Review 

This New Age designer known for his Avant Garde style aesthetics; has contrasting approach towards fashion makes his line distinct from the rest. The collection ‘Game Changer’ by Siddhartha Bansal evoked more than what met the eye and stimulated a connection that consolidated the mind and soul in a harmonious bond .

The fight between good and evil, materialism and spiritualism never looked this glamorous and striking. Bansal, incorporated ‘the all-seeing eye’ that is generally acknowledged as a symbol of power and spirituality by converting it into digital motifs. The ensembles had a psychedelic vibe etched to them and the pop-art influenced colour palette that included turquoise, coral, mauve, tangerine and mustard escalated the funk.

The garments varied from elegant printed old-school blouse/cropped top teamed with a twin skirt and a scarf to flared vibrant palazzos combined with a low-key T-shirt, which were highly functional yet quirky and pleasant. The outfits had a certain ease and music festive vibe with the play of colours and prints. A fashionable example was an off-shoulder, printed, floor length dress and a layered frilled imprinted gown with a basic black bodice highlighted with sequinned work. The fabrics were carefully chosen from different parts of India to celebrate the lavish heritage of this nation. Collaboration between this kaleidoscopic and modish presentation and the classic flavours of Indian textiles was a match made in art heaven.

Review 

Power dressing and occasion wear were skilfully merged by designer Naveem Shaikh for her label ‘Aaylixr’..

The colour palette worked perfectly as strong hues of green, blue, red, grey, brown and aubergine were turned into ideal Winter/Festive looks. Bringing together a kaleidoscope of silhouettes, the designer worked with flowing but structured ensembles but kept the look clean and crisp.

Luxe fabrics glittered with sequins, hand crafted floral motifs and some regimental ones inspired by the military look. The ensembles ranged from a basic shift dress with sequinned embellishment at the hem, peplum wrap-over jacket teamed with formal trousers and a metallic waist belt to a violet wrap over knee length dress with motifs placed intelligently.

The effortless translation from a regular long nude dress with a colour blocked two-toned floor length jacket, to a glamorous sundown turquoise, body-hugging gown with sequinned, crisscrossed peek-a-boo bodice and systematic motif placement on the bottom half with a thigh high slit was commendable.

Review 

Kanika Jain, behind the brand ‘Kanelle’, presented ‘Baby-Blue Jean’ as a tribute to the most basic yet classic piece of clothing commonly present in every closet across the globe through her line .

Running down memory lane, this collection swiftly deported the audience back to the late 80’s and early 90’s when happiness was through living in a favourite pair of lucky jeans that managed to fit  like a dream and still had a designated spot in the closet.

The ensembles marked the evolution of this vital apparel in a more contemporary manner with highly up-scaled inventive variations. An array of regular silhouettes, such as textured denim jackets, slip dress, skirts, capes with unfinished edges, flared bell-bottoms, sheer tunic, woollen round-neck tops, wrap over trench dress, asymmetrical top over casual jeans were given a rather glamorized make-over by making them more captivating yet retaining their functional value. Commanding fits along with the prototypical pocket placement was a swift move that blended well with the idea of easy chic. The nipped waists and a bit of asymmetry also added to the creative element of the garments.

Textures like twisted pleats, fringes, metallic vark, washed and treated, yarn mesh patchwork, play of darts and customized buttons were intelligently accumulated in the apparel that successfully escalated its visual demeanour. The creative mix of sheer and opaque gave a stylish angle to the outfits.

Denim being the central hero of the clothes was pitched together with organza and woollen fabrics for unusual artistic results. The colour range was a funky mixture of vintage denim hues and stark earthy tones like nude, beige, brown, white, smoky grey with a tinge of pastel that gave the outfits an extra edge.

430City’s highest rooftop destination hosted their first ever “Fashion Night Out “a night of high fashion, glamour and glit, the first ASILO Fashion Night Out with designers Shivan & Naresh .

