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“The jacket is an amalgamation of Justin’s personal style, Indian music along with my vision of a cross-cultural fashion statement. The entire outfit will be handcrafted and hand embroidered with sequins and crystals from Swarovski. Sahni says, “In the 1880s, French jewellers called the ruby the gem of gems.From customised Sitar and tabla, an autographed Sarod, to a luxurious biker jacket in cotton velvet with 10,000 crystals from Swarovski… Pop artist Justin Bieber will be receiving a huge luxe basket of souvenirs “With Love From India” as soon as he sets foot in India.. Bahl will decorate both these instruments with wholesale velvet upholstery fabric fine silk, floral artworks, and highlighted metallic works along with delicate beaded tassels for detailing. The beautiful sitar and the tabla reflect the core of Indian traditional music and our dynamic culture. The sparkling red of spring and the balefire of hope represent a life full of passion and love and is defined by supreme craftsmanship and resplendent finesse.

Design by Prasenjit Das Designer Varun Bahl, on the other hand, has personally curated and embellished two traditional Indian musical instruments, the sitar and tabla, as a gesture of intercultural synergy and India’s grand hospitality. “A floor-length jacket in silk chanderi featuring beautiful embroidery inspired by tribal India is a timeless and versatile piece and can be layered in many ways,” she says.” Last but not the least, as a goodwill gesture sarod virtuoso and classical music legend, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan will be gifting an autographed sarod to the Grammy winner. “It’s an homage to the singer’s character and stage persona,” she adds. He states, “Music knows no boundaries. Keeping in sync with Bieber’s universal appeal, Rohit says that ‘black’ is his ideal mood board.Mum’s the wordNoted designer Anamika Khanna is said to be creating a wardrobe for Justin’s mother.”While designer Amit Aggarwal is creating a jacket with khadi with metallic hints with malleable recycled polymer sheet used on the sleeves fusing traditional weaves with industrial waste, noted designer Krishna Mehta has created an Indo-Western formal shirt with modern, geometric lines and metallic threads with an aim to achieve a fierce look, much like the superstar himself, and his work. Adorned in my signature floral motifs and intricate embroidery, these instruments symbolise the inter-culture amalgamation of both the worlds.Design by Dhruv KapoorYoungbloods from the fashion fraternity are also participating in this gesture.” The concept behind the jacket, he says, has been to create a versatile look suitable for an event or a stage performance.

Courtesy Indian designers and celebrities including Varun Bahl, Anamika Khanna, Amit Aggarwal, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, Rohit Bal, and music legend Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, the luxurious limited edition mementos will comprise several different things including high-end gifts for the singer’s mother. We have drawn inspiration from the ruby’s fiery nature to create a collection that champions passion and success.Design by Anamika Khanna Riddhima Kapoor Sahni will be gifting a bespoke wreath shaped necklace embellished in ornate rubies and marquise diamonds encrusted in platinum and 18k gold to Bieber’s mother. I have tried to inculcate elements from the rich music lineage of our country in the form of beautiful classical string instruments like the sitar, sarangi, and veena.And finely embroidered and handcrafted them using over 10,000 crystals from Swarovski on the luxurious velvet base,” he says, adding, “Blending in with these instruments will be my signature Indian lotus motifs. “The idea is to give her a flavour of our craft, yet not overwhelm her with the silhouette,” she says. Bieber is a youth icon who everyone loves but the pillar of strength in his life has been his mother and it’s a tribute to this brilliant woman. Philosophies say red is the colour of the heart. Designer Prasenjit Das is creating a hand-painted denim jacket with graffiti design work for the artist and Dhruv Kapoor is presenting an oversized hoodie jacket, and designer Ragini Ahuja is creating a bomber jacket in destroyed denim with sheep leather shoulder, collar and pocket flaps and a witty tone graphic tee shirt by Balmedor.Tabla by Varun BahlA biker jacket in cotton velvet is what design guru Rohit Bal has in store for Justin Bieber

Ms Swaraj, incidentally, had a separate bilateral meet on the sidelines with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, when issues of “bilateral interest, including on the understanding reached at the Wuhan summit”, were discussed.”.In what is seen as a veiled mesغير مجاز مي باشدe to both Pakistan and China on connectivity, Ms Swaraj said India “welcomes reg-ional connectivity initiatives, that are inclusive, sustainable, transparent and respect the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity”.Wednesday’s SCO conference was the last major foreign policy engagement of the Narendra Modi government in its current tenure ahead of India’s election results that will be announced on Thursday. There were also reports that the two leaders had exchanged pleasantries.New Delhi/Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan): Speaking in the presence of Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, next to whom she was seated, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday referred to the Pulwama terror attack on February 14 this year by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed as a “raw wound” in her speech at the meeting of foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation at Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan. This was the first top-level Sino-Indian meeting after China earlier this month lifted its objections to the listing by the UN of JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist, much to India’s relief.

