Walking into the Montblanc area at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie is like stepping outdoors, taking a stroll through luscious greenery and breathtaking mountain vistas and valleys. Against this natural backdrop, Montblanc introduces its latest watchmaking collections including Time Walker, Star Legacy, Heritage and the new 1858 timepieces inspired by the legendary professional Minerva watches from the 1920s and 1930s conceived for military use and exploration. The design of the booth combines natural wood, plants and rock evoking the beauty of mountain landscapes and bringing visitors closer to nature.

Stepping into the lobby, visitors are transported into the universe of the Montblanc 1858 product line, greeted by a breathtaking mountain face reflected in a lake below. With their elegant pairing of khaki green and bronze, the new timepieces are displayed in wood and glass cases around the space including the Montblanc 1858 Automatic, Montblanc 1858 Automatic Chronograph and Montblanc 1858 Geosphere. Plant walls frame wood seating areas where the calm and serene surroundings can be enjoyed.

“It is great to come back to SIHH, showcasing the brand’s evolution in the watchmaking sector. Exploring this environment is an opportunity for our visitors to experience the spirit of exploration that inspired 1858, a line built for explorers and anyone who dares to venture out into nature to find new perspectives. The Montblanc space at this year’s SIHH serves as a reminder of the importance finding inspiration by reconnecting through nature, which becomes increasingly important in our fast-paced way of living”, explains Nicolas Baretzki, Montblanc CEO.

British Polo Day celebrated the heritage and history of polo with prominent guests, including key figures in government, the aristocracy, diplomats, military, art and popular culture, fashion and legendary Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre as official timekeeper, in the blue city Jodhpur.

Hosted by His Highness the Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Marwar-Jodhpur, British Polo Day celebrated its 71st global event in India. Giving its partners unbridled access to international connections British Polo Day creates opportunities for business world’s best brands such as Chelsea Barracks, VistaJet and others.

On the eight year in the Blue City, guests were treated to the colours and vibrancy of Rajasthan, staying at the Umaid Bhawan Palace. The first day of British Polo Day Jodhpur pitted the Jodhpur Polo Team against the Mundota Fort & Palace, Jaipur Team who battled it out for the Marwar Trophy. Over 100 top British and international players, with names such as former England Captain and Royal Salute World Polo Ambassador Malcolm Borwick and His Highness Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur, known to his friends as ‘Pacho’, gracing the field.

The first day on the field pitted the Royal Salute team against Mayo College, helmed by Pacho Jaipur. A close-run match that saw Royal Salute scoring their fourth goal in the final seconds, but it wasn’t quite enough to pip Mayo College’s five goals, and Pacho and his team lifted the Marwar Tropy, presented by Miles Wood, sales director at Chelsea Barracks.

On the evening of the second day, guests followed a procession of fire breathers, Rajasthani trumpeters and traditional Marwari horses to the battlements of one of India’s largest forts, the majestic Mehrangahr Fort, for an event celebrating everything Indian. Peter Prentice, Royal Salute Global VIP Relationships Director & Chairman Keepers of The Quaich Society, led a traditional Royal Salute Quaich Experience to toast to His Highness and the Game of Kings.

The following day saw the British Army VistaJet team square off against Jodhpur II for the Umaid Bhawan Palace Cup. After a slow start, the action came in the fourth chukka, and with a minute to go the British Army took the lead by half a goal. With eleven seconds on the clock a sixty-yard penalty was awarded to Jodhpur, which they scored to settle the game by a half goal victory. Jodhpur I took on Mundota for the Yuvraj Shivraj Singh of Jodhpur plate, and strong play by Jodhpur saw them 5-2 up at the half. Jaipur came in strong in the second half and the game ended in an honourable draw. The cup was awarded by Bruno Gregolin of VistaJet and His Highness the Maharajah of Jodhpur.

The agile ‘Sahara”, ridden by His Highness Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur, was named Jaeger-LeCoultre’s ‘Best Playing Pony’ by Nader Iskander Jaeger-LeCoultre Brand Director.

Following the prize-giving ceremony, guests sat down for a gala dinner on the lawns of the Umaid Bhawan Palace hosted by His Highness Gaj Singh II Maharajah of Marwar- Jodhpur. A grand total of £38,000 was raised for Head Injuries Through Sport, a charity close to the heart of British Polo Day.

