Karlito Limited Edition Capsule Collection

Karlito Capsule Collection

With his fun, coloured fur crest, Karlito lands now for the first time on FENDI ready-to-wear and accessories, after making his debut on Fall/Winter 2014-2015 fashion show catwalk of the Roman Maison. Now he’s back with an exclusive limited edition, eye-catching capsule collection which is both ironic and sophisticated, fusing fur with denim and sportswear in a playful yet luxurious way.

Karlito Capsule Collection

The range of products features black and white sweatshirts, cool jeans, a shawl, sneakers, a fur hat, a shopping bag, a studded backpack, a fun I-phone covers, and lastly, Karlito and mini Karlito. Each piece features an iconic flourish of fur across both the body and crest in vibrant colours ranging from fuchsia to turquoise.

Karlito Capsule Collection

Karlito is the popular Karl Lagerfeld fur FENDI charm, creating an upbeat homage from FENDI to its Ready-to-Wear and Fur Creative Director. The ultimate representation of FENDI’s creativity, Karlito and mini Karlito charms are dressed in Karl Lagerfeld’s iconic outfit with black mink sunglasses, a black tie in leather and white shirt, with silver fox body. The crest is a fun touch in kiddasia fur, with stunning variations of fuchsia, orange, turquoise and green, for every taste.

Marsala collection by Lalit Dalmia

Marsala collection by Lalit Dalmia

Lalit Dalmia, the face behind the brand of the same name is a self-taught talent from Hisar who has left the world awestruck with his powerful and unique design vision. He has shown the world how his elegant designs for women can take luxury to a whole new level. He doesn’t consider himself as a designer but a creator, who just doesn’t want to make pretty clothes; instead, through his creations he wants to make every woman feel like an urban goddess.

Marsala collection by Lalit Dalmia

His inspirations are endless and can be drawn from anything & everything. His label is synonymous with opulence, contemporary Indian and Indo-Western wear. His intention has been to create glamourous ensembles with traditional textures, embroideries, and craftsmanship juxtaposed with modern designs. He experiments around unusual fabrics and textures to create masterpieces, which takes us back to the Victorian and Mughal period.

Marsala collection by Lalit Dalmia

To sum it all in a nutshell, Lalit attributes his collections as ‘clothes with international styling and Indian soul’. If you are looking for enchanting and sophisticated fusion of distinctive traditional and modern designs with the stroke of muted classy and reserved attitude, you know where to go now! The designer uses a colour palette, which makes one feel nostalgic about our intricate and ancient eras in history.

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.

Rose Gold For Valentine’s Day

Entice rose and white gold diamond necklace

Entice, the fine jewellery brand by KGK group introduces an exquisite gifting range this Valentine’s Day, for your special one. Valentine’s Day and the flower of Rose are as inseparable as a woman and her love for jewellery. To celebrate your relationships on this day of love, Entice has brought together its stunning Rose Gold jewellery collection. Now you can go beyond the usual roses and charm her with the special offerings from this intricate and beautiful Rose Gold Collection and create a lasting memory.

Entice rose gold earrings with marquise, pear & round diamonds

The sophisticated design coupled with stunning combination of round and pear shaped diamonds are sure to add gleam to your beloved’s eyes. The assortment of dazzling diamonds set in the classy white and rose gold is as much a treat to eyes as it is a pride to wear.

Entice Irresistible ear studs with marquise, pear & round diamonds along with rose cut diamonds in rose gold

The collection which comprises of elegant and spectacular pieces of necklaces, rings and earrings, redefines the expression of your love and makes it a perfect treasure to cherish for a lifetime, just like your love…everlasting! Each piece in the collection symbolizes the beauty and eternity that a woman holds with effervesces of diamonds and hence, makes it a perfect gift to strengthen your commitment.

Entice Irresistible Rose & white gold ring with pear & round diamonds

Best quality of diamonds infused with the talented craftsmanship followed by skillful polishing in KGK’s manufacturing units makes every bauble of jewellery an alluring and enthralling experience, for you and your sweetheart. Moreover, each jewel sold comes with a promise of exclusivity and quality certification to endorse its value. So this Valentine’s Day, adorn your love with not just a Rose but the Rose Gold jewellery piece from Entice.