Swaraj and her Pakistani counterpart sitting on a sofa next to each other and conversing was of the leaders waiting in the “holding room” before the start of the conference.Media reports from Bishkek said there was no separate bilateral meeting between Ms Swaraj and Mr Qureshi. Sources also said that photos being circulated in the media showing Ms Swaraj and Mr Qureshi seated next to each other were of the group of wholesale Upholstery fabric SCO foreign ministers who were to call on the Kyrgyz President and not a photo of the actual CFM conference. Our wounds of Pulwama attack were still raw and the news from the neighbourhood made us more determined to fight firmly, resolutely against this menace.”On efforts to ensure peace in war-torn Afghanistan, Ms Swaraj said: “India stands committed to any process that can help Afghanistan emerge as a united, peaceful, secure, stable, inclusive and economically vibrant nation, with guaranteed gender and human rights. I wish to once again underscore the importance India attaches to the SCO Afghanistan Contact Group and welcome an early conclusion of the draft roadmap of further actions of the Contact Group. Saying India was “determined to fight firmly and resolutely” against the menace of terror, Ms Swaraj said the wounds of Pulwama were still raw as the sad news came in of the Sri Lanka terror attacks.

India and Pakistan had come to the brink of war in late February this year after the Pulwama attack, when India launched airstrikes against a JeM camp, following which Pakistan retaliated resulting in a dogfight between the two Air Forces.Indian government sources late on Wednesday night said Ms Swaraj and Mr Qureshi were not seated next to each other at the SCO meeting and that there was only exchange of pleasantries between the two leaders and no separate bilateral meeting.On terrorism, Ms Swaraj said: “Our heart goes out to our brothers and sisters of Sri Lanka, who have recently witnessed the ghastly act of terrorism.In her address at the SCO session, Ms Swaraj, speaking on connectivity, highlighted the projects supported by India, including the Chabahar port project in ***, which has led to a sea-land link from India to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan. Photographs appeared in the Pakistani media showing the two leaders seated next to each other at the SCO meet.Government sources reiterated that only pleasantries were exchanged.Sources also said a picture of Ms. It may be recalled that India had earlier refused to join the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) due to concerns over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which India regards as Indian territory illegally occupied by Pakistan

Instead he joins the long chain of humanity as veterans from across the country gather what support they can from friends and neighbours in the form of food or tobacco or encouragement and march towards Washington. Sarita Mandanna’s latest novel, Good Hope Road, is a retrospective novel that examines the fallout of the First World War on the personal and political level by telling the stories of the largely unsung World War One American veterans. In a portrait on a wall, a past Mrs Stonebridge wearing something red and sparkling about her throat In the apples that lay fallen around the oldest tree in the orchard, arcs and moons or red on snow-patch ground. Once again, the debate is reopened on the necessity of ordinary Americans throwing their hats into the ring. Mandanna’s novel feelingly reimagines the active blood and guts version of the war, foregrounding the Yankee James Stonebridge’s and Louisiana native Obadiah Nelson’s narratives as they serve in France in 1914 as part of the French Foreign Legion. It is just as much about family, friendship, fatherhood and love, essential relationships that survived, albeit taking a battering after coming through the war that was supposed to end all wars. The novel describes how America’s experience of the First World War being what it was, soldiers who returned with injuries, disabilities, or PTSD, had to make their way amongst people for whom life had gone on much the same as usual without any great rationing or loss. American volunteers were part of a national debate on whether America needed to involve itself in what appeared to be a Euro-centric war to begin with.”The love story of Jim and Madeline ties up again the way war is not just fought in the battlefields but in the homes and hearths and hearts of the people who live through it.

Karishma Attari is the author of I See You, a horror novel due to be published by Penguin in September.The world never seems to run out of reasons to wage war.The heroic, if grim, British soldiering experience is well documented and even romanticised in literature, films and TV series, yet their allies on the other side of the Atlantic, have not been singled out for such treatment. Jim is a man of few words, an apple farmer, native to his beloved Vermont, and he goes on to fall in love with, woo and marry a “flatlander”, a girl named Madeline Scott who he dismisses initially as “ one of those who come from Boston to holiday in hill country with their rich-boy toys. A third major thread that runs through the novel is the life of Jim Stonebridge, James’ son, who is obviously, if indirectly, affected by his father’s war experiences.” She soon moves into the quiet if tense household composed of James, recovering from his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the amiable housekeeper, and Jim. It intersperses these battle scenes with the lives of the two volunteers going back and forth in time to show the homes they left behind and the welcome they returned home to. That rich red colour. A massive, black, oval mirror hangs over the mantel and watches over all three of them in a nod to symbolism. Suddenly, it was everywhere. In the roan of a cow, in the threads unravelling from the velvet of his father’s smoking jacket.The political becomes personal soon enough, even before the hint of World War Two. The author infuses irony noting that even as the American President-elect Franklin D.Naturally, once the story enters Depression-era America, the atmosphere is further darkened by the tightening financial climate which puts the screws on both farmer and government, with widespread debt, unemployment and general pessimism. James is no longer content with writing ranting letters to the editor.