The night saw guests such as Masaba Gupta, Madhu Mantena, Surily Goel, Ashiesh Shah, Narendra Kumar, Nimish Shift, Arjan Bajwa, Acquin Paes, Dilshaad Khambatta , Yash Birla, Vineet Jain, Shivan & Naresh, Sanam Sippy, Pooja Dhingra, Kehkashan Patel, Samir Datani, Rippi Sethi and many others

430By the Mekong, famed for authentic flavors from the mystical lands of China, Vietnam and Thailand introduced to its diners, Master Chef Shi Xilin as Chef de Cuisine.  Chef Xilin has over two decades of experience in Asian cuisine and over the years has enthralled his diners with his robust flavours, authentic dishes and fresh approach.

The weekend , saw Mr Anuraag Bhatnagar, Area General Manager, Starwood Hotels India and General Manager, St Regis Mumbai with international designer Pria Kataaria Puri host an exclusive soirée at By the Mekong for a tasting of some of Chef Xilin’s signature specials with their close friends.

Chef Xilin’s menu captured the nuances, freshness and complexity of flavours of the dishes, on offer were Edamame Dim Sum with Fresh French Truffle, Mongolian Lamb Balls with Green Onion, Chilean Sea bass with Sichuan Wild Pepper, Stir Fried Asparagus with Chili & Garlic, ending it with Chef Xilin’s presentation of a live dessert of Star Anise Scented Berries Flambé with Cognac served with Lychee Ice Cream, Cashew and Chinese Cookie Soil.

Seen savouring the delectable meal were Sharmila Thackeray, Nawaz Singhania, Delna Poonawala, Lata Patel, Tanaaz Doshi, Aarti Surendranath, Shradha Salla, Resham Hemdev, Anushka Rajan, sisters Meenakshi Ahuja Kuwadekar and Teena Ahuja Kapoor, Vanita Bhandari, Puja Gupta, Avni Patel, Simran Kaur Mundi, Olivia Grant, Shibani Agarwal and Simone Singh amongst many more.

Deriving his inspiration from some of The Palaces of India, the designer has explored the state of Rajasthan which is known for its beautiful structures and stunning architecture. Scattered all around the state, there are palaces and forts which have a uniqueness of their own, that shout out sagas of old glory and exquisite decor. Some of the richness of these can be witnessed through the remnant of the wall art still beautifully preserved within the interiors of most.

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Exploring and capturing the surviving motifs and elegant colour schemes from these, Rajdeep Ranawat brings to you a collection with a fresh take on the vintage wall arts of The Palaces, to be launched at the prestigious fashion fair ‘Who’s Next’ from 2-5th September at Porte des Versailles, Paris.

The collection has been split into multiple themes based on the usage of various motifs and colours and named after the six heritage cities of Rajasthan; that are Kota, Ajmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Samode and Jaipur.

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Rich silk based fabrics, embellished with genuine crystal from Swarovski compliment the design elegance of The Palace and assist each garment in narrating a story of their own, as they mesmerise you into a time where kings, kingdom and a very colourful culture thrived.

Ermenegildo Zegna commits to restoring part of the rural-architectural heritage of Italy’s Cinque Terre.

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The Ermenegildo Zegna Group is no stranger to environmental and social responsibility causes, and the “green” commitment of its founder, who continues to provide pivotal inspiration for initiatives such as these. Already in the 1930s, founder Ermenegildo Zegna launched one of the earliest Italian industrial examples of environmental and social patronage in his hometown of Trivero (Biella), where he founded the Zegna Wool Mill in 1910.

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Among the many important environmental initiatives undertaken by the group over the course of its 102-year history, the experimental restoration project of Punta Mesco in the Cinque Terre National Park, located in the Liguria region of Northern Italy and recognized worldwide for its spectacular beauty, stands alone. The one-of-a-kind collaboration between public and private enterprises involves the recovery of 45 hectares of land and abandoned farm buildings that FAI (Italian National Trust) was given as a donation.

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The pilot project is being directed by FAI, with whom Fondazione Zegna has enjoyed an ongoing collaboration that dates back to its foundation in 1975, and also involves the Regione Liguria, Cinque Terre National Park, and the municipalities of Levanto and Monterosso, in addition to special help from the Universities of Genoa and Florence.

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