The Man who wooed shows Today

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FASHION DESIGN COUNCIL OF INDIA’S OFFICIAL MAGAZINE
DAY 2
A closeup view of the artistic screen
The smartly designed Wills
Lifestyle India Fashion Week
(WIFW) 2014 venue was the
talk of town on the first day of
the event. From the video art
installation by Vikram Sharma
at the entrance to the artistic
frames set up outside the two
show areas, visitors loved it all.
Talking about the avant garde
decor, FDCI President Sunil Sethi
says, “I give the entire credit of
the new decor setup to the FDCI
Aesthetic Committee that has
worked very closely with quirky
design house Play Clan.”
DAILIES
26TH-30TH MARCH ‘14
HALL NO. 18, PRAGATI MAIDAN // NEW DELHI
Wendell Rodricks, who was
recently honoured with a Padma
Shri by the Indian government,
is being felicitated by FDCI
today. We chat with the designer
about minimalism, his take on
Indian fashion and being rooted
>Page 04
Spotted front row: Cricketer Murali Karthik
Neha Dhupia is buzzing about
WIFW. The actress has been invited by Wills Lifestyle to tweet
about the Wills Lifestyle India
Fashion Week autumn-winter,
2014 show. Here is what she said
about Rina Dhaka: Color designs
expressions & edgy....here goes
our designer lady @rinadhaka
@WillsLifestyle #wlifw #wls
#nehasfashionverdict ...
Day1 ends!
Social media loves
fashion. Follow us @
Blog.fdci.org
google.com/+thefdci
youtube.com/thefdci
@thefdci
@thefdci
pinterest.com/thefdci
Rahul
Mishra
The man
who wooed
Milan
Shows today
The buzz
Harilein
Sabarwal
Yamini, Shazia
and Sukhmeet
FDCI Dailies
FDCI President
Sunil Sethi
Published by:
MaXposure Media Group India Pvt. Ltd.
Publisher & COO: Vikas Johari
CEO & Managing Director: Prakash Johari
CFO: Kuldip Singh
Editor: Jayita Bandyopadhyay
Advisor-at-large: Asmita Aggarwal
New mom Lakshmi Rana was seen scorching the
ramps after a hiatus. The model, who had a baby
girl just a little over three months ago, looks
fitter than ever.
Radhika
Bhalla
Lakshmi Rana
and Erika
Naina Redhu
Vidushi Mehra
Saumant
Chauhan, Rahul
Mishra and
Puneet Jasuja1
Rights:
FDCI Dailies magazine is printed and published by Vikas
Johari on behalf of MaXposure Media Group India Pvt. Ltd.
(MMGIPL) for FDCI and published at MMGIPL, Unit No. F2B,
Second Floor, MIRA Corporate Suites, Plot No. 1&2, Ishwar
Nagar, Mathura Road, New Delhi - 110 065, India.
All rights reserved. All writings, artwork and/or photography
contained herein maynot be used or reproduced without the
written permission of MMGIPL and FDCI. No responsibility can
be taken for the loss of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs
or artwork. The views and opinions expressed or implied in the
magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect
those of MMGIPL or FDCI. All efforts have been made while
compiling the content of this magazine, but we assume no
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not assume any liability for services or
products advertised herein.