L’Opéra launches ‘Salon de Thé’

L’Opéra launches ‘Salon de Thé’

Décor: One of the very first French pastry and bakery enterprises in India, L’Opéra, brings forth the brand new concept of Salon de Thé to its Epicuria outlet at Nehru Place, New Delhi. I went there on a very cold afternoon and a cup of warm cappuccino, served as soon as I reached the eatery, comforted me deeply. Salon de Thé means the tea room; and with all its whims and fancies, this place looked like a page from Alice in Wonderland. Quaintly cornered, with pistachio green chairs placed contouring a patch of moist green lawn—this place was so soothing for the eyes. A transparent sheet outlined the space to give it a private feel and cut it off from the rest of the food mall. A staunch Victorian lamp stood with much pride at the centre of the outdoor area and a romantic Parisian terrace blanketed us with much French concoction. The setting only got dreamier, with classical French music floating in the backdrop. Basically, the ambience and décor had me at hello!

Cheese Croissant at Salon de Thé

Food: Apart from its array of mouth-watering cakes and pastries, this outlet serves light meals and assorted bite-sized pastries and snacks. These include the well-known Vol au Vent, flaky pastry enveloping delightfully fresh ingredients such as chicken or assorted vegetables, with France’s much-loved Béchamel sauce or the similar Feuilleté, filled with select cheese. I loved the quiche that they served; crusty pie with a filling of chicken and cheese. There Feta cheese salad served with toasted homegrown bread with a touch of fennel was another super hit!

Vegetable Quiche at Salon de Thé

Also served on L’Opéra’s toasted house bread, is Brouillade, the velvety, buttery, French version of scrambled eggs, which will give you a taste of food from authentic French Provence region. For those looking forward to binging on light snacks, try their Croque Monsieur; it is toasted house bread with ham and melted cheese—elegantly delectable. Also, its fried egg version, called the Croque Madame is equally worth lusting for. All dishes are served with fresh salad.

Mixed salad at Salon de Thé

Lastly, what left me drooling was Café Gourmand, a selection of bite-size signature pastries and snacks served with a brewing cup of hot coffee. The assortment of mini pastries was like celebrating a mélange of flavours. They also serve select fruit juices; the sparkling apple juice was very refreshing. Also, they have a meticulous choice of selected aromatic teas to soothe your soul. Be here for a sophisticated French high-tea experience! The ambience is unhurried and food is impeccable.

Embrace the Royale Collection

Polki for Bridal from RK Jewellers

Elegant, sophisticated, composed and raring to go, RK Jewelers are bringing together the rich diversity and splendor of Indian Royal history in its various hues and facets to create Royal jewels of heirloom quality that can be passed on from generation to generation.

Chandbali earrings from RK Jewellers

Through this collection they honor our Indian Royalties who have nurtured and molded the rich Indian art and craft of jewellery making.

Zistatva collection by RK Jewellers

The collection composes of all traditional pieces of jewels including tiaras using old Indian techniques of jewellery making. Their team of jewellery artists have researched and travelled to create these pieces inspired by Indian Monarchs from early mythical and later documented rulers and dynasties who have ruled a portion of the Indian subcontinent.

Chandbali earrings from RK Jewellers

The collection uses rare gemstones, coloured and colourless diamonds, pearls and traditional polki set in hallmarked gold. These are all available at South Ex, New Delhi.

The Art of Watch-Making—Bulgari

 

Bvlgari Serpenti collection

The legend:

The first Bulgari watches were made in the 1920’s, but it was only at the end of the 1970’s that the firm presented its first important collection. In 1982 Bulgari founded the company ‘Bulgari Time’ in Neuchâtel, the heart of Swiss horology. This company now has over 500 employees, who are responsible for overseeing and inspecting the creation and production of all Bulgari watches. The technological research connected with the production of watch movements was initially carried out in collaboration with Girard Perregaux, one of the oldest and most respected Swiss watchmakers. This partnership triggered a process of continuous technological refinement and sophistication of Bulgari watches until 2000, when the Bulgari Group acquired sole ownership of Gérald Genta, Daniel Roth, and Manufacture de Haute Horlogerie. The first two firms produce high-end Swiss watches, while the third is owner of the production plants. They were all merged into Daniel Roth et Gérald Genta Haute Horlogerie S.A. In 2005 the Bulgari Group acquired 50% of Cadrans Designs, a Swiss firm that makes sophisticated dials, and 51% of Prestige D’Or, a specialized maker of bracelets in steel and precious metals.

