Trend Spotting: Celebrities in Masaba Gupta

Celebrities are loving Masaba Gupta's sarees and have been spotted wearing them at red carpet events, launches and at movie premiers. Are you loving these funky printed sarees too?

Play Sari

Play Clan or The Clan as they call themselves, are a fashion, graphic art and design playhouse telling stories about local Indian culture as assorted curios for your wardobe and home -- narratives from a village scene, ancient temple architecture rendered Lego-style, or the general chaos of everyday urban India all serve as good stories.

The Play Clan Sari Edition, their latest project on display at Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week in New Delhi, takes the storyboard onto six yards of sari.

"It's the same way a t-shirt gives you the canvas to make a graphic statement, here the sari expands this canvas to expand the story," explains Himanshu Dogra, founder Play Clan. "But it's a statement, so it needs a strong viewpoint."

A collection of 20 colorful graphic silk saris interpret tribes and icons of India, paired with neo-tribal accessories, print-on-print blouses and tied using regional drapes styled by Gautam Kalra into modern sari dresses.

Some striking examples include interpretations of traditional Indian haveli architecture but in an Origami geometric format, or a Konkani bride graphically vectorized.

"The designs push the boundary of the sari to a younger audience who are open to experimenting and expressing a strong viewpoint," Dogra says. "We're trying to shift the traditional sari-wearing age from 20 and 30 plus, to start at 18 or 20 instead.

Inspiration is everywhere

In the shoot you're about to see, Tarun Khiwal proves that inspiration can be found anywhere. Kudos to the photographer!

Inspiration: Goddess Lakshmi

Bombay Electric vs Elle India

How AMAZING are these Bombay Electric’s mash up of Elle India’s Covers. Ash’s is my favourite because its such a flip on the original! The covers were done to celebrate the store’s six birthday.

 

   

Manish Arora: Kitsch Fry

Manish Arora is one of India’s most prominent and beloved fashion designers. Based in New Delhi, he was appointed Creative Director of the womenswear collection at French fashion house Paco Rabanne in 2011.

In 1997 he launched his eponymous label and began retailing in India. Three years later, Manish participated in the first-ever India Fashion Week held in New Delhi and represented India at the Hong Kong Fashion Week. In 2002 Manish opened his first flagship store, Manish Arora Fish Fry, in New Delhi and in the following year opened a second store in Mumbai. Another successful showing at India Fashion Week (2003) led to a stocking deal with the fashion house Maria Luisa (Paris) and the beginning of a successful export business. Arora has teamed up with make-up and cosmetics giant MAC for designing a signature collection and has also collaborated with Swatch for a limited edition of watches. ‘Indian by Manish Arora’, is a brand designed for the growing Indian market for women’s wear. He owns four stores in India and has sold his collections to more than 80 retailers worldwide.

Manish was invited to show his collection at the Fashion in Motion exhibition held at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London in 2007. In 2004 he was awarded the Best Women’s Prêt Designer at the first ever Indian Fashion Awards’ 2004 held in Bombay and MC2 Diffusion Paris began to represent the label for the export business. The following year, Manish participated in the Miami Fashion Week in May 2005, where he was presented with the designer’s choice for Best Collection Award. Known for his psychedelic colours and kitsch motifs, Arora has been called the John Galliano of India.

Here are a few photos of his memorable work:

Psychedelic Opera

Nida Mahmood showcased her latest collection inspired by her quirky dreams at Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Spring- Summer 2013.

Nida, who is known for presenting a Bollywood-inspired ramp with hit songs playing in the background, did it again this time but in a very different way through her “Sapna Cinema” collection. The designs had lot of psychedelic prints and quirky designs with a silhouette that has dominance of prêt collection.

Nida used lot of funky stuff including some 3-D garments too. We thought it was an interesting collection with lots of colour but we do wish she did away with the face masks which look silly and distract from the actual collection.

See the collection

Brand Review: Yelo

YELO, as a brand, reflects the team which is working on it - fun, off-beat, wacky, unique. They make funky laptop bags & other works of art. The venture started in 2009 and has since then gain a lot of traction & appreciation. 

The whole idea of the brand is to do ‘things’ differently because at the end of the day, YELO wants to tell everyone that a bag is not just a bag…the brand just wanted to make simple bags that everyone would want to own, the ‘it’ bag. So the designers at YELO used pvc and bright fun colors of patent leather and came up with their signature yelo pvc bag which can be used by a 4 year old baby girl and an 80 year old happening granny! Its all about having your own salman khan se lekar jim morrison with you, every day every time..!