The Making Of Gucci FW 13 Python Boots

As you all know, I am a huge fan in exploring the process of how luxury goods are made. It's never just about the final shoe, bag, etc that is purchased from the boutique for me. I need to know more. I have this innate love for craftsmanship which is why when Gucci shared with me the images of the making of these luxurious python boots from their FW 13 collection I was super excited. I remember I was totally lusting after them as soon as I saw them strut down the Milan runway a few months ago.

I can't wait for you to scroll down and discover the step by step process in how these gorgeous boots were made. It is truly delightful and a stunning display of exquisite craftsmanship by Gucci artisans. From the sketch, to the final packaging, please enjoy a sneak peak into what goes behind the making of these boots.

1. Design begins with the paper model and careful study of materials, colours and proportions.



2. The artisans make a careful selection of the precious python, taking care to consider the correct placement of the characteristic markings of the skin according to the desired design effect. In this case, the material is a python that comes from South-East Asia. The main features of this material are its glossy shine and soft feel. During the tanning phase, special products (oils and fats) are used to make the skins extremely soft.

The peculiarity of Pitone Soft Superlux is its brilliant shine. The skins are glazed (an agate is repeatedly run over the leather) to obtain this characteristic glossy shine. At the end, the leather is softened and then ironed again.

3. The next operation consists in perfecting the outline required of the previously shaped leather by carefully cutting the border of the leather according to the pattern. This requires much attention and experience of the artisan who must consider again how the specific markings of the python need to appear on the finished product.

4. After the python skin has been cut out according to the paper model, the edges are carefully reduced to maintain the same thickness once the individual pieces are attached together and sewn.

5. Once the pieces of python have been prepared, the artisan proceeds to apply an adhesive in order to attach successively the inside lining.

6. The upper is carefully reinforced with a special lining in order to prevent breakage and ensure the resistance of the delicate python skin.

7. Then, the various parts of the upper are prepared to be sewn together. In this step the artisan must carefully match up the design of the python.

8. The various pieces are sewn together.

9. The artisan prepares the edges of the partially prepared upper for attachment of the zipper.

10. The assembly of the zipper is carefully followed in the smallest details. It is applied to the upper together with a border (to protect against abrasion on the client’s leg or clothing) with particular attention to the finishing and smooth functioning of the zipper pull.

11. Once the upper has been prepared and sewn, the form is inserted and the upper is further pulled and shaped according the shape of the last around the bottom of the foot bed.

12. The leather is then also shaped around the heel and attached to the midsole.

13. Once the python has been shaped and fixed to the midsole the artisan uses a special abrasive tool to reduce and even out the thickness of the leather that has been gathered. This will ensure that no wrinkles create discomfort under the foot.

14. The artisan places and positions the small metal Gucci plaque onto the sole.

15. Based on the particular shape of the heel, it is constructed of reinforced steel with an ABS cup-shaped crown. The “leg” of the heel is necessarily formed of reinforced steel to guarantee the required strength of the shape considering the extremely reduced dimensions at the bottom of the heel – 5mm.

16. To realize the covering of the heel, an adhesive is applied and then the artisan carefully applies the leather by hand onto the structure of the heel paying careful attention to obtain a smooth covering of the heel.

17. The finished heel.

18. The heel is then attached and fixed to the outer sole.

19. To complete the special colouring, the artisan proceeds with an extra step of hand-shading to further enhance the play of shading according the natural characteristics of the python.

20. The finished boot is then finished with the application of a hot ironing tool.

The Finished Boot

Image Courtesy: Gucci

Online Shopping Tips From International E-Commerce Sites For Shopaholics Living In India

As Christmas sales are just around the corner, I thought I should  pass on a few tips on online shopping tips from my favourite international e-commerce sites for those living in India. As you all may have seen by now, I am a huge online shopper. There are a whole bunch of fabulous e-commerce sites out there and I have experienced shopping with almost all of them. The best part about online shopping from these websites is that it gives you access to the most amazing products at your fingertips. You never know what delights you may stumble upon when you enter an online boutique. Also, sale times are the best times to order you end up saving a decent amount of money.

