Friday, 31 July 2015
Thursday, 30 July 2015
Give Away Alert - T&C* Apply :)
Dearest Darlings,
Though a simple Thank You would be an underplay, I sincerely thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the love and the likes! Special bow Thank You to Gaurang Shah, Shreedevi Chowdary Nekkanti, Himanshu Verma, Mamta Reddy, Rachana Reddy, Mira Sagar and Aruna Chandrala for recognizing my efforts!
I know many of you are yet to religiously Facebook-like my page, but boy am I glad at least you are finding time to come back for more! I started this blog to support multiple causes! With every post, I want to get better and make it more appealing to you all. I might fail you seldom, but I will definitely strive harder. To me, every LIKE counts as I know they are not paid for. I know where you all are coming from, too!
I am blessed to be where I am today and I take nothing for granted! I humbly request you all to share my blog with your friends and family. The more, the merrier! As a token of gratitude, one of you will receive this beautiful dupatta with hand-painted Kalamkari on handwoven fabric. I am still in the Kalamkari hangover, hence this is the wise choice! I paid for the dupatta and nobody sponsored, so kindly understand this is a genuine gesture!
I always wondered what is the right way to blog, the ethics, dos and dont's etc! I dont care any more as this is no competition. We all (include me) like random pages just because Facebook tells us to! We forget about them later and move on! Dont know how this sounds, but I am promoting the sweat and blood of people on my blog! The best part is none of these super stars asked me to do so! It was just a conscious decision! Their efforts should not go waste and unnoticed! Just because somebody is dolled up like an angel, doesnt mean they are redundant. Please understand, they are promoting somebody or something for a cause! If one person benefits from their work, its definitely worth your while! As a matter of fact, any blog or page or entity that promotes such things should never go unnoticed!
I have not confined my blog to celebrities only! I talk about everybody and anybody who work towards their own cause! You are talented, you are our celebrity! Come, write to us if you have a story to share. Big or small, doesnt matter! Don't let your efforts go waste! If you agree with what I say, please share my blog and help me reach my goal! Its a harmless win-win situation :)
T&C* - Shipping within India only! NRIs, I can ship it across to your friends or family!
Though a simple Thank You would be an underplay, I sincerely thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the love and the likes! Special bow Thank You to Gaurang Shah, Shreedevi Chowdary Nekkanti, Himanshu Verma, Mamta Reddy, Rachana Reddy, Mira Sagar and Aruna Chandrala for recognizing my efforts!
That's not me, just in case :)
I know many of you are yet to religiously Facebook-like my page, but boy am I glad at least you are finding time to come back for more! I started this blog to support multiple causes! With every post, I want to get better and make it more appealing to you all. I might fail you seldom, but I will definitely strive harder. To me, every LIKE counts as I know they are not paid for. I know where you all are coming from, too!
I am blessed to be where I am today and I take nothing for granted! I humbly request you all to share my blog with your friends and family. The more, the merrier! As a token of gratitude, one of you will receive this beautiful dupatta with hand-painted Kalamkari on handwoven fabric. I am still in the Kalamkari hangover, hence this is the wise choice! I paid for the dupatta and nobody sponsored, so kindly understand this is a genuine gesture!
I always wondered what is the right way to blog, the ethics, dos and dont's etc! I dont care any more as this is no competition. We all (include me) like random pages just because Facebook tells us to! We forget about them later and move on! Dont know how this sounds, but I am promoting the sweat and blood of people on my blog! The best part is none of these super stars asked me to do so! It was just a conscious decision! Their efforts should not go waste and unnoticed! Just because somebody is dolled up like an angel, doesnt mean they are redundant. Please understand, they are promoting somebody or something for a cause! If one person benefits from their work, its definitely worth your while! As a matter of fact, any blog or page or entity that promotes such things should never go unnoticed!
I have not confined my blog to celebrities only! I talk about everybody and anybody who work towards their own cause! You are talented, you are our celebrity! Come, write to us if you have a story to share. Big or small, doesnt matter! Don't let your efforts go waste! If you agree with what I say, please share my blog and help me reach my goal! Its a harmless win-win situation :)
T&C* - Shipping within India only! NRIs, I can ship it across to your friends or family!
Wednesday, 29 July 2015
Mamta Reddy, The Reviver Of Kalamkari
If you worship hand-painted Kalamkari on hand-woven fabrics, your search ends at Mamta Reddy! With all due respect, I idolize Gaurang and Sashikant Naidu. But, Mamta Reddy is the driving force behind these haute couturiers!
