Bollywood designer Anju Modi sparkles at the

S9 Muses curates its first
ethical heritage clothing
collection
S9 Muses, founded by childhood friends Sita Shah and Anjli
Shah, launched its first ethical heritage clothing collection
on 15th September 2016 in London. Featuring the tie-dye ‘Ka
Sha’ range by LCF-trained Karishma Shahani Khan and a couture
collection by Vaishali Shadangule, S9 Muses presents new-age,
trendsetting, luxury designers who advocate fresh ideas for
women from all walks of life. With a mantra of “Upcycling.
Recycling. Restyling. Repairing. Each garment has a story to
tell; let its story evolve”, S9 Muses is firmly wedded to the
idea of building a heritage wardrobe collection which can be
passed down through the generations.
S9 Muses was formed in September 2013, and for the last couple
of years, they have curated collections and held various popup shops around London, showcasing saris, jewellery,
accessories – such as handbags, stoles and scarves – as well
as some Western wear from these designers, all the while
sourcing and introducing new designers to each event. Now the
business has taken a leap forward with the launch of their
online retail platform, celebrated with a Global Travellerthemed evening at the Fable Bar and Restaurant on the 15th of
September 2016.
The two friends, with a knack for style and not being afraid
to experiment whilst wearing clothes to suit their
personalities, have handpicked non-conventional pieces –
handwoven, hand block printed, capsule collections and
specially curated pieces; from heirlooms to eclectic,
traditional to androgyny. Their ethically produced, handwoven
fashion in bold colours and prints by Priya Chhabria and
Pretty Crow, among others, featured summer dresses, jackets
and scarves that have already attracted plenty of attention
among fashion bloggers, as has their exotic, eye-catching
jewellery.
S9 Muses strongly believes in sustainability and slow fashion,
and whole-heartedly promotes the revival of the age-old
garment, the ever-elegant sari. Supporters of ethical fashion,
they make sure that these values are shared with the designers
they work with. Advocating heritage and handcraft in all its
forms, the founders wish to educate through storytelling.
“Dressing up should always be about making you feel good,
regardless of occasion. Build your wardrobe with timeless
pieces; garments that have been passed down from generations
above and can be passed on to future generations. Let their
story unfold.” The ladies encourage, “Don’t be afraid of
colour; don’t be afraid of prints; for experimentation is
always more fun than plain ordinary.”
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About S9 Muses
S9 refers to Section 9, an area in the quaint yet bustling
town of Thika, Kenya, where Sita and Anjli both grew up. This
is where their childhood was spent, deeply rooted in family
values and traditions, riding their bikes around and savouring
street delicacies, such as roasted cassava with chilli and
lemon.
The number 9 is associated with magic, with completion and
fulfilment, with wisdom and heaven. Romantics at heart, Anjli
and Sita naturally believe in fairy tales. So, from the
mystical nine Muses in Greek mythology, symbolising the
goddesses of poetry, art and music, came about the apt
reference to the term Muses.
For further details visit www.s9Muses.com
Designer Raishma showcases
SS17 collection at Rise on
the Runway
Designer Raishma Islam showcased her Spring/Summer 2017
collection, ahead of London Fashion Week, at the Rise on the
Runway fashion show on 12th September 2016. The show was
hosted at the London Hilton Waldorf Hotel for the ‘Give a Girl
a Future’ appeal launched by the British Asian Trust in
association with the GMSP Foundation. For Raishma, the show
represented a crossing of the rubicon, she is now firmly
established as a mainstream couture designer actively looking
to expand with a new shop in Central London and in New York.
This East-London based, wildly talented designer is ready to
blossom on the world stage with a new collection that is
distinctly “fashion forward”.
“It has taken me a long time to reach this stage. But the long
way round, doing hand embroidered, beaded, bespoke work has
meant that my new pret collections are so much better” said
Raishma, who is increasingly seeing greater demand for her
range from mainstream markets, the Middle East and even young
British Asian women who “keep part of their Asian heritage but
wear something modern. They want clothes you could wear to an
English cocktail party, and also to an Asian wedding.” That
was in 2001. Fast Forward fifteen years to 2016 and the
designer has no need to mention the ethnicity of her clients.