101956- Serpenti watch,35mm, pink gold-diamonds case, Gold -full setting dial, Quartz movement, Diamonds 228 pce, Weight diamonds 1.11 [ct], Weight precious metall 125

The craftsmanship:

Bulgari craftsmanship produces complicated mechanisms with exclusive content. It is committed to complete control of the watch-making process, during both design and technological development. To do so, it chose to operate independently during the design and production phases, by centralizing development and production activities at just one atelier. Its staff includes des engineers, prototype makers, CAD specialists, and master watchmakers. Their work becomes an integral part of the watch itself, as in the case of the BVL 347 caliber of the Diagono Phases de Lune, with an exclusive display for tracking moon phases and a retrograde display (150°) of the day and date. The 347 components of its movement, which are hand finished and polished, required over 3,120 different steps during production and 350 quality control stages.

101787- Serpenti watch, 26mm, white gold-diamonds-case, White mother of pearl-diamonds dial, Quartz movement, Diamonds 134 pce, Weight diamonds 8.0 [ct], Weight precious metal 70.5

The movements:

Bulgari complications perfectly represent the fusion of Swiss watch-making art and unmistakable Italian design. Bulgari can satisfy the most demanding collectors with its characteristic and prestigious high-end watches, created by the passion of master watchmakers. For example, the handcrafted movement and dial and exclusive design of the Multi Complication Squelette case perfectly embody the essence of a Bulgari watch. The movement is the heart of a watch. It is the most complicated part to produce and develop, requiring over 7,360 hours for development and 380 for assembly and adjustment. The extremely delicate assembly phase is overseen from start to finish by the same Master Watchmaker, who guarantees its functionality and accuracy. The Bulgari Group develops and realizes ‘large and small complications’ in-house, at its subsidiaries Daniel Roth and Gérald Genta. Its objective was to continue creating unique movements with innovative ideas analyzed by watchmakers and translated into new technical designs. A prototype is then created and subjected to severe tests that can guarantee the technical feasibility and reliability of the movement.

101938- Serpenti watch, 35mm, pink gold-diamonds case, Full setting dial, Quartz movement, pink gold bracelet, 7 loops, Diamonds mounted 1.1100 carats

The case:

The case is a key part of the unique design of a Bulgari watch and not just the element that contains and protects the movement. Balancing these different functions renders its creation very complex. For example, a structure with 67 components was developed for the Assioma chronograph. Each individual step in the production process demands total precision, starting from realization of the prototype to definition of all the production phases. After all the components have been meticulously checked by experts to ensure the highest standard of quality, they are assembled by hand with the most delicate care.

101788- Serpenti watch, 26mm, gold-diamonds-case, Mother of pearl Black-diamonds dial, Quartz movement, Diamonds 42 pce, Weight diamonds 0.700 [ct], Weight precious metal 77.2

The dial:

For Bulgari, the dial is not just a simple device that indicates the time but also an important tool for demonstrating its watch-making experience. The incredible attention to detail that result from the combination of exacting skill and traditional Swiss craftsmanship is clearly reflected in the extreme complexity of all Bulgari dials. Cadrans Design of La Chaux-de-Fonds, the Bulgari Group subsidiary that specializes in the production of top-quality dials, has provided Bulgari with the tools and knowledge necessary for development and in-house production of high-end dials. The philosophy of Bulgari designers is to achieve sophisticated results through different combinations of colours on different levels of the dial in order to continue developing exclusive creations. Once the design is finalized, it has to be subjected to a careful technical analysis. Every treatment, colour, or supplemental surface (from 0.1 to 0.3 mm) could interfere with production of the dial. In the Assioma Multi-complication Squelette, the dial is composed of four levels (for a total depth of 0.8 mm) on which four different treatments are carried out. Different decorations can be realized in high-end horology, from the simplest to the most complicated motifs. The most common are: the Soleilé effect, the vertical treatment, Emaillé, Clou de Paris, Côtes de Genève, Azzuré, and Guilloché – the most precious of all.

