On National Handloom Day we look at an Uppada revival with pichwai
An Uppada weave from Madhurya Creations | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement We have heard of sari revival projects that encourage weavers to get back to looms, individuals to restore or repurpose their heirloom weaves, and even get mainstream brands to…
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India Handmade Collective to host an exhibition of naturally dyed khadi and handlooms in Hyderabad
A model showcases a sari by Blue Lotus | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Handwoven and handspun khadi garments as well as naturally dyed fabrics will be in the spotlight at an exhibition in Hyderabad, from August 10 to 12. Hosted…
National Handloom Day: In Hyderabad, Gaurang Shah showcases exquisite handloom saris, including a muslin jamdani fine enough to pass the ring test
Hyderabad-based textile designer Gaurang Shah’s Whispers of the Loom showcased a wide range of handlooms from different pockets of India, to mark National Handloom Day on August 7. | Photo Credit: Nagara Gopal How well do we know our handlooms?…
Made of Chennai | Celebrate Madras through rare photos, music, culture and food
The Hindu Archival Exhibit The year is 1949. Crowds swell outside The Hindu’s office on Mount Road on a hot afternoon to keep track of the latest test cricket score, as the national newspaper’s office staff manually update the scoreboard…
Label Erode’s apparel blends the GI-tagged jamakkalam with Jimi Hendrix’s music
Outfits from Label Erode’s debit collection, jimikkalam | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Once a prominent decor artefact, the tightly knit jamakkalam carpets in bright shades of navy blue, red, green, and white now don a new avatar courtesy Mayank Bhutra’s…
Ensemble India turns 36 with the launch of a new store in Ahmedabad
At Ensemble India’s fashion show | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Interiors of the store | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Under a starry night sky, to the background music of the sitar, we hold up glasses of chaas to raise a…
Kerala-based designers marry tradition with modernity this Onam
From Seamstress’ kitsch collection that is a bright dash of colour | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT The default Onam palette is white and gold, with the odd dash of colour either woven in, printed or added as surface embellishment. A…
How the Indian shawl is reinventing itself
Earlier this year, New York-based designer Bibhu Mohapatra styled his models in cashmere stoles for his FW’23 collection at the New York Fashion Week. Collaborating with Janavi India, Jyotika Jhalani’s luxury cashmere label, he created looks that blended stoles and…
From Sabyasachi to Chandni Chowk, here’s how Bhawna Sharma put together the looks for ‘Made in Heaven’
Sobhita Dhulipala in ‘Made in Heaven’ Chandni Chowk, Santa Cruz’s markets and Indian couture houses: Bhawna Sharma has scoured them all to source costumes for the cast of Made in Heaven 2. By the end of her sourcing trips, the…
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Apparel brand Jade opens two new stores in Delhi’s Mehrauli to mark 15th anniversary
A snapshot of the Mehrauli store | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement It is said, that after working for 10 years, you become famous overnight. In Jade by Monica Shah and Karishma Swali’s case, it is 15 years. Scratch that, actually…
Coimbatore-based Walkaroo footwear hosts the 11th edition of Coimbatore Marathon
Manufacturing unit of Walkaroo footwear at Malumichampatti | Photo Credit: PERIASAMY M “Start walking,” says V Noushad, founder and managing director of Coimbatore-based Walkaroo International. The footwear brand joins hands with Coimbatore Cancer Foundation to host the 11th edition of…
Indian designers showcase apparel from recycled turbans and heirloom saris at Redress Design Award
Recycled turbans turn couture, courtesy designer Pavneet Kaur who is one of the 10 finalists at the Redress Design Award 2023 that was announced recently. The much-awaited sustainable fashion award by the environmental charity headquartered in Hong Kong aims to…
Watches that ticked at Geneva Watch Days 2023
At the peak of the pandemic, when the larger Geneva watch fair, Watches and Wonders, missed its turn to hold a physical event, eight prestigious watch brands: Breitling, Bulgari, De Bethune, Girard-Perregaux, H. Moser & Cie., MB&F, Ulysse Nardin and…
