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.

The Surrealistic Designer

Chhaya Mehrotra

There is something very strikingly beautiful about Chhaya Mehrotra’s simplicity in designs. Modern silhouettes, subtle color palette and almost-bewildered cuts make her clothes perfect for Indian women. She shares a slice of her beautiful journey with The Lifestyle Potpourri…

How do you start your day?

The first thing I do is switch off the alarm and get that extra 15 minutes of sleep! After waking up, I glance through the newspaper with a morning cuppa of green tea and spend some time with the kids before we finish breakfast and pack for the day at factory. Breakfast is the time where, me and my husband plan out the entire day.

What shaped your outlook as a designer during your formative days?

My origins are rooted in Banaras and the variety of exposure I had across all platforms in the domestic textile industry right after NIFT molded my creative realm as a designer—from hand block printing to digital printing, hand embroidery to computerized embroidery, and designing for ethnic wedding wear to designing furnishing fabrics for Heimtextil, or high-end fashion fabrics for Texworld Paris; I knew my biggest strength lies in versatility. I take my education and experiences as the alphabet…what I write with it depends on my mood and requirement!

Chhaya Mehrotra

What inspires you to create newer designs?

Inspiration could be from almost anything. It could be a faint memory of childhood or a poem that I wrote. Sometimes it’s a place or a craft, and sometimes it could be a conversation with a kid or a friend. But inspiration isn’t enough to keep you going; it’s the instant mood lift you get when you see a sketch perfectly turned out into a garment—that excites me to create newer designs more than anything else.

Tell us an anecdote that has been consequential in your journey as a designer…

We had shifted to Noida from Banaras mainly because of family business. I just started with three tailors for my label and did exhibitions often; I was doing decent business. However, one day a long-lost family friend walks into our factory for some work and instead looks at my collection and threw a barrage of questions at me—“Why don’t you participate in fashion weeks?” and etc… On that guest’s insistence we applied and got the required membership; this was 2011. Looking at how our label is positioned now, you bet this anecdote was consequential!

Chhaya Mehrotra

Who is your favourite designer and why?

How can you pick one when it’s a sea of stunning work out there!
Amongst international designers I like Stella McCartney and Ted Baker’s creations—their sense of colour palette is very intense. Amongst Indian designers, A&T and Rajesh Pratap Singh are my favorites for their perfect approach to minimalism; Ritu Kumar inspires me for her timeless appeal to every piece of clothing; whereas Sabyasachi has touched my heart with the grandeur of detailing in his work; I also admire Rahul Mishra for the magic he created with wool, and Rajdeep Ranawat for the perfection he can bring to any cloth with a riot of colours. Lastly, I am very fond of Raw Mango and Anavila because their simple work can exude a whole lot of beauty!

Five must-haves in a woman’s wardrobe…

A handloom saree, crisp white shirt, pair of blue denims, nice perfume and an all-purpose shift dress

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.

Kinbuck2-Delhi’s First Roman Bistro

Kinbuck 2

Kinbuck2 is a gorgeous eatery joint standing like a Victorian-era diva in the heart of Connaught Place, New Delhi; the state capital’s first-ever Roman bistro. As the name suggests, this place flaunts rich taste of interiors coupled with delightful food for your palette and extremely humble hospitality. Drawing inspirations from the historical elements of Kinbuck in Norway, this restaurant flaunts aesthetic essences from this region. In one line, I would define this place as an epitome of great food, pleasant music, signature drinks and a one-of-a-kind concept in the city.

Kinbuck 2

Inspired by the beauty of Roman world, best known for its artistic architecture, this restaurant transmits you delicately in a dreamy world as you step inside; especially, when you move upstairs on the open dining area. The striking dome-like structures, arches, graffiti art on the walls, wine cellars and more makes this place a perfect blend of old-world charm and contemporary décor notes. Dominating colors like red and grey rein the décor palette. The rooftop, outdoor area is contoured by beautiful green patches of creepers; this alfresco and minibar is certainly the highlight of the terrace area. It also has a private PDR to host party enough for 30-40 people. Apart from this, Kinbuck2 also houses a private mezzanine floor.

Kinbuck 2

Coming to the most important aspect of this place, the food—my experience was very overwhelming. The head Chef, Anay Mukherjee’s passion for cooking reflected in each meal that he quipped for us. Their menu portrays a sincere attempt to house global delicacies and they are always thriving to inculcate more innovations in their kitchen. From American classics to Lebanese delights, Mediterranean cuisines to European flavors and lastly, mouthwatering Indian food ensures every guest has an amazing culinary experience here.

