Saluting fighters on ramp
Early this year, she used fashion for intensifying efforts to make our planet green. This time round for the New York Fashion Week, Premal Badiani, an Indian-American haute couture designer, is extending support to breast cancer survivors. She is encouraging them to embrace womanhood with confidence and a touch of sensuality. Survivors will be walking the ramp on September 8.
The U.S.-based designer has used her first hand experience to create the collection Valencia, which means brave.
“Having lost a dear one to breast cancer, this cause is extremely close to me. As fashion designers, sometimes we get to wear our hearts on our sleeves, making personal connection to the causes that are close to us. For me, this collection has been very liberating and fulfilling experience,” reveals the designer.
Describing breast cancer as a dark subject, Premal says: “When you are designing a collection to pay a tribute to women who have suffered so much, it becomes a very sensitive subject. I wanted to design a collection which makes these women feel confident and sensual. A collection that sees beyond the scars and depression. Designing a collection that tackles the psychological well being of the fighters rather than the physical scars was the most challenging part.”
Colour patterns are interesting and insightful. “This collection is a tribute to every fighter. I want to make women, who are permanently scarred, look good and desirable. It is about their emotional well being. Scars can be hidden, hair can be regrown but they are scarred emotionally. Therefore, the colour palette of hues of pink has been carefully chosen keeping in mind awareness on this disease. The designs have soft and fluid hand-crafted evening drapes with summer hues of dusky pinks, greys and greens on variety of silk weaves textured with mesh which gives sensuality to ensembles.”
Noting that she has been pursuing the Make in India mantra in every collection, Premal says: “All my collections and designs have an Indian touch; I am deeply rooted with my heritage. My production houses are set up in Mumbai and Faridabad. Fabric for all outfits to be shown on runway have been sourced from India. We have been recognised at New York Fashion Week for our exquisite Indian embroidery and craftsmanship. I am proud of showcasing deep links to my Indian roots in every design.”
Explaining how she will be showcasing a mix of Indian embroidery and American culture, she says: “Sharp contrasts between ancient traditions and uber modernity has always fascinated me. Born in England, growing up in India and settled in the U.S. has given me a huge cultural insight. It has been the key influencer behind my designing technique. So this collection will be a fine balance between exquisite craftmanship of Indian hand embroidery and European inspired pattern on structured American silhouettes. For the first time we have experimented by creating handcrafted 3D embroidery on top of European floral patterns.”
Last time, she had used eco-friendly fabrics in her collection Root Cause. “Inspiration was to raise awareness of the human impact on the environment and to promote social responsibility by adopting sustainable fashion as a lifestyle choice. We need to care about the planet not as a seasonal choice but all year round. Now we are using fabrics of soft pure satin and mesh; they would go well with evening wear.”
The collection will be available in India later this year.Read more at:princess formal dresses
The Solution to Zadie Smith’s 15-Minute Makeup Rule Is This Time-Tested Beauty Look
“Any woman who counts on her face is a fool,” wrote Zadie Smith in her 2005 novel, On Beauty. It’s an idea the British author has revisited multiple times in her work, and one she touched on again over the weekend at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
Addressing the crowd of fans, Smith shared a story about her 7-year-old daughter spending too much time in front of the mirror. It bothered Smith so much, she recalled saying: “You are wasting time, your brother is not going to waste any time doing this. Every day of his life he will put a shirt on, he’s out the door and he doesn’t give a shit if you waste an hour and a half doing your makeup.” And so she implemented a 15-minute makeup rule for the entire family, a mandate which leaves little time for such industry standards as contouring, she presumed.
The statement sparked an instant debate on blogs, YouTube, and social media platforms like Twitter. Some admired Smith’s bold turn of phrase, a refusal of the social pressure that women face to look a certain way without, of course, looking like they tried. And she certainly isn’t the only influential woman who embraces a less-is-more beauty missive, freeing up a certain psychic energy—not to mention actual quantifiable minutes of the day—to devote to social action. Both Angelina Jolie and Gloria Steinem have preached health first, makeup second (Jolie has admitted to using under eye concealer only), and they both have dedicated their extra efforts to greater causes on behalf of the disenfranchised, which includes women. Some of Hollywood’s most beautiful and candid activist-actresses have also spoken to the power of a pared-down morning ritual, including Salma Hayek, who told The New York Times that she doesn’t wash her face in the morning, and Charlize Theron, who, after shaving her head for the 2015 action film Mad Max: Fury Road, has been quoted saying, “You have not showered until you’ve showered hairless.”