The government reneges on the “Bonus Bills” promised as recompense to the war veterans. She is founder of the Shakespeare for Dummies workshops series. Roosevelt promised a “New Deal” to the country, and celebrated his 51st birthday with a grand party, Adolf Hitler was appointed the new Chancellor of Germany on that day. Their right to protest was taken away when the troops were called in and the veterans scattered. The centenary wholesale chinese fabric manufacturer of the First World War hasn’t seen any diminishment in friction, with ideological, ethnic and culture conflicts taking the concept of warfare into new and insidious areas. Mandanna’s hold on lyrical prose brings out the all-encompassing nature of romantic love: “After that morning, he thought of her (hair). For one thing, of course, British GIs went into a war that was already in their backyard and national opinion was firmly behind them. It is well captured in the manner in which Jim struggles with the decision — on one hand he is exempt on account of being an essential farm worker, and because he has a growing family, but on the other hand he has his own views to sort out on where his duty lies.The aptly titled “Death March” took place in 1932, the veterans ending up in “junk-pile veteran camps,” while they waited for the Senate to take action on the Bonus Bill.There is enough indication of America’s aloofness when the story moves forward another few decades and the Second World War looms. The veteran community flares up in protest.The story of Jim’s relationship with his wife is a breath of fresh air that runs through the novel. Without loading on the period details with an eye to voyeuristic indulgence, Mandanna’s book stands for more than just a historical account of American war veterans.

”Key to successSometimes it’s important to disconnect yourself from others and focus on work says the Gangs of Wasseypur director. People started approaching me because I could write fast and deliver quickly with no expectation of remunerations. “It was important for me to disconnect myself from my father to prove to him that my choice to be a filmmaker is the right decision. So, aspiring artists used to wait outside the theatre as in those days we did not have studios. Slowly, the industry started recognising my work and gave credit and money. I started offering my services without any expectation of payment or credit. But they did not know how to generate content on such a large scale. “You cannot stand outside every cinema hall explaining to people the intention behind your movie. I had just signed a deal with Mahesh Bhatt for a TV show called Kabhi Kabhi, which was paying me ` 2. “The greatest of filmmakers have seen failures that have almost finished their careers because you become over-ambitious.”Face the consequencesEvery choice comes with a consequence, so be ready to face it, says the Black Friday director. That was the first battle I had to fight,” shares Anurag. He also reflects on the economics of filmmaking, low-budget films and the lessons learnt from failures. I gave three years of my life to that film. If I were stuck with just the money-making business, I would have been someone who was part of the same system.He started working as a waiter without pay at Prithvi and gradually started writing dialogues for television for free.

Those are the choices one needs to make in life.”Be the change“The kind of cinema I used to see in 1993 was the kind of films I wanted to make.0 in such low budgets. “As a person from a theatre background, the only place I knew was Prithvi and landed there with a bag full of books and clothes. 1993 saw India witnessing a rise in digital television and people were making daily soaps. I took the challenge to disrupt the system, just like Ram Gopal Verma, an outsider whose pure focus was on creating cinema,” says Anurag. On a visit to the capital, director-producer-actor Anurag Kashyap recalls his journey as a filmmaker which began as a waiter.Indians love freebiesIn 1993, when he moved to Mumbai to take up filmmaking as a career, Anurag headed straight for Prithvi Theatres. I put out a tweet; I am ready to face the consequences. That was a hard choice. But that doesn’t stop him from voicing his opinion, without bothering to soften strong words with tact, or caring about the consequences.”The best choicesChoosing Satya, a low budget movie over other lucrative projects offered him was a conscious decision, explains Anurag. You want to make a film; it’s your dream. “As Indians we love anything we get free and that is how I started. Life is a circle - you do well, start getting ambitious, make mistakes, fall and start over again.. But the man who is famous for writing gritty gangster غير مجاز مي باشدas is wary of being emotionally vulnerable, and loves the challenge of thwarting convention. There was a rule that people who are not performing or part of a project were not allowed inside. As few film families ran the industry, they were apprehensive of outsiders. I made a film like Bombay Velvet and faced the consequences. Now, we are back to square one, where we are just sitting and writing scripts and focusing on content.

The only person who knows is you and nobody owes it to you. The first thing I noticed was everything was printed velvet very controlled in Prithvi Theatre.5 lakh per month back then, compared to Ramu who had a total budget of ` 1 lakh for me. He shares, “When Ram Gopal Verma came up with the idea of making a movie like Satya, I was doing very well writing television scripts. I disconnected with him for three years, but in that time he did not stop loving me,” he shares. Last year, we become over-ambitious and made Bombay Velvet and Shandaar. I was part of shows like Shaanti, Swabhimaan and other serials but Trikaal was the first daily-soap in which I was mentioned in the credits. I had just started making money and here was a film that had no certainty. The world doesn't owe it to you; you owe it to yourself. These consequences are related to the choices I make. We made Udta Punjab and Raman Raghav 2.Taking charge and ownership is one of the key aspects for growth, shares Anurag, adding, “Nobody really knows how to make a film or judge a script.Controversy’s favourite child, Anurag Kashyap often finds himself at the center of word fights raging in Bollywood.”Accepting failureNo filmmaker is alien to failures, these are times when one needs to sit back and analyse the mistakes to move forward, explains Anurag. But sometime you need to stand up and voice your opinions. You want to do something, pursue it with conviction. So, you have to pursue it