 

 

A year after revolutionizing the party scene in Mumbai, Barrel & Co. present their newest chef-d’oeuvre – Barrel Mansion. The eclectic design can only be described as lavish Chinois Chic with state-of-the-art sound, light and special effects. Aside from the outlandish yet tasteful décor, dragon murals and men and women in modern changshan and cheongsam were seen.

Walking past the velvet ropes, through the gilded golden doorway, you cross into an alternate universe that transports you to another dimension. Terracota warriors blend seamlessly with a specially customised life-size animatronic LED mask. Specially designed windmill rotors provide a cool industrial feel whilst circulating air across both levels of the Mansion, with a central dance floor that doubles as stage for performers. Private party suites are on offer for high-rolling guests to unwind, relax or just enjoy a meal, alongside extensive pan-Asian menu, which has been carefully curated from across the region to ensure all appetites are well and truly satiated before leaving the Mansion.

This unique project has been brought to life by renowned restaurateurs and nightlife impresarios Anil Singh, Suved Lohia, Ritik Bhasin & Sunny Sara. This throwback to carefree decadence is the result of wanting to bring such an avant-garde new experience to the people of Mumbai. And needless to say, the Mumbai party-brigade was out in full force for an evening that truly lived up to its expectations as a night to remember Arbaaz Khan, Sohail & Nirvaan Khan, Abhishek & Pragya Kapoor, Kim Sharma, Harshvardhan Rane, Ekta Kapoor, Daisy Shah, Mugdha Godse, Ken Ghosh, Arjun Bijlani, Sharad Kelkar, Rohit Roy, Karan Wahi, Anita Hassanandani, Mandana Karimi, Yuvika Choudhary, Prince Narula Ritvik Dhananjay, Laxmi Rai, Rocky S & many more were in the mood to party amongst familiar friends in these celebratory surroundings.

The Fashion Awards 2018 which recognises creativity and innovation in fashion welcomed a global mix of 4,000 guests at the Royal Albert Hall. Key players from the fashion industry as well as members of the public and fashion students with exceptional imagination and creativity were awarded alongside brands and businesses that have transformed the possibilities of fashion today.

The evening celebrated fifteen awards, ten of which were voted for by a global panel of 2,000 key industry opinion formers and five Special Recognition Awards. Each winner was given a unique Swarovski crystal trophy, designed by Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye OBE.

On the red carpet supermodel Eva Herzigová hosted Swarovski interviews with the guests upon arrival and the evening featured two exclusive live performances from British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding singing a rendition of Aretha Franklin’s Natural Woman and a dedicated tribute to Judy Blame and Michael Howells by Boy George for the show’s finale.

The Fashion Awards 2018 Winners –

2018 Trailblazer: Kim Jones

Urban Luxe: Virgil Abloh for Off-White

Accessories Designer of the Year: Demna Gvasalia for Balenciaga

Swarovski Award for Positive Change: Dame Vivienne Westwood

Business Leader: Marco Bizzarri for Gucci

Special Recognition Award for Innovation: Parley for the Oceans

British Emerging Talent Menswear: Samuel Ross for A-COLD-WALL*

British Emerging Talent Womenswear: Richard Quinn

British Designer of the Year Menswear: Craig Green for CRAIG GREEN

British Designer of the Year Womenswear: Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy

Isabella Blow Award for Fashion Creator: Mert & Marcus

Brand of the Year: Gucci

Model of the Year: Kaia Gerber

Outstanding Achievement: Miuccia Prada

Designer of the Year: Pierpaolo Piccioli for Valentino

 

Menswear fashion designer, Rohit Kamra has opened the doors to his flagship store in Mumbai. This new store marks a new phase in the label’s continued retail expansion following on the store opening this year in Pune. Continuing its commitment to explore classic tailoring & signature silhouettes that epitomises Indian royalty and glamour, Rohit hopes to bring a piece of Jaipur (his home ground) to the city of Mumbai.

Located a stone’s throw away from the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Colaba in a heritage building, this key retail location is fundamental to accelerate the strength of the brand & allow current & future customers further accessibility to experience clothing of a regal sensibility, says Rohit Kamra.

Staying true to the ethos of its founder, Rohit’s effort has been made to move away from traditional luxury materials & to use more organic, sustainably sourced elements. The décor offers a mélange of easy luxury, the interiors have been done in reclaimed timber with an eclectic chandelier, a standout attraction of the new store. The cement tile flooring of the gone era remains, while the high wooden ceiling and brass chains and pipes retain the old-world Jaipur charm that feels refined yet welcoming.