The intricacy involved makes her spin off a "one time investment" in a work of art. No matter where what is depicted how, the end result is a collector's piece! Kalamkari art is very distinctive in its own right, but Mamta Reddy beautified it further with her signature style.
Other than outright Kalamkari, she fused Kalamkari with Ikat and Chikankari to make it more appealing and exotic. What an aesthetic sense! She has infused tradition the contemporary way. In this era of catalogued drapes, it's such a sight to sore eyes!
Her work has been lauded by couturiers Sashikant Naidu, Neeta Lulla, Sabyasachi Mukherji, Rohit Bal and the like. All Gaurang stand-alone stores are adorned with her art, heavily! Not to mention the celebrities from all possible fraternities who promote her work! Probably the list gets longer every season! Thanks to Mamta Reddy, there is no death to art as long as it is loved this way!
The intricacy involved makes her spin off a "one time investment" in a work of art. No matter where what is depicted how, the end result is a collector's piece! Kalamkari art is very distinctive in its own right, but Mamta Reddy beautified it further with her signature style.
Other than outright Kalamkari, she fused Kalamkari with Ikat and Chikankari to make it more appealing and exotic. What an aesthetic sense! She has infused tradition the contemporary way. In this era of catalogued drapes, it's such a sight to sore eyes!
Her work has been lauded by couturiers Sashikant Naidu, Neeta Lulla, Sabyasachi Mukherji, Rohit Bal and the like. All Gaurang stand-alone stores are adorned with her art, heavily! Not to mention the celebrities from all possible fraternities who promote her work! Probably the list gets longer every season! Thanks to Mamta Reddy, there is no death to art as long as it is loved this way!
Monday, 27 July 2015
Sunday, 26 July 2015
MONK By Madhu Verma
Don't you love this unusual colour palette? Its a visual delight to see such colours once in a while as its a norm to wear pinks, reds, yellows and greens during the wedding season. This lehenga is from Hyderabad designer Madhu's self-titled label MONK By Madhu Verma!
Contact - monkbymadhu@gmail.com / Appointment - 09703442003.
That flare is to die for!!!
Chanderi Anarkali By Amrita Thakur
Amrita Thakur's soft pink net applique anarkali with Chanderi brocade bodice. Pink tone is so subtle and suits any skin tone. Fabrics used are Chanderi brocade, net, pure raw silk, tissue, pure chiffon and pure cotton.
Saturday, 25 July 2015
Grey & Red Anarkali By Nidhi Agarwal
Sand grey Chanderi cotton anarkali By Nidhi Agarwal with gold appliqué work on yoke and wide border. The striking red raw silk dupatta with gold embroiderd leaf and border makes it more appealing.
Thursday, 23 July 2015
Himanshu Verma, The Saree Man - Part I
If you are new to my blog and its your first post here, this is a virtual rendezvous with Himanshu Verma, the Saree Man! If you wonder why this interview is happening on a fashion blog in the first place, my blog is a platform for talent with a cause! The efforts behind the scenes are most accomplished and they should never ever go waste! As simple as that! Thank you very much, Himanshu for your valuable time, consideration and contribution...
Did you wake up one day and become the Saree Man? How did the transition happen?
It was a slow transition, but a natural transition. I started wearing sarees since I started curating in 2006. I wore them for my events, art shows and festivals. It was a very organic process from starting to wear the Saree to gradually becoming the Saree man.
Saree Man, the man in the saree or Saree Man, the saree on the man? Who garners attention the most?
All of that and me! I started calling myself Saree Man! It caught on with the Press and they wrote about it! Back then, I was the only man in Delhi who wore saree publicly (still am the only one). The attention aspect is very incidental since I wear saree for the love of it.
How many sarees do you own?
Its a tiny collection of about 70 to 80 sarees, but its growing as I get to acquire more and more at events! (My Jealousy Meter just blew hearing that...)
Why Saree and not any other masculine drape? Does Saree deserve more than what it gets?
Any drape is gender neutral. Nothing to do with masculinity or femininity. Its not ugly if women are in dhoti. But if a man is in saree, its out of the blue! See the Buddhist monks!
Why did you want to drape and promote? Was there no other alternative ?
Initially, it was not for promotion. (Still isn't) The draping aspect was out of love. Its independent of what it means. As a part of my work, I was playing with it and discovered the garment!
Is Jai Saree Clan a real thing?
No, its not! Wrote that in a funny piece! The greeting caught on with Saree lovers and patrons of the festivals. During the festival, hum jaise kuch bhi bolte hein...so we started using that!