Now the issue with ordering goods to India from international sites is that the duties kill you. I remember once I calculated the duties from Saks, it was roughly about 20 to 25 per cent. I cant recall the exact number. But the benefit is that you can order all these gorgeous things which might not be available back home. Despite having many international brands available in our country, there are still many many more that aren't available, therefore online shopping is the way to go. So if you have really liked lets say a bag, what you can do to get a rough idea of the price differences is choose a bag from any international e-commerce site that is available in India. So hypothetically a Bottega bag. Call the boutique in Delhi to see if its available and at what price. If the price online and in the boutique are roughly the same then it's time to start shopping! And if whatever you liked is at 50 per cent off, that's just the cherry on top!

Every one of these sites deliver internationally, so you can have something so fabulous minus the whole "I'll buy it when I go to London or the US". So I suggest that you register at Saks Fifth Avenue, Net-A-Porter, MyTheresa, Matches Fashion just so that you can be informed when they have their big sales. Also there are always promotional offers like for example Saks sometimes has express shipping for 10 to 20 dollars, net-a-porter does free shipping from time to time so its really good to take advantage of these times and shop because shipping to India on a normal day is usually pricey. For example MyTheresa charges around 69 Euros to ship to our country however currently they have a free shipping offer.

My final tip my fellow Dilliwalls who are reading this is that if you have friends or family in Dubai, it's really simple to order stuff there and duty is about 5-7 percent. So you get everything you want and more and so close to home if not home. If I didn't partially live here myself, I would be ordering stuff non-stop to either my massi, mama or sis in law!

With that being said, hope this Christmas brings in every new bag/shoe/necklace/wallet you've been lusting after. Also if you ever need help in one of your online shopping sprees in terms of duties this that, don't hesitate to contact me on hanadimerchant@hotmail.com. I am always happy to help.

Happy Shopping!!

XOXO

Christmas Goodies - A Tale Of Online Shopping

Now that I'm done going on and on about how I love my Gucci's I'll start yapping about the other goodies that were delivered to my doorstep a few days ago!

You see, the last time I bought a bag was in the summer. Post which, greedy little me had no new bags or clutches to show off. The insatiable person that I am, didn't feel that a Saint Laurent Paris Chyc clutch, a Celine Trapeze bag or the Lanvin Les 10 Ans Grosgrain Tote was enough for one summer. So as you all know, I have been saving hard for another new Chanel, which means I have to cut back on a few other expenses, which means less money to buy any other bag. However, I was determined. I needed a new clutch.

So I started the hunt. The hunt for a clutch that would suit my budget, yet bears the "Made In Italy" or "Made In France" tag (I'm a little rigid in my ways) and of course is gorgeous at the same time. After a whole day of looking at every e-commerce site there is, I discovered it and it was right under my nose the whole time!!

The Alexander McQueen Demanta Clutch. I had always liked that clutch but somehow never ended up buying it because I was too obsessed with the skull box clutches. So the thing about the Demanta clutch is that it comes in many variations. Satin, leather (with or without embellishments), calf hair: which means you can choose how much you want to pay for it. Obviously not in the literal sense but prices vary according to the material it is manufactured in and if there are any embellishments on it.

As of right now, the satin Demanta suited my budget perfectly. I found a specific one on mytheresa.com with a beautiful stained glass print on it and it cost me about 325 euros including duty and shipping. You can check out other Demanta clutches here. I am currently in my Dubai home (the husband and I live here for a month and Delhi for a month), so I have the added advantage of paying a lower duty than India and lower shipping costs. So in two business days my package arrives and I am over the moon with my new clutch. I love the size of this specific model too. Its very roomy and it can also be used during the day. The colorful print can spruce up every outfit especially if you wear mainly solid colors like I do. The best part about this clutch is the unusual shape. The other variations especially this specific one with gold embellishments (click here) had me totally floored, but my priority is the Chanel, so I had to stop myself.