On the opposite side of the argument are women who work hard, play hard, and are die-hard beauty junkies. Makeup, they argue, is personal and is capable of evoking a sense of empowerment that lasts all day. A blemish-free face, or a power red lip, can act as armor in a cutthroat and sexist world. Just look to the likes of Katy Perry, Rihanna, and Zendaya. Even Lena Dunham—perhaps pop culture’s biggest beauty renegade today, having changed perceptions of size and shape, sex, and nudity on TV with her show Girls and feminist newsletter Lenny Letter—relishes the chance to wax poetic on what a transformative new hair color can do for your self-esteem.
Ironically, the answer that satisfies both camps in this beauty war—those who prefer to zoom through life unfettered by a lengthy beauty routine and those who take genuine pleasure in statement makeup—may lie in Smith’s own look: The author is regularly seen wearing a flick of eyeliner, a bold red lip, or a colorful printed hair scarf. Such timeless beauty tropes take mere minutes to execute while pulling off the ultimate feat—they look great while managing to be both powerful and pragmatic.Read more at:white formal dresses | vintage formal dresses
Esha Gupta is a true fashion queen; here’s proof
Esha Gupta is someone who has always managed to give us fashion goals and with the release of her next film Baadshaho, co-starring Ajay Devgn and Ileana D’Cruz, it’s only expected of her to put her best foot forward. It’s good to see that the actor has not disappointed us so far, whether it’s flaunting a deconstructed shirt or nailing the desi look.
Recently, Gupta wowed all in an Adlyn Rae dress featuring a white lapel off-shoulder neckline and a thigh slit. The nautical striped dress hugged her curves in all the right places and showed off her toned legs perfectly.
Celebrity stylist Reann Moradian accessorised her look with minimal jewellery from Accessorize and FiFi Jewels and a pair of pretty silver Jimmy Choo heels with bright orange studs on it, while, celebrity hairstylist Mehak Oberoi styled her hair into gorgeous retro side swept waves. We are totally in love with this look.
Then, for another event Gupta kept it simple and really chic in a blue floral print jacket and fitted pants from Twelve AM:PM. We love how she wore it with the white pussy bow blouse.
The studded ankle strap heels from Charles and Keith complemented her outfit well. The entire look gave out a very relaxed vibe and that’s what we like about it. Pulling her hair up into a romantic, low bun was a good idea.
She also impressed us with her desi swag. The sage green anarkali which celebrity stylist Aastha Sharma picked for the actor looked lovely on her.
Earrings from Hazoorilal Jewellers and embellished jhuttis from Coral Haze rounded out her look.Read more at:pink formal dresses | yellow formal dresses
I have evolved a lot in terms of fashion: Malaika
She is one of the biggest fashionistas in Bollywood but Malaika Arora Khan said things were completely different way back in the early days of her career.
The 43–year–old star, who has always impressed critics with her fashion choices, said she turned experimental over a of period time.
"I have evolved quite a bit from what I was. With age you kind of understand things better. My whole approach towards fashion and clothing has changed immensely.
"Initially I wouldn't think twice if I had to wear micro shorts, but now with time and age these things have come to consideration. Now, I am little more experimental. I was rigid earlier," Malaika told on the sidelines of the 'Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2017'.
The producer-host said she doesn't like it when people wear clothes which don't suit their body type.
"I want people to check themselves before they leave their houses," she added.
Malaika recently walked the runway for young designer Ridhi Mehra Sekhri, whose collection was inspired by the beauty and intricate interiors of Islamic domes.
Dressed in a red attire, the fashion diva looked elegant and sensuous. She said she has always liked walking for budding labels as they are the future.
"Every time a young designer asks me to walk for them I feel it is my duty to say yes and promote them. And If I can be a part for their success it is great for me as well. I like pushing new talents. Even in reality shows, I like supporting the budding artistes. It makes me feel happy and content.