Saree Man, Red Earth, 1100 Walks and The Genda Phool Project! Boy, that's quite a mouthful!!! How do you establish your priorities?
Some days, I wake up and dont know what to do!I am like, "Should I work on this or that?"
The Genda Phool Project has taken a back seat for now until something comes up. At the moment, we are focused on Red Earth, promoting the Saree through Saree Festival and there is 1100 walks! I cant devote all of my time to everything. Its the creative time I can manage. Its challenging then to take it to the next level!
Is Saree an everyday thing for you?
You can kind of say so! At home, I drape a dhoti or wear a pyjama, but I am constantly playing with the saree. Very often, but not every day I work with drapes.
In the process, did you invent any new drape?
I am yet to study all 108 drapes. When I go out, I experiment. A lot of women experiment with drapes these days.
What does your wardrobe consist of?
Apart from sarees and dhotis, I have tons of kurtas, pyjamas, some skirts, two pairs of jeans and about 4 to 5 trousers.
Rest, to be continued...
The spirit of life...
Did you wake up one day and become the Saree Man? How did the transition happen?
It was a slow transition, but a natural transition. I started wearing sarees since I started curating in 2006. I wore them for my events, art shows and festivals. It was a very organic process from starting to wear the Saree to gradually becoming the Saree man.
Saree Man, the man in the saree or Saree Man, the saree on the man? Who garners attention the most?
All of that and me! I started calling myself Saree Man! It caught on with the Press and they wrote about it! Back then, I was the only man in Delhi who wore saree publicly (still am the only one). The attention aspect is very incidental since I wear saree for the love of it.
Perfect poster boy...
How many sarees do you own?
Its a tiny collection of about 70 to 80 sarees, but its growing as I get to acquire more and more at events! (My Jealousy Meter just blew hearing that...)
Why Saree and not any other masculine drape? Does Saree deserve more than what it gets?
Any drape is gender neutral. Nothing to do with masculinity or femininity. Its not ugly if women are in dhoti. But if a man is in saree, its out of the blue! See the Buddhist monks!
Marigold Man...
Why did you want to drape and promote? Was there no other alternative ?
Initially, it was not for promotion. (Still isn't) The draping aspect was out of love. Its independent of what it means. As a part of my work, I was playing with it and discovered the garment!
Is Jai Saree Clan a real thing?
No, its not! Wrote that in a funny piece! The greeting caught on with Saree lovers and patrons of the festivals. During the festival, hum jaise kuch bhi bolte hein...so we started using that!
Beating the blues, Himanshu way...
Saree Man, Red Earth, 1100 Walks and The Genda Phool Project! Boy, that's quite a mouthful!!! How do you establish your priorities?
Some days, I wake up and dont know what to do!I am like, "Should I work on this or that?"
The Genda Phool Project has taken a back seat for now until something comes up. At the moment, we are focused on Red Earth, promoting the Saree through Saree Festival and there is 1100 walks! I cant devote all of my time to everything. Its the creative time I can manage. Its challenging then to take it to the next level!
Is Saree an everyday thing for you?
You can kind of say so! At home, I drape a dhoti or wear a pyjama, but I am constantly playing with the saree. Very often, but not every day I work with drapes.
Collage of head turners...
In the process, did you invent any new drape?
I am yet to study all 108 drapes. When I go out, I experiment. A lot of women experiment with drapes these days.
What does your wardrobe consist of?
Apart from sarees and dhotis, I have tons of kurtas, pyjamas, some skirts, two pairs of jeans and about 4 to 5 trousers.
Gendagiri...
Imagery credits - Himanshu Verma
Rest, to be continued...
Samyukta By Gaurang Shah
Gaurang Shah reveals his new range for the upcoming season of festivities! On the eve of Lakme Fashion Week celebrating 15 years, Gaurang Shah presents his Samyukta range with Sandhya Raju, an astounding Kuchipudi danseuse!
Gaurang's Samyukta is about an array of weaves in all possible shades of red with 40 outfits!!!
Gaurang's Samyukta is about an array of weaves in all possible shades of red with 40 outfits!!!
Fiery and festive!
Graceful and elegant!
Maestro and the muse!!!
Imagery - Gaurang Shah / Sandhya Raju
Tuesday, 21 July 2015
Red Anarkali By Ridhi Mehra
Red is the color of love! You can definitely turn heads with this red number by Ridhi Mehra. Red chiffon and net anarkali with sheer floral bodice and applique on the back. Bold and exciting...
Monday, 20 July 2015
Let's Celebrate Saree With Saree Man, Soon!