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“The Raishma pret range is flying off the shelves with the
blush beaded, crop top matched with crepe trousers being one
of the best selling items in my shop”, added Raishma. For the
Rise on the Runway show, the designer dressed TV presenter &
host Jenni Falconer in a black floor-length cocktail dress
with a beaded bodice; Grace Levy in a stunning beaded top and
taffeta skirt and singer Sonique in a silver beaded cocktail
dress stocked by high street retailers John Lewis and House of
Fraser.
Acid-attack victim Laxmi who flew in from Mumbai to support
the ‘Give A Girl A Future’ appeal walked the ramp at Rise on
the Runway in a classic Raishma best-seller, an embroidered
cut-away lace top with crepe silk ¾ length trousers in cream
and fellow acid-attack victim Adele wore a Chantilly lace
dress with the coral beading from the SS17 range.
The Rise on the Runway show launched the high-end couture
label ‘Rai’ by Raishma featuring beautiful, bespoke, handembroidered bridal gowns in traditional white, cream and
blush. The designer packed her first solo fashion show with
the five different collections based on the coral reef theme:
ready-to-wear pret ranges stocked by John Lewis and House of
Fraser in blues, pastel pinks; coral themed kaftans and resort
range clothing; a fusion range featuring 3D beaded dresses,
skirts and gowns, saris echoing the under the sea colour
palette; the gorgeous, grand finale of wedding gowns followed
a unique set of five saris inspired by artist Inkquisitive
which Raishma gifted to the charity auction in aid of Asian
women.
Raishma told The Huffington Post UK: “Being a woman of Asian
background and Pakistani origin, this was a fantastic
opportunity for me to give back to my community. “My clothes
are made in Pakistan and India so I’m very familiar with the
poor conditions for women in some of the poorest areas.
Empowering women through skills training, education and jobs
is something I feel very passionate about.”
The designer teamed up her ‘Rai’ couture collection with a
range of high-end shoes by Lucy Choi, niece of the legendary
Jimmy Choo, wowing the audience that included actresses Preeya
Kalidas, Laila Rouass; ex-West Indian cricketer, Carlos
Braithwaite; singer Sonique; politicians Lord Popat and Lord
Gadhia; GMSP CEO Sonal Sachdev Patel, Ramesh & Pratibha
Sachdev; Asian Power Couple Mike & Shalina Tobin; Trustee
Shalni Arora and a host of others. The reaction to the fashion
show was enthusiastic and contagious with many bidding on the
Raishma Inkquisitive art sarees.
Fresh from celebrating her twentieth anniversary in business
in June this year, Raishma Islam looks set to step onto the
world stage from twenty more years.
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About Raishma:
Having trained under distinguished designer Elizabeth Emanuel,
famed for creating Princess Diana’s iconic wedding dress,
Raishma was inspired to launch her self- named label in 1998
after much anticipation and to high acclaim. From a couture
and bespoke background, Raishma is renowned for creating
exceptional and beautiful gowns. With 20 years of expertise
and experience, the established designer has had the privilege
of dressing British Royal Family member, HRH Princess Beatrice
and HRH Princess Eugenie and A-list celebrities including Mel
B and Hollywood actress Goldie Hawn.
For further information visit www.raishma.co.uk
About Lucy Choi:
Lucy Choi launched her brand in 2012, pioneering the next
generation of luxury footwear. She has combined her unique
heritage, set of fashion credentials, and design expertise in
order to establish an innovative shoe label that is at the
same time extremely chic, comfortable and affordable. With her
uncle Jimmy as an influential role model, Lucy learned early
on the importance of character, comfort & craftsmanship, which
was to become the founding ethos of her brand.
For further information visit https://shoplucychoilondon.com/
About GSMP
GMSP foundation was set up by Ramesh and Pratibha Sachdev in
2006 to support vulnerable communities in India and the UK.
They invest in immediate needs and long term mindset change.
Their focus is women and girls who they believe are the engine
of social change.
About the British Asian Trust:
The British Asian Trust supports the development of a South
Asia that maximises the potential of its people, and that is
free from inequality and injustice.
