Desihighstyle X Headtilt : Featuring DLF Emporio - Part 1

Surbhi (from Headtilt ) and I have now been friends for a while. From our personal lives, to discussing blog posts, to shooting each other numerous times, to shopping; somehow we managed to become good friends despite being bloggers. In the fashion industry, it's rare to actually find friends from the same world. Between the back biting, exchanging air kisses, fake pleasantries, etc. where's the time???

Anyways, for a while now we had been planning to do a shoot together. Somehow, the timing wasn't right and there was always something coming up. However, this one time, as luck would have it, everything worked out. Well, it wasn't a smooth ride, because as I mentioned in the previous post, I  have a lot happening in my personal life. But we made it work.

DLF Emporio has always been one of my favourite malls for various reasons. Those who know me, know that as soon as I hit the luxury fashion retail space, something happens to me. I get a random and sudden burst of energy. Almost as if I'm ready to take over the world. Anyways, what I love about Emporio is that there's always a new boutique ready to open at the mall. Suddenly you'll walk in to the mall and you're like whoa, when did this store open up?? So obviously when my favourite crockery/cutlery brand, Villeroy & Boch opened it's doors there, I was over the moon. I mean from designer shoes to ready to wear, to fine jewellery & watches and even crockery, everything I love is under one roof. So why exactly would I want to shop anywhere else. In addition, their various dining options make sure you get whatever you're in the mood for. Be it the feta and apple salad at Cafe Emprio, absolutely delicious sushi at Cha-Shi, a sugar donut/ bhel puri/ cappuccino at On The Go or fine dining at Set'z. I've lost count on how many times I've gone to Emporio over the years just to have a quiet coffee with the husband or a friend just because it's much less crowded than the other malls.

For our first look, we wanted to do a slightly glamorous look that would easily transition from day to night. We checked out Missoni's newly launched SS17 collection and it fit the bill. We decided we wanted to do something metallic and they had exactly what we needed. Surbhi chose a lovely and sparkling colourful dress and I selected a blush pink shiny top to wear over a knitted skirt. I threw on a fabulous Fendi winter coat because the nights are still nippy in Delhi and what better than a gorgeous, long black coat with big lapels and white piping on the inside.

It was a really sunny afternoon and we were shooting at patio of Set'z in Emporio so we settled on some playful Fendi sunglasses (which will be available in stores really soon if they're not already there). I love statement eye wear so their Round Wave glasses in red and white were just perfect. Plus, I loved the whole 90's vibe they had going on!  For our jewellery, we knew exactly where to go. Roberto Cavalli of course! Surbhi and I were a big fan of their Circus series which featured a Lion (a symbol of the brand) on the pieces from that collection so it worked very well for us. Furthermore, it added just the right amount of bling. Because my look already had a lot going on, I wanted to go light with the earrings so I wore their delicate Circus earrings. Finally, Louboutin shoes completed our look.

The best part about everything we wore? You can shop all of it at DLF Emporio!

On Me

Jacket, Sunglasses & Purse - Fendi
Top & Skirt - Missoni
Earrings - Roberto Cavalli
Shoes - Christian Louboutin

On Surbhi

Dress - Missoni
Bag & Sunglasses - Fendi
Cuff & Earrings - Roberto Cavalli
Shoes - Christian Louboutin

Location - SETZ at DLF Emporio
Photography - Tarun Chawla 

Dior SS17 Review

The fashion world waited, with breath that is bated for Dior's SS17 collection. Not just because there's a new creative director on board, but because she's also the first ever female creative director at the couture house. Naturally, everyone was excited to see what Maria Grazia Chiuri had in store. However, it came as no surprise that it would be a beautiful collection given the years of experience she comes with and her spectacular work at Valentino.

The show opened with a sporty white segment consisting of twelve all white looks. Chiuri drew references from fencing uniforms which were prevalent throughout the show. Quilted cotton jackets that came in the form of gilets with buckles on either side or full sleeved with buttons or a zipper on the side were worn over cotton knit cropped pants and tulle skirts.  What was so special about this entire collection was that the creative head didn't only work with Monsieur Dior's codes. She turned to every designer who held the reigns at Dior in the past and worked with their codes too. The recurring bee motif for example, was used by Hedi Slimane during his tenure at Dior.

A lot of the silhouettes exuded a very effortless chic vibe. Almost as if they were just thrown on without much thought and looked fabulous. Case in point: A red leather jacket paired with a red tulle skirt or a black sleeveless leather vest worn over a white cotton shirt and black pants. There were Chiuri's version of the Bar jackets that were sharply tailored with less volume on the hips. More outerwear came in the form of a lustworthy and minimalist long black coat. Exposed lingerie worn under sheer clothing was another constant. Except bra straps and underwear bands were cream with J'Adior Christian Dior printed on them. And finally, came some ethereal evening gowns with imagery inspired by Christian Dior's superstitions. Tarot card images, zodiac signs, clover leaves, the number 8, insects and some fun motifs like a bat or a heart with an eye in it were intricately embroidered on dresses that were instant red carpet hits.

