Rendezvous in VeniceThe world of cinema met with that of watchmaking as Jaeger-LeCoultre, official partner of Venice Film Festival, hosted a gala dinner in the city of Doges, Venice, recently.

The Biennale, a famous location in the cinema world, with its architecture and décor reflecting the very best of Venetian style with spectacular chandeliers made of Murano glass, became a showcase to discover the finest creations highlighting the multiple talents of Jaeger-LeCoultre watchmaking artisans.

The artisans of the Manufacture became the stars of the evening as camera lights were turned to bring their skills into focus during the night: enameling, gem-setting and engraving, skillfully mastered to create the rarest creations on show.

The film “Time is Feminine” by Jaeger-LeCoultre was projected onto the walls and three masterful interpretations of time from Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous High Jewellery Collection with a rose blossoming on their dials were revealed.

The event was graced by the likes of actress Catherine Deneuve, Freida Pinto, Clive Owen, Chinese actress Zhao Wei, Tan Zhuo, Italian actress Cristiana Capotondi, French actress Elodie Young, Russian actress Ksenia Alferova polo player Jaeger-LeCoultre ambassador Eduardo Novillo Astrada and photographer Astrid Munoz, marchioness Clare Milford Haven and Luke Tomlinson amongst others.

The charm of India’s craftsmanship took over the city of Mumbai as Mijwan Welfare Society, an NGO run by Shabana Azmi, hosted a fashion show, Mijwan Sonnets in Fabrics 2012, bringing to the fore the designs of Manish Malhotra.

The third edition of the fundraiser showcasing embroidery entirely done by the girls of Mijwan – a tiny village near Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh – boasted of 20 leading models and celebrities walking the ramp in the contemporary modern designs by Manish Malhotra, coming as the translation of  work done by Mijwan girls.

The show was opened by Shabana Azmi and Namrata Goyal, to be followed by Nita Ambani who walked with two little girls – one of them was from Kaifi Azmi School in Mijwan – to support the cause. Later, celebrities such as Priyanka Chopra, Sonakshi Sinha, Kalki Koechlin, Karan Johar, Malaika Arora Khan, Diana Penty, Dia Mirza and Mary Kom amongst others walked in the exquisite creations reflecting the handiwork from Mijwan.

About the show, Manish Malhotra, said, “In the globalized world of Fashion today it’s pointless to offer silhouettes to the West. But we have craftsmanship which they do not. This is our USP and that’s what we need to focus on. Mijwan to me is a microcosm of what India has to offer the world. We have a long history of the warp and weft of design aesthetics. It’s time we rediscover ourselves and go back to our roots.”
 
The avante garde interior artist Gautam Dhawan launched his flagship showroom Exihibit D aiming to lend the term ‘customized design’ a new definition with an out- of- the ordinary experience for his discerning clients. The collections with its expansive line of products and flagship offerings will set your pulse racing. From the charismatic coffee tables,  astonishing planters, indenious lights, table lamps, pendants to a splendid range of mirrors the store stocks in one of a kind pieces which perfectly represent elements of design functionality, depth and visual appeal. Speaking on the occasion , Gautam Dawan , Founder Exhibit D said “ Exihibit D is an initiative to offer India consumers a new and improved choice in interior accessories. It aims to infuse the prevailing modern trends with the romance of classical Europe and India’s royal past.”

The exquisite collection has been geniously designed by borrowing elements from the past and fusing them with international contemporary trends.

The studio also creates bespoke design which according to the artist gives both the client and the studio an opportunity to create a piece that is truly unique and true to the clients aesthetic.

Ambika PillaiA well known name in hair and beauty, had the grand opening of yet another Ambika Pillai hair & make up studio in Chattarpur, Malviya Nagar & Gurgaon concurrently.

The glitterati came in full attendance to congratulate her. The guests were seen mingling & discussing the latest beauty trends with Ambika as champagne and quiches did rounds.

Spotted at the event were Manav Gangwani, Abraham & Thakore,Tarun Tahiliani, Sumanth Jaikishan, Gautam Seth & Prateek Jain, Gauri Karan, Laxmi Rana, Leena Singh, Nina Manuel, Joey Mathews, Harmeet Bajaj, PayalJain, AD Singh, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Payal Pratap Singh, Rima Mehra, AmolVadhera, Ritu Beri, Anurag Verma, Nandita Basu, Gautam Rakha, NamrataJoshipura, Nandita Basu, Gaurav Gupta, Caroline Young, Anushka Menon, Aparna Behl, Deepak Bedi, Sujal Shah, Surelee Joseph to a name few
 
On a cloudy Saturday noon, when the world around was busy fathoming evening dine out possibilities, I woke up my taste buds, as the previous few days spent toking had almost snuffed them out, to embark upon an imperial journey of Old Mughal days where food was served with fables.

