New York Fashion Week Round Up: Jason Wu, Victoria Beckham

Jason Wu

Jason Wu

Jason Wu - At Jason Wu, it was all about thigh high slits, abstract prints and lots of green, blue and white. The silhouettes were simple and just plain beautiful. There was no fuss and clothes were very fluid. Nothing seemed like a hassle here. Shirtdresses in flowy fabrics cinched at the waist, silk blouses and loose trousers were understated and extremely chic. The suede silhouettes such as a midnight blue romper or a sleeveless green dress featuring a plunging neckline, thigh high slit with a button right above the thigh were not only sexy but just seemed so easy to carry. There was without a doubt a sportswear influence too. Case in point being the tight blue zip up top (Malaika Firth wore in white too on the runway) reminiscent of the top half of a scuba diving suit tucked into a pencil skirt with a slit in the middle. Finally, came the evening wear. Beautiful, knee length, shiny cocktail dresses gathered at the waist or billowing gowns with a slit in the middle, cinched at the waist with a belt and navel deep a plunging neckline. Overall, a very safe, and power-packed collection.

However, apart from the clothes, this was the first time I started checking out Jason Wu handbags. Well, the bags I saw on instagram before the show and when style.com added the details online I got to get a closer look at them. I have to say, I am really loving them. There were two new models introduced for next Spring. First up, there was the Diane bag named after Diane Kruger and the second one was the Charlotte tote which was styled as an oversized clutch for the show. The Diane is a boxy shoulder bag whereas the Charlotte is a bigger, top handle tote in a cool shape with origami style folds on it. Both the bags came in some exquisite exotic skin too and are bound to be next season's IT bags. I for one am really eyeing the Charlotte bag!

Jason Wu Charlotte Bag

Jason Wu Diane Bag

Victoria Beckham - If there is one show I look forward to with utmost enthusiasm during NYFW, it is Victoria Beckham. Not only have I been obsessed with her since I was a teenager, I just think the woman is so bloody talented. Clothes designer, check. Handbags and sunglasses designer, check. What's more now, is that she's added shoes to her line. From giving out small presentations in her hotel suite, to becoming one of the most sought after designers, what this woman has achieved is truly remarkable. As the seasons have gone by, Victoria has definitely matured as a designer. Her first few collections focussed on body hugging sheath dresses. But she has slowly looked beyond those dresses as we have seen. Of course they are and will remain her signature. But the sign of a good designer is one that evolves with the seasons and that is exactly what she has done.

For the SS 15 show, the highlight in my opinion were the jute jackets. There was so much detailing in them. Starting from the contrast coloured belts coming out from the slits to the lapel that was folded over away from the shoulder in a curvey S shape whilst the jacket zipped from the opposite side to the impeccable tailoring. I wouldn't be surprised if they sold out on every e-commerce site. Moving on, there were clothes that looked like sexy military style uniforms in shades of beige, oxblood, black and florals too. A full sleeved, beige button down dress with patch pockets or a black mini shift with unevenly placed pockets or a black cargo style top paired with a tight, striped skirt  or even a head to toe floral safari-esque suit being excellent examples.

Tight, but not too tight ribbed dresses and skirts along with a boyfriend sweater with shoelace style detailing on the side were a great addition to the collection. The clothes focussed on everyday wear as opposed to red carpet dressing. Victoria makes it a point to understand her consumer closely and giving them exactly what she wants. Phenomenal style combined with comfort.

With respect to the handbags, it was all about structured box bags with an optional shoulder strap. Most of them were in crocodile leather, so exotic skin fans can rejoice! Also seen was another structured bag in a bucket shape also in crocodile. Good to see some cool new additions to her growing bag collection.

Finally, her latest offering to her growing empire was a brand new shoe collection. Not the usual point heeled stiletto you might have thought. But chunky platform heels and pointy toed masculine inspired brogues. I'm definitely getting those platforms next summer. What about you?

Victoria Bekcham

Victoria Beckham

Victoria Bekcham

 

New York Fashion Week Round Up - Suno, Creatures Of The Wind, Lacoste

New York Fashion Week started out by checking images on my style.com app on the iPhone on the go in Russia for me (I'm still holidaying here but I try to squeeze in some work from time to time). Whilst I try to keep up with most shows, I don't end up seeing all of them from every country. I usually have my favourites short listed, however, every new season I open up my mind a little bit and start checking out labels I haven't ever seen before. This time it was Suno.

