May 2011 - Page 3 of 19

Salim Asgarally is a revered name synonymous with high craftsmanship accentuating on the perfect blend of east and west. Having trained in the west his collections reflect an international spirit in style, silhouette and drape, while retaining an Indian sensibility of colour, texture and embellishment.

Salim’s extraordinaire creativity is a byproduct of his training at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and the University of California in Los Angeles. Since 1992 Salim backed by his formal training in fashion designing has been busy pursuing his dream – to make Indian women more beautiful than they already are and to create a label that truly evokes an international feel.

The time is evident that Salim weaves dreams and clocks them up. Today, Salim Asgarally is a renowned label worldwide having three design ranges – Couture, Pret A Porter and Home Accessories. From day wear shirts and ethnic ensembles , to evening dresses , sarees , tunics , ball gowns and little black dresses , his collections can make a woman feel stylish and “with it” anywhere in the world . His Home Accessories range of cushions, curtains and bed n bath adorn the homes of the likes of Maddona and Brad Pitt.

Regular exhibitions and shows every year in places as diverse as Dubai , Dar-e-salaam , Singapore , South Africa , Nairobi , London and Los Angeles keep the SA label flying high. Apart from this, Salim showcases every year in December in Mumbai to an audience packed with celebrities, socialites, movie stars and press. Top models ranging from Aishwarya Rai and Bipasha Basu have not only modeled his collections but have also walked the ramp for him. Simi Garewal , Pooja Bedi , Smriti Irani , Mouli Ganguly and other top TV stars form a part of his growing client base.

Salim has had also graced many brands and events by glamorizing and enriching the occasions by his creativity. He has created special lines for fashion events held by the likes of Citibank, United Breweries, The Bride Show Dubai, Chateau Indage Wines, Audi Pune Fashion Week, Royal Wedding Show Mumbai, American Women Association Dubai and many more.

Salim’s creations can also be found on the racks of chic fashion houses such as OGAAN ( Mumbai and New Delhi ) , FUEL (Mumbai and Pune ) , IRIS (Pune) , FFOLIO (Bangalore), SADE ( Pune ) and SAUCE ( Dubai) , besides his own studio in Mumbai.

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The Latvian lass Ieva Kuzma’s story to modeling is out of some fairy tale. From the shadow of an ordinary life in a small town to the glittering glamour of the high streets, Ieva has an innate distinct charm which made her mount the ladders of fame in no time. School girl meets femme fatale look of Ieva is arresting enough to let the men gasp and women envy, where the girl loves to bask in the glory.

So here is Ieva Kuzma revealing her inner side to the readers of the fashionfad.in…

Tell us something about your formative years and family?
I’m a small town girl. I have wonderful parents and an elder brother. Always been a tomboy. Growing up with animals around turned me into a big animal lover. Most of my time was spent in school.

Tell us something about your journey as a model. How it happened to you?
Well it started long time ago. I started when I was 15 but at that time my main focus was on school so I barely travelled. Last year I graduated and now I’m full time modeling. For a year now I’ve been living in India and working on my portfolio. That’s about it.

Don’t you think modeling comes with a very short shelf life? So what plans have you held for yourself?
Comparing with other professions it does. For now I don’t have any big plans. I know I will study something eventually. Actually I don’t like to make big plans for the future because you never know what is going to happen.

How difficult is it for a foreign model to get work in India?
In my opinion if an agency has done everything right and selected the right look for market then everything should be fine. India is not the hardest place because the market is not too crowded and every model has a chance to do some work.

What do you like and dislike most about modeling?
I like opportunities this carrier gives – travelling, meeting people, discovering cultures. I dislike wrong opinion people have about this business. Another thing that sometimes girls are too young to travel and then they go crazy – party’s, drugs etc. there should be some limits.

The green rooms have always been a land of wonder and curiosity for an outsider…..Tell us something about how you girls gel up, what you talk, what you think et al? Give us a brief into backstage through eyes of Ieva.
It’s a mess but fun also. People scream and run because normally everything is delayed.
It’s not easy to get 15-20 models ready on time even though you start early. Normally girls gossip about everything and everybody. A lot of girls read or listen to music. It’s not like we sit around and do nothing till show starts. We have rehearsals and we need to get ready hair, make-up. We have to spend hours in green rooms to perform for 10-15 minutes on ramp.

Which designers have you walked for nationally and internationally? Who appeals your aesthetic senses most?
I’m not really a runway model. But I have walked shows for such designers as Lina Tipnis, Ankita Chaudhary, Charu Parashar, Archana Kochhar and few others.

It is often said that models in India are quite less paid than their contemporaries around the world. Do you really think so? What’s your take on this?
It really depends. Here system is different, I mean in India you get paid for day but in other places in Asia payment is per hour, so yeah, I would say 50:50 .

