Prabal Gurung taunted for plus-size range
Diversity is the buzzword in the fashion industry at the moment, with labels dipping their toes into collections that challenge notions of age, gender and size but Prabal Gurung has dived right in with mixed results.
A favourite of former US First Lady Michelle Obama, Prabal has collaborated with plus-size specialist Lane Bryant, which delivers to Australia but even his friends were surprised by the bold move.
At the screening of the documentary Straight/Curve in New York on Monday night Prabal said there was "a lot of snickering" about the Lane Bryant team up. A familiar face approached the Singaporean born, Nepalese-raised designer and said "Why are you designing for fat people?"
"She saw my reaction and she said, 'Oh no, I meant it as a joke!," Fashionistareported.
That joke paid off with a well-received collection which made its mark with a Vogue debut and campaign photographed by Inez and Vinoodh starring curvy supermodel Ashley Graham.
"Our industry is very, very slow at change, and fearful, we are operated by fear; there are a handful of people who operate with absolute courage and guts, but the majority of us, we don't," Prabal said.
Prabal is also one of the few designers making a firm commitment to expanding the parameters of high fashion but the road is long.
Ashley Graham is one of the few non-sample-sized models to have cracked the mainstream with Vogue covers and numerous runway appearances but Australia’s Robyn Lawley is unhappy with the pace of change.
“Designers say they’re changing, but they’re not. They should be respectful of their customers and use different-sized women on the catwalk instead of skinny young girls,” Robyn told The Australian newspaper.
"Telling women that they’re ‘plus-size’ is sending the wrong message — that there is something wrong with them. If we continue to use that term, which was created by the fashion industry, we are segregating huge numbers of women. We should get rid of it."Read more at:formal wear sydney | formal dresses online australia
Beauty Talk
beauty
Honey Waqar, a Lahore-based designer, is known for her formal and bridal wear - laced with intricate embroideries and rich embellishments. Since its inception, the design philosophy of Honey Waqar delves into the craftsmanship of traditional handwork created with delicate precision, whilst maintaining a modern twist to its timeless collections. According to Waqar, she has always been interested in designing clothes, “I always had a feel for fashion even at a very young age. Growing up I pursued my dream. I took courses related to fashion and modelling. I graduated as a fashion marketing student and was immediately hired by a perfume manufacturing company. I used to design their packaging and run fashion shows. Eventually I tracked my pathway into fashion designing.” Since 2004 Honey Waqar has participated in some of the prestigious fashion shows of Pakistan and abroad as well including BCW (Lahore), Bridal Asia (India), London Fashion Week, Amsterdam Fashion Show and Rome Fashion Show (Italy). In March 2017, Honey Waqar launched her luxury lawn collection. This week this talented designer talks to You! about her work, her fascination with lawn and her beauty secrets...
You! What type of clothes you design for women?
Honey Waqar: Our determined quest is to create something extraordinary that presents grace and beauty of a woman’s apparel, adding glory and exquisiteness. Our creations are figure friendly and perfect choice for stylish women.
You! When did you first show your collection?
H.W: That was a long time ago. I showcased my collection in a private show.
You! What was the first outfit that you designed?
H.W: I made a couture outfit for Shaheena Shakil-ur-Rehman.
You! How would you define your own sense of style?
H.W: Our design philosophy for women is passionate sense of style in creating feminine, royal and rich couture pieces with an eye for detail. The designs spell inimitable style and versatility, richness, while depicting the fusion of ethnic elements coupled in the most contemporary way.
You! What are your favourite fabrics to work with?
H.W: I love to play with materials that are flowy and have feminine appeal like French laces, Italian brocades, tissues and organzas.
You! What is the inspiration behind your latest lawn collection?
H.W: Our inspiration is from everywhere - it can start from the dewdrop on the petal of a flower to the unlimited sky.
You! Why do you think women should wear designer lawn? ?
H.W: As couturiers we study design in detail and create what suits women. I believe women should wear designer lawn as it gives them individuality.
You! What seasonal looks and colours are you expecting this summer?
H.W: Pastels for sure and hues from the sky - sunset and sunrise. Watch out!
You! What is your signature embellishment?
H.W: Our signature is roses.
You! In your opinion what is the biggest mistake women make while dressing here?
H.W: Over confidence. Sometimes women carry dresses that don’t match their style or being over dressed for an occasion.