Suno

Suno

Suno - It was the first time I was checking out clothes by Suno and I have to say I have a new favourite brand in my dictionary. The vibe was relaxed and easy going with ankle length cropped pants appearing throughout the collection. I'm a huge fan of these ankle length pants. They can be paired with heels to appear more formal or paired with flats to make the look casual. Quite versatile. Overall the clothes were more on the loose side and looked extremely functional and highly suited to daily wear whilst being stylish at the same time. Prints seemed to be the focus of the collection with stripes and squares dominating the runway. There were also mis-matched prints such as florals paired with geometric squares which looked as if they belonged together. Absolutely loved it.  Silhouettes like boxy dresses with ruffles at the bottom or a dress that was stripes from the bust down and a white shirt for the bust or even the pastel blue summer jacket are just right for the days when you can't be bothered to try too hard. The collection made me smack myself at the back of my head for not discovering the label sooner.

Creatures Of The Wind

Creatures Of The Wind

Creatures Of The Wind - Yet another collection that rated high on everyday appeal. The cropped ankle length trousers were chic and understated and versatile enough to be worn during the day and in the evenings. The striped clothes were perfect for the scorching summer. Almost felt as if they were inspired by the khadi kurtas worn in India on hot summer days, especially the button down, long sleeveless tunic paired with pants. The striped, asymmetrical hemmed skirt paired with a matching cotton top had a very nonchalant vibe to it and looked very cool. The separates, like a sleeveless, yellow cotton waistcoat or the leather and herringbone jacket are great pieces to invest in for next summer. There was a grunge element to the clothes as was seen with the plaid shirt tucked into a red pencil skirt. Mind you, this was grunge meets fancy with sequins embroidered on the shirt. Pretty funky I think. Even black silk organza skirts which you may wear on an evening out were all edgy with lace on top and shiny yellow and blue thingamajigs. And finally, how about that plaid dress with numerous slits and sequinned straps that closed the show?

Lacoste

Lacoste

Lacoste - Being a huge Lacoste fan and having worn the label's clothes in the past, I always look forward to checking out the show. This collection was just really sexy. The powder blue boxy neoprene coats that opened the show featured some fantastic tailoring. In addition, it was interesting to see the use of neoprene in a sportswear brand. The first few looks were paired with sneakers; camel and white coloured ones. I have a feeling with this whole sneaker movement happening, these will be flying off the shelves. Then came the larger than life, mixed up team number printed dresses with polo necks exuding not only sporty but sexy too. After this, the theme related clothes started rolling in. The theme was yachting. But don't expect to find portholes and traditional blue and white stripes. Instead, Yachting was written on a football jersey style dress and skirts with (or without) windcheaters attached to the waist (think tying a sweater on your waist when you were in school). Or how about on a sweatshirt. Pretty neat eh? My most favourite looks were the dresses towards the end. Dresses with colour blocked stripes (instead of blue and white, try white, red and purple or purple, white and orange). And the yellow and white striped dress with a sexy, sheer blue veil as an added layer will ensure I pay regular visits to the Lacoste boutique in the next few months.

Images via style.com

 

Bag Review: Burberry Bloomsbury Tote - Too Big To Handle

 

Christopher Bailey sent down one of his best collections for Burberry till date for the Fall. Hand painted clothes and accessories were the style du jour for the fall at Burberry. Who wouldn't want a revamped Burberry trench coat, a sheep skin jacket, or gorgeous ankle boots with hand painted motifs on them. Bailey has certainly revived the brand that was on the brink of being written off as old and boring. I mean lets face it, eventually one will get bored of seeing the checks. I like how Bailey has mixed the old with the new.

Now when it comes to Burberry hand bags, I've still got my reservations. The Bloomsbury is the brand's newest bag for the fall and has already been said to be the IT / MUST HAVE bag for the season. I beg to differ.