Modeling industry in India is often alleged of working in cliques based on favoritism. How hard is it to move ahead in this industry?
It’s hard is if you are new to the market, even harder if you are new in business. In India you need to prove that you’re a good model. Once people know you it is easier.

How is Ieva as a person, which books do you like, what sort of music do you enjoy and all that comprises the most essential part of you other than modeling?
I love reading. One of my favorite authors is Paulo Coelho. Music… my taste has changed a lot, for now I would say house music is my favorite.

What is your fitness and beauty regime? I mean, what do you do to always look so presentable?
I guess working out at least 3 times a week – gym, yoga (what is available). Of course I’m eating as healthy as possible and I’m always removing make-up before going to sleep.

What is your greatest achievement till date?
Being where I am at the moment without losing myself.

How does Ieva like to style herself up?
With a lot of different accessories. My style changes a lot because I always dress how mood is. I love big rings, necklaces and bangles.

How do you spend your leisure time?
Doing things I like – sleeping, working out, reading, watching movies, taking pictures, hanging out with friend’s etc.

Peek – A – Boo

Favorite food: Of course my Mom’s made.

Favorite holiday destination: Always wanted to go to Bali.

Favorite perfume: For now it’s Nina by Nina Ricci.

Favorite fashion brand: D&G.

The man you find hottest: I would say Johnny and Orlando.

Favorite Movie: I don’t have one favorite. I enjoy watching movies based on true story’s.

Your greatest fear: Spiders.

What do you love and hate most? Of course I love my family the most. I have a big crush on food – I could never be one of those starving models… ha ha…

I’m not a hater. But there are things I don’t like as people who pretend to be someone they are not.

What are you addicted to (if any)? Shopping.

Your Ultimate Shopping Haven: Anywhere where I can do it for few hours at the time.

Guilty Pleasure: Late night snacks.

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When Cheryl Cole was spotted sporting a big bouffant, stylists thought she was having a “crazy hair day” leave alone a bad hair day. Causing a stir in Los Angeles, Cheryl justified her hairdo by saying, “I love this style… I feel really glamorous with it. The bigger the better I always say: the higher the hair, the closer to heaven.”

But little did we know that she would be the first to bring back the ever so hit ‘big hair’ trend of the ’80s. The large hair look was further championed by celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Elle Macpherson and closer home it was Malaika Arora at a recent do, who sported this dramatic hairdo.

Yup I know what you are thinking, we all have dreaded the style statement of the ’80s which was as one can rightly say a little shoddy. And big hair was no exception. Though big hair is not unique to the ’80s just like during the ’60s we saw the beehive trend and the 70s had the afro. But what sets the ’80s hair styles apart was their diversity. From strange hair colours and cuts to voluminous hair, as long as it wasn’t straight it was the ultimate sin in the ’80s.

And it seems like with both Cole and Parker’s seal of approval on the big hair trend, the hairspray cans will soon be out of stock as followers take on the trend.

We give a few DIY tips to get this glam look with ease:

Get a lot of layers done in your hair to create volume and lift

Wash your hair and then blow dry them a little
While your hair is still damp, backcomb
Direct five sprays of the volumising hair spray into your hair to create lots of volume around the roots. (You should always prep you hair with styling products like sprays and mousse before you start blow-drying. This is because you hair will stay in the style you go on to create with heat and brushing)
Concentrate on the roots. When your hair is damp, turn your head upside down and dry it with a hairdryer, until it’s 80% dry
Lift your head back up and see the results
Use a round-barrelled brush to flick and bend your hair at the ends, creating extra volume just the way Cole and Parker did it

Happy styling!

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The recently held Silhouette 2011 saw young designer Aniket Satam launching his label A+ with debut collection inspired by the fictional muse, who magically afloat across bazaars and uplifts moods and material to create a look of her own.

Born out of the innate desire to decode the Vintage charm, the Label A+ caresses all things blooming with Bygone Grace. Antique yet alluring, exotic yet endearing, the design essence oscillates magically from Intellectual chic to fun & frolic. Each outfit by the label is injected with fresh narration of neo Indian-ness in terms of Fabric, textures and techniques, which flatters the jet setter of our times.

The debut collection by Aniket Satam is like a collage of vintage memoirs, the collection oscillates from whipped full skirts, lady like summer jacket to swinging pinafore bag dresses and evening Ballroom Palazzo suit. Each of them is color blocked perfectly, with retro palette of Tangerine, teal, Honeysuckle, Laguna green, royal lilac and clear jade. The collection takes a silk route infusing lustrous raw silks, cotton silks, cotton satin with diaphanous tulles to create a layered Symphony of textures and transparency.

