Objects of Desire

Burberry Prorsum

Albury necklace

£1,058.40

I've been, simply put, lusting after this necklace from the moment I laid eyes on it at Net-a-porter.com. It's simply exquisite!

Statement necklace indeed.

Now if only there weren't 4-digits on the price tag!

Are you a fashion entrepreneur?

The British Council announces:

Young Fashion Entrepreneur (YFE) Award 2009

	Apply now for the 2009 award!

The Young Fashion Entrepreneur award aims to champion and celebrate the importance of creative entrepreneurs working in the field of fashion. It seeks to showcase international innovation in fashion promotion, using the UK as the nexus for cultural, creative and commercial exchange.

Who can apply:

Entrepreneurs between 25 and 35 years working in any of the following sectors:

Fashion:

• Fashion, textile, accessories or perfume design and production
• Fashion promotion: shows, exhibitions, festivals, events
• Fashion retail: buying, merchandising
• Fashion product research, sourcing, supply chain management
• Fashion marketing, PR, branding, journalism
• Fashion publishing, communications, websites
• Consultants providing specialist services in any of the areas outlined

We recognise that a finalist may be active as a fashion designer, but this should be secondary to their focus as an entrepreneur in the promotion of the fashion industry in their country. Artistic talent will not be factored into the judging procedure – finalists will be judged solely on the merit of their entrepreneurial abilities in the industry.

Before you apply, make sure you read the guidance notes.

Apply online or download the application form (Word doc)

Closing date: Friday 10 October 2008.

You can forward your application form and portfolio of selected works to:

“YFE”
Rwituja Gomes Mookherjee
Project Manager
British Council Division
17 Kasturba Gandhi Marg
New Delhi 110 001
T: +91 11 4149 7374

Or email it to yce.india@in.britishcouncil.org

For more information you can email rwituja.mookherjee@in.britishcouncil.org.

Spring Fever

I was asked by the people over at InTouch India magazine to write them a piece for their 'Glamour' section. Their readers being mostly university students and young professionals I took up the offer.

I put together a round up of trend tips, colour information and what's new in accessories.


Photos Credits: Style.com, bananarepublic.com, guess.com

The world of couture and high fashion can sometimes feel far removed from that of the classroom and cubicle. But fashion can in fact be blended in seamlessly with the academic and executive life, with a few pointers on what’s in trend for the season.

Looking for the juice on what’s hot this spring? Read on for lessons in colour, fit, silhouette, accessorization, and give yourself a quick fashion education.


Silhouette talk

Every season or two silhouettes undergo change. With newer variations on the present and additional silhouettes which herald the future.

Silhouettes this season are on the one hand emphasize comfort with shirt dresses (belted and in cotton or denim), tunic dresses and tops, the balloon silhouette in the form of skirts, tops and pants, flared knee length skirts for women. This means your empire waist tops and dresses will continue to work at least another season. You could choose to update these by tying a ribbon below your chest for the right look. Halter necks and strapless tops continue to be big news for those able to carry them off. Dolman sleeves (seen above in lime green) and the ‘H’ shape neckline (seen in sage green) are blasts from the past and back in a big way. You’ll be sure to spot these on the ramps and racks for winter as well.

Jackets remain cropped, and hit just below the bust or get sparkly with sequins and rhinestones for evening. Throw on a number like the ones shown above and layer your knit tops and blouses. Look out for satin details on tops, dresses, skirts and pants.


Jeans and Pants: The freshest take on pants is the Cropped Pant. In two lengths, one ending above the knee and the other which hits just below the knee, the cropped pant is a style which works for all figure types. For the hip heavy though, hip covering tops are a good idea.


The skinny leg or drain pipes continue on from winter as the staple in pants and jeans. As dark wash jeans these are a personal favourite as well. Wear it chino style for office chic or as skinny jeans for an evening out with friends.

The contoured leg jean, a slimmer cousin of the boot leg is also a stylish choice, for those who just can’t let go of the boot-cut silhouette.


Men’s looks: For guys the looks to be inspired by include a layering of a dark casual jacket over a t-shirt and jeans or chinos, or for more casual style, combine a pair of dark wash denims with a shirt and zip-front sweatshirt.


Jackets remain soft and unstructured, in glossy twill, dark wash denim and soft linen.


For the man serious about his style, white cords are where it is this season. Worn with beige, brown and lighter shades of blue these make for a very refined look.


Colour Story


Hot colours this season include white, seen in all white dresses on ramps the world over. Yellow in an almost acid avatar, and a bright pop of vermillion are this seasons new arrivals. Colours like bright green, crimson red, cobalt blue, coppery brown and black round off the palette. Accents of matte and shiny gold, silver and copper bring the mix to a boil.