Rohit Kamra offers a very interesting take on fusing the vintage look with modern fabrics and bespoke designs, with a range of shirts, half jackets, breeches, bandhgalas all with a touch of detailing that makes the garment stand out from the vast sea of uniformly dressed men.

Present at the wine and cheese evening were Aarti & Kailash Surendranath, Rahul Singh, Nisha Jamwal, Umesh Jivnani, Ash Chandler, Shweta Menon, Guneet Monga, Kavita Lakhani, Madhavi and Manoj Goenka, Rinaa Shah, Dimple Nahar and many others.

 

 

Sanjay Garg, launched the first Raw Mango Flagship store on Walton Road in Bengaluru amongst friends and patrons of the brand.
Located in a quaint bungalow on Walton road, the 1,800 sq. ft. store comes with true old-world charm. The space basks in a warm glow with natural light streaming through large windows, classic red oxide flooring exists alongside new explorations of South Indian temple design.

The interior design, from furniture to objects, have been executed in-house under the leadership of Raw Mango’s Creative team with Adityan Melekalam of Squadron 14; and a collaboration on the planning and layout with Sandeep Khosla Design Studio. The store is replete with detailed décor accents that reflect the brand’s commitment to indigenous textiles. On display are antique pieces and handpicked artwork to pay homage India’s rich cultural heritage.

The evening saw the brand’s well-wishers from Bengaluru, across film, fashion, art and design come together for a folk-music filled evening featuring Vasu Dixit, to raise a toast to Sanjay on this milestone for Raw Mango.  Among those who attended the event and were seen admiring the space and the stunning collections from the brand over bubbly and canapés, were Shraddha Srinath, Pranitha Subhash, Annabelle Manwaring, Malika Kashyap, to name a few.

Samant Chauhan, known to craft exceptional silhouettes with handwoven textiles, created his magic in the city of Mumbai with a new store at Colaba.

Located opposite the Taj Mahal Hotel, the store reflects the architectural style and aesthetic sense that encapsulates the neighbourhood. Furthermore, the quaint 700 square feet store serves as the perfect extension to his Delhi store, with a varied range to appeal to the Mumbai traveller and Samant Chauhan clientele.

Epitomising the rich culture that prevailed in Mumbai in earlier eras and taking the influence of the surrounding architectural wonders, the interiors of the store set the right ambience for one looking to journey back in time. The creative and sophisticated use of restored teakwood, brickwork and even the switchboards reflect the superior quality of craftsmanship that dominated the city during the Colonial period.

Present at the wine and cheese evening were Manoj Bajpai, Sudarshan Shetty, Aditi Govitrikar, Manasi Scott, Sunil Sethi, Amit Madheshiya, Amit Hansraj, Vibha Galhotra, Vijay Verma, Azmina Rahimtoola, Vibha Galhotra, Tanuja Padwal, Guneet Monga, Kavita Lakhani, Madhavi and Manoj Goenka, Rinaa Shah, Dimple Nahar, actor Rahul Singh amongst others.

‘le Bal’, also referred to as le Bal des Débutantes 2018 saw twenty international débutantes and twenty cavaliers from various nationalities making a grand entry into the uppermost echelons of society at the Shangri-La Hotel, Paris, for a spectacular evening of high fashion, networking and fundraising. The esteemed guest list represents the legacy of renowned influential families across the arts, politics, business and culture.

This year saw four new Indian faces– Princess Ananya Raje Scindia and Prince Yuvaraj Mahanaryaman Scindia of Gwalior – children of Jyotiraditya Scindia and Priyadarshini Raje Scindia. Aria Mehta – daughter of le Bal’s official jeweller, Payal Mehta and her husband, Dipu Mehta were present, along with Shloka Birla – daughter of industrialist power couple Yash and Avanti Birla.

Princess Ananya Raje Scindia chose a gown from Indo-French duo, Lecoanet-Hemant, and was accompanied by Prince Yuvaraj Mahanaryaman Scindia of Gwalior. Aria Mehta looked stunning in a couture creation from Lebanese designer George Hobeika and twirled around the dance floor by her cavalier Count Rufus D Hauteville. Meanwhile, Shloka Birla sported a glamorous cocktail dress by Indian couturier Manish Malhotra with her cavalier HSH Prince Jean De Croy Solre. The young débutantes wore exquisite jewels from Payal New York, to complement their ensembles for the evening.