Well, my personal fables (sans imaginary audience) came to life as I travelled through the maze of pillared lanes (though so square they were) to be in the arched world of Flavors of Mughals. Though the bit crammed settings short-changed the ideal idea of Mughal grandeur but somehow the ensuing authenticity of flavors made up for it.

The stairs lead three of us; a pretty mellifluous host with a bad throat and a bit whimsical management trainee with a bad appetite, who accompanied me, to the comfort of black and golden cushioned miss en scene with baroque ceiling and dangling antique chandeliers. However, the music for first half an hour gyrated around typical 90s Bollywood numbers but later while we gazed at the black- and- white trite images of Mughal era sitting insipid on the menu, it mellowed to Sufi beats for much of our ease.

The ongoing Kebab festival at the restaurant came as a savory surprise as the Chef Bishn rolled out some really scrumptious kebabs – one of them was the Donali kebab, made of two layers of chicken and mutton, and complemented by Bacardi based Double Apple Cinnamon Mojito. Meanwhile, the vegetable special platter comprising of Kesari Gobi and Mushrooms only whetted our appetite with a round of a Vodka-based tangy spicy Comfortable Screw.

So, as we kept eating with our eyes over natters ranging from a loftily courteous mustached butler roaming around to some fashion bickering, the stodgy main course made an entry with a mesmerizing aroma of Mughlai buffet. From perfectly spiced up Green Chili and Red Pepper Rotis to tad sweet Butter Chicken, spicy Mutton Nihari, Biryani with no redundant garnishing and thick Daal simmered for more than 12 hours in an open cauldron, the whole affair left us delectably bloated.

Finally, the desserts came in the form of subtly flavored Phirni, to only be followed by Paan with a clove stick, served in a dainty silvery artifact, exuding an interesting mix of flavours of Mughals which come with a tadka of contemporariness.

Rina Dhaka F/W 12-13Rina Dhaka revisited the Indian design iconography by turning past into present, rustic into chic and hand techniques into digital & presented her enriched Fall-Winter 2012 Collection at The Oberoi Hotel, New Delhi.
 
Taking heritage forward and enriching it with her inimitable style and soft, sensual appeal. She travels through India, extensively using intricate tribal embroidery from the regions of Bhuj and some made in the heartland of Uttar Pradesh re arranging them in her New Delhi atelier.
 
Tribal motifs and the vibrant mirror work of Bhuj get recreated in the form of prints as Rina superimposes them with a vintage looking lattice motif in sequin. Dreamy chiffons combine with cotton tulle, nets and satin to blend in fitted forms with controlled volume ended the evening with Sonal Chauhan as show stopper.
 
The event was well witnessed by Mr.Farookh Abdullah ,Shashi Tharoor& Sunanda Pushkar,Namita Bhattacharya,Mr.Kamal Nath,Raseel Gujral & Naveen Ansal,Ritu Beri,Megha Bhatia,Seema Killachan,Tanisha Mohan,Surita Tandon,Shabanam Singhal,Sheena Jain,Leena Singh,Payal Sen,Rashmi Virmani,Neera Nath,Latika Khaneja,Vesena& Anurag Jacob,Pallavi Puri Meghna Bhatia,Radhika Mehra,Vijay AroraMeghna Bhatia,Garima Jain,Naina Balsawar,Vidhur & Richa Bharadwaj,Payal Kapoor,Sunil Vachhani,Vibhor Sharma,Ameeta Seth Sharma to name a few .

Tumi Store Launch in MumbaiTumi, one of America’s leading brands of lifestyle accessories and travel, lately launched its store at the Palladium, Phoenix Mills in Mumbai – brought in India by Genesis Luxury.

Announcing its presence in tinsel town over an elegant cocktail evening hosted by Tanaaz Bhatia, the store launch introduced the fashionistas of the city to Tumi’s iconic luggage collection which was on display.