Cheers!The writer is an interior designer and director at Sugar My Space, Studio SMS.Throwback to the times when we grew up draping on sheets around the furniture and making ourselves a cozy, warm teepee while pretending to play mom and pop. Flowing fabric on the walls or ceiling and perhaps silk shades for custom-made lamps are great ways to quirk it up while keeping the place stylish. Not many expect to see a boat on the roofing, so that stands to exact some oohs for certain. Most times in life and love!Flip it on its head when it comes to your private spaces too.My all-time favourite in wall finishes remains the quintessentially elegant, untreated, exposed brick and concrete walls. Or splash onto the headboard or the droplights to quirk up the space without it looking like you just returned with your kill from the savannah! Avoid making your home look like a souvenir store! Or a pet store for that matter!! So do it with finesse and don&China printed velvet manufacturers39;t hesitate to run it by someone that may give you an honest opinion. Personally, they ought to be restricted to clothing only, and with much discretion.Things often happen by accident rather than by design. They lend a genteel touch to the surroundings. Stay tuned for more as we roll out the design rug over many more brews… help is here before you commit headlong to misadventure with your space. Scandi Chic in warm pines and monochromatic tones will stage the rage forever. But go primitive if you will, with caution, with perhaps quirky frames around motley feral prints.. Find fantasy in quirky themes for wall frames… if its geisha prints then go cherry blossoms and pencils sketches in funky backgrounds and frame them over the stretch., paints, texturing, highlights and lighting to give them pizzazz.

Having said that, often intended design does look like the casualty it was meant to avert!Helping customers translate their fantasies into design reality is always a challenge and one that is most exciting to a designer. Quirk it up with throws, pillows, rugs and the shimmer of brass or copper for the pop.As requests go, they do take on a life of their own with the extraordinary overtures. # Graduating finishes and colours and textures to keeps it basic and artistic. The classic white and black combo is here to stay. But, quirk managed well can be just as inviting and pleasing. They are uber quirky. There was something reassuring about the hurriedly assembled wigwam, that felt toasty and intriguing, even mysterious to welcome our puerile capers.For more chic and cheeky, bring back the traditional Oonjal, with a twist. But as a designer, one unabashedly refrains from going the whole hog with the unusual requests, only after debunking some whims and homing in on universal truths. While there may be rule books that iterate the importance of order in spaces, nowhere does it say that spaces can’t be snug and safe with layered floor rugs, throws and cushions and perhaps a gorgeous canopy around your favourite armchair in your bedchamber, to provide the غير مجاز مي باشدiest of nooks.Canoe on the ceiling with pendant lights suspended from it for extra oomph and swag.

As with many things, turning things about does give one a new perspective.Animal motifs are a horror. Delightfully, life in monochrome is an oft-requested theme. Quirk it up with unique beaded links instead of the usual metal chain and soften edges with basic upholstery perhaps with a coat of paint to make it a cozy spot to curl up in.Another successful breakaway is with the likes of a buttoned down French-style footstool and a chic brass and glass coffee table or a classic chesterfield with a stylish bookshelf. Restored period furniture, with a coat of varnish or paint with Athangudi tiles nestled in the gaps; or place an old pillar wedged with colourful tiled sections, in an opened up doorway to create a partition with a quirky difference.Go Andy Warhol on tiles! Or substitute with handmade floral or a line-drawing collection of Athangudi tiles.“I’m a designer, and I think if you work in fashion, you have to give people fantasy,” said the famed Christian Louboutin. It needn’t have to conjure up images of over-the-top goth or an unsavoury visual from Fifty Shades of Grey! If that is your intent, then so be it.We have barely made a dent in the scope of quirk in design. Quirk is decidedly fun, if handled with elan. Never going out of style. Cluster it up or align along the bow with trimmings along the edges with fairy lights to quirk up the room. The perfect meld of fantasies with the natural order of life must be maintained at all times. The indoor swing from yesteryear’s in rose and teak wood with brass chains, adds comfort and elegance to any space. My personal take, monochrome never ceases to please. With oodles to play with viz.Walls lends themselves as canvases to etch along memories. To add to that mystique, thread on silken linen strips in lieu of tacky bead curtains and boho the heck out of the place, albeit snazzily

To help promote local artisans and weavers across the country, an exhibition here seeks to encourage larger use of khadi — a fabric that has transformed from being a symbol of India’s freedom struggle to become a style statement.Titled ‘The Khadi March: Just Five Meters’, the solo show by Shelly Jyoti at India Habitat Centre here underlines the importance of ‘khadi’ portraying the fabric as a mark of self-purification, self-reliance and independence.“The show is a call to action that challenges people who live in urban cities to grant dignity to the rural brethren and to rethink our engagement with the spinners, weavers and people who work with handicrafts in the villages. “It is designed to be a study for those who want to understand what the khadi movement stands textile online for, and what it has been able to do,” says Jyoti.