Yes, I pinched myself enough just to make sure that it's real! A virtual rendezvous with Himanshu Verma, the Saree Man finally! YAY!!! Thank you very much once again, Himanshu for believing that heartfelt conversations can actually make a difference! The questionnaire is tad long, so I had to split into two parts. Just making sure nobody misses a thing :)
P.S - I am officially the Saree Fairy now! The best compliment ever for a fashion blogger! I need to be writing loads of Thank You mails soon as I have something exciting lined up! Jumping in joy...
P.S - I am officially the Saree Fairy now! The best compliment ever for a fashion blogger! I need to be writing loads of Thank You mails soon as I have something exciting lined up! Jumping in joy...
Sunday, 19 July 2015
Georgette & Aztec By Namrata Joshipura
If you are regular on my blog, you know I love handlooms and everything handmade! I strongly believe all best things are crafted with love. Once in a while, you come across labels on my blog. Just because I support handlooms doesnt mean I am a tree hugger! Who doesnt love to admire beauty for the sake of it? :)
Carrot color georgette sari by Namrata Joshipura with gold embroidered border with embroidered blouse in sequins aztec pattern.
Carrot color georgette sari by Namrata Joshipura with gold embroidered border with embroidered blouse in sequins aztec pattern.
Friday, 17 July 2015
Cherry Blossom Dress By Nishka Lulla
Is there any girl on this planet who doesnt like cherry blossoms? I just had to share this pink lace floral and cherry blossom printed dress irrespective of the madness!
Gorgeous!
Gorgeousness doubled!
Monday, 13 July 2015
Pink & Red Lehenga By Pranthi Reddy
Pink Banares chequered crop top with antique gold and red floral sequins embellishments on the neckline and sleeves. It comes along with red crepe lehenga with antique gold floral sequins embroidered waistband and wide border. It has a matching red dupatta.
Celebrities In Gaurang - Vidya Balan
I love handloom sarees! If not everything, at least I know a little something about weavers including pits and peaks of their trade. I am a die hard fan of #Gaurang and support his cause with all my heart and soul! If handloom is a religion, he is the God! If handloom is music, he is the maestro! Equal respect and admiration to the weaver and Gaurang! I want to spread the love on my blog and make it pic heavy for everybody to enjoy. You will see the posts celebrity-wise!
Our celebrity of the day is none other than Vidya Balan, the epitome of femininity. She proves time and again that womanliness is not just monogram bags, makeup and high heels. Of course we see her in labels, but I strongly believe she should be made brand ambassador of the handloom industry. Active or passive, every "woman" is inspired by Vidya Balan. Moving on...
Our celebrity of the day is none other than Vidya Balan, the epitome of femininity. She proves time and again that womanliness is not just monogram bags, makeup and high heels. Of course we see her in labels, but I strongly believe she should be made brand ambassador of the handloom industry. Active or passive, every "woman" is inspired by Vidya Balan. Moving on...
Gaurang's Paithani from Hi! Blitz May 2015
Gaurang's Kanjeevaram Chanderi
Gaurang's Kanchi fused with Patola
Gaurang's hand-painted kalamkari on tussar
Gaurang's Kanjeevaram Organza
Gaurang's Kanjeevaram for Asia Spa Awards 2015
Gaurang's Kanjeevaram
Friday, 10 July 2015
Rachana Reddy
Who is Rachana Reddy? Loaded question, but she is synonymous to box-shaped wooden bags! I know I sound dumb! She is the-one-and-the-only girl who pushed the boundaries and went beyond the conventional squares, hearts, rectangles and voila!
We hear strong stories about contemporary mixed tradition everywhere, but this is the place where you get to see the impact! I can never forget the goosebumps reading her story in Femina some 4 odd years ago! Since her sensational debut, Rachana gracefully featured back to back covers of probably all contemporary glossies including Vogue, Grazia and the like.
She is a successful debutante of Wills India and Lakme Fashion Weeks. She is also a proud recipient of many awards, but I strongly believe they are just an understatement. Inspite of proud academic accomplishments, she branched out to designing! As they say, the rest is history!
If somebody suggested I try and make clutches out of wood, I would have laughed my lungs out! Who knew Rachana Reddy would make people look beyond leather and suede? Nevertheless, her bags are made of teak wood, leather, Swarovski and other blingy bits and bobs! Our personal favorites are Padma, Krishna, Oyster, Rosa and Box Of Love and Summer Flowers! Basically everything from Rachana Reddy, seriously!