The bags are really beautiful to look and are crafted out of a combination of some interesting materials like wool, cashmere and leather or jute, viscose linen and so on and feature unique artwork (done by hand) on each bag. Agreed these are all very special qualities and will definitely make the person carrying it feel special. But have you seen the size of the tote? I can make do with the medium sized tote and find the hand painted ones really nice but the large one is about 16.9 inches in height! I mean I have enough trouble with the size of my Givenchy Antigona, the Bloomsbury is another level of big. Not to mention structured. So you've got this giant, structured tote, now what? Apart from the artwork, in terms of functionality its saving grace is the optional shoulder strap which might make it easier to lug around. Also, I'm not really caring for the whole tapestry/blanket theme. Furthermore, I'm not feeling very inspired with the shape either. It reminds me terribly of the Louis Vuitton Alma, just a more elongated version of it.

Louis Vuitton Alma

The artsy Bloomsbury bags start at USD 3,195 on their website. A little pricey for a shape that isn't that appealing. Truth be told, if I really wanted to spend that much on a bag that reminds me of tapestry, I might as well go to Jaipur and buy a Persian inspired rug that is handmade in Kashmir. With respect to the painted totes, I can instead buy myself MF Husain serigraphs for that much money too. Sometimes, artistic handbags just don't work. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem in spending that kind of money a on a bag, but just not this one. Click here to check out the bags.

Images via: Burberry & Louis Vuitton

Save The Date (And Some Money) - The Pink Post It Returns On September 6th!

Okay everyone, I'm going to tell you exactly how you're spending your Saturday afternoon. At The Pink Post It's fall trunk show taking place at The Grand in Vasant Kunj! Don't worry, not everyone needs to show up with wards of cash to shop. I love that the girls work with a great price point range starting from INR 1500 to INR 100,000 ensuring there's something in store for everyone. Furthermore, not only is this trunk show a place to shop your favourite designers which you may not find in India, but it is a fantastic platform to showcase the talent of fresh new Indian designers such as Arpita Mehta.

Also,  as Sharnnamli mentioned in her interview, the Outhouse jewellery collection from Lakme Fashion Week will be in Delhi for the first time and exclusively with TPPI. Being a sucker for statement jewellery, it is a bit sad I wont be attending the trunk show. From DVF wrap dresses to Micheal Kors bags to crop tops and pretty floral skirts by Sonal Kalra Ahuja; TPPI has become one of the best trunk shows in Delhi. Please shop some from me too whilst I'll be enjoying some Russian architecture! And above all, HAVE FUN!!

Here are some photos on what you can expect to see on Saturday.

Outhouse

Outhouse

Sonal Kalra Ahuja

Arpita Mehta

 

Catching Up With One Of The Co-Founders Of The Pink Post It Before Their Upcoming Trunk Show!

 

Sharnamli (L) & Mitali (R)

Hello Everyone! As you all may or may not know, The Pink Post It, Delhi's coolest trunk show is back for the Fall. However, before I share details on their Fall trunk show, I got down to catching up with one of the co-founders, Sharnamli Mehra Adhar to understand what exactly TPPI was all about, how she and Mitali Wadhwa came up with this concept, sourcing, price points, etc. I am a bit of a nosy parker and love digging deeper (no pun intended!). Besides, it's always interesting to learn what goes on behind the scenes and I love that fact that they're young entrepreneurs. Here goes!

P.S, Mitali also added her input in the second question :)

Hanadi: What is The Pink Post It?
Sharnamli: The Pink Post It is a series of curated shopping experiences. We wanted to provide a platform to young brands that gives them a credible space to showcase their products. Having said that, we noticed that there was a gap in the affordable luxury space wherein customers wanted fresher brands that moved away from the usual brands they see at various trunk shows and exhibitions.

Hanadi: How did this concept come about?
Sharnamli: Mitali and I are hard core shopaholics like the rest of us ;) Having studied in college together in London and upon returning to Delhi after our degrees, we felt that everyone seemed to dress alike and there was a huge lack of personal style due to unavailability of affordable and innovative designs in the market. We then thought of showcasing clothes and accessories where people like us would come to shop for brands which they would not be able to find or scout for on their own. In addition, affordability was always an intrinsic part in this process.