According to the artist, following Mahatma Gandhi’s proposition of buying ‘five yards of khadi’ each, India’s urban population can transform the lives of rural artisans and enrich their livelihoods.“Five meters of cloth is an individual’s necessity to cover themselves. So, I wanted to explore the 300 million urban population for whom buying just 5 meters of khadi is not a big thing but their efforts can change the life of millions in the rural areas,” she says.One of the installations, titled ‘The Yarn Wheel’, has been made up of 1,000 hand-spun cotton yarns to capture the meditative process of spinning the wheel in stark contrast to machine-made thread.Jyoti has worked extensively with Ajrakh artisans from Kutch and with kantha embroiderers from West Bengal for the show that features several khadi installations, 20 Ajrakh textile artworks, a multi-media spoken poetry art and a documentary on Ajrakh textile process.“While working with those who have inherited these textile traditions and are passing them on to the next generations, I have been able to see through the critical relationship between an artisan as a creator and an artist as a visualiser,” she says.Using khadi as the ground for processes of traditional dyeing and embroidery, Jyoti’s images employ symbolic forms with decorated surfaces to highlight aspects of India’s long and complex history.“Khadi is such an eco-friendly, comfortable and vibrant fabric.

It can become a fabric from our freedom struggle to a fashion statement in the present world,” she says.Utilising printing blocks that are 200 to 300 years old, Jyoti says her individual pieces draw attention to a shared history whose preservation is currently threatened by the forces of globalisation.The traditional Bengali art form of Kantha Stitch also finds place in some of her creations. She explores the creative space of women in Bengal who have migrated to northern India in the past decade.“I engage these women to give them small jobs and explore their inherent talent. Running stitches also have a decorative and aesthetic appeal,” she says.The artist was also part of a recent event organised by Yes Institute at Bikaner House in New Delhi.Titled ‘Poetics of Khadi: Cutting across Time and space’, the discussion focused on the “idea of khadi as a visual expression of national identity.”“I am trying to explore the role of clothing in a movement of social change, while exploring khadi as a commodity in 21st century to give spinners and weavers a more organised source of livelihood,” she says.

Delicate, sheer and lustrous, chanderi is the choice of fabric this season for many designers who are reprising it in diverse variations — from earthy glam to chic simplicity Characterised by its weightlessness, sheer texture and fine luxurious feel, chanderi has been ruling the runways at the ongoing Amazon India Fashion Week Spring Summer 2017. Along with that several other powerful looms from around different corners of India are grabbing attention too. The fabric (chanderi) is produced by weaving in silk and golden zari in the traditional cotton yarn that results in the creation of the shimmering texture and can be classified into three types — chanderi silk cotton, pure silk and chanderi cotton.Talking about this surge in love for handlooms, designer Paromita Banerjee says, “I think people are fed up with fast fashion and its end products. They want something they can cherish, and know for a fact was made with utmost care, nurture and attention.

People are in love with hand-made things these days as it showcases the power and beauty of fashion created by human hands.” Designer Shruti Sancheti agrees, “The phrase ‘made by hand’ always signifies something personal for us. People want to know products that are painstakingly created over months with the best of materials.” Ace designer Krishna Mehta, on the other hand, shares that this rise (in popularity) is a sign of unity and right timing. “The government is working towards promoting Indian handlooms, the younger lot is far keener on wearing or rather flaunting hand-made pieces and this, in turn, has empowered and triggered a fire among designers to create and envision handlooms in different avatars. The current phase of fashion is more or less like the making of a good, delicious dish: with all the right ingredients, in right proportions, and right timing.”Sheer texture is a feature of chanderi that differentiates it from other textiles produced across India. The transparency of this fabric is because of the use of single flature quality of yarn. When glue of a raw yarn is not separated from it, the non-degumming renders a shine and transparency to the finished fabric which produces a flature yarn.

As for the bootis or motifs, they are handwoven with the use of needles. Separate needles are used to create different motifs.“If we spoke about handlooms 10 years ago nobody would have believed that handwoven outfits can be so stunningly simple and light. This fabric is highly versatile,” Paromita shares, adding, “Now you can see it everywhere, from s******ts, soft culottes and a blazer shrugged famous velvet factory over palazzo pants to elegant dresses, chanderi has been reprised in several different variations.” Designer Anita Dongre says the intention behind all her designs has been to popularise the versatility of traditional fabrics, and she is happy that this time she has experimented with chanderi. Dongre adds that chanderi, though delicate and soft, can take the hardness of embroidery and gotta-patti well to its stride, unlike many other handlooms. “From my own collection, there’s one jacket which is embroidered in gotta-patti but in a modern manner, then there are gold s******ts in chanderi, versatile separates, chanderi jackets which one can be worn with a pair of jeans to dress it up or dress it down, etc. So you can see how one can be experimental with this fabric, which is stronger than it looks.”While Paromita quips that chanderi is high-maintenance but worth the time and effort, designer Shruti Sancheti suggests, “Wrapping up all your handlooms in mulmul helps a great deal.”