The label is embossed in leather

The day after I placed my order with mytheresa.com, I was as usual checking out net-a-porter. You know, just "checking" when there it was, that luring header on their website "free shipping for a limited time period" when my search for something else began (budget of course).

Remember I had talked about those Karl Lagerfeld fingerless gloves in a previous post? Well, I thought what better time than now to order. The logical part of my brain told me to hold my horses till the website has a Christmas sale which is right around the corner. But then I got to thinking, the gloves were only like 60 pounds. If there was a sale, they would go down to what, 50 percent off, costing 30 pounds. But during the sale, there probably will be no free shipping which costs 20 pounds from net-a-porter, so I would only be saving 10 pounds which isn't much. It seemed best to give in to my greed and click add to cart. Which I did, but I still felt I needed more. So then I start looking at books where I saw the Karl Lagerfeld one I had been meaning to order. The World According To Karl was indeed an important addition to my growing collection of hard cover fashion books. I clicked add to cart again and quickly completed my order before I started adding more stuff to buy! I guess Christmas did come early this year. :)

Always choose the black box packaging when you order from net-a-porter <3

Box of Goodies

Studded Gloves

Can't wait to read the crazy quotes!

With that being said, HAPPY SHOPPING!

XOXO

Love Of A Lifetime - Gucci Flats

Hello my lovelies!!

Okay so it's been a pretty exciting two weeks for me (minus the Chanel drama I blogged about ) shopping wise. December time is usually when I get super excited for the holidays and dish out some of my savings towards some exciting shopping.

First up was a pair of my annual Gucci flats which is what I'm going to talk about in this post. So the thing is, since I discovered the Gucci Brit flats in 2009, there's been no turning back for me. I realized I found the perfect pair of flats to live in all day long. Despite being an avid fashion lover, I cannot wear heels all day long, unless of course I have an event or a day time party to attend. But more often than not, I have to wear flats during the day. So when i found those Brit flats in their Florence boutique, that lovely Summer of 2009, I was instantly in love. I wore them all year long to the point where the lovely brown canvas turned grey. Thereafter, every year, I made sure I purchased at least one pair annually to wear on a daily basis. Gucci's superior quality can make a single pair of shoes last for years to come. If I want, I can actually wear all my old Gucci flats for another year at least, but because I'm a bit of a cow, I just buy a new pair every year.

My first pair of Gucci Brits with pink leather

So usually, they come out with different variations of the interlocking G's, but for this resort collection, they came out with something different which I was head over heels in love with. They have horse bits on them!! It was literally a 15 minute trip to the Gucci boutique. From walking in, to trying them and paying for them. That's how quick it was because I'm telling you ladies, I have never seen hotter casual flats.

I remember last year, before I went off for my holiday to Jordan, I thought let me venture outside of Gucci to buy flats. Since I have the benefit of partially living in Dubai (I spend about a month here every alternate month), I had access to a lot more brands than what we have in Delhi. I went to Harvey Nichols, Saks Fifth Avenue, Galleries Lafayette, Bloomingdales and the flagship boutiques, but somehow couldn't find a simple pair of sturdy flats. There were a plethora of fancy ones (currently crushing on a Chanel pair), but I can't walk around all day long in a pair that's delicate. I need something solid, sturdy yet fashionable. So I made a full U-turn and came back to Gucci and bought yet another pair of interlocking G's for my feet.

Still have two more pairs lying somewhere!

One of best durability tests my black brits with gold G's on them went through was when I was going to a water park the summer of 2011. I recall not having any other flat sandals so I wore these! Since I had spent so much money on them my heart was in my throat throughout the day because I was convinced that by the time I am done with my "adventurous" day going from water slide to water slide my sandals would be ruined. I don't mean I wore them on to the slides, but i was walking around the park with the sandals on and my feet were soaking wet throughout. Despite what I put them through at the water park and numerous other occasions, I wore them for another year and they are still wearable. But please don't wear them to a water park like I did, opt for Gucci's rubber sandals instead!