Mitali: Being a designer myself, I participated in various exhibitions and found that due to the high volume of exhibitors, no one was really selling. Furthermore, these events were not well curated. The owners were taking every designer that approached them. For instance, there were more than over twenty designers in the same category at one exhibition. Eventually, no designer really stood out nor did well.When we started, the exhibition business was in a nascent stage with only two/three players in the market.We felt there was a need for a well curated event where only a handful of designers were picked and everyone we selected, specialised in a category thereby providing each of them with a platform to be able to showcase their collection to a niche audience.

Hanadi: How hard or easy was it to execute it and make people aware about it?
Sharnamli: Its been a very exciting journey so far and we’ve learnt a lot from it. It just seems easy to execute from the outside but we went through a lot of meticulous planning to make sure that when customers come in they should find brands that excite them. A lot of times when we are stuck and can’t make a decision we put ourselves in the place of the customer to see whether we ourselves would buy the product. Making people aware initially was through our personal circles but we soon realized that we cannot just rely on that and have used social media to our advantage. We believe in not over advertising but advertising right. Therefore, our marketing channels are very targeted and focused in getting the people who are excited about fashion & shopping.

Hanadi: How do you choose what international designers you would like to feature at the trunk shows? And how do you forecast what you think will sell?
Sharnamli: International designers that we feature are usually more niche brands that are not necessarily available in the country. We always reach out to brands through reliable distributors and stores like Le Mill which we know sell official merchandise. Our forecasting technique is based again more on the research we do online and reading articles and blogs. A lot of times it is influenced by our travels. We always keep in mind the season and the buying mentality of Indian buyers who are very well heeled and travelled now. So the brands and products need to be updated with latest trends and in addition, have some sort of novelty factor attached.

Hanadi: How do you go about sourcing international merchandise?
Sharnmali: So far most of the international merchandise has been sold through brands like Le Mill, Moon River, Koovs amongst others. We always consult with their teams to give them a better understanding of the customer base we have. These stores are also renowned  for quality and authenticity.

Hanadi: What price points do you work with?
Sharnamli: We generally work on a price range from Rs 1500 up till 1 lac, thereby showcasing something for everyone.

Hanadi: How do you choose what Indian designers to tie up with for the trunk shows?
Sharnmali: The Indian designers we showcase are a mix of the known and fairly new names.We make a decision after a careful screening process keeping in mind the current trends, quality, prices and the brand's prospective growth in the market. We also make sure we know where the product is available and where the designers showcase as we don’t want overly diluted brands. We want customers to be excited by the names. In fact,  a lot of brands have also supported us and exclusively showcase with us :)

Hanadi: How often do you have these trunk shows and in what cities?
Sharnamli: In Delhi we only have the show two times a year once in Feb/March (for summer ) and once in Sept/Oct (for the festive season), so far we’ve been to Chandigarh and are looking to expand to Kolkata, Mumbai and maybe even Dubai soon.

Hanadi: Tell me, what is on your must have list from the upcoming trunk show in Delhi?
Sharnamli: On my lust list is definitely an Indian ensemble from Arpita Mehta's new collection from LFW. I'm also super excited to buy Outhouse's new collection, The Column being showcased in Delhi for the first time exclusively with The Pink Post-It. Oh, might I add, It is straight off the LFW runway!  We also have really quirky and interesting home décor finds this time specially curated for Diwali and the festive season ahead so there is definitely a lot to choose from!

I hope you guys liked my interview with Sharnamli! Stay tuned for some photos on what you can expect to see (and buy) from their trunk show on the 6th September later today. For now, I'm going to go check out the Faberge Museum in St. Petersburg!

 

Monisha Jaising - India Couture Week 2014

Whilst I know India Couture Week finished over a month ago, I still want to talk about my second favourite show. As I mentioned in the Anju Modi post, I attended only three days out of which I thoroughly enjoyed only two shows. Anju Modi and Monisha Jaising.

The show started with some interesting Indo-Western style full skirted gowns made out of silk at the bottom half. The bodices were either leather, or had rococo style embroidery on a burgundy fabric or gold stripes entwined into the bodice. I've been obsessed with leather clothing, so naturally the gown with the leather bodice really got me excited. Another favourite silhouette was the pale pink saree with the embroidered cropped jacket on top. Pairing a cropped jacket over a saree isn't a new concept, but the look was still lust worthy. It had an air of nonchalance to it.