Contacts:
Head Office: Unit No. F2B, Second Floor,
MIRA Corporate Suites, Plot No. 1&2, Ishwar Nagar,
Mathura Road, New Delhi - 110 065
Tel: +91.11.43011111, Fax: +91.11.43011199
West | Mumbai | Time Square Building,
Third floor, Western Express Highway,
Andheri (E),Mumbai - 400 069
Tel: +91.22.61991111, Fax: +91.22.61991115
Designer
Aatsu
Ahmedabad | 4, Megabyte Business Centre,
Navrang Building, Opp, Samsung Show room,
Swastik Char Rasta, C.G. Road,
Ahmedabad - 380009
Tel: +91.79.40193627
Shantanu
and Nikhil
Pallavi and
Rachel
Sony Kaur-Model
Day 2, Thursday – March 27, 2014
2:00 PM
‘Myoho’ by Kiran & Meghna
MSA 2
Prama by Pratima Pandey
Vaishali S
3:15 PM
‘my village’ by Rimzim Dadu
MSA 1
Kallol Datta 1955
4:30 PM
Anand Bhushan
MSA 2
Nachiket Barve
5:45 PM
Amit GT
Indore | 7/1, 409, Fourth Floor, Ratan Mani
Complex, Opposite Inter Star Showroom,
New Palasia, Indore - 452 001. Tel: +91.731.4248881
East | Kolkata | DPS Corporate Club,
First Floor, 9A Sebak Baidya Street,
Kolkata - 700029. Tel: +91.33.40680111
Raipur | Magnetto Offizo, Office No.546,
Fifth Floor, Magnetto The Mall, GE Road,
Labhandi, Raipur. Tel: +91.771.4264571
South | Bengaluru | 1010 A Wing,
Tenth Floor, Mittal Towers, MG Road,
Bengaluru - 560 001. Tel: +91.80.40921037-38
Fax: +91.80.41510657
Hyderabad | 1-11-222/2 Ground Floor,
Street No. 4, Gurumurthy Lane, Begumpet,
Hyderabad - 500 016. Tel: +91.40.40021545
Chennai | FL 9, Alsa Mall, First Floor,
149 Montieth Road, Egmore, Chennai - 600 008
Tel: +91.44.42015685, Fax: +91.44.42015684
MSA 1
Charu Parashar
7:00 PM
Ashima-Leena
MSA 2
8:15 PM
Malini Ramani
MSA 1
Nikasha
9:30 PM
* For the complete schedule, turn to page 14
Rahul Mishra
Our cover celebrates young designer Rahul Mishra’s awarded
Milan sojourn, glimpses of which we will see at his show
today at 9.30 pm
MSA 2
Editorial & Photography support : Students of Pearl Academy, Fashion
Media Communication and Professional Photography
3
Creative by nature,
minimalist by design
The recent Padma Shri
awardee Wendell Rodricks
exudes humbleness,
simplicity of thought
and an appreciation of
everything Indian - much
like the clothes he designs
By Asmita Aggarwal
I
don’t understand maths, I only know how to work
with inches,” says celebrated designer Wendell
Rodricks. But maybe that’s what took him to the
pinnacle of success as a designer - he recently
received the Padma Shri for his outstanding
work in the field of fashion and design. “I was in the
company of people such as Ruskin Bond and Vidya
Balan – and it was only then that it sunk in. But I do
feel good that I did something in fashion that people
respected. I wrote a book on the history of Goan
costumes, worked with passion, and this award makes
all that worthwhile,” he smiles.
Starting the concept of minimalism way back in
1988, when India was all about bling, excess and
brightly coloured clothes and embroidery, Rodricks
started a revolution by easy, relaxed silhouettes which
cut the monotony of what was being offered.
The mini may have been a Western staple, but in
India many women who were not confident enough
of their bodies would still not wear it. They
would prefer to go to their local tailor and
get something made in which they felt
comfortable.
“Minimalism was always there
in India, we just didn’t know how to
interpret it. It is not a new concept it just needed a bit of tweaking. I did
things from the heart. I used dusky
models for the first time in the 1990s
when fair was the rule. So Malaika
Arora Khan and Bipasha Basu turned
ramp scorchers in an industry which
thought fair skin was the only barometer of
judging beauty,” he laughs.
But that’s not all. He also fought to make the
fashion world a better place, by telling boutiques
to buy in bulk so that the designers would not lose
out. “The idea was not to be self-absorbed, but to do
something which kind of helped everyone, both my
peers and my competitors,” he says.