Accessories for this collection will be flying off the shelves with plenty of new handbags on the runway and some cool shoes. Rectangular shaped shoulder bags boasted DIOR or J'ADIOR in big metal letters on the clasp. Some of these came with an optional strap so you could hold them as a clutch or wear them on your shoulder. A saddle bag was seen too, with the same gold lettering. A black roomy tote in soft leather with its bee motif and CD embossed on the front looked divine. Another tote, brought back memories of their iconic 90's saddle bag (a la Galliano) with Dior printed all over the front flaps and the shoulder strap and a revamped CD logo. And finally, there were mianudiere style evening box bags with colourful tarot card imagery on them. I loved the Le Diable one in particular. Jewellery was understated and consisted of simple earrings and chokers. I've got my eye on the number 8 choker. Footwear was comfortable came in the form of floaters, sneakers, summer boots, etc. However, it was the pointy toe kitten heels with monogrammed ribbon on them that stole the show. Chiuri sure knows how to create covetable accessories.

Images via Vogue.com

Dhoti & A White Jacket

My love affair with a dhoti began in 2013, when my mother picked up a pair of malmal dhotis from Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla for Eid. The tailoring was exceptional and I loved how the fabric had a little stiffness so it didn't have a fall in it. I've seen a lot flowy dhotis but was never a fan of those. And after we bought that pair, I never found one remotely similar to it until I came across these black ones from Sue Mue. One thing about this garment is despite how traditional it is, it's extremely versatile and can be paired with almost anything. I wore my old pair with a nehru jacket,  a tank top, a denim jacket, a formal shirt; the possibilities are endless! For this particular shoot, I paired it with a long, ivory coloured silk jacket with some embroidery on the side and buttons featuring Rajasthani mirror work on them. . I am a huge fan of Sue Mue's cuts and the jacket fit like a glove. Again, the silhouette of the jacket is such that it can worn formally, or casually with jeans or a pair of tights or even a mini skirt thereby adding a bit of a contemporary touch to an Indian look.

In terms of accessories, in my previous post, I talked about a jewellery label, Vaitaanika that I have recently discovered. I've been so obsessed with their jewels that I have shot four looks wearing Vaitaanika! Such fun suff with gorgeous craftsmanship. I urge you to check out the boutique in Shapurjat.

Jacket, Dhoti & Choker - Sue Mue
Earrings & Ring - Vaitaanika by Ageerika Hari
Location - Dusit Devrana

Black Anarkali With Printed Pants

Last week, I had the pleasure to attend Sue Mue's new ready to wear collection launch and it was a real treat. Inspired by Rajasthan, the collection featured some beautiful clothes. What I loved about the clothes was how Rajasthani embroidery had been given a contemporary twist, so nothing looked too traditional. The outfit I chose for this shoot was an anarkali style jacket in raw silk with gota patti work and resham thread embroidery worn over a pair of printed pants. What I really liked was how the entire outfit was so light and how easy it was to move around in it. Furthermore, The printed pants gave the entire look a really modern touch. The structured high collar immediately attracted me to the jacket because I feel that gives out a very regal vibe. Shooting Indian outfits is a new territory for me, so I decided to go all out with the accessories. I recently discovered a jewellery label called Vaitaanika located in Shapurjaat, which boasts some stunning ethnic jewellery. The designer's cocktail ring collection is exquisite and features some fine craftsmanship. I selected this pretty maang teeka (which was a huge deal for me because the last time I wore one was when I got married), with delicate earrings and an oversized, green statement ring.

Shooting this look was tricky because the weather was constantly misbehaving. One minute it was sunny, the next, cloudy before starting to rain for a few minutes. So it turned out to be a mix of an indoor/outdoor shoot! Anyways, I was just relieved we managed to get some nice shots because the Dusit Devrana is just such a pretty hotel and it would have been a shame to come back without taking photographs in their property.

What did you think of my full blown Indian look?

Jacket & Pants - Sue Mue
Maang Teeka, Earrings & Cocktail Ring - Vaitaanika
Shoes - Nicholas Kirkwood
Location - Dusit Devrana

Some Thigh Baring Wrap Around Pants

In my previous post, I talked about this really cool new label I discovered, called The Revival Project. So when I was sourcing for Couture Week outfits, my first option was the checkered pant suit I featured a few days ago. However, when I was in talks with Chichouse.co, we weren't sure about the sizes so they asked me to pick something else as a backup so I chose another jacket and these black Kanchipuram silk wraparound pants. When the clothes came to me and I tired these super fun pants, I immediately decided I was wearing those for Rahul Mishra's show. What got me hooked on them apart from the comfort factor (it was like i was wearing nothing, literally!) was how because you sort of tie them up from the front and the back, when you move around, the pants automatically form a high slit on each side. Slits have a way of making you feel sexy because they flaunt just the right amount of skin without looking vulgar. If you liked my look, you can shop it now on Chichouse.co.

Jacket & Pants - The Revival Project from Chichouse.co
Cuff, Earring & Bag -Dior
Shoes - Prada
Photography - Surbhi Sethi
Location - Blue Bar, Taj Palace