Label Rachana Reddy is highly distinguished, you can identify blind-folded. Traditional patterns like lotus and peacock plumes done in silk threads and fused on contemporary silhouettes enhances the pride beyond any doubt. Most of their pieces are made to order, so patience pays off!
Her label also unveiled a new range of funky accessories like body chains, earrings and neck pieces. Boy, we love the double-side rosewood bib to bits! Oh, do not forget to take a look at their latest innovation Meow, which is for the girl in all of us who still cannot get past her Hello Kitty days!
Why Rachana Reddy? I can give you tonnes of reasons! First, she made it to the London's Design Museum of Paul Smith which believes that good design makes life better for everyone. Seems her label is available in London and Paris! Second, how can we stand out like a rose in a bed of thistles especially in this era of mass-produced goods? That's where Rachana Reddy comes to the rescue! Everybody talks about inspiration from mother nature, but Rachana Reddy made it happen at the right time. Talk about heirlooms, you can let your future generations admire the skills in awe. The list goes on and on and on. Sorry girls, but cant help being biased towards Rachana Reddy.
If you are first-time customers, you got lucky! Coupon code RRNEW15 entitles you to 15% off of your first purchase. There is a coupon code for online customers also, so please make sure you get them right.
Rachana Reddy range also offers customization, so you get to proudly engrave your name on your clutch! What's keeping you from being the RR girl, then?
Apart from their stand-alone store in Bangalore, you can also buy her range from in-store stand outs in Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Muscat and online stores like Exclusively and Pernias Popup Shop. Most of the featured bags are from the previous seasons and limited editions, so kindly check their availability at the moment.
Rachana Reddy
158/F, 4th Main, 3rd Stage, 3rd Block
Basaveshwaranagar
Bengaluru
Karnataka 560079, India
Phone - 080 - 4131 3321
The girl who made it possible!
We hear strong stories about contemporary mixed tradition everywhere, but this is the place where you get to see the impact! I can never forget the goosebumps reading her story in Femina some 4 odd years ago! Since her sensational debut, Rachana gracefully featured back to back covers of probably all contemporary glossies including Vogue, Grazia and the like.
She is a successful debutante of Wills India and Lakme Fashion Weeks. She is also a proud recipient of many awards, but I strongly believe they are just an understatement. Inspite of proud academic accomplishments, she branched out to designing! As they say, the rest is history!
Truly exotic in cherry!
Exterior matters!
If somebody suggested I try and make clutches out of wood, I would have laughed my lungs out! Who knew Rachana Reddy would make people look beyond leather and suede? Nevertheless, her bags are made of teak wood, leather, Swarovski and other blingy bits and bobs! Our personal favorites are Padma, Krishna, Oyster, Rosa and Box Of Love and Summer Flowers! Basically everything from Rachana Reddy, seriously!
Rosa Gold
Rosa Black
Label Rachana Reddy is highly distinguished, you can identify blind-folded. Traditional patterns like lotus and peacock plumes done in silk threads and fused on contemporary silhouettes enhances the pride beyond any doubt. Most of their pieces are made to order, so patience pays off!
Her label also unveiled a new range of funky accessories like body chains, earrings and neck pieces. Boy, we love the double-side rosewood bib to bits! Oh, do not forget to take a look at their latest innovation Meow, which is for the girl in all of us who still cannot get past her Hello Kitty days!
Double sided bib necklace!
Why Rachana Reddy? I can give you tonnes of reasons! First, she made it to the London's Design Museum of Paul Smith which believes that good design makes life better for everyone. Seems her label is available in London and Paris! Second, how can we stand out like a rose in a bed of thistles especially in this era of mass-produced goods? That's where Rachana Reddy comes to the rescue! Everybody talks about inspiration from mother nature, but Rachana Reddy made it happen at the right time. Talk about heirlooms, you can let your future generations admire the skills in awe. The list goes on and on and on. Sorry girls, but cant help being biased towards Rachana Reddy.
If you are first-time customers, you got lucky! Coupon code RRNEW15 entitles you to 15% off of your first purchase. There is a coupon code for online customers also, so please make sure you get them right.
Customization sample!
What to riot!
Apart from their stand-alone store in Bangalore, you can also buy her range from in-store stand outs in Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Muscat and online stores like Exclusively and Pernias Popup Shop. Most of the featured bags are from the previous seasons and limited editions, so kindly check their availability at the moment.
Rachana Reddy
158/F, 4th Main, 3rd Stage, 3rd Block
Basaveshwaranagar
Bengaluru
Karnataka 560079, India
Phone - 080 - 4131 3321
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