Walk down memory lane with Zoya Akhtar’s ‘The Archies’
The Archies. (L to R) Mihir Ahuja as Jughead Jones, Yuvraj Menda as Dilton Doiley, Agastya Nanda as Archie Andrews, Suhana Khan as Veronica Lodge, Vedang Raina as Reggie Mantle, Suhana Khan as Veronica Lodge, Dot as Ethel Muggs in…
Luxury footwear brand Anaar makes a debut at the New York Fashion Week
Anaar for Kish Jeane’s collection | Photo Credit: Sam J. Photos The debut of India’s luxury footwear brand Anaar at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) spells a new chapter in the country’s exploration of fusion fashion — blending traditional crafts…
Designer label Shantnu & Nikhil opens new outlet in Chandigarh
Designer duo Shantanu and Nikhil at the launch of S&N store in Chandigarh | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The Indian man’s quest for fashionable clothes has intrigued designer duo Shantanu and Nikhil, who have decided to dedicate nearly 70% of…
Sushant Abrol’s military-inspired collection No Man’s Land won him, the sixth edition of NEXA Presents The Spotlight
Despite winning the sixth edition of NEXA Presents The Spotlight (a programme that gives young fashion designers a platform to showcase their work at the upcoming Lakme Fashion Week X FDCI in October) for the first time, fashion designer Sushant…
Mumbai’s sari brand Suta comes to Chennai with a ‘slow’ store and festive launches
Tanya Biswas (left) with sister Sujata | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement When sisters Sujata and Tanya Biswas decided to kickstart an apparel brand, they launched with a collection of simple mulmul sarees that featured vibrant tassels. “They were basic, no-fuss…
Air India’s update won’t kill the sari
(Clockwise from top left) Air India’s air hostesses; sari-clad scientists; air hostesses welcoming guests; a 1950s ad for a ‘modern’ girl; and designer Manish Malhotra with Katrina Kaif. | Photo Credit: Getty Images and Special Arrangement “No more saris? Air…
Dame Helen Mirren interview: ‘The world should be as available and accessible to women as it is to men’
Helen Mirren walks the runway during the ‘Le Défilé L’Oréal Paris – Walk Your Worth’ show as part of the Paris Fashion Week at the Eiffel Tower on October 01, 2023 in Paris, France | Photo Credit: Getty Images British…
Gauri Khan shares designs secrets from her latest project, the Falguni Shane Peacock store in Kolkata
Gauri Khan (centre) with Shane and Falguni | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement For Gauri Khan, the little details matter. Which is probably why, two white urns, with 3D peacock motifs, are the source of much discussion at the Falguni Shane…
Falguni and Shane Peacock show us around their flagship store in Kolkata, which is designed by Gauri Khan
Gauri Khan (centre) with Shane and Falguni Peacock Falguni Shane Peacock’s just launched flagship store in Kolkata is like a decadent box of confectionary. The facade feels like an intricately designed white fondant cake. Inside, a very edible looking replica…
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau interview: ‘Treat others the way you want them to treat you, it’s that simple’
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau walks the runway during ‘Le Défilé L’Oréal Paris – Walk Your Worth’ show as part of Paris Fashion Week at the Eiffel Tower on October 01, 2023 in Paris, France | Photo Credit: Getty Images Danish actor Nikolaj…
Colours, cultures, and traditions come together at Christ university’s sustainability event Jharokha
Visitors checking out different products at the artisans’ mela, Hazaar Bazaar, held at Christ university, Bannerghatta Road campus, Bengaluru, from October 4 to 7. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Small sustainable businesses from Bengaluru got an opportunity to showcase and…
Here is the trend forecast from the India Jewellery Show in Mumbai
Closed setting polki necklaces from 1 Unique Jewellers | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement At the India Jewellery Show, an exclusive gold and diamond jewellery exhibition recently held in Mumbai, nearly 33 brands showcased fine and precious ornaments to nearly 3,500…
The three prize-winning shoes from The World Championship of Shoemaking will make their stop in Chennai this weekend
Victor Vulpe and Louis Lampertsdorfer finished second and third respectively Every year, three unusual pairs of shoes travel the world and shoe lovers and design enthusiasts religiously convene to see them. These are the top three winners of The World…