Kinbuck 2

I had a host of dishes—cream of mushroom soup, Romanian bread basket, shrimp cocktail for salad, fattoush salad, Al bondigas, chicken sausages and pineapple skewers, chandni paneer tikka, dhengre mushroom gallouti, veg salt and pepper, veg porpiech, eggplant schezwan, mutton seekh kebab, chilly chicken and Beijing chicken. This list comprised of the appetizers. For main course, we indulged in some delicious porkchoy mushroom in oyster sauce, garlic noodles, chicken roulade, cottage cheese steak, and chicken steak and lastly, the most flavourful chicken biriyani. Lastly, for dessert, I savoured upon some delectable chocolate tart.

Kinbuck 2

The food was downright heavenly; the right amount of spices cooked to perfection left a happy tingling on my taste buds for the rest of the evening. The thing that touched my heart the most was the humility every person garnered; from the chef to the staff, everyone wore a big smile on their faces at all times and everyone knew what went into making of each and every dish! So very impressive, I must say. So, I would urge each one of you to visit this place for a memorable experience.

Voiix – Redefining Indian Couture

Voiix by Saiba and Maneet

Voiix, a woman’s clothing label by Saiba and Maneet is bending genres and redefining the stereotypes of Indian dressing sensibilities. Their brand aesthetics lies in the fact that traditional Indian clothing has countless facets to it; the designer duo are thriving to create awareness in the society through their beautiful outfits that speak volumes about being bold and expressive through casting remarkable fashion statements. We speak to Saiba about her beloved label:

Voiix by Saiba and Maneet

What does Voiix mean?

Voiix means voice in French. We have been in the fashion industry for seven years now; earlier we were retailing under a different brand name. However, we have re-launched our label, wherein themed collection will be showcased on a regular basis interpreting the core mantra of Indian couture. Our clothes reflect tastes of contemporary, independent Indian women; be it the colour palette or the luxurious fabrics, cuts and silhouettes, or perhaps the almost delicious embroidery work and flowy drapes, our collection talks about feminism in the most au courant ways. Nonetheless, even feminism has a slight touches of masculinity to it; women today are no more delicate damsels, and neither do they like to dress up in such manner—panel dressing, sharp cuts and structured silhouettes are today’s go-to options.

Voiix by Saiba and Maneet

Tell us about one fashion trend that you absolutely love…

Monochrome is huge this season; it works with two extreme colours- black and white. However, we have tried being a little experimental here and worked on a collection that has reds and whites, instead of the regular colour shade. Monochrome trend depicts illuminati; it casts a very powerful fashion statement; we have just tried to give this trend a refreshing makeover.

Voiix by Saiba and Maneet

What colour will be ruling the fashion dais this summer?

It has to be white. White capes and summer jackets will be the ruling fashion element this summer. Also, white saris with subtle pops of colour, and white crop tops paired with high-waisted palazzos will be the trending look for the coming months. In short, white will be beautifully blended in Indo-fusion ensembles with touch of western influences. As far as fabrics are concerned, jersey, khadi, raw silk and other Indian handlooms will do the rounds.

Voiix by Saiba and Maneet

What are you working on next?

We are focusing on our winter collection wherein Indian weaves will be the pivotal factor. We have tied up with local weavers of Banaras for developing our very own weaves, brocades and more… The collection will flaunt gorgeous paisleys with baroque touch, lots of gold and red interplay on bridal canvasses and of course oxblood red and jade will be surfacing on many outfits.

Foodhall @ Palladium Welcomes Holland in Mumbai

Dutch Pancakes

Dutch food may not be as well-known as French or Chinese cuisines but it is worth experiencing the delight at least once. Foodhall, India’s premium lifestyle food superstore is kick-starting a week-long festival ‘Holland Meets Mumbai’ – enabling its patrons to experience the culinary flavours of Netherlands.

Dutch Apple Tart

Dutch cuisine has gained popularity amongst food connoisseurs across the globe owing to its simple and straightforward flavours. This food festival will take you to the orange land with some of its most enjoyable savouries such as Stroop Waffles – a waffle made from thin layers of baked dough with a caramel-like syrup filling and world famous cheeses such as Edam and Gouda. The fiesta ends on June 6, so all you food lovers in Mumbai, rush now!

Harley-Davidson brings the rebel attitude to Myntra

Harley-Davidson casual merchandise

Known for rebellious design and bold urban styling, Harley-Davidson motor clothes have inspired riders and passengers for generations. Harley-Davidson casual merchandise will now be available through an exclusive online store on Myntra. Launched today, the online store offers a range of Harley-Davidson casual outerwear, sportswear, denims and accessories. Harley-Davidson merchandise and accessories are also offered through the brand’s dealership network across 17 locations in India. Through this alliance Harley-Davidson merchandise will now be easily accessible to over 12,000 pin codes in India.

Harley-Davidson casual merchandise

Rajiv Vohra, Director Sales and Dealer Development Harley-Davidson India commented at the onset of the alliance, “We are extremely pleased to enter into this alliance with Myntra, helping us to become more accessible to customers across the country. Owning Harley-Davidson merchandise is a great way for customers to free their inner rebel, and we are glad to offer them this opportunity.”