You! What is the one piece of clothing that you shy away from wearing and why?
H.W: Whatever that doesn’t complement my silhouette.
You! What are the difficulties faced by designers in getting their work done?
H.W: It’s not easy being a couture designer. You have to work day and night to make collections and meet deadlines.
You! How long does it usually take for you to design an outfit?
H.W: It depends on the requirement of the design detail, it could be weeks or months depending on the technicality and the intricacy and the couture finishes.
You! How do you prepare for a fashion show?
H.W: We start from brain storming then we jot down ideas on mood boards, fabric boards, and colour palette which are turned into designs and surface development. Then comes sketching and draping samples on calico. And finally creating the garments with trials and stylizing it on the model or mannequin.
You! Do you prefer sketching designs or actually constructing them?
H.W: It’s hard to choose between the both because we do both. A mix is always handy.
You! Do you think there is potential for new designers in our fashion industry? What advice do you have for aspiring fashion designers?
H.W: Inborn talent and training both work hand in hand but I feel what exactly makes you a successful designer is a lot of patience, hard work, consistency and ability to learn from your mistakes.
You! What are you currently working on?
H.W: Our embroidery collection in collaboration with Z.S textiles to be launched for Eid ul Azha. I am also working on my new bridal collection for 2018.
BEAUTY CORNER
You! One cosmetic you cannot do without?
H.W: Moisturiser
You! When stepping out, do you wear makeup all the time?
H.W: No
You! When it comes to cosmetics, which brands you usually use?
H.W: Chanel and MAC
You! Your make-up bag consists of...
H.W: A moisturiser, kohl pencil, eyebrow shaper, blusher, lipstick and perfume
You! Do you go for regular facials?
H.W: No hardly
You! Your favourite local stylist or beautician:
H.W: Nabila
You! Your preferred spa or salon:
H.W: Nabila
You! Your favourite perfume:
H.W: Gardenia Passion by Annick Goutal
You! Do you use anti-ageing creams?
H.W: No
You! Do you believe in treatments like Botox?
H.W: No
You! Are you fond of using too much makeup or prefer a good skin with minimal amount of makeup?
H.W: Minimal
You! Where do you go for your makeup shopping?
H.W: UK or Dubai
You! Do you use whitening creams? Are they any good?
H.W: No
You! What is beauty to you?
H.W: Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.Read more at:queenieau.com | formal wear sydney
Communicating hope
Born in Claverty Cottage, Portland, Dyce told All Woman that she became acquainted with Jamaica at the age of 21 after her birth mother made contact with her. It was then that she learnt of the fateful transaction which would chart the course of her dismal early years abroad, leading to a painful adolescence and a wayward young adult life.
“My birth mother told me that a lady had married a relative of a family friend and came to Jamaica, saw me, liked me, and begged [to take] me and a cousin of mine. My mother said no. But the lady kept pressuring, and eventually my mother was tricked into signing adoption papers without reading them. She said they told her I would be back every summer and Christmas, and I would just go to school in Bermuda. They pushed it, and my father and the woman made a deal,” Dyce said.
“It was pretty obvious that he received money and perks, as he was given a room in a house, left to run a shop the individuals owned that sold groceries and clothes, and someone's wedding was paid for. My mother initially wasn't aware of the dealings, as she never received anything,” she explained.
At the outset, her biological parents may have thought her life was a bed of roses, but Dyce shared that by the age of five or six she was made to do almost every household chore and was constantly beaten, and even though she had friends, she feared speaking out as she was threatened with dire consequences.
By the time she was 10, she was the sole caregiver for a bedridden grandmother. She said she remembers being burnt by a hot curling iron, and even chopped and stabbed when things went wrong. Subsequently, school became her escape. She was placed on the principal's honour roll, but even that was not good enough.
“I'd be beaten for anything. I worked really hard to gain approval and school was my getaway, but no one knew because she [my adoptive mother] threatened that if I told anyone she would kill me,” she said.
Eventually child labour and drug addiction became the norm for her. At age 11 she was packing bags at a grocery store; smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol at 14; given cashier duties at 15 while also working at a pizza store and a hotel; and at 16, she made a decision to leave high school to “work full-time and party all night”.
Things got worse when she turned 18, fell out of grace with her adoptive mother, and was kicked out of the house. With nowhere to go, Dyce used her earnings to buy a tent and barbecue grill and lived on the beach for a while, before a friend's parent allowed her to stay with them when a hurricane threat was issued.