It was founded in 2007 by
HRH The Prince of Wales and a group of visionary leaders from
the British Asian business community.
About the Give a Girl a Future Appeal
Donations to the British Asian Trust before 7th December 2016
will support some of the poorest people in South Asia. The UK
Government will match all donations up to a maximum of £5
million during the appeal. This match funding will be used to
give girls a future in Pakistan by supporting them to get the
skills and opportunities they need to secure a sustainable
livelihood.
For
further
details,
or
to
donate
visit
www.britishasiantrust.org/giveagirlafuture
Rise on the Runway credits:
Fashion by Raishma London
Make-up by Gini Bhogal
Inkquisitive saris in association with Amandeep Singh
PR by Media Hive
Asian fashion elite turn out
to support the ‘Give A Girl a
Future’ Appeal
The British Asian fashion elite turned out in their droves to
support the launch of British Asian Trust ‘Give A Girl a
Future’ appeal on Monday 12th September 2016. Organised in
association with GMSP Foundation, set up by Ramesh and
Pratibha Sachdev in 2006 to support vulnerable communities in
India and the UK, the appeal was launched with a Rise on the
Runway fashion show featuring couture by Raishma Islam and
shoes by Lucy Choi London. Sonal Sachdev Patel, CEO of, GMSP
Foundation said: “This is an incredibly important appeal to
support the lives of vulnerable girls, women and their
families in South Asia. The ‘Give a Girl a Future’ campaign is
aiming to transform the lives of 100,000 girls, women and
their families in South Asia through an appeal that will see
the UK Government match all donations by members of the UK
public made before December 7th.
In some rural areas, 94 women in every 100 have no work and
even those with work, may earn as little as 17p per day. With
no skills or hope the brutal reality for thousands of girls
born into poverty in South Asia is that they have no real
future.
Money from the UK Government will support girls and women in
Pakistan to access the skills they need to secure a
sustainable livelihood.”
International Development Secretary, Priti Patel, said: “By
matching and effectively doubling the British public’s
generous donations to the British Asian Trust’s ‘Give a Girl a
Future’ appeal, the UK is helping as many as 50,000 women and
girls develop the business skills they need to secure steady
jobs. We can reduce an entire generation’s dependency on aid
as we enable young women in Pakistan to earn their own living
and work towards a better future for them and their families.”
Those in attendance at the Rise on the Runway event were TV
and Heart Radio presenter Jenni Falconer; actresses Preeya
Kalidas, Laila Rouass; ex-West Indian cricketer, Carlos
Braithwaite; singer Sonique and politicians Lord Popat and
Lord Gadhia, among more than a hundred and fifty guests.
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About the British Asian Trust:
The British Asian Trust supports the development of a South
Asia that maximises the potential of its people, and that is
free from inequality and injustice.
It was founded in 2007 by
HRH The Prince of Wales and a group of visionary leaders from
the British Asian business community.
About the Give a Girl a Future Appeal
Donations to the British Asian Trust before 7th December 2016
will support some of the poorest people in South Asia. The UK
Government will match all donations up to a maximum of £5
million during the appeal. This match funding will be used to
give girls a future in Pakistan by supporting them to get the
skills and opportunities they need to secure a sustainable
livelihood.
For
further
details,
or
to
donate
www.britishasiantrust.org/giveagirlafuture
visit
About GSMP
GMSP foundation was set up by Ramesh and Pratibha Sachdev in
2006 to support vulnerable communities in India and the UK.
They invest in immediate needs and long term mindset change.
Their focus is women and girls who they believe are the engine
of social change.
About Raishma
Having trained under distinguished designer Elizabeth Emanuel,
famed for creating Princess Diana’s iconic wedding dress,
Raishma was inspired to launch her self- named label in 1998
after much anticipation and to high acclaim. From a couture
and bespoke background, Raishma is renowned for creating
exceptional and beautiful gowns. With 20 years of expertise
and experience, the established designer has had the privilege
of dressing British Royal Family member, HRH Princess Beatrice
and HRH Princess Eugenie and A-list celebrities including Mel
B and Hollywood actress Goldie Hawn.