Zegna x The Elder Statesman’s collection launches at Singapore’s Fullerton hotel
A few weeks ago, Scuderia Ferrari’s racer, Carlos Sainz, won the Grand Prix 2023 at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore. But this was not the only major event happening in the island country. Italian textile and menswear authority Zegna…
From Bibhu Mohapatra to Tarun Tahliani, here’s what designers showcased at the Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI
The venue The new Pragati Maidan — with its red sandstone plazas and giant stone-and-glass constructions set amid fountains and open amphitheatres — played host to Indian fashion’s most defining seasonal event from October 11 to 15. It was the…
Gandhigram’s ready-to-wear khadi brand Samhita’s first collection brings over 25 styles of apparel at The Folly, Amethyst
Designs from Samhita’s first collection | Photo Credit: Special arrangement Woven intricately with the history of India’s freedom movement, khadi’s prominence in the fashion and textile industry has been both, evolutionary and revolutionary. Over the years, khadi’s visibility has transcended…
The lungi as a symbol of cultural identity
Seamstress lungis | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The lungi has been reinterpreted several times over — it has made it to runways, been upcycled into dresses and has even inspired Spanish label Zara to launch a lungi-style skirt in 2018. But…
Porgai’s Lambadi embroidered apparel and accessories come to Chennai
Traditional Lambadi hand embroidery consists of a repertoire of 42 embroidery stitches | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement If you have longed to own the exquisite embroidered apparel and accessories crafted by Lambadi artisans at Porgai Artisans Association, here is your…
Festive styles for every taste: Ridhi Mehra launches store in Hyderabad
A model sports a design from Icons The Era | Photo Credit: Special arrangement Designer Ridhi Mehra’s store on the first floor of The Hill Top@7 in the bustling Banjara Hills is the new fashionable address in town. Her first…
Exploring the Paithani and the small-town textile template
A pillar here, an elaborately carved door there, trellised balconies and stone carvings offer tantalising glimpses of what it must have been like 2,000 years ago when Paithan, then known as Pratishthana, was the capital of the mighty Satavahana dynasty,…
Archives in the atelier | Fashion designers in India are preserving and documenting their old collections
Upstairs, in Tarun Tahiliani’s massive Gurugram atelier with exposed brickwork and vaulted skylights, is an 850 sq. ft. room. Twenty-two full-sized glass and wood cupboards, built parallelly, hold 6,000 physical items, including original swatches from his repertoire of embroideries. With…
Tarun Tahiliani all set to showcase at Singapore’s Asian Civilisations Museum
Tarun Tahiliani | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Kathakali dancers accompanied a resplendent Mehr Jesia as she sashayed down the runway looking ethereal in a Tarun Tahiliani signature draped form. Lakshmi Rana swirled around in a stunning contemporary rendition of a…
Raghavendra Rathore launches a new line of breeches
Actor Moses Koul models Raghavendra Rathore’s line of breeches | Photo Credit: Special arrangement At this time of year, when parts of India stand at the cusp of autumn and winter, you can hear the sound of horses thundering past…
Biologique Recherche’s first Ambassade opened its first flagship store in Sadashivanagar, Bengaluru
Biologique Recherche’s first flagship Ambassade in India | Photo Credit: Special arrangement The cloying scent of my drugstore moisturising lotion makes me feel a trifle ringarde (tacky)— a la Emily in Paris — inside the studiedly luxurious interiors of Biologique…
World Thrift Day: A look at sustainable fashion solutions in India
Pre-owned, and hand-me-down clothes help consumers make informed and ethical choices about how they consume clothes | Photo Credit: Getty Images Indian households have always been an ally for sustainable living. A longstanding example of this is the household habit…
A conscious shopper’s guide to thrifting in Chennai
Models pose at Escaped closet, a thrift store at Velacherry, Chennai on Thursday. | Photo Credit: Akhila Easwaran Finding its legs during the COVID-19 pandemic, thrifting as a conscious lifestyle choice started gaining popularity across the general Indian populace a…
Chennai’s neighbourhood beauty parlours now customise make up looks, saree drapes this Deepavali