"After being in the industry for so many years, promoting the upcoming stars is our duty," she said.
In her collection Ridhi presented printed handmade fabric stripes ingeniously woven together. The delicate bugle beads were turned into jaalis, while scallop print patches, fringes and metallic and fabric tassels added oomph to the ensembles.
"I love retro fashion and love the bell bottoms, the fringes, the tassels and the bling. It is my eternal go to fashion," Malaika said.Read more at:QueenieAu | formal wear sydney
You know when you’ve been Awok’d: the ultimate seal of approval
I think you’ll find it’s spelled “Ewok”. No, although this is about a fur-draped figure of mystery and ridicule, so good guess.
Go on then, what’s an Awok? It stands for “Anna Wintour OK”.
That sounds like a weirdly pretentious piece of 1980s graffiti. It’s Vogue editor Anna Wintour’s final copy signoff for every article the magazine publishes; a handwritten “AWOK” on a Post-it stuck to the bottom of a printout.
Right. It’s thought to be how Wintour signifies approval. Vogue writer Chioma Nnadi says: “Whisper the phrase, ‘You’ve been Awok’d’ into the ear of an unsuspecting Vogue staffer, and he or she is likely to breathe a heavy sigh of relief, or maybe even bust out a happy dance, with hands raised in the air.”
So it’s the highest form of compliment that Wintour is capable of giving? Sounds like it, even though it basically amounts to “This will do”. God forbid she’d ever say “Well done” or anything.
Oh, come on. You know what it’s like to be a journalist. Your bosses never praise you for anything. This is true. And, to Wintour’s credit, she’s even somehow managed to turn something as mundane as a signoff into an iconic statement. That’s harder than it looks.
But surely she doesn’t just write Awok at the end of everything she receives. No. Apparently she’s also fond of “Keep trying”, “No”, “Boring” and “See me”, which makes her sound less like the high priestess of fashion and more like a personal trainer, a toddler, a bratty teenager and a haughty primary school teacher respectively.
So why are we talking about this now? Because “Awok” just appeared as a digital sticker, available to subscribers of the Vogue iPhone app.
A digital sticker? Yes, they’re little animated cartoons that you can send to your friends on iMessage. The Awok one is a dancing Post-it note, but there’s also a person walking around a revolving door and a cup of coffee with the word “Bonjour” floating above it. They were designed by French graphic designer and illustrator Jean Jullien.
So a little like Clipart, then. Yes, but Awok’d Clipart. That’s the difference.
Do say: “Anna Wintour OK.”
Don’t say: “Aloof woman oozes kondescension.”Read more at:bridesmaid gowns
South African Fashion Runways Should Embody What South Africans Actually Look Like
There is little representation of plus-size fashion models on South Africa's runways currently. That's the view of budding plus-size fashion designer, Daniel Lyonga.
He was speaking to HuffPost SA ahead of the Johannesburg leg of Mercedez-Benz Fashion Week, taking place from Thursday to Saturday.
"There is definitely more room for growth. Your big fashion shows don't largely cater for different body types as they should. Fashion shows need to embody what a society looks like," said Lyonga.
Plus-size model coach and fashion show producer, Grace Ramasobane agreed. She said plus-size models in plus-size designs shouldn't only be a small feature, but an equally dominant presence -- reflecting the diversity of South African women.
Ramasobane believes that some progress has been made in representing different body types on the country's fashion runways, but it is not nearly enough. "Size 36 is just a compromise by fashion heads in big shows. We want to see size 46 on a runway."
The former model is of the opinion that it may be a lack of understanding about the plus-size market that is influencing the types of models seen on runways. "You still hear people talk about plus-size models wasting design material. What does that mean?"
She explained that plus-size models need certain shoes, quality material on their bodies and need to be trained differently in how they walk -- which may be more work, but that does not mean they should be disqualified from prominent fashion shows.
Ramasobane called this puzzling as the plus-size model is such a lucrative market currently. "There's a reason why after we showcase plus-size designs at our local fashion shows, all clothes are soon sold out."