Climbing many mountains in the process, and
crossing myriad hurdles, Rodricks admits it wasn’t
easy, it took him 25 years to get here, and “I dealt with
a lot of garbage - but in the end it delights me that I
had the opportunity to do all this and more,” he says.
Now he is working closely with the FDCI to embark
on a new journey, and that is getting an Indian sizing
done, considering that even today designers use UK,
US or European sizes.
“The Indian woman’s body type is different; she
may have a small upper body but a medium lower
body, unlike her Western counterpart. So we need
to tailor our clothes accordingly. If we have a set
template, this will make life easier for everybody, not
just me. And most importantly the consumer - the
Rodricks
is working with
FDCI to get an
Indian sizing
done, much like
the UK and US
sizing
4
Wendell Rodricks, who
was recently awarded the
Padma Shri by the Indian
government, is being
felictated by FDCI today
woman, who is looking to me as the designer for style
solutions,” he says.
And if you ask Rodricks what his biggest weakness
is, he will tell you in a flash: “I have no ego, it is a plus
and a minus for me. An advantage, as it is simpler to
deal with people; a disadvantage because I am not
aggressive. I like doing my own thing. After all, I am
just a darzi sitting in a small village in Goa. What’s
there to be so egotistical about?” he shrugs.
Looks from a recent colection of Wendell Rodricks
Asmita Aggarwal has been writing on fashion for more than
20 years. She has worked with leading publications like The
Hindustan Times, The Asian Age and India Today. victorian influence in leather
Her dresses are for women who are cosmopolitan
and confident. Meet designer Taneiya Khanuja,
who has created a buzz with her collection.
Taneiya Khanuja
uses sequin
sheets, special
wood work
and lace
By Rajany Pradhan
Tell us about your collection.
My collection is for women who are confident
and have no qualms flaunting who they are.
They have both grace and oomph, and they are
not apologetic about it. My collection is inspired
from the Victorian era but is for the modern
woman. One of the highlights of my collection
is detachable belts. I have done a lot of shadow
work and cross-stitch in PVC, which is reversible.
The other highlight is leather and lace dresses.
It makes use of laser cutting on leather and a lot
of metallic gold. I have also used hand-woven
sequin sheets in my dresses. Special wooden
work on my leather dresses adds a soft feel to
the overall look.
What do you think is attracting so many buyers
to your collection?
The concept of my collection and the type of
women I design for is what is working for me.
I also feel the world has started taking Indian
designers seriously. They are trusting our designs,
our sensibilities and creativity. Our craftsmanship,
fabric and variety are our forte. Our designs and
fashion aesthetics change as we move from one
part of the country to the other, so there is a
huge difference in the look and concept of each
collection and every designer has his or her
own style.
According to you, what is the USP of WIFW 2014?
It is a mix of everything good in fashion. FDCI
exalts the difference and uniqueness of each
designer, which makes it very appealing. There
is a lot of choice for buyers, which makes it even
better competition.
WHo are your favourite designers at the
WIFW 2014?
Pankaj & Nidhi, and Rahul Mishra.
5
By Prerna Singh
/reviews/
Tarun Tahiliani
Draped Drama
T
Day ONE
arun Tahiliani’s dramatic show, which
featured his trademark drapes in
abundance, was a befitting start
to WIFW, A/W 2014. The showstopper
was Tahiliani favourite Shilpa Shetty,
who donned a voluminous skirt in
Kanjeevaram fabric with fluid
drapes.
He proved he is the king of
drapes; draping rich silks as saris or into
pants, capes and even tops. Contextualised
against the rise and stagnation of the Delhi
Metro, Tahiliani’s show was divided into
two parts: The first, the early days, was
sleek and monochromatic; The second, 10
years down the line, was created in toned
down hues of what were essentially bright
colours.
Zardozi details and ombré shading
gave the garments an extra touch of luxe.