About Lucy Choi
Lucy Choi launched her brand in 2012, pioneering the next
generation of luxury footwear. She has combined her unique
heritage, set of fashion credentials, and design expertise in
order to establish an innovative shoe label that is at the
same time extremely chic, comfortable and affordable. With her
uncle Jimmy as an influential role model, Lucy learned early
on the importance of character, comfort & craftsmanship, which
was to become the founding ethos of her brand.
Indian-born fashion blogger
crowned ‘UK’s Best-Dressed
Vegan’
After trawling through fashion blogs, scouring social media
posts, and launching a web search inviting fashion-conscious
vegans to show off their style, PETA has crowned the UK’s
Best-Dressed Vegan of 2016. The top honour went to Londoner
Sruti Sethuraman, originally from New Delhi, for her
impressive array of sophisticated outfitscompletely free of animal-derived materials.
which
are
Flaunting her fabulous fashion on her blog Love and Blossoms,
Sruti is passionate about dressing well without harming a hair
on an animal’s head. “The idea behind my blog is to inspire
stylish dressing without the cruelty of wearing animal skins“,
she says. “My style is feminine and simple, and I love using
colour to brighten up my outfits. I am also planning to launch
my own vegan fashion brand soon!”
“Sruti’s on-trend outfits show that dressing to the nines
without hurting animals has never been easier“, says PETA
Director of International Programmes Mimi Bekhechi. “We
encourage fashionistas everywhere to take a leaf out of her
lookbook and choose beautiful, compassionate designs that
don’t bleed.”
Why wear vegan? On fur farms, animals such as foxes, minks,
and chinchillas are confined to tiny, filthy wire cages before
being poisoned, electrocuted, or skinned alive. Every year,
more than 1 billion animals are slaughtered in the global
leather industry. Thirty per cent of the world’s wool comes
from Australia, where sheep farmers mutilate millions of lambs
in a cruel procedure known as mulesing. The exotic-skins
industry kills millions of snakes, alligators, seals, zebras,
and other animals.
There are no images in this gallery.
About PETA
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)
Foundation is a UK-based charity dedicated to establishing and
protecting the rights of all animals. PETA works to educate
policymakers and the public about cruelty to animals and
promote an understanding of the right of all animals to be
treated with respect.
For further information visit www.peta.org.uk
Luxe fashion label Soltee
opens new store in London’s
Labroke Grove
The London Studio for Indian couture designer Sulakshana
Monga’s luxe label, Soltee, opened its doors on 28th July 2016
to press, fashion bloggers and VIPs. Attendees browsed the
latest collections, set against the backdrop of the Ladbroke
Grove-based studio, while enjoying hospitality by Chakra.
The pret and cocktail pieces showcased comprise Head Designer
Sulakshana Monga’s ‘Pathless Woods’ collection, which gives a
fresh perspective to design, form and patterns that are
centered around nature, interpreted through detailed texturing
and embroidery. The silhouettes are luxuriously fluid and, at
the same time, draped in a controlled structure. The Bridal
collection presentation is Sulakshana Monga’s Pre-Fall Couture
collection, sitting alongside the Menswear collection – rich
and regal, balancing contemporary styles with heritage
embroidery.
Bart Eyking, an interior designer with an award-winning talent
for architecture and a personal passion for art, design and
antiques, conceptualised the interior design of the London
studio alongside Soltee UK directors. Together, they have
created an indulgent experience featuring antique pieces that
reflect the label’s Indian heritage, juxtaposed with the
studio’s minimalist, industrial aesthetic. The Victorian mood
and rich, vintage furniture invokes a warm ambience in which
clients can enjoy intimate, one-to-one consultations as they
shop latest bridal, prêt, casual and menswear collections.
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About Soltee
Sulakshana Monga’s lauded designs transcend the boundaries of
seasonal trends in favour of experimentation with aesthetics –
masterpieces sought after by Indian fashion influencers and
tastemakers across the globe. High profile clients include
Bollywood actresses Deepika Padukone, Ileana D’Cruz and Sunny
Leone, to name a few. Sulakshana has been the recipient of
coveted accolades including the Shama Prasad Mukherjee Award
in the field of Art (2015) and the Bharat Gaurav Award (2014).