After spending a year with her friend, Dyce's turning point came when she decided to become a Christian.
But she was pressured by her friends to return to her old ways, and after five months of resisting, she succumbed to peer pressure and once more “took a draw” of marijuana. This time the effects were catastrophic. She went temporarily blind.
“This is when my friend's little sister, Destiny, brought me a book, told me to read it and said, 'You're Paul'. When I opened the book I could hardly see, but I started reading about the Damascus experience, and my sight was [miraculously] restored. I was left in awe, eventually found a church, and set my life straight,” she said.
Now yearning for more, Dyce made contact with her high school principal, who helped her to get an internship at the Bermuda Royal Gazette as she had an interest in journalism. She was also encouraged by the principal to get her General Education Development testing subjects, which she did.
By this time Dyce had made contact with her family in Jamaica and decided to return home. Not only was she seeking answers, but she entertained hopes of attending the University of the West Indies. But instead of being encouraged to pursue this venture, she was told that she could not compete with current media workers. She also faced resentment from her biological family and was left to fend for herself in a country with which she was unfamiliar.
Refusing to falter, she decided to pick up the pieces and start afresh. That was when she met the man who would become the father of her children. He helped her get back on her feet.
Thereafter, she landed a gig in 2014 doing marketing for Jermaine Edwards, began working for Sutherland Global in 2015, and has managed a number of gospel acts including Sean Lypher and DJ Rebirth.
She was eventually drafted to do voice-overs. She worked for Ariff Butler from Bloozik Music, did interviews, and started her journey in media as an independent practitioner under the label Mel Melody Music.
Next on her agenda is preaching the word of God and becoming a mentor to young girls.
“I follow Isaiah 54:17, and my message to young women is this: No matter who you are, where you go, what they say about you, once you have a connection with God, He can turn everything around. Your situation might be going south, but He can take it and send it up north.”Read more at:bridesmaid gowns
LFW Winter Festive 2017 ramp to feature four new models
The Lakmé Fashion Week (LFW) Winter/Festive 2017 will give wings to four new talents who are ready to take their first step as models on the platform.
LFW organisers held the model hunt in partnership with TRESemmé for the forthcoming edition. The jury included actress Kriti Sanon, designer Manish Malhotra, fashion choreographer Lubna Adams, IMG Reliance Head of Fashion Jaspreet Chandok, Lakmé Head of Innovation Purnima Lamba and IMG International model scouts – Luis Domingo and Victoria Da Silva.
Kriti felt nostalgic to be back for LFW.
“It feels amazing to be sitting between Manish Malhotra and Lubna Adams and judging these beautiful girls. Also, it is nostalgic to be back at Lakmé Fashion Week where I started my modelling career and walked for around five seasons,” said the actress.
The judges chose four winners after three competitive rounds to walk for the upcoming season: Nicole Padival, Daman Brar, Kiyara and Roshmitha Harimurthy.
The audition saw over 150 aspiring Indian and international models showcase their talent at India’s most sought after model hunt.
For the first time ever, the aspirants also competed for the chance to bag a contract with IMG Models, a leader in talent discovery and model management.
“As a designer, I’m passionate about details. There is something about giving a tactile form to an idea and then further refining it – with colours, embellishments, cuts and accessories, that gives wings to creative imagination. Models are key to telling this story. They lend personification to an attitude that each of my collections represent,” Malhotra said.
“A great personality is the deal-breaker when I’m selecting a model- it’s the grace with which she walks onto the ramp and then goes on to owning it with her poise,” he added.
Lamba said the models showcased “vibrant personalities and a bold freshness”.
LFW is credited with introducing some of the most successful faces in the Indian fashion industry including Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif, and Yana Gupta to name a few.Read more at:bridesmaid dresses online
How Bollywood is dressing for weddings in-between seasons
While Mumbai’s monsoon grows stronger by the day, Bengaluru is all chilly winds and Delhi’s afternoons are blazing at best. With the whole country tentatively switching from one climate to another, now’s the most confusing time for a baraati’s wardrobe. To make your wedding-hopping a little easier, Vogue breaks down five looks that will see you through any weather, as seen on Bollywood’s best dressed women.