Very Anupamaa
A
nupama Dayal’s Kama stays true to her style
philosophy and impresses. A vivacious and
vibrant colour palette lit up the stage. Floral
prints, traditional silks and cottons, made it sensuous,
yet fun, bold but demure. Kama is definitely crafted
for a woman in love.
There were Chanderi and Benarasi weaves, a
generous use of gota patti, colourful tassels and
printed underskirts. The jewellery, also designed
by her, completed the look. We especially loved the
diminutive cholis with copper embellishments.
Cherry Blossom
Raakesh AgarVwal
Bad Girls Go
Everywhere
L
eather bodices, tie-up boots, black
chokers, chained cuffs and rings…
Raakesh Agarvwal’s collection
wasn’t for the faint hearted. Keeping to
his signature structured silhouettes and
bold embellishments, the collection was
replete with corsetted tops, shoulders
with fur, chain or sequinned detailings
and a mix of black and gold.
6
Rina Dhaka
T
Anupama Dayal
he Oriental met the Scandinavian in Rina Dhaka’s
show. Cherry blossom prints on satin juxtaposed
with knit jerseys and transparent fabrics. The fluid
fabrics - tussar and satin - only accentuated the bodyflattering shapes. Models in fringed, platinum-blond
bobs matched the mood. The show that began and ended
with selfies seemed apt enough for show sponsor Nokia.
La Vie En Rose
Textured charm
B
ahl changed the shape of the palazzo and the
churidar, giving them a contemporary twist
and playing with the fit. The cropped cigarette
pants, culottes and the gathered pleats created a
layered effect - almost as if the models were wearing
jackets. With chikan work and kasab florals, the
garments were rich in texture.
Eyes go smokey
for Shantanu
and Nikhil
SHANTANU & NIKHIL
T
he show was a relook at the city of Kolkata through the eyes of a modern
woman who takes a trip down memory lane. If we were to use two words
to describe Shantanu & Nikhil’s The Shadows Within, it would be vintage,
romance. The collection, in rose hues, had plenty of lace, frills, paisley and selfprints. Lace mitts and footwear with lace detailing added the old-world charm.
Vineet Bahl
It was the usual backstage mayhem
just before the Shantanu & Nikhil
show. But Sonic Sarwate (above),
senior artist MAC India, worked calmly
on the models. Eyes were smokey and
lips nude to complement the designer
duo’s vintage-Kolkata inspired
collection. Dark browns and greys
played around the eyes with a tinge of
glittering silver in the inner corner to
open up the eye. The lips had a warm
tinge of muted burgundy.
Hair was piled high up on the head
in elegant updos.
all that
glitters...
K
Kiran Uttam Ghosh
iran Uttam Ghosh was
easily the winner of
the day, with dexterous
draping and play of sheers
and solids. Her designs were
accentuated by gold or very
slight embellishment. Shades
ranged from pale gold, rose
gold, burnished gold to
antique gold. The cuts were
neat, the silhouettes fluid
and the finish clean. That
little touch we loved - the
tassles on the footwear heels
of the models.
7
Day 2
PREVIEWS
Here are the 13 designers
who will showcase their
creations today. A sneak
peek into their collections
2 pm // MSA 2
‘Myoho’
by Kiran &
Meghna
The collection
Soul Souk
prides itself on
its simple floral
motifs
Prama by
Pratima
Pandey
Singing Sparrows
draws inspiration
from seeing life
in rosy hues
Vaishali S
Bhinna Shadja
is inspired from
the raag of the
same name in
Hindustaani
Classical music
Ramp it up!
Nine new Balkan and Indian models scorched the runway on Day 1 of
Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week. Let’s introduce you to them
A
heady mix of Serbs and Slovaks
draped in desi fabrics celebrated
Indian fashion on Day 1 of Wills
Lifestyle India Fashion Week.
The Balkan beauties form a large
chunk - four out of nine - of the new crop of
models walking the ramp for WIFW FallWinter’14. But in step with them were our
Indian girls - Ketholeno, Parul and Pooja.
