Monthly Archives: December 2015

Wendell Rodricks Design Space

The Wendell Rodricks Design Space, in Goa, is showcasing stunning shawls with crochet, Chantilly lace, sequins, by former Miss India Suzanne Pillai and a collection of handmade bead jewellery by Kim Maria Figueiredo for this festive season.

1

Offlate, Suzanne’s shawls and stoles are creating waves amongst Mumbai’s clinking chatterati. Whilst Kim’s jewellery is handcrafted from thousands of tiny glass beads from Japan and the Czech Republic. Her creations are artistically woven together only with NymoTM and FirelineTM imported from U.S. to ensure durability.  

2

It is such a pleasure to have Suzanne and Kim at my flagship store in Panjim. Suzanne has been my model since the late 1980’s and is one of India’s most charming, beautiful ladies. When I first saw her shawls, I was struck by their creative, elegance and luxury. As for Kim Figueiredo, one look at her exquisite beadwork needed no convincing that we should promote her intricate, dazzling talent. I am sure Goa will enjoy viewing and indulging these two talents and treasures at the Wendell Rodricks Design Space in Panjim, said Wendell.

 

Etxeberria’s hunger games

Far from the runways of Europe, Spanish menswear designer and IWP alumnus Roberto Etxeberria has fashioned a name for himself, on the streets of Panem following the blockbuster Hollywood film The Mockingjay Part 2, the last instalment of the hugely successful Hunger Games franchise.

1In the film, Etxeberria’s wool, leather and fur outerwear is worn by many of the Capital’s residents in sweeping shots of the city, as well as lead actor Woody Harrelson [as Haymitch Abernathy] in the poignant final scenes. The insertion of Etxeberria’s costumes into the narrative arc of the film speaks to the historically significant role of fashion in moving image since its inception, with the costumes of each character and their respective districts reflective of social and cultural status.

2

Alexander McQueen to return to LFW

 

1It’s a home coming for Alexander Mcqueen after a long stint at Paris. Slated to showcase in February, the designer will join the likes of Burberry, Erdem and Christopher Kane in presenting its fall/winter 2016 collection on the London runway.

Shoe designer Charlotte Olympia will also present for AW16 as we see leather brand Mulberry makes its return.

 

Dressing up for Christmas!

Come December with comes shopping, as populace start thinking about what to wear for Christmas and New Years Eve.

1

More so during this time of the year, the usual trend is been to wear your LBD as one is never over dressed or underdressed in it or go red but as we go searching we found that people are opting for white instead.

2

Go lacy this season be it your dress or pants with biker/gilet jackets, nude slip dress, gold tunics paired with hot pants and T-bar sandals crafted from metallic leather with check-engraved or laser cut lace leather wedge is a must have for this festive. Finally accessorize yourself with statement cuffs.

5

j

Athleisure clothing and Ponchos are trending this season, don’t shy away from volume , be it sweater or coat with comfortable leggings and tall boots or tonal black on black for a classic, comfortable and oh so cozy!!3

4

Jason Wu Pre fall 2016

Jason Wu just presented a very chic pre-fall 2016 collection dominated by tartan, plaids and floral. Pair of glen-plaid patchwork trousers with a zipper lining the seam from knee to ankle and a patchwork fit-and-flare dress seamed with zippers was quiet fashionable.

 

The colorful collection included many statement garments including fur coat . Many of the pieces had feminine lace details and lingerie effects. Wu’s newet pre-season collection showed off bold tailoring, strategically-placed zippers and soft pleats.

 

Ralph Lauren Pre fall 2016

A muted palette in neutral shades is Ralph Lauren’s pre-fall 2016.The collection has chic layering, coupled with refined styling and minimal extravagance. The tone-on-tone ensembles are created in sandy hues and light rose shades, along with a few whites and jet blacks.

