Indian Fetish

Maybe a little old for news, but just for kicks and some tips here's a peekabo of Rina Dhaka's collection at the Miami Fashion Week that won her the Designers' Choice Award. Beige, brown and crème with silver, bronze and gold with appliqué and metallic sequins - 'It's all about being sleek and sexy this season' is the loud and clear message that comes from Rina... NNNJOY!

Laurels!

Isn't cool and casual wear the dictum of the season? Designer Ruchira Asnani's clothes ooze the same philosophy. She retails from Kimaya, Mumbai, and Libaas, Surat, under her label Reverie and plans to launch a flagship store in Ahmedabad. Her chic formal eveningwear in pastels has all the spice one requires. From georgette kurtis with floral jaal work teamed with peach crepe silk pants to uppers with shimmering threadwork and crystals, her line comprises all.

Check!

Title: Indian Fashion Designs

Author: K Prakash

Price: Rs 995

Publisher: English Edition Publishers And Distributors Private Limited

The name K Prakash is a highly respected one in the world of design. Having authored reference publications like 'Madhubani', 'Paisley And Other Textile Designs From India', 'Kalamkari', 'Rajasthani Folk Art', 'Mango Design From India' amongst many other invaluable books, one wonders, why K Prakash decided to put his name on his latest offering titled 'Indian Fashion Designs'?

The 136 all-colour glossy-page coffeetable hard cover fashion offering has 97 pages of sketches by the students of the B D Somani Institute of Fashion and Technology, Mumbai, thus giving Prakash's book the image of a students' portfolio presentation.

The title is a little misleading since of the 97 sketches, 59 are of western wear that hardly reflect any Indian fashion designing aspects. The remaining 38 pages have black and white Indian embroidery designs randomly picked, to reflect the various Indian motifs from all over the country.

The preface and the introduction to the book are too sketchy to give an idea of contemporary Indian fashion and Rs 995 is a stiff price to pay for student sketches, many of which are visually attractive but practically unwearable. The embroidery designs do not do justice to K Prakash's creative talents either. Indian fashion in the 21st century has moved beyond sketches and embroidery, but needs guidance on how to enter the international markets around the world if it wants to be part of the rag race.

Review By Meher Castelino

Get Earthy

Designing, psychology and home science - a deadly combination! That's what Goa-based Jugnu is armed with. Her designs are astral dances with a touch of the cosmic. A riot of expressive motifs - based on the pantheon of religious figureheads - marrying a melody of colour, imagination and design skills. Jugnu started off as a ramp model and won the Miss Mumbai 1997 Runners-up title and the Best Designers award at JD Fashion Institute. She discovered a new rhythm in the colours and prints of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Kutch and interpreted them into funky halters, t-shirts, tank tops. She's taking steady steps to stardom with fast-dwindling stocks and a hyperactive studio.

Event: L Affaire Xtraordinaire

Venue: Mandovi Riviera, Panjim

Goan talent got a major shot in the arm recently at a fashion show choreographed and produced by former Femina Look of the Year 1995 winner Charmaine Shackleton. The event drew the cream of the local cognoscenti together for a show of creative strength in designers Sonali Salkar, Monty Sally, Verma, Anshu Bhattacharya and Philu Martins. Designers locally sourced, but promising enough to give the Goa's budding fashion industry a dekko of things to come. Garments combined style and elegance; an interesting mix 'n' match of fabric and design, delicate flashes of embroidery on constructed lines making for eminently wearable collections. Designer Bhattarcharya's collection 'Sands of Time' drew inspiration from Egyptian hieroglyphs and motifs with colours that ranged from earth to dust. Collections moved back and forth from the traditional to the ultra modern with designer Monty Sally's collection 'Gemaica' evoking gasps with his dare-to-bare-therefore-I-am designs on bodies of Nina Manuel, Fleur Xavier supported by local models. In a lighter vein, VJ Cyrus Broacha and Kunal Vijaykar kept the laughs going while the music played on. Says Charmaine, who heads Chrysalis, a model academy dedicated to promote Goan talent, "We want to give Goan designers all possible mileage and give them the launch pad to future successes."

Fashion With A Heart

It was talent and creativity coupled with sensitivity that turned out to be a rewarding experience for participants as well as guests, with designer Wendell Rodricks, 'Sensitive Design Project' held at the Goa Marriott recently. The workshop

held in association with AHEAD (Association for Humans, Environment and Development), an NGO dedicated to issues of the differently abled, the project aimed to sensitise itself to the dressing needs of the lesser children of Goa. In this two-day workshop, Wendell came up with innovative designs modelled on some of the differently abled participants. For instance, trousers that could be easily slipped under the crotch, fastening neatly down the sides with velcro and trendy tops with roomy armholes that makes putting a garment over spastic limbs much easier. Braille detailing on kurtas for visibly impaired men were also introduced. Make-up artist Arlene Cardoz waved magic strokes on eyelids and cheekbones to bring the project to a grand finale.

Priyadarshini Rao

Do

The voguish thing! It's a throughout-the-day style.

Soha Ali Khan

Do

Let sports meld with class. Black leggings work wonders if you want to keep unwanted leg-lechers at bay.

Neelam

Don't

Slip into a mermaid-like skirt if you're a bit stout. It deviates the attention from Neelam's great shades and bag!

Sandhya Mridul

Don't

Team chunky boots and belt with a weighty look. Though, Mridul's knit number looks quite interesting!

Nikita Anand

Don't

Opt for at-the-waist flare to hide the bulk. But Nikita's chic skirt and slip-ons are things to lust after.

Classy!

Let your hearts grow fonder of Yana Gupta and Sonalika Sahay - the hot faces flaunting Dior watches at the launch.

Give Me Style!

Patchwork and green - two elements that rule the fad brigade this season. Here's a take on the same by Namrata G.

Louis Vuitton!

It's a name that is synonymous with elite-ness (read party boppers and celebs with mammoth pockets). Check out what a few Hollywood stars at the 57th Cannes Festival 2004 wear from the brand.

1.Melita Toscan du Plantier (Director, marrakech International Film Festival) with a turquoise Theda bag.

2. Benoît Poelvoorde (actor, scenarist and member of the Jury) and

3. Emir Kusturica (maker of the film "La vie est un miracle" - Life is a miracle) in classy black Tuxedos.