With her Oriental looks and playful charm,
Naga girl Ketholeno Kense made her debut at
the WIFW with nothing less than the grand
opener - The Tarun Tahiliani Show. Her long
walk of fame has just begun, but this is not
where Leno always wanted to be. “Modelling
was never a career for me,” she said. “It was
just a hobby for me. I briefly modelled when
I was 16, and won northeast supermodel
2011 - but I did not take it seriously. I came to
Delhi last year and started getting good work.
I became Kingfisher Calender Girl. and now I
am a pool model for FDCI WIFW!”
But Ketholeno is not the only one who
realised her calling a bit late. Jelena, a
secondary medicine student from Serbia too
discovered her love for the profession a bit
late. The 5 ft 9’ leggy lass loves Bollywood.
An accidental model, Slovakia’s Dominika
is another in the list of debut models who
is a model by accident. A trained interior
designer, she says she was happy with her
artistic inclinations. “I was happy painting
and sketching, when an agent spotted me.
Modelling is in my destiny, he told me,” she
said. Green-eyed beauty Bianka Bodis from
Hungary, too, had no idea this is what she
would do. The 19-year-old was all set to
manage events and handle PR until India
intervened. “I came here on vacation, and an
agent spotted me and asked for my pictures.”
But we also have another set of models
in the debut list who lived fashion. Unlike
Ketholeno, Parul Duggal’s life and career
was all about fashion. Before she became a
model, Duggal did her Bachelor’s in Fashion
Designing. The 19-year-old from Bhopal has
represented India in international beauty
pageants as well. Dunja from Serbia, too,
always wanted to be a model. She stepped
into the fashion world as a closet designer
and now she is a model.
(Clockwise) Katrina,
Parul Duggal, Dunya,
Jelena, Leno walked
the ramp for designers
on Day 1 of WIFW
3.15 pm // MSA 1
‘my village’ by
Rimzim Dadu
This is an
amalgamation
of rich fabric
textures with
chic street style
Kallol Datta
1955
His clothes have
ushered in a new
wave of ethnogrunge dressing
4.3o pm // MSA 2
Anand
Bhushan
Broken takes up
the microscope
for a close study
of shiny, happy
people
Nachiket
Barve
Drawn from
Maori history,
MAIA means
bravery, courage,
confidence and
brave warrior
5.45 pm // MSA 1
Amit GT
Spurred on by
the sole mission
to become
synonymous
with the jetset
lifestyle
CHARU
PARASHAR
Her collection
invites a woman
to discover her
uniqueness and
individuality
8
7 pm // MSA 2
ashimaleena
One heartbeat
is oriental
and the other
occidental
with a twist
9.30 pm // MSA 2
8.15 pm // MSA 1
Malini
Ramani
Vibrant colour,
plunging
necklines
and loads of
glamour
Nikasha
BiBi reflects
a language
where
time is the
ultimate
luxury
rahul
mishra
This collection
has been
inspired by
the Buddha’s
Lotus Effect
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Gems bond
Gauri and Radhika are rare
sisters-in-law. They are not only
good friends but also business
partners for their jewellery
brand, Isharya
By Asmita Aggarwal
Y
ou are sisters-in-law. Is it
interesting to work together,
given the in-law dynamics?
Isharya has grown from the two
sisters-in-law to a team that
boasts more than 30 full- and part-time
members across the US and Indian offices.
Gauri, based in Mumbai, oversees the
design team based in Bandra, and Radhika,
based in Silicon Valley, California, manages
global branding, sales and marketing.
How did the label come about and when?
Is it tough working together as relatives? Our collective brand vision and the fact
that we are family make it easy to defer to
each other’s judgment and rely on each
other. Designing jewellery was not our
first career choice, but it was a welcome
diversion in late 2004, when the void in the
market for Indian-inspired luxury fashion
jewellery became obvious to us, and
thus Isharya was born. When
we saw that our collections
were getting appreciated
by editors, celebrities
and retailers, in
2007, we decided to
commit ourselves
full time to making
the brand grow - and
there has been no
turning back since.