Fashion has always been about experimentation and customisation — from fabrics and colours to prints and cuts. And currently riding a big wave of popularity is a blend of digital prints and traditional embellishment.Siddartha Tytler is one of the pioneers of infusing digital prints with traditional embellishments. From infusing interesting prints such as snakeskin with textured fabrics like pinstripes and checks to net overlay, laser-cut work with crystal embellishments, he has done it all. Talking about the trend he says, “Digital printing has been with us for sometime now. But it all depends on how one interprets it every season. This season our prints were very basic, with an ombre effect — so instead of usingdyes we used digital printing.”Being in the industry for around 18 years now, Tytler has done numerous experiments with design. “We have tried and tested, at times failed but with time we have learnt how to balance the look. If the prints are heavy, the embellishments are light, and if the print is light, we embellish the print.”Creation by Eshaa AmiinDesigner Payal Jain strongly feels that today’s fashion consumer is extremely discerning as far as current trends are concerned, and also appreciates Indian textiles and crafts.

“The current trend followed by most fashion brands of fusing modern prints and motifs with traditional embroidery techniques stems from this consumer preference and consequently, provides the youth of today with fashion that is contemporary as well as rooted in tradition, maintaining a balance between the old and new, modern and traditional, East and West.”Technology plays a very strong part in fashion. 3D and now chinese fabric 4D printing is taking the fashion world by storm and making a huge statement. “Anything is possible with this printing technique and everything conceivable can be interpreted on fabric,” says Jain, who sees it as a boon for designers and creative people who live through their imagination and usually face problems converting these visions into reality — 3D and 4D printing are removing these road blocks and have made it easy to convert the most bizarre ideas into form. “Laser printing also allows a lot of experimentation for designers to work with multiple layers and dimensions, surface ornamentation and fabric treatments, which are an exciting new addition to the fashion repertoire for today’s consumer.”Adding to it غير مجاز مي باشدgar Mehra, creative director at Sunil Mehra, says, “Precise cuts in fabric through laser brings out clean, accurate and clear cut designs. The technique lessens the time-consuming handwork to quick and delicate designs through machineries.”And there is a lot more that tech is bringing to fashion. “We are getting fabric which cools off and heats up according to the body and environment around it.

However, this is just a concept and the process of commercialisation is yet to start. We designers are like children, we like new toys to play with. One does not necessarily have to be stuck to old and boring concepts. You need to move on with time, otherwise it doesn’t take much time to be forgotten,” adds Tytler.While technology introduces new trends, tradition is maintained by handmade embroideries and traditional art of dyeing. So, is there any fear of tech overpowering the traditional roots? “With technology entering the fashion space, there is no fear of losing the traditional touch. As the economists say — lesser the supply, more the demand, and vice versa. It also depends on the brand ideology — some brands choose to work with craftsmanship only while some choose to work with both. Either way, as long as the demand persists, there is no fear of losing traditional touch,” says Mehra.Creation by Siddartha Tytler“Our strength as Indian designers will always be our rich heritage and textile legacy, if we lose that, we would lose our identity,” asserts Jain. “The world comes to India for our craft, textile, printing traditions and embroidery techniques, we cannot forget those and ape the West because I truly believe that’s what sets us apart from them and brings buyers to us. If they simply wanted digital prints, there are enough creative resources available to them in their own countries, why would they need to come to India?”

If one can carry an outfit with confidence, they will look stylish no matter what.Dolly Sidhwani: Have to agree with Bhavana entirely on this, to add can’t get enough of Isabel Marant this season.Dolly Sidhwani: I shouldn’t even mention it.13.Dolly Sidhwani: White shirt, ripped jeans & a pretty black dress. I think wardrobe essentials keep changing as per your personality and experiences.7. The most common fashion mistakes desi women makeNandita Mahtani: Personally I really do not like very tight or body-hugging styles.Dolly Sidhwani: A pretty short red dress & heels. Your perfect look for a date night with your partnerBhavana Pandey: A nice, stylish top with well-fitted jeans & wedges.Nandita Mahtani: I like to keep things minimal, can’t-do without my simple necklaces.1.Nandita Mahtani: Don’t necessarily love wearing pearls, but it is definitely a huge trend this season!10.Bhavana Pandey: I’d like to think I’ve had none!Nandita Mahtani: Hoping to never make one.14. Your idea of dressing ***y: legs, cleavage or both?Bhavana Pandey: I think it’ll be legs for all three of us!15.Dolly Sidhwani: Heavy Indian jewellery, chunky/ethnic earrings & rings with very western silhouettes is a big NO for me. The one fashion trend that you would never follow?Dolly Sidhwani: I love trends so I really enjoy experimenting with my looks and trying new things.Nandita Mahtani: For me, age doesn’t define fashion at all, it’s not something you necessarily think of when meeting a person but someone’s body type is definitely a big influence.9.Bhavana Pandey: Carriage is style.4. Who are your favourite Indian and international designers?Bhavana Pandey: Other than Nandi, who is also the fashion director at our brand, I absolutely love Monisha Jaisingh’s sense of fashion. How do you define style?Nandita Mahtani: Style to me is simple, minimalistic and elegant. It tends to end up looking more silly than stylish.