She commended local fashion shows like the Soweto Fashion show, for "reflecting all types of women's sizes."Read more at:formal dresses online | bridesmaid dresses
Kiwi 'extreme' knitters taking on the world
Extreme knitting. It sounds like an oxymoron but it is a hot fashion trend sweeping the world, with Kiwis right at the forefront – giant knitting needles and skeins of oversized wool in hand.
Devotees are taking this traditional handcraft and exploding it, making jerseys, scarves and wall hangings that are oversized, deliciously textural and beautiful. You see them in fashion mags, home decor blogs and all over social media.
And no, they are not just for winter. People are knitting these pieces all year round, heat be damned.
Nicole Leybourne's year has been defined by the chunky knit. The Auckland-based knitter has seen her nascent business take off this year, thanks to an Instagram image of her soft pink "Bubblegum" jersey, which is admired by some seriously influential people.
In March, instead of returning to university to continue study towards a Bachelor of Natural Medicine, she plunged into knitting fulltime, to see where it might take her. It's a gut decision that's starting to pay off.
"I thought I've really just got to ride this thing and see where it takes me," she says.
Around the same time, she was at home sewing labels onto jerseys when her phone lit up with an email notification. It was Kylie Jenner's stylist asking if she would make a Bubblegum jersey for the influential style-setter who had "fallen in love".
Leybourne offered to give Jenner one, but hasn't had time to make it yet. She has more orders than she and her network of 15 knitters round the country can cope with.
"It's alright, I just have to find more knitters. I need 100 knitters!" she says.
In April a buyer for high-end UK department store Selfridges got in touch and asked if she would bring her collection to New York for a meeting. "I didn't even have a collection at that point," Leybourne says. "I would never even imagine taking my knitting to New York."
But last month she took that meeting and while she was in New York she also showed her collection to editors at Vogue and Harpers Bazaar. Both are doing small features on Leybourne and her line, all made with thick mohair from South Africa or "super bulky" wool from Peru.
They are like story-book characters: Mr Ribbly, a turtleneck with bulbous sleeves, Happy Hearts bearing a massive love heart, and Dandy Andy, which looks like something a grown-up Charlie Brown would wear.
"You're paying for the maker's specialist skills, their time and materials when something is handmade to order, so the production cost is naturally always going to be high," explains stylist Kylie Cooke.
"There has always and will always be a market for one-of-a-kind items. I think with the fast-paced lifestyles we now all lead it's natural to reflect on when things were simpler and knitting has a beautifully nostalgic appeal. It's delightful to know there are still people dedicating their time to hand-making one off pieces," says Cooke.
Christchurch creative Jacinta McLaughlin of Plump and Co, which runs workshops for extreme knitters and sells materials online, says the popularity of handmade chunky knits is growing.
"I keep thinking, when is this trend going to have its heyday, because it's getting more and more popular," says McLaughlin. "I don't see it going anywhere."
She puts that down to the beauty of the finished product, the joy of working with natural materials and the speed with which some items can be made.
"We are such time-poor people. It's like instant gratification. You can achieve something in an hour or two. Some people pick it up really quickly and for some people it's about slowing down and taking time," says McLaughlin.
"We encourage people to relax. If they drop a stitch, that's okay. The imperfections, we encourage."
Leybourne is currently filling an order for American fashion brand Free People, and had to decline one from online boutique Net-a-Porter because, at 600 units, she had no hope of fulfilling it in time.
It's an exciting time and an unlikely turn of events for someone who first knitted at age 11 to make a scarf for school, but didn't bother with the craft for years afterwards.
Her interest in knitting was awakened by a "big yellow jumper" she bought as a student. Really bright ? the colour of egg yolk, or a banana, or a buttercup. "Every time I wore it I felt really happy."
She bought herself some chunky wool and started watching YouTube tutorials, building on the skills she had picked up from her nana back at primary school. Her first efforts weren't particularly good, she says, but she persevered.
"I thought other people would be happy wearing them too."
She personally likes to wear her big knits with a simple mini skirt or dress with minimal accessories, and models them for her Instagram and website.
"The pieces are really fun and bright and I don't feel like you need a whole lot else."Read more at:formal dresses online | formal wear melbourne