Clients getting their Deepavali looks customised | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement If you are under the impression that the immaculate Deepavali looks, consisting of neatly drawn eyes and perfectly placed glitter, is the handiwork of Aphrodite, you might only be…
Chennai’s one-hour tailors have all your Deepavali fashion solutions
Tailors working on festive clothes | Photo Credit: S.R. Raghunathan As the pre-deepavali rains bring a welcome change from the blistering heat, T Nagar’s Ranganathan Street is crammed with holiday shoppers on every corner. From the new swanky multi-storey shopping…
Turn your festive floral offerings into couture
Mulya, Uttarakhand In August 2019, Alisha Maindoliya decided to quit her nine-to-six job in Jaipur and move back to her hometown Dehradun. The idea, she says, was to help others like her by creating job opportunities locally. A year later,…
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Check out Anavila’s first bridal edit inspired by Bundi miniature paintings
On Anavila’s weaves of diaphanous khadi silks are prints of Bundi miniature paintings, whether as exquisite embroidery, khatwa motifs or lahariya | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Aamod is a disruption of bridal trousseau that is oftentimes weighed down by over-ornamentation and…
Silver ornaments with quirky motifs, and bold, bohemian jewellery make a statement
The words edgy, unorthodox, and bohemian aptly define the aesthetics of Mumbai-based Bhavya Ramesh’s eponymous silver jewellery label. Rooted in opulent Indianness, her catalogue is unconventional — on it are lip, ear and palm cuffs, ear hangs, joint rings, nail…
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Anita Dongre hosted a fashion fundraiser for elephants at Jaipur’s City Palace
Models at the Rewild’23: Fashion For Good fundraiser | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Goosebumps. That is the word most guests used to articulate their experience of witnessing Anita Dongre’s recent couture extravaganza showcased in the sprawling inner courtyard of the…
Serena Williams honoured as ‘fashion icon’ by Council of Fashion Designers of America
Serena Williams attends the CFDA Fashion Awards in Manhattan, New York City, U.S. | Photo Credit: ANDREW KELLY Tennis legend Serena Williams told a glittery fashion industry audience how fashion became a favored mode of expression as she grew up…
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Lightweight drapes with uncluttered motifs mark festive collections of ikat and kalamkari in Hyderabad
A kalamkari artist at work. Artisans at Kalam Creations worked on new collections during the pandemic, handpainting stories from the epics | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Post-pandemic, while the retail sector noticed the tendency of ‘revenge shopping’ — splurging —…
This Deepavali, consider draping an exquisite saree that has a fascinating history
At Aksh weaves and crafts’ small studio in Adyar, there is pin-drop silence except for the faint whirring of a fan. On a table in the centre of the room, an artist is bent over a piece of cloth, drawing…
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Home decor tips to light up your homes this Deepavali
Pops of colour, the heady scent of mixed bouquets, the warm glow of diyas, the aroma of freshly made mithai, raucous laughter… this is what festive parties are made of. As we usher in the celebratory season, and parties blur…
Eka’s just launched flagship store in Delhi resembles an art gallery with sculptures, antiques and garments in shades of the earth
Eka’s first-ever flagship store recently opened in Delhi Eka’s first-ever flagship store may have made a late entry but it sure has arrived in style. Almost 12 years after Eka was launched, it opened its store in Lodhi Market recently….
A sari collection on Indian goddesses with a side of martial arts
Sari inspired by Masani Amman | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement At Tvam, the art studio at RA Puram where Lakshmi Srinath works on her art, textile and jewellery designing, there is an interplay of light and darkness. The floor, made…
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Here’s what’s trending in fashion this wedding season
At the beginning of the wedding season this year, Indian designers showcased a glittering line-up of Bollywood showstoppers and inclusive models on the ramp to give us a glimpse of 2023’s re-imagined fashion royalty. From saris with bespoke motifs paired…