101666- Astrale watch in white gold with marquise cut and pear cut diamonds (4,29ct), emeralds (4,29 ct) and round brilliant cut diamonds

The bracelet:

A watch bracelet complements the case by highlighting the principal features of its design, assuring comfortable wear. This implies a highly complex structure that often entails the use of more than 100 components. Following acquisition of Prestige D’Or, the Group subsidiary located in Saignelégier that specializes in the fabrication of bracelets, Bulgari can develop and produce its own bracelets in-house. The components are then finished by hand in order to obtain the desired level of finish and comfort. Only after this delicate operation is carried out can every single element be assembled in the exact order specified by a professional assembler. Over three hours are needed to polish the bracelet, a step that is carried out entirely by hand, while the delicate and painstaking assembly process takes from 30 minutes to one hour.

Presenting my favourites from the fashion week

Rabani & Rakha for Wills India Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2014

Designer duo Rabani & Rakha’s collection comprised of a sophisticated line of clothes with undertones of vintage essence. Light sheen fabrics made a mark, while ivory, gold and peach added to the charm of the collection. The silhouettes ranged from gowns to saris, and dresses to fusion garments, wherein major incorporation of layers, tulle, lace, brocade and rich embroidery work surfaced.

Siddartha Tytler for Wills India Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2014

Siddartha Tytler’s collection reflected the convention of Victorian whites with modern fashion, along with a subtle touch of royal blue and gold in beautifully tailored structures.

Wendell Rodricks for Wills India Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2014

Wendell Rodricks’ collection was inspired by the aesthetics of Indian Yoga and its effect on the mind, body and soul. Presented by the ministry of textiles, the line of clothes brought forth various silhouettes in linens, soft cottons, silk, and crepe—all fresh and white. His collection had a calming effect on the audience; nonetheless, the easy, flowy dresses were a crafty affair.

Blue is the new Black

GUESS Logo Crazed: Rs. 14,900

Gc-3 Blue: Rs. 44,500

 

Forever popular in the world of apparel, as a head-to-toe tone or just an accent piece, blue has the ability to make a statement, throughout seasons.

Rigor W0247G3: Rs. 11,900

Rigor W0040G7: Rs. 12,700

GUESS and Gc Watches are just the right timepieces for you to sport this trend. Fashion forward and eclectic, with these timepieces, you are sure to make heads turn!

Mini Plugged W0469L2: Rs. 12,500

Mini Phantom W0235L6: Rs. 12,500

With options available for both men and women, grab your share of blue with GUESS and Gc Watches!

Urban Androgyny at Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2014

Amrita Khanna & Gursi Singh

Amrita Khanna and Gursi Singh- Urban, dignified and unique were three words that best described the city slick collection under the label ‘Lovebirds’, inspired by urban issues from designer duo, Amrita Khanna and Gursi Singh at Jabong Stage during the fashion week.

Amrita Khanna & Gursi Singh

Trendy, straight cut silhouettes made their way onto the ramp in the form of skirts, tops, shirts, trousers, jackets, tunics and dresses in simple yet stylish fabrics like cottons, satins along with neoprene and mesh. Pastel tones in mint green, pure white, elegant black, denim blue and nude brown worked to give the range a fresh appeal.

Amrita Khanna & Gursi Singh

Although quirky, the outfits were spared of heavy embellishments or layers, to make way for an easy-to-wear style that was practical and stylish. Subtle structure and laser cut pieces made each outfit distinct and unique. Street smart and sophisticated ‘Lovebirds’ by designer duo Amrita Khanna and Gursi Singh, was an avant-garde take on functional fashion.

Prathoni Yengkhom & Jacky Laishram

Prathoni Yengkhom and Jacky Laishram- Designer duo Prathoni Yengkhom and Jacky Laishram under their label ‘Poco & Jacky’ created a vintage-meets-modern collection for their debut at Jabong Stage during the fashion week.

Prathoni Yengkhom & Jacky Laishram

The silhouettes aimed at men and women, ranged from contemporary to classic and comprised of skirts, trousers, jackets, blazers, dresses, coats, saris and gowns. To add an experimental, edgy undertone, the designers worked with faux leather and silk and stuck to a demure yet daring colour palette consisting of shades like moody moss, tantalising teal and ochre.

Prathoni Yengkhom & Jacky Laishram

To further reflect the flow between traditional and unconventional, embellishments complemented vintage techniques like beading and weaving onto New-Age textiles and almost-androgynous forms.