I think most people can’t carry it off unless they have a drop dead stunning body!Bhavana Pandey: I think fusion styling works very rarely.40’s your wardrobe has a cool mix of modern, trendy & classic styles. I may love a certain outfit but if it doesn’t fit correctly or accentuate my body type, no matter how beautiful the style, it wouldn’t work for me. On the other hand, whether we like it or not, one’s body type can make all the difference. Are you a slave to high end brands, or happy to mix and match?So happy to mix and match, that we started our own high street label.One fashion disaster that you would never repeat. It’s a line to cross over & most of the times, no one really gets it right.Bhavana Pandey: I love being comfortable so it has to be a lovely shirtdress & wedges. Well fitted jeans, basic tees, a LBD & LWD is a must for all.16.5.11 This is for Bhavana (ever swapped clothes or twinned with your teenaged daughter?)Bhavana Pandey: Never twinned, my daughter would kill me but we’ve swapped clothes a billion times - it’s just so differently styled, no one can tell!12. Three eternal favourites in your wardrobe?Nandita Mahtani: White tee, denim & a classic shirt dress.Dolly Sidhwani: Hands down, Deepika Padukone!Nandita Mahtani: Rihanna is my all time favourite!3. Does age define fashion or does it depend on body type? Bhavana Pandey: Age to me is a just a number and one’s style tends to evolve with time but that doesn’t mean its necessary to change or alter yourself if you don’t want it to.

Who are the most stylish celebrities in India and abroad?Bhavana Pandey: Thinking effortlessly stylish, it has to be Kangana Ranaut and Blake Lively respectively for me. Never say Never!Bhavana Pandey: I’m done with fitted bodycon dresses.Nandita Mahtani: Age to me just does not matter. Your must-have fashion accessory this season?Bhavana Pandey: Chain belts, every season.Nandita Mahtani: Can we get done with frills, ruffles & voluminous sleeves already? It is just not me. Bhavana Pandey: I’m going to have to agree with Dolly and Nandi on this one..Nandita Mahtani: I would pretty much dress the same way as I would for a night out with my friends.17. Internationally, Chloe never fails to amaze. What are the latest fashion must buys this season?Dolly Sidhwani: Nothing says fashion like velvet boots!Bhavana Pandey: Anything Olive - bombers, dresses or jumpsuits. By now I think you know which styles are essential for you - a well fitted shirt to a chic dress.Dolly Sidhwani: Surely not age, but a body type can make or break a look for me.Dolly Sidhwani: I love dressing up so a dress & a pair of pretty heels is my fun night out look!8. 20s tend to be more experimental while 40s you know what you’re doing.Dolly Sidhwani: In love with corset belts, it’s trendy yet super fashionable.Dolly Sidhwani: 20’s was all about shorts and crop tees for me. A white tank with ripped jeans or a ***y black dress?Bhavana Pandey: White tank with ripped jeans always!Dolly Sidhwani: ***y black dressNandita Mahtani: Depends on my mood, white tank with ripped jeans in the day & a ***y black dress at night!6.Nandita Mahtani: To me, one of my dearest friends, Suneet Verma makes the prettiest Indian clothes and internationally, Gucci’s new quirky show has got me totally inspired & excited to be in the fashion world once again. What are the wardrobe essentials for women in their 20s, 30s and 40s.By your 30’s you should have found your perfect denim fit and a little black dress. Whether you’re in your 20s or 40s, you should own a wardrobe that you love & feel confident in. For a night out with your gal pals, you would dress in?Nandita wholesale velvet upholstery fabric manufacturers Mahtani: I would probably end up wearing one of my white or black, easy to slip in, short dresses with heels.2.Dolly Sidhwani: Style to me is an expression of one’s personality and it really reflects who you are.Bhavana Pandey: White shirt, greatly fitted denims & a go-to LBD

I have not had the privilege to know the music fellows, but it was a joy to congratulate the friends who became fellows and awardees and applaud the others.com.The Seraikella Chhau performance by awardee Pt. Anita is a strong feminist performing artiste who is inspired to interpret shared cultural myths to shift the paradigm of understanding a woman questioning the injustice of women living as a stone and then to become one. In addition to 2016 awardees, four Akademi fellows were awarded for overarching contributions to Hindustani and Carnatic music, Shri Arvind Parikh and Shrimati R. The red carpet below my feet matching the top of India Gate and the breathtaking sight of the illuminated Jaipur column, a fitting tribute to the Maharaja who gave Raisina Hill for the new capital over 100 years ago. Gopal Dubey began with a stirring Jatra Ghat by seven musicians playing the resonant large dumsa, typical lilting Chhau shenai, two dhols and sweetened with flute, sarangi and violin.Two other performances completed this particular evening of awardee presentations, Shrimati A. These annual Sangeet Natak Akademi award programmes should be high on the list of anyone with an interest or even curiosity in the arts or who has a desire to nurture cultural awareness in their children. The classic Ardhanarishwar etched-in-memory choreography by Guruji for the incomparable Sanjukta Panigrahi has totally metamorphosed into scintillating dynamic group choreography with fast paced and fast changing perfectly coordinated images and movements with no compromise on technique.B. As expected, Geeta Chandran’s Bharatnatyam performance was dynamic and powerful. I hope the award, in addition to his Padmashree, initiates a new energy in the development of Chhau dance. It is virtually impossible to open a book on Indian dance or music that does contain some or all of its images taken over many decades by this consummate artiste behind the lens. The pulsating grey and gold draped figure of Anita was mesmerising as she was far more than a lifeless stone but more the Bala Kanda description of remaining invisible for thousands of years, fasting by subsisting only on air, suffering and sleeping in ashes.workshop@gmail.Sharon Lowen is a respected exponent of Odissi, Manipuri and Mayurbhanj and Seraikella Chau whose four-decade career in India was preceded by 17 years of modern dance and ballet in the US and an MA in dance from the University of Michigan. Anyone with a Metro card, Uber/Ola number or car, can attend virtually any production in multiple theatres daily.

