The collection showcased a perfect amalgamation of traditional and contemporary aesthetics—aptly defining the modern bride of today. The textures were luxurious and patterns worth lusting for.

Vinayak Couture

The designers casted a brand new approach to the good old art of handloom; mixing the golden art with the charm of beautiful colours and motifs, their latest collection is also an ode to local artisans of Banaras.

Vinayak Couture

The fabrics used are pure tussar, Benarasi silk and jute net embellished with unique parsi gara, zardozi and kalamkari. You can pick your outfit from M-8, Main Road, Greater Kailash- 1, New Delhi.