Harley-Davidson casual merchandise

Being the leading online fashion platform associated with over 25 top global brands in India, Prasad Kompalli, Head – Ecommerce Platform, Myntra expressed excitement on this alliance stating, “It has always been our continuous endeavor to enhance our portfolio and provide our shoppers the latest and widest collection from the best of brands. This alliance will help us cater to Harley-Davidson aficionados by enabling easy access to the brand’s lifestyle merchandise.”

Harley-Davidson casual merchandise

The collection spreads across Harley-Davidson jackets, denims, shirts, t-shirts, caps, wallets and other accessories. To view the entire offering, download the Myntra smart phone app today.

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 Season of Non-specifics – Shruti Sancheti

Shruti Sancheti’s collection

Tell us about en vogue summer trends…

This summer the focus is on non-season specifics, norm core, Bohemian-inspired, and retro looks. The look is minimalistic yet trendy, tribal yet au courant and 1970’s with a contemporary twist. Midis, jumpsuits, long skirts, spliced skirts, maxis, crop tops, throws and jackets in summer fabrics like linen, khadi, cotton, summer silk ,neoprene are popular. Detailing like zippers, pockets, fringes along with tribal embroidery, tie n dye, and ombre dyeing are extremely popular. Accessories like metallic sunglasses, interesting neckpieces, belts, and sneakers and brogues are trending this summer.

What fabrics, colour palette, prints and silhouettes in Indian couture will do the rounds this season?

Fabrics which allow you to breathe like linen, organic cotton, summer silkier silk and all natural fabrics will be popular to beat the sultry balmy weather. Colours from pretty pastels like blush, custard, peach, mint green, to warm hues like marsala, olive, indigo, and watermelon red all will be popular. Block print, tie n dye, screen print, and digital prints will be extremely popular too; lastly, silhouettes like wide-legged pants, spliced skirts, long flowy skirts, maxis, midis and jumpsuits will be trending high.

Shruti Sancheti’s collection

What went behind making of your latest collection?

My collection ‘Nomadistaan’ is about the global woman living out of suitcases but feels trapped in urban confines of the modern world. Her soul is nomadic but her outlook is totally global; she wants to flaunt a bit of her legacy and culture down her sleeves. The styling of the collection is contemporary but the look is Bohemian.

Tell us about a usual day in your life…

I start the day with going to the gym to undo the damages of the previous day. Then it is working till 2pm after which I have lunch and again at about 3.30 pm its work time till 6.30 pm. After that my evenings are devoted to my family and friends. However, I live out of suitcases so this stability is always a temporary phenomenon and when I travel, which is very often, routine takes a back seat.

Shruti Sancheti’s collection

What would Shruti Sancheti’s woman look like?

My woman is an old-school one trapped in this au courant world. She believes in the unsurpassed legacy of weaves, textiles and crafts and wears timeless clothes, which have understated luxury and restrained opulence. She is astute, ferociously proud of her heritage and yet expresses her femininity and elegance through her distinct yet restrained dressing.

What inspired you to make this collection?

My love for travel, love for rich crafts, love for colours and most of all love for Bohemian and tribal fashion…

Great News For Women Runners

Puma Training Ambassador – Jacqueline Fernandez at the Launch of Puma’s Dynamic Training Shoe for Women PULSE XT

Sportswear brand Puma, increasingly focusing on the women’s training category has introduced Pulse Xt, a dynamic lightweight training shoe that is geared towards adapting to the unique boldness and flexibility of any workout. Puma also announced its association with actress, model and fitness buff Jacqueline Fernandez as PUMA’s new training ambassador.

Puma Training Ambassador – Jacqueline Fernandez at the Launch of Puma’s Dynamic Training Shoe for Women PULSE XT

Pulse Xt is a shoe that will appeal to a wide audience of women with its unparalleled features, uninhibited versatility and bold look. This shoe is designed to use its responsive EverTrain Footbed Technology that provides the perfect underline to every workout. With an extremely breathable upper, this shoe is highly resilient, provides unhindered support at all times and is finished with a sleek look, which makes it perfect for any kind of training and workout. The full-length flex groove allows dynamic multi-directional movement, while the bootie construction creates exceptional comfort and fit.

Puma Training Ambassador – Jacqueline Fernandez at the Launch of Puma’s Dynamic Training Shoe for Women PULSE XT

Speaking about her new association with Puma, Jacqueline Fernandez, said, “Puma is a brand that I have long admired and it is what I wear for my regular workouts. I am very excited about the enthusiasm the brand has towards women’s training category. As an avid track runner, basketball and badminton player and Zumba enthusiast, I find the new Pulse Xt is just right for my training needs since it integrates new age technology with classic style.”