Are you trained
designers?
Gauri: I grew up in
Delhi and studied
Fashion Merchandising
at The American
College in London. I
later got my masters
degree in Business
Studies at the London
School of Economics.
Today, I live in Mumbai
and have two sons. Family
is very important to us and,
in fact, the name Isharya is a
combination of our children’s
names - Radhika’s daughter
Arya and my two sons Armaan
and Ishaan. Radhika: I was born in London
and lived in four countries
while growing up. I finally
settled in California, where I
graduated from the University
of California, Los Angeles,
came to San Francisco
for law school, married
Gauri’s brother-in-law and
then started practising
intellectual property
litigation. In 2007, I left the
law firm to focus on Isharya.
10
What do you
think is the most
challenging
thing about
jewellery making?
Quality, and ensuring that the piece follows
our design specifications. We only work
with factories that are open to making
innovative and challenging designs, and
that can provide us with high-quality
products in each production run. It’s a
challenge to find such factories.
What is your design ideology?
India, without a doubt, is known for its
rich, diverse heritage. Isharya is constantly
challenged to present a fresh perspective
and communicate its interpretation of
India’s aesthetics in a modern, highquality way that appeals to global
trendsetters. This dedication is what keeps
us ahead in India’s
costume-jewellery
movement.
What materials do you
use and what are the patterns you
think work best? Is it precious jewellery?
Most of our designs are inspired by nature,
architecture, global travel and India’s rich
heritage. We also love to take age-old
jewellery-making techniques and apply
them in new and interesting ways. For
example, we frequently use mirror glass
to mimic Indian polki, also known as rose
cut diamonds. We also love using Indianstyle enamel as a way to infuse colour in
our pieces. We take inspiration from exotic
gemstones to create our 18-carat goldplated premium jewellery.
This is your first time at WIFW. What will
you be showing?
We’ll be showing our Abalone and Royal
Filigree collections. Our Abalone collection
is inspired by elements of the sea, with
beautiful abalone slices and tentacle
details. Our Royal Filigree collection
consists of gold-plated lattice filigree and
body jewellery reminiscent of old-world
royalty, adding glamour to the assortment.
What kind of jewellery does the new-age
woman desire?
The Isharya woman is confident, boldly
feminine and chic. She has verve and
passionate energy for life and the people in
it. The Isharya aesthetic is designed to fit
into her lifestyle and allow her to express
her confident style with bold pieces that
are at the same time effortless. Technology
has made women around the world more
aware of style as a way of life. Isharya is
thrilled to be in a position to provide a fresh
perspective and be able to interpret
India’s aesthetics in a modern
way that appeals to the
global fashionista.
Many Bollywood stars
wear your jewellery. Who
do you think embodies
the spirit of your brand?
And who is the one woman
you would like to dress in an
Isharya piece?
As style icons, we love Beyonce,
Heidi Klum and Anna Dello Russo. They all
have a confident personal style and are not
afraid to experiment. And it is really very
difficult to choose from the leading ladies
of Bollywood. They are all so fabulous and
look amazing in Isharya!
‘Isharya is
inspired by
nature, travel,
architecture
and heritage’
Asmita Aggarwal has been writing on fashion
for more than 20 years. She has worked with
leading publications like The Hindustan Times,
The Asian Age and India Today.
bold &
beautiful
G
ive your fashion quotient
a boost by pairing a hot
dress with bold jewellery.
When you check out
the jewellery stalls at
WIFW, you cannot miss Isharya by
Nisha Khiaji, which has introduced four
collections - Abaloni, Royal Filigree,
Hampi and Goddess.