The event saw an exclusive selection of the city experiencing a delightful luxury experience over cocktail and hors d’oeuvres. The attendees included Sanjay Sharma, Anushka Manchanda, Nachiket Barve, Vikram Raizada, Lata & Vispi Patel, Sahil Shroff, Angela Johnson, Parvez Damania, Vishal Malhotra, Aly & Yasmin Morani, Ashwin Mushran, Payal Kothari, Deepika Gehani, Priya and Chitan amongst others.
 
Sonali Dalwani, an accessory designer known for her customized footwear, lately, hosted a preview for her latest collection of footwear, handbags and neckpieces at the launch of her new flagship store Crimzon at Juhu Tara Road, Mumbai.

The festive assortment of accessories comes as a bold and beautiful blend of Indian embellishments and modern day designs. The collection including footwear, belts, bags and semi-precious jewellery is all crafted from the silks, natural fibers and faux leather, and features brocades, jamevaars, sequins, patch work, kundan, semi-precious stones and lace work.

The highlight of the collection is an array of clutch bags in vibrant colors as well as dull golds and silvers. Even sling bags with quintessential 60s look are quilted in floral patterns with gold chains and clasps.

The event was well-attended by who’s who of the city including Dipanitta Sharma, Tina Desai, Suchitra Pillai, Shaheen Abbas, Dilshad Khambata, Atul Kasbekar, Neeta Lulla, Aparna Badlani, Kunika Singh, Akanksha Nanda, Kadambari Lakhani, Amrita Raichand, Vidya Malvade, Nachiket Barve and Vinata Shetty amongst others.
 
The sixth Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards to be held on October 11, 2012 in Deuville, France will see Sairee Chahal of “Fleximoms” representing women entrepreneurs of India at the event.

Of late, Women Entrepreneurship Forum hosted by India jury member Priya Paul, Chairperson of Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels, hosted a lunch in New Delhi welcoming in Asia Pacific finalist from India, Sairee Chahal along with women achievers from different walks of life.

An annual International business plan competition for women entrepreneurs, the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards has shortlisted Sairee Chahal for her company called Fleximoms which connects women looking to enter or re-enter the workplace with job opportunities, information and mentoring. 

In the past there have been three shortlisted laureates from India, and Sairee is the fourth one to represent India at the awards where every year six laureates receive US$ 20,000, coaching support for a year and access to international entrepreneurial networks in recognition of their distinctive achievements. 
 
Malt enthusiasts were welcomed in by Ms Stella David – Group CEO for The Balvenie’s trademark bespoke sit down dinner, as she unveiled the brand identity of this innovative program. The four course dinner was paired with the 12, 15, and 18 year old variants of The Balvenie.

The program is a unique step towards felicitating craftsmen and artisans across the length and breadth of the country and will move city to city over the next few months identifying groups of crafts people who maintain a dedication to the practice and preservation of traditional crafts.  These individual’s pre-eminence in the field of craft will be celebrated at the end of this remarkable journey as they bring to life the key underlying message of The Balvenie, the world’s most hand crafted single malt Scotch whisky.

Miss Sujata Assomull Sippy, was announced as the ‘Project Lead’ of The Balvenie Guild and will be responsible for mentoring the program along with 4 other, carefully selected “Connoisseurs of Craft”(C0C) – leading personalities who will identify and mentor individual bodies of craftsmen to compete in a grand finale early next year.

The evening witnessed Marut & Anusuiya Sikka, Navin Ansal & Raseel Gujral, Bindu Vadera, Sanjeev & Shelly Batra with son Samegh Batra, Vikrum Baidyanath, Amol Vadhera, Suhel Seth, Ameeta Seth and Vibhor Sharma, Anita Bajaj, Deepak Bedi, Jaideep Sippy, Karishma Bedi, Deepshikha & Rahul Khanna, Gauri Karan, Pia Pauro, Radhika Chanana, Ayesha Grewal of The Altitude Store, designers Suneet Varma, Gaurav Gupta, Rakesh Thakore with Kevin Negli, Ranna Gill, Mayank Mansingh Kaul with Anupam Poddar, Rohit Gandhi, Varun Bahl, Harmeet Bajaj, Gautam Seth & Prateek Jain of Klove Designs, Mahesh Mathai of Blue Frog, Sam & Karishma Bedi, Arun and Amrita Thapar, Jaisal Singh, Anmol and Nayantara Sehgal amongst others.