It was a powerful evocation of another wholesale curtain fabricmetoo moment with Surya’s remorse unable to undo the devastation caused. The same maroon velvet drapes and 5th century Buddha statue that framed the transfer of power at Independence backed the President as he heartily rose again and again for each awardee.Besides specific awards in individual fields of dance, music and theatre, the Sangeet Natak Akademi also confers awards for Overall Contribution in the Performing Arts and no one could deserve this more than photographer Shri Avinash Pasricha.The performances and talks by all of these national treasures were a treat for residents of the national capital region and I can never get over my good fortune to live in the only capital city in the world where great performing arts can be seen gratis simply by walking in. Vedavalli respectively, Shri Ram Gopal Bajaj for his contributions to Indian theatre and Shri Sunil Kothari for his outstanding contribution to Performing Arts through as author and critic. Milind Srivastava’s lights were a good reminder of how essential lighting is to the performing arts, something often neglected. After the ceremony, I had to pause at the doors open to Delhi to relish the view.Good lighting is just one of the integrated elements of the quite superb presentation of Odissi choreography by Srijan, the dance group directed by awardee for Odissi Ratikanta Mohapatra, started by his father, Padmavibhusan Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. The other masked dancers performing Arati, Fisherman, Hara-Parvati and Chandrabhaga to Gopal’s Surya were Pradeep Basa, Parash Pathal and Chandan Kabi. She has contributed not only with her own Bhaاين نام مجاز نمي باشدnatyam performances, but also via her Natya Vriksha Dance Company and her writings. I am happy that he has shared his photographs to accompany this article. Sandhya Raman’s first-rate غير مجاز مي باشدtuming of stretch lycra was the perfect modality for a use of the body covered and changing shape immortalised by Alwin Nikolai’s 1953 Noumenon and Martha Graham’s 1930 Lamentation.One of Gopal Dubey’s three Chhau gurus mentioned, Guru Kedarnath Sahoo, was also my guru from 1981 and I was very touched that Gopal included in his SNA bio that I was Odissi dance guru. The woman from the stone emerged first as a mouth, vividly framed inside the dark contours of “stone”.A. Bala Konondala Rao, awardee for Kuchipudi, and Shrimati Geeta Chandran, awardee for Bhaاين نام مجاز نمي باشدnatyam.Wearing dhotis and Kanjeevarams, Himachali caps and lungis as well as smart modern attire, our living masters of intangible culture proudly walked up the three historic steps of the Durbar Hall dais, many needing a helping hand, to receive a nation’s gratitude for their contributions in dance, music and drama with Sangeet Natak Akademi awards.

Anita Ratnam, awarded for contemporary dance, opened one evening’s dance offerings with her solo presentation on Ahalya, created by Brahma as an experiment in perfection and cursed by her husband غير مجاز مي باشدe Gautama for infidelity when she and god Indra, disguised as Gautama, are discovered. This sophisticated dance of Jharkand, like its closely related unmasked form Mayurbhanj Chhau, were both supported by Odia speaking Maharajas who also exchanged Chhau gurus with dowry during intermarriages.Ratikanta’s focus as an artiste has been on more on choreography than performance, so it was a pleasure to see his well conceived, choreographed and presented solo portrayal of Sharbari, tasting the fruit offered to Rama, spitting out the sour one, evoking memories of the nuanced bhakti sensibility imbibed from his father. Bala Knondala Rao, trained by Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam, skilfully demonstrated her stature as a senior performer and teacher with her charming abhinaya well partnered by her accomplished son.B.I was surprised that Geeta Chandran only received an SNA award this year, considering the prestigious work she has done in India and abroad for ICCR, the ministry of culture and SNA itself. She can be contacted at sharonlowen. Gopal performed Surya, pursuing Chandrabhanga until she escapes by throwing herself into the sea. Everything Ratikanta does is well crafted and he has contributed to the field with brilliant choreography and training of dancers. With his Trinetra Chhau Dance Centre in Seraikella, I had worked with him to create Seraikella- Mayurbhanj Chhau productions for Doordarshan and the Delhi Kamani stage.It make me feel something is still right in this world when I see puppeteers, folk and tribal as well as classical performing artistes, being honoured by the President of India in the magnificently formal setting of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Both lyrical, martial arts based dance forms urgently need innovative, well monitored # support for new choreography and incentives to motivate for students to take up this art which is languishing despite past SNA patronage. They both performed with consummate grace