Taking inspiration from the oceans,
Abaloni has neckpieces in the shape
of octopus and shells, with a lot of
blues and purples. Modifying the
age-old filigree style, the Royal Filigree
collection displays stunning bracelets,
lariat, knuckle rings, body harnesses
and broad necklaces. The Hampi
collection has stepping-stone-style
earrings, neckpieces and finger rings.
The Goddess collection represents
power, with a lot of black jasper, green
malachite and Russian amazonite.
Next, the jewellery and bag brand
“Whatever”, by Abhishek Kankaria,
caught our attention. The collection
was funky and up-front, catering
mainly to the young brigade. The
designer makes use of a lot of stones
on silver, which looks subtle, classy
and anything but forced.
The wide variety in accessory
designs at the WIFW held their own
among the powerful couture styles
everyone was dying for. It’s all about
attitude, at the end of the day.
Welcome to
the tea party
Raise the mercury with five tea cocktails
from Twinings. Let’s brew some fun
T
Eat in
style
ea and fashion have always gone hand in hand.
Be it the tradition of high tea, made fashionable
by Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, or a connoisseur’s fine understanding of the taste and
trends. But what is fashion if you don’t mix it up
a little, rough it around, give it a spin? That’s what Twinings has done with its blends as well - given tea drinkers a
whole new world to dip in to, so to say. All in the form of
its signature cocktails. So say ta to the hot brews and ready
yourself for some heady, chilled concoctions that will leave
you thirsting for more.
Fruitberry cocktail
A blissful blend of strawberry and mango with sparkling
wine and elderflower. Often compared to traditional Greek
sangria, this will sweep you off your feet and transport you
to a secluded beach in Mediterranean Europe.
Earl’s choice
Lavender and bergamot add flavour and aroma
to this delectable cocktail. An incomparable
combination of our Earl Grey and bourbon, or a blended scotch, this is a perfect
companion for an elegant evening.
Darjeeling toddy
Darjeeling tea perfectly infused with
Scotch and complimented with herbs and
nutmeg. Do we need any other reason for
celebration?
Lady Grey martini
Smooth, sultry, blissfully intoxicating. A cocktail experience concocted mixing Twinings Lady Grey with a liberal
dash of aromatic gin, infused with the sweetness of honey
and the tang of fresh lemon juice. We can’t wait to get a
taste of this one.
Green tea lemon honey twister
Vibrant and refreshing, this is a classic concoction of vodka
and Twinings lemon and honey green tea. Just add a tinge
of lemon juice and honey and blend till smooth.
The restaurants
you can try out at
the venue
For a sip of this
aromatic brew,
step by at the
Twinings Bar
Counter
Tea time Sips and chats
Ian Gowlett, Managing Director, Twinings India, talks fashion and tea
What’s the connect between fashion and
tea? Why partner with a fashion show?
Twinings brings 300 years of experience
and craftsmanship to the table, and
it is this that sets us apart. Similarly,
though fashion today can be accessed
from little street stores to high-end
boutiques, fine fashion experience comes
with an experience and a heritage that
is not easily accessible. This is what
we are trying to bring out through this
partnership. Twinings has always believed
in creating fine, discerning experiences
for its consumers. Right from the quality
of its tea to its flavours to its interaction
with consumers, it has tried to live up
to this ideal. By sponsoring the show by
Abraham & Thakore, the men behind
the subtle and elegant designs of A&T, it
hopes to strengthen this belief further.
Also, it is a wonderful platform where
the values of Twinings - craftsmanship
and sophistication - can be brought alive
visually by A&T’s collection.
Twinings was born when Thomas
Twinings began selling tea from his
premises at the Strand in London in
1706. It became one of the pioneering
companies to introduce tea drinking to
the British, and its equity and heritage
has retained tea connoisseurs’ loyalty
for more than 300 years now. Our
partnership is aimed at keeping this
legacy alive.
For a sip of this aromatic brew, step by at
the Twinings Bar Counter. Enjoy unique
teas, tea cocktails and mocktails, specially
crafted by the Twinings master blenders