Quirky details and digital art translate the oversize dollops of delicious separates into surreal wardrobe for every modern Alice of this vicious wonderland.

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Tango With Mango @ Forgetful Elephant TIMING: 11 am to 12 midnight Starting from: 27th May,2011 to 10th June, 2011 VENUE : @ Forgetful Elephant M-25,First Floor, M Block Market,G.K Part-1, New Delhi -110048

The Tinsel town’s party-goers all maneuvered their coupé towards ‘The Terrace’ at the Ikxia Lounge, Chowpatty in Marine Drive yesterday sundown. It was the splendid unleash of the newest rooftop lounge at Queen’s Necklace that saw B-Town populace chilling-out at the sea-face aloof their incessantly-occupied runaway lifestyle.

The brain-wave of a patio lounge with canopies like in ships had befallen from young quintuplet Moin ahmed, Zubin Ladha, Ishan Nagar, Sharang Rawal and Shriraj Bhukhanwala. “The look is inimitable that will magnetize exultant crowd to let-their-hair-down and connect to their loved ones. Our guests will come here to spend quality time, and we will ensure that becomes one of their treasured memories,” smiled Ahmed.

The fêted guest who came to enjoy the moonlight evening were Aarti Vijay Gupta, coveted Mumbai-based designer, Akshay J Shah, co-producer of Tanu weds Manu, Ricky Lopez, Director of Belad Al Rafdeen, Dubai-based conglomerate amongst others. The gastronomy dole out would be a vegetarian’s glee cajoled with appetizing cocktails, the likes of fresh fruit martini, mojitos & caprioskas, plus their mouth-watering signature drinks.

The things that will raise eyeballs are God’s view of Queen’s Necklace, the just-be-yourself ambience and conclusively do-what-you-want stance! One can sit endlessly over fine summery cocktails, delicious hors d’ oeuvres and get riveted in star-gazing. So, this weekend, you know where to take your beau for a memorable moonlight dinner that is destined to be one experience!

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Filmmaker Sai Paranjpye and Bollywood actress and filmmaker Pooja Bhatt on Wednesday threw open the second edition of India’s biggest five day LGBT event – Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival – in a star studded red carpet event.

“Indian society is getting over its prudishness and is a far cry from the time that sex was not discussed and homosexuality was not even in the closet but brushed under the carpet,” said Paranjpye. Film is the potent of all visual mediums and and films at Kashish should not just be restricted to the festival but also be available for general viewing, she added.

Let us have more forums like Kashish,” said Pooja Bhatt as she exhorted the LGBT community to come out and speak out”. “In a world full of lies, the most revolutionary act is to tell the truth. Every gay man and woman must come out of the closet and claim their rightful life”, she said passionately.

Kashish is a dream,” said Sridhar Rangayan, Festival director. “This year we have a huge collection of films from around the world and some stimulating panel discussions in store for the audiences. We have a bigger theatre this year and we want everyone to return every day to watch great queer films ”

It was an evening to remember as the city’s queer community rubbed shoulders with the crème da la crème of Mumbai’s social scene. Adman Alyque Padamsee, theatre actors Dolly Thakore and Mona Ambegaonkar, actress Suhasini Mulay and Kim Sharma, actor and Kashish jury member Samir Soni and Karan Mehra, filmmaker Vinta Nanda, playwright Mahesh Dattani and the gay Indian prince Manavendra Singh Gohil mingled with the audience.

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Chanel’s cruise show, staged annually in May, steals the thunder with its show at the Cap d’Antibes.

The collection was classy and chic, moving away from Karl Lagerfeld’s previous free-spirited motorbike Resort offering which he showed in Saint Tropez last May. Some 50 models – including Karl’s five model “sons” – languorously strolled towards the pink sunset before an audience that included Princess Caroline of Monaco, Blake Lively, Clemence Poesy, newcomer actress Marine Vacth, rock star Vanessa Paradis and Rachel Bilson.

Leading the sophisticated pack was Kristen McMenamy in a black and white one-piece swimsuit and floaty robe. This was followed by a series of lavender and lemon Forties-style suits, paired with dashing, new linen boots with open toes; and then segued into ecru and black into a collection featuring pleated dresses with embroideries and crystal tinged cocktail dresses. Underlining the classily elegant message, couturier Karl attired the entire cast in nearly 100 pieces of fine jewelry.

Chanel swimsuits were embedded with literally millions of dollars worth of diamonds. Evening columns with pearls peeped through chiffon and brooches looked like small emerald explosions, making this possibly the most extravagant fashion show ever in terms of high-power jewelry.

Post show, guests imbibed champagne or fragrant red wine from Rauzan Segla, the famed Bordeaux vineyard of Chanel’s owners, the hyper discreet Wertheimer family.

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