Now for the real piece de resistance, it was the sherwanis that really stole the limelight in my opinion. Meticulous garment construction paired with luxurious fabrics like heavy wool crepe and intricate embroidery inspired by the peacock gate of the City Palace courtyard, I am yet to see a better shervani in the last few seasons. Personally I am a huge fan of the bandh gala jacket/shervani or whatever you may like to call it and swear by my JJ Valaya couture jacket. I have no doubt that the Monisha Jaising ones are going to be an instant hit with a long client list waiting to order them. When paired with contrasting embroidered leggings, the look is a little blingy, but good bling. Not tacky but just really fresh and playful. The colours used such as pale pink and powder blue were just perfect.

When it came to the saris, whilst most of them were great, one in particular caught my eye. An ivory coloured saree, with mukaish work and silk embroidery on it. The edge was decorated with ostrich feathers. Ostrich feathers are so graceful and I love how they waft when you walk and it is exciting to see Indian designers incorporating them into their designs these days.

Finally, it was Lisa Haydon. Oh what a bride she made. In a leather lehenga with traditional gold embroidery paired with a fitted shirt. How can anyone forget that look. Even though the stunning Lisa wore it, the beauty of the lehenga outshone Lisa. The whole black leather lehenga was sheer genius.

Although, in all honesty, I wonder how well this piece will do commercially. Sorry I wasn't trying to kill the mood, but I just thought, most brides end up being so traditional because parents and grand parents are equally involved in wedding planning. How many would actually be able to wear this to their wedding? Just a fleeting thought.

For the longest time, just like Anju Modi, I never really checked out Monisha's clothes before. I am so thankful for attending India Couture Week because it truly changed my perspective on the Indian couture scene. A collection that was globally inspired, yet steeped in Indian tradition in every possible way; Monisha managed to get a perfect blend of Indo-Western. Here's to many more successful collections for this fabulous designer!

Image Courtesy: The Fashion Design Council Of India

Bag Review: Dior FW 14 Clutch - The Fashionable Vs. Functionality Debate

There comes a time when one must make the ultimate choice in handbags (same goes for shoes and clothes). Fashionable Vs. Functionality. That is exactly the case for this latest Dior offering for the Fall. I'll be honest with you, I have a biased opinion when it comes to Dior. I pretty much love everything Dior but since it is a bag review I am going to try and leave some of the bias at home.

So this bag/clutch hybrid as I like to call it is really cool and quintessentially Raf. With the colour blocking and the edgy loop handle; Raf's detailing is always beautiful.The bag comes in two colour variations. One in white, bright green and black (runway model), the other in pink, black and bright yellow. I've always been a fan of Raf's love for bright colours. Crafted out of supple lambskin, the bag is squishy so if you do happen to purchase it, please ensure it remains stuffed to retain the shape when you're not using it. I like the hardware in particular on this. First it's the big rivets that are used to attach the loop strap. And secondly, its the clasp to close it. Finally, the bag doesn't open straight out. It kind of opens up to form a rectangle.

But, for the first time I'll use a but with a Dior bag, I have to admit, I don't think it is very functional. It's neither here nor there in terms of size. I think it is a little too big to be used a clutch and the loop handle isn't functional enough to make this a day bag. Even if you move the loop to the side and put your hand on top of the metal hardware, the clasp sort of digs in to your skin and your wrist will hurt after a while because of the odd angle.

With that being said, a lot of us forgo the functionality factor when it comes to a killer style quotient. We put on uncomfortable heels that look mind blowing but were made to kill feet. We wear dresses that can be so fitted that one wrong move and the sleeve will rip. It is no different for bags. I have over the years collected a few bags that wouldn't be rated the highest in terms of functionality, but man they're gorgeous to look at.

The clutch/bag hybrid is beautiful no doubt. If you're willing to let go of a few shortcomings here and there, I say you go check it out at DLF Emporio. In the meantime, I photographed the bag for fun. Hope you like the photos.

Notice how it opens up

 

 

 

 

Official Product Image Courtesy: Christian Dior