Soltee London Studio, Studio 2.18, Grand Union Studios, 332
Ladbroke Grove, London W10 5AD.
Tel: 0203 176 5306 M: 07983 938 127 One to one consultations
by appointment only. For further information visit
www.soltee.co.uk
Adil Rashid hopes to stump
Moeen Ali’s Hat-Trick at
Asian Cricket Awards
Yorkshire and England star Adil Rashid will attempt to stop
his international team-mate Moeen Ali from making it a hattrick of wins at the 2016 Asian Cricket Awards (ACA) in
September. The ACA, which are held in association with the
England & Wales Cricket Board (EC) and supported by the Club
Cricket Conference (CCC) are open to people with British-Asian
heritage, as well as those dedicated to increasing Asian
participation in British cricket.
The 2016 ACA were launched last week at the Kia Oval, with the
gala awards ceremony scheduled to take place at the same venue
on Friday 23 September. Moeen, one of English cricket’s
brightest stars over the last two years, picked up the coveted
Player of the Year trophy in 2014 and 2015. But, coming off
the back of a successful year, Rashid presents a stiff
challenge to the Worcestershire all-rounder.
Rashid, who was yesterday recalled to the England squad for
the second Test against Pakistan, made his international Test
debut against Pakistan in October 2015 and took five wickets
for 64 runs in the second innings in Abu Dhabi.
A regular fixture in the ODI side, he went on to help England
to the final of this year’s T20 World Cup in India and starred
for the Adelaide Strikers in Australia’s Big Bash competition.
“I’m honoured to have been nominated in the 2016 Asian Cricket
Awards alongside my England team-mate Moeen Ali,” Rashid said.
“I’m very proud of my Pakistani heritage, and to be
representing England at cricket. There are so many people in
the British-Asian community who give so much to the sport in
this country at every level, and I wish all the nominees the
very best of luck.”
The ACA, sponsored by Talk Home Mobile, aim to improve
awareness of the positive impact made by Asians within the
British cricket industry and to engage with organisations and
individuals to increase participation.
Tom Harrison, chief executive of the ECB, said: “We’re
delighted to be supporting the Asian Cricket Awards once again
as part of our wider commitment to South Asian communities in
England and Wales. “Our congratulations to all those nominated
for these awards, which are a fantastic way of recognising the
South Asian players, coaches, officials and volunteers who
give so much to our game every year.”
Speaking at the launch, Lord Patel of Bradford, a director of
the ECB, said: “Cricket is a great vehicle for bringing people
together – different communities, different faiths. More than
35% of grassroots cricket in this country is played by the
South Asian community.
“Over the last three years lots of work has been done – we’ve
invested in more than 450 new coaches and umpires, and 2,500
more young Asians are playing indoor cricket. We will continue
to be partners and help to make sure the Asian Cricket Awards
continue year in, year out.”