You know, I'm not the only one who swears by them. One of my BFF's is actually one step ahead of me. She doesn't just buy one, she buys them in all the different colors! This year itself, she got 3 pairs of interlocking G's and has some from previous seasons that she still wears today. My husband, brother and father have their own pairs of the men's versions. My brother in fact has been wearing his for the last 4 years! The husband practically lives in them too.

The men's flats! The more worn out ones are circa 2009.

Basically the lesson of this particular post is that if you're looking to buy a pair of everyday flat sandals that are also pretty, it HAS to be Gucci. Their durability comes of course from using superior quality materials combined with excellent craftsmanship and can last you for years to come. As you can see, I heart Gucci.

Check out their flats from the Cruise collection.

XOXO

Official Product Image Courtesy: Gucci

Bag Review: Cruising With Dior Addict Bags

I love entering a new season in the fashion calender, especially resort which provides some sort of respite from the harshness of the winter and if you live in Delhi then of course the fog. Cruise collections bring in so much color and joy and in the case of Christian Dior, a brand new bag aka, the Dior Addict.

This gorgeous new bag is made out of smooth and buttery soft calfskin and has an everyday appeal to it. Dior's latest baby comes without the stiff structure which means there's extra room to expand in case you're running a little low on space (which is almost always the case when it comes to me). The handles are great as it can easily be worn over the shoulder which saves the drama of carrying a heavy bag at the nook of your arm. It's a very easy, get set go kind of bag.

However, don't be fooled with it's simplicity. It is expertly crafted and of course handmade by highly skilled artisans and you can click here to watch the video on how it's made. The hardware is minimal which makes it light and the Dior charms come in different colors adding an element of fun. All in all, a perfect everyday companion. Oh and by the way, its a runway bag :)

Dior Addict Large Shopping Bag In Glycine Smooth Calfskin With Flesh Details & Orange Metalized Jewelry

Dior Addict Small Shopping Bag In Black Smooth Calfskin With Roccia Python Details & Fuchsia Metalized Jewelry

Dior Addict Small Shopping Bag In Crema Smooth Calfskin With Roccia Python Details & Fuchsia Metalized Jewelry

Dior Addict Small Shopping Bag In Orange Riviera Smooth Calfskin With Fuchsia Cosmopolitan Details & Silver Tone Jewelry

Dior Addict Shopping Bag In Crema Smooth Calfskin With Roccia Python Details & Fuchsia Metalized Jewelry

Dior Addict Shopping Bag In Black Smooth Calfskin With Rose Dragee Details & Fuchsia Metalized Jewelry

Image Courtesy: Christian Dior

Light Lehengas: Wedding Season 2013

I am sure that most of you like myself are stuck in constantly attending wedding soiree after another at this time of the year. While traditionally bling has always ruled when it comes to dressing for Indian bridal (the bride and even her friends), experimental fashionistas are also stripping off the excesses and fitting into ensembles that do not weigh 20 kilos. Although it remains to be seen in the main wedding ensem of the bride, ladies are increasingly picking minimal outfits for the lesser functions. Nothing is a taboo anymore -- be it black, neon, or the absence of blind-you-in-the-eye embellishments.

This new shift is not limited to just anarkalis or saris -- lehengas go light too this wedding season, and here we present our top choices from Pernia's Pop Up Shop to rock that mehendi, sangeet and cocktail -- those that have neo twists, yet look traditional enough.

Aniyat by Taniya O' Connor: The jacket of this lehenga set features applique work, embellished by zari and ari work. I love the fan-like gota work that accentuates the tie to the panelled skirt.

Ridhi Mehra: This raw silk lehenga embraces the much-seen European influences seen in ethnic couture shows this year. Featuring gold dori work with embellished shoulders and a minimal net dupatta, this ensemble works really well for those who have dancing feet.