Accessories Story

Going Metallic: We’ve seen gold, silver and copper on bracelets, earrings, big shoulder bags and the like. But this season prepare to see these everywhere from ballet flats to watches to newer takes on your favourite kolhapuris.


For the boys all-metal watches in gold and matte chrome are the hottest news this season, while for the girls coppery-gold tones travel as far as multi-strand necklaces and makeup.


Glam Shades: A pair of well-made shades are essential for everyone this season. Not only do they protect your eyes from harmful UV rays, they also appreciably up your glam quotient.


Bags and Shoes: While ballet flats & platform heels are the stylish options for women’s shoes, for men it is the pointy toed loafers and tennis shoes, which make for a well put together look.


While big shoulder bags continue in newer shapes and colours for women, it is the clutch that reigns supreme for the evening. While for guys the canvas messenger bag remains a handy essential.

Tarun's Trails

Last weekend i watched Alque Padamsee's adaptation of the Bard's 'Macbeth'.

Not a great fan of the senior Padamsee's work, what drew me was the promise of seeing costumes fashioned by couturier Tarun Tahiliani amongst the action on stage.

While the production had its high points, i was quite taken aback on seeing the costumes.

The ensembles bore the appropriate period look with capes that secured around the neck, faux leather fashioned into breast plates and thigh grazing tunics worn over leggings (hose) for the knights. Even the suede footwear was detailed with rivetted straps that ran up the calves. The maid servants' garb appeared charming and feminine to the eye, and in the case of Lady Macbeth, appropriatly dark, mysterious and sensuous.

But something kept bothering my eye.... And it took me a moment to figure what that discordant note was. And lo and behold clarity presented itself. The garments were badly constructed!

And not i'm not talking threads hanging loose..... but puckers and bad bad draping and construction!

Lady Macbeth's gown looked flat. One could tell it was a Tarun from the flow of fabric and the twists and turns of the drape, but the execution was plain horrid!

Post show, i spoke to a couple of friends in the know and pieced together the story.

Those were indeed designs from the Tahiliani stable, but in trying to keep production costs low, the sketches had been interpreted into fabric by Padamsee's costume people.

From what i hear Tarun himself was aghast at the final effect and asked to not be enlisted for such projects again.

Just goes to show, that quality and technique are as much a hallmark of a classy design label as the creative content.

What does it take to be a world renowned designer?

by Merril Diniz for Rediff.com

This question was one I was hoping to tackle here on the blog, and as I hopped over to Rediff.com, I found they'd gotten Didier Grumbach, Chairman of the Fédération Française de la Couture (French Association of Couture) to reveal all.

The Fédération Française de la Couture, du prêt-à-porter des couturiers et des créateurs de mode was established in 1973. It derives from the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture created in 1868. So to say that Didier Grumbach is a prominent figure in the world of international fashion is putting it lightly. And it is key to note that he was present at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, that commenced in Delhi the other day.

So it doesn't get much better than this. If you aspire to someday be the toast of the fashion cognoscenti, with an empire to call your own, then listen up and listen good as Didier Grumbach reveals some gems about what works in the international market and how to build your brand. This is what he had to say…

Let your personality shine

A designer must not be influenced by anyone else. "He has a message that is totally his own. He creates something that doesn't exist in the world, which becomes international." Didier quotes the example of French designer Jean Paul Gaultier who didn't sell a piece from his first show. "He was weird. Of course, he thought his clothes were very wearable. In a year or two, it became a trend and he built a repertoire. Because of such a repertoire, the brand survives even after the departure of the designer."

Didier also mentions designers like Chanel and Balienciaga, whose brands live on even today. He calls Gaultier an artist, whose designs brought out his own personality. This is one approach to designing.

Designing for an audience

The other approach is to adjust designs to a specific territory and with a target audience in mind. He stresses that being a world-class designer is not just about how many orders you get. "You can be very successful in selling. You can also make a fantastic impact and get few orders. To build your brand, these two things are complementary."

India on the international ramp

According to Didier, there are no nationalities in the world of fashion and India must be shown to the world in the right way. "The way we will look at fashion with your Indian culture is something that will add tthe world community the way Japan has succeeded in changing the way we work and feel. We dress in a Japanese manner without even knowing it, thinking it is part of the everyday world," says Didier.

He quotes the examples of Japanese designers Kenzo, who opened his first boutique in 1970, and Issey Miyake, who first showcased his collection in Paris in 1973. Eventually, both went on to make a mark on the international map.

Photograph: Jewella C Miranda