Bring back the shararas
Easy to wear and never inappropriate, the Indian suit is always a favourite. Skip the tight churidars for breezier palazzo or sharara pants for full coverage that also allows a little breeze around the ankles at humid summer parties. Both Preity Zinta’s white-and-gold Ritu Kumar and Nargis Fakhri’s pink Payal Singhal are winners.
Layer it up
Got a sundown sangeet coming up? Pick an ensemble that you can dissect when the hot afternoon finally gives way to that much-awaited evening breeze. While Rahul Mishra topped his sheer sari with a cool girl biker jacket on the runway, Athiya Shetty wore her Jade two-piece with a light jacket at a friend’s wedding in Abu Dhabi. Doesn’t get smarter than that.
Try the laidback lehenga
No lehenga does that movie-style swirl unless it’s got layers of can-can holding it in place. But a skirt like that is not easy to manage between sudden drizzles and droughts. Make the wedding favourite more manageable between seasons by ditching your heavy-duty choli for a relaxed blouse instead. We love Sridevi’s roomy white button-down and Diana Penty’s bat wing version.
Go for gowns
Double the impact, half the fuss: for a destination wedding, nothing will have your back quite like a classic gown. Go dainty like Katrina Kaif for cocktails, or add Indian accents like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Shilpa Shetty Kundra (in Anamika Khanna and Amit Aggarwal respectively) for a reception party. No heavy dupattas, stuffy trousers or oversized safety pins needed.
Stick with the staple
When in doubt, go back to the basics. While Sabyasachi’s sheer saris are perfect for the day (drape the pallu over your shoulder if you feel the temperature drop unexpectedly), full-sleeved blouses like Abraham & Thakore’s are ideal for wintery evenings. Going back to layers, Anita Dongre and Rabani & Rakha’s models prove that throwing a jacket over one’s sari is anything but dowdy.Read more at:formal dresses australia | formal dresses melbourne
How to refuse a family heirloom for your wedding
Q: Your mom’s wedding dress. A ring that belonged to your partner’s grandma. They’re beautiful but not your style. How do you politely decline family heirlooms for your wedding?
You want to consider your family’s feelings, but you should be able to choose what makes you happy for your wedding day.
Is there a way to modify the heirloom to suit you better? Perhaps your grandmother’s engagement ring features a stunning vintage diamond, but the ring setting itself is too old fashioned for your tastes. You can have that diamond reset in a new ring.
Or make the family heirloom a part of your ceremony without having to wear it.
For example, you could display heirloom china as a decoration or take influences from a piece of vintage jewelry as part of your decor. If the heirloom was a wedding dress worn by your partner’s grandmother or by your own mother, it could be special to display photographs of your parents or partner’s grandparents on their wedding day.
If these ideas fail, the best option is to be honest. You can say, “I love the history and thought behind this piece. At the same time, it’s important for me to choose a new ring that’s truly my own and that expresses my style.”
— Kathryn Edison Money, vice president of strategy and merchandising at Brilliant Earth, a company that specializes in lab-grown and ethically sourced jewelry
Before declining, keep in mind that there are powerful memories and emotions attached to the heirloom. The person offering it expects you to love the idea.
Don’t prolong the agony if you have no intention of wearing the item, and don’t give an elaborate excuse. Be honest, but be gentle in your words.
If your partner offers you his grandmother’s ring, you could say something like, “That’s a lovely ring, and I appreciate the offer, but I have something else in mind. I was hoping we could go together to choose one.”
If your mother asks you to wear her wedding dress, you could say, “Mom, I know it would mean a lot for you to see me walk down the aisle in your wedding dress, but I believe every bride should have her own special dress — one that she feels beautiful in. I hope you will go with me to help me choose mine.”Read more at:queenieau.com
Fashion Forward
Halima Ousseïni is just 16 years old. The world should be hers. Yet, living in the village of Tanout, Niger, where climate change impacts, political instability, gender inequality and poverty are commonplace, life is not easy for Halima.
Halima had to drop out of school after two years of secondary school. By the time she turned 16, her future was caving in. In a country where three out of four girls is married before the age of 18 - many girls in Halima’s village were already pregnant, and like many people affected by climate change and the brute force of poverty and inequality, Halima was out of options.
But then Halima learned about a new sewing cooperative in her village – a place where single women, women with disabilities, and other girls could find a second chance The sewing cooperative was established as one of 18 “micro-projects” within the UNDP-supportedBuilding Climate-Resilience and Adaptive Capacity in the Agricultural Sector of Niger project, financed with a US$3.5 million grant from the Global Environment Facility Least Developed Countries Fund and US$2.5 million in scaling-up funding from the Government of Canada through the Climate Change Adaptation Facility.