SVA: The hot pink and hip-length jute kurta combined with the deep blue of the velvet underskirt lends ample Indian flavour to this lehenga set. Oversized pom pom ties, alongwith a sheer net dupatta completes the ensemble -- I say perfect for those who wish to hide a few problem areas.

Priyal Prakash: Being an ever-loving fan of polka motifs in Indian wear -- from mehendi 'golas' to mirror work -- this lehenga instantly caught my attention. Crafted out of raw silk and net featuring sequin and gota work, the vermillion red pops out beautifully against the bottle green.

Ohaila Khan: Neon does not seem to be going off the trend pages anytime soon, and this ensemble with that delicious green border caught my eye instantly. Kasab embellishments highlight the dupatta.

Anita Dongre: I am the biggest lover of Anita Dongre lehengas around I bet. Crafted in raw silk with gota patti work all over, this lehenga is also available in many other colour variations at Pernia's.

Anju Modi: Totally loving that draped tunic! Crafted in Chanderi with raw silk accents, and applique, this lehenga is definitely breezy!A part of it features block printing, finished off with resham-dori work on the hemline.

Atsu: The long choli on this lehenga is created out of lace highlighted with mint-toned sequin embroidery work. The flowy, simple net underskirt also feature minute sequin motifs. I think the mint green and peach palette is what that makes it work well.

Pernia Qureshi: Featuring embellished shoulders with pleated sleeves, the raw silk kurta in this lehenga features a cut out in the midriff. Paired with a simple flowy skirt with dull-gold borders on the hemline, and a net dupatta, I am loving how classy it gets!

The Economics of Buying a Chanel 2.55

Today is a very somber day for me. For 3 months now I have been planning, plotting and saving (all attempts in vain because I always find some other stuff that I am in dire need of) for another Chanel 2.55 bag. The first one I own is a reissue and I have been feeling the lack of a classic model with the interlocking C's. So a few days ago my husband took pity on me and said he might consider chipping in (chipping in is an understatement as I have only saved about 1000 dollars). The operative word being pity. So I get all excited and tell the boy, let's go "see" the bag. You know secretly hoping that he would just whip out the credit card and say okay here goes.

Hello you gorgeous red reissue!

Sadly, no such luck today. As the lady brings out this beautiful beige bag in caviar skin with the lovely gold hardware and leather intertwined in the shoulder strap I am smiling from ear to ear, dreaming about parading around town with it that very moment.The current price of the bag was INR 330,000 which if you apply even the slightest bit of logic is steep. So the husband says to me, let's think about it and check the price in an EU country as they are usually cheaper there. He's got a point there so I very sadly leave the Chanel boutique.

Despite the fact that I know I will get that bag sooner or later because that's just the way it is for me once I lay my eyes on something, I got down to thinking about the opportunity costs of my prospective new Chanel. I crossed the Celine boutique and thought hey I can get 2 mini shoppers or 2 trapeze bags for that price. However, since I already own one of each, I let that be a fleeting thought.. for now at least. But I'm still wondering about all the other things I can purchase. Should I really go buy a new Celine, or should I add some more money and buy diamond earrings? Obviously diamonds can be a much better investment.Should I instead ditch all of that and go on a shopping spree and fill my closet with more sweatshirts (maybe the Givenchy Bambi one this time), DVF dresses, a few Manolo's, maybe another Saint Laurent Paris clutch, or even the Lanvin LOVE necklace that I've been eyeing, or how about the Valentino Rockstud shoes?

The options are plenty. But it all boils down to one thing, how badly do I think I NEED that Chanel. What will be the marginal utility of a new classic 2.55 in beige caviar skin with gold interlocking C's? Will it render a better return on investment like diamonds? After all, classic Chanels do go through a regular price hike (the economic term would be "Fashion Inflation").

After a long hard hour spent thinking, I have decided to give my vote to my beloved Chanel. Diamonds, dresses, sweatshirts all come and go. Economics, opportunity costs, marginal utility..bla bla bla..A Chanel my lovelys is forever. So are diamonds, but umm currently all logic prevails until I bring home that little black box.