“I was inspired by the purity of clean lines and classic shapes, a romantic minimalism and feminine sophistication created for a modern way of living,” says Ralph Lauren. Wide-leg culottes and pleated knee-length skirts the designer has more to look forward to.

Diane Von Furstenberg Pre fall 2016

Diane von Furstenberg pre-fall collection, titled Palazzo was inspired by the grand palazzos of Rome and Florence.

The collection was inspired from foulard prints in a palette of navy, orange and deep green in the form of soft pleated skirts, easy slip dresses, shearling jacket, and wrap dresses to go with boots.

Bejewelled Treasures: The Al Thani Collection

1This exhibition at V&A showcases over one hundred exceptional jewels, jewelled artefacts and jades from the Al Thani Collection from 21st November 2015 to 28th march 2016.

The pieces range in date from the early 17th century to the present day, and were made in the Indian subcontinent or inspired by India. They include spectacular precious stones, jades made for Mughal emperors and a gold tiger-head finial from the throne of the South Indian ruler Tipu Sultan.

2Objects from the collections of the Nizams of Hyderabad show the influence of Western techniques and gem cutting on the work of Indian jewellers. Famous jewels from leading European houses such as Cartier reveal the more significant impact of India on Art Deco jewellery in the early 20th century. 

3These bejewelled treasures highlight the exceptional skills of goldsmiths within the Indian subcontinent. The most recent pieces by jewellers such as JAR and Bhagat also demonstrate that cross-cultural exchanges continue to inspire contemporary jewellery design in India and Europe.

Is Fashion going green?

1Lately, all news dailies were seen flaunting designer masks, but is what is called sustainable fashion? Or are we doing enough to bring in change.

Starting from Stella McCartney, who adhere to green fashion principles much in advance, comes Louis Vuitton’s gala handbag and Gucci’s Dionysus shoulder bag , stitched from signature GG Supreme canvas print now use polyurethane in their design rather than PVC, an example of “green” or “sustainable” fashion. So with little fanfare, if these business has been making changes is quiet noteworthy. Is India Listening?

2

In wake of United Nations conference on climate change, where Paris played host, a hub for luxury fashion. With LVMH, the corporate sponsors of the conference, and Kering holding panel discussions, it’s not far that we see France sending e-vites for its runway show invitations.

Despite all those opulent dresses, Gucci and LVMH is an accessories label built on shoes and purses. With shoes and handbags mostly depend on leather and cattle ranching, consumes mass quantities of natural resources from land to water. Traditional leather tanning uses heavy metals, most notably chromium, and the resulting waste is a health hazard, while PVC, another favoured component in bag-making, is also an environmental contaminant.

Gucci website notes that it’s produced using an “earth-conscious process, not making it evident, the new green sensibility of Gucci represents the changing philosophy of its parent company, Kering – one of the largest luxury conglomerates in the world – and the luxury industry in general, including the biggest behemoth of them all, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton.

Ritu Kumar unveils new flagship store

Ritu Kumar known for her design centric stores, launched her largest flagship store in South Mumbai at Kalaghoda, the art district cum retail hub of the city, much sought after for its old world charm and colonial architecture with a fashion presentation of her winter festive collection. 

1

Opening event saw a fashion presentation by the designer, celebrating the age old technique of Chintz and hand block printing, a vintage craft of India, which brought the East India Company and the South East Asian regions to the shores of the country to trade in these highly skilled and aesthetic textiles.Walking the ramp in Ritu Kumar’s Kalamkari & Ajrak collections were models Candice Pinto, Deepti Gujral, Archana Kumar and Soni Kaur and Sarita.

2

​Making it the first store of its kind, the decor is anchored around the ‘Chintz’ textile trade of India to the East India Company.​ Spread over a sprawling 2300 sq feet, this new Ritu Kumar store is a veritable museum of India’s rich textile history. The store was designed in conjunction with Mumbai based architects, Shweta Shah, and Pranav Naik of Studio Pomegranate.