“I was excluded from school and was doing nothing when I learned through a friend that the project had opened a sewing center to allow women and girls to learn sewing,” says Halima. “I was interested and so I enrolled in the center. Since I have been here, I have learned a lot. To sew clothes for myself, for my parents and even for clients.”A Delicate Tapestry
But what does sewing have to do with climate change? In Niger, recurring droughts, inconsistent rainfall patterns and other weather-related stressors are impacting the overall stability of the country’s economy. People are forced to migrate, tensions rise, and women – already a marginalized group – are further cast to the side. Sewing provides an alternative livelihood, and an opportunity to make a living and reduce poverty doing something not dependent on changing climatic conditions.
Mrs. Hadizatou Ebiliki is confined to a wheelchair. Not an easy place to be for a woman whose husband regularly needs to migrate to find agricultural work. With limited mobility and opportunities, she could easily have ended up begging in the streets. But Hadizatou is no victim. Despite the hand she has been dealt, she proves that hope springs eternal when women are given the tools, training and assets they need to build more resilient livelihoods. Hadizatou is now the president of a collective seamstress group that is making major progress in breaking down gender lines and building climate-resilience income streams in Aderbissanat, Agadez region of Northern Niger.
"At the beginning, we had a lot of difficulty operating our business. We didn’t have the equipment we needed. Then the project built this nice facility, and gave us training and materials to support us. This support has naturally enabled us to increase our services and improve our incomes. You see that I am a handicapped person, but I am fully in charge thanks to my sewing activity,” Hadizatou says.
Girls Interrupted No More
There were just a dozen women in Hadizatou’s cooperative to start. Now, some 40 women work in the workshop, with more hoping to join and other small seamstress operations popping up throughout the region.
The most important thing about Hadizatou’s seamstress collective is that the young women that work here have a shared interest in its success. A joint fund that Hadizatou helps manage is collected from the cooperative earnings. With this small 10 percent fee, the cooperative has been able to purchase their own plot of land and ensure a permanent location for their business. They are even building savings to invest in new sewing machines and new materials.
“I am comfortable testifying that the women who work in our center have acquired a certain independence since they are not waiting for their husbands to help them buy clothes or cosmetics,” Hadizatou says.
Resilient Lives, Brighter Livelihoods
The outcomes from this project worked toward fostering food security and ensuring better ecosystem-based natural resource management. While new climate-resilient seeds, planting techniques and irrigation equipment fostered improved production on the farm, the project was also careful to support farmers in building the land and water resource management practices necessary to protect the earth from changing weather, droughts, floods, desertification and more.
Some of the major outcomes achieved through the project are especially noteworthy. Agricultural productivity skyrocketed in many areas where improved climate-smart seed-and-pesticide kits were delivered, moving production from around 300kg per hectare to 800 to 1200kg per hectare. Planting cycles were reduced from 120 days to just 60, and the use of fertilizers was reduced.
In all, more than 20,000 households in all eight intervention communities saw increased incomes. The farmers in the community of Tondikiwindi, in the Tillabery Region, reported income increases from around US$200 a month to over US$330 a month, a 65 percent jump.
“In the end, whether it’s a small increase from selling a scarf, or a huge jump derived from a newly installed irrigation system and improved seeds, the idea behind climate resiliency efforts like these is to fortify all aspects of society and the economy, diversify income streams, and empower women to become powerful agents of change,” said Clotilde Goeman, UNDP Regional Technical Advisor. Just think of the village of Loga, in the Dosso Region, where women working in a cooperative producing squash were supported in finding new markets to sell their produce. By going beyond simple consumption, the women are making more money, all the while providing a valuable staple for their families to eat.
"Since we have been doing this market gardening, our status has changed. We are no longer seen as simple consumers who expect everything from their husbands. We also contribute to the care of our families because part of what we produce is directly consumed and the other part is sold. In the end, we invest the profits that we earn in the other expenses of our families," says Zara Mali of the Sargagui Market Garden.
Along with 450 other women producers, Zara is now making extra income that she can use to feed her family, send her kids to school and create the independence that transforms women from girls interrupted to women of power and action.Read more at:formal dresses australia