2016 Asian Cricket Awards Nominees:
The award categories and shortlisted nominees for the 2016
Asian Cricket Awards are as follows:
– Professional Player of the Year
Adil Rashid (Yorkshire & England), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire &
England)
– Woman in Cricket
Nalisha Patel (Lancashire Thunder), Raveena Lakhtaria (Surrey
Stars), Shabnam Ismail (Yorkshire Diamonds)
– Professional Coach of the Year
Cookie Patel (Regional Training Manager, ECB), Min Patel (Kent
CCC), Kadeer Ali (Performance Coach, Warwickshire CCC)
– Amateur Coach of the year
Minesh Patel (Eastcote CC, Hillingdon Borough CC, Middlesex
North), Khalid Zafar (Berkshire CCC, Reading CC, Chance To
Shine), Shaz Khan (Oxfordshire CCC, Shrivenham CC)
– Media
Kalika Mehta (BBC Sport Online), Sahil Dutta (Freelance),
Vithusan Ehantharajah (Freelance)
– Grassroots
Mantrulaady Thusharaah (British Tamil Cricket League),
Shahidul Alam Ratan (Director of Cricket at Capital Kids,
London Tigers
Yorkshire)
CC),
Nasa
Hussain
(Community
Groundsman,
– Professional Young Player
Haseeb Hameed (Lancashire CCC), Adil Ali (Leicestershire CCC),
Kishen Velani (Essex CCC)
– Asian Cricket Club
Mount CC (Batley, West Yorkshire), British Tamil Cricket
League, Indian Gymkhana (West London)
– Behind the Scenes
Sanjay Patel (ECB), Kumar Bancil (Lead Physiotherapist,
Yorkshire CCC), Amna Rafiq (Leicestershire CCC)
THE AMBASSADORS
The following people are working as ambassadors for the 2016
Asian Cricket Awards:
– Ravi Bopara (England, Essex CCC and IPL Sunrisers Hyderabad)
– Moeen Ali (England and Worcestershire CCC; winner of the
Player of the Year award at 2014 and 2015 Talk Home Mobile
Asian Cricket Awards)
– Kumar Sangakkara (former Sri Lanka captain and Surrey CCC)
– Azhar Mahmood (former Pakistan international, Surrey CCC,
IPL Kolkata Knight Riders)
– Sonia Odedra (Nottinghamshire CCC, Loughborough Lightning)
– Azam Riyard (Sussex Cricket Board Inclusion Officer)
– Saba Nasim (Wanstead CC, Chance to Chine, ECB Coach of the
Year 2015, winner of the Coach of the Year award at the 2015
Talk Home Mobile Asian Cricket Awards)
2016 JUDGING PANEL
The judging panel includes:
– Wasim Khan MBE (chief executive, Leicestershire CCC)
– The Rt Hon. the Baroness Warsi (senior minister of state for
foreign and commonwealth affairs, 2012-2014)
– Lord Patel of Bradford (ECB Director)
– Simon Hughes (editor Cricketer Magazine)
– Vikram Solanki (former England international)
– Jane Hannah (ECB national volunteer and participation
manager)
– Tony Matharu (CEO Grange Hotels)
– Min Patel (former England cricketer)
– Salma Bi (Worcestershire CCC; winner of the Woman in Cricket
award in 2014, and Inspiration award in 2015 Talk Home Mobile
Asian Cricket Awards)
– Qasim Ali (Lancashire South Asian Talent Search, England
Physical Disability Squad; winner of the Coach of the Year
award at 2014 Talk Home Mobile Asian Cricket Awards)
The ACA are organised by Inventive Sports, co-founded by
Baljit Rihal and Baljit Rihal and Jas Jassal BEM. For further
information, visit www.asiancricketawards.co.uk
India set to host England in
5 Tests, 3 ODIs and 3 T20
Cricket tournaments
The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) today announced the
itinerary for England’s winter tours of India (2016-17) which
will include five Test Matches before Christmas and three OneDay Internationals and three T20 Internationals in the New
Year. Andrew Strauss, Director England Cricket, said: “This
promises to be a historic Test series – the first five Test
rubber England have played in India since 1984-85 and a great
opportunity for Alastair Cook and his players to repeat the
memorable Test series win we enjoyed on our last trip to India
in 2012.
“Equally, Eoin Morgan’s white-ball squad will be anticipating
hard-fought and competitive encounters against high quality
opposition in both formats – with the one-day series providing
excellent preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy to come at
home later in the summer of 2017.”
England Test Tour to India 2016
9-13 November 2016 – 1st Test Match Rajkot
17-21 November 2016 –
2nd Test Match Vishakapatnam
26-30 November 2016 –
3rd Test Match Mohali
8-12 December 2016
4th Test Match Mumbai
–
16-20 December 2016 –
5th Test Match Chennai
India ODI / IT20 Tour 2017
10 January 2017 –
One-day warm up match Mumbai, CCI
12 January 2017 –
One-day warm up match Mumbai, CCI
15 January 2017 – 1st ODI Pune
19 January 2017 –
2nd ODI Cuttack
22 January 2017 –
3rd ODI Kolkata
26 January 2017 – 1st IT20 Kanpur
29 January 2017 –
2nd IT20 Nagpur
1 February 2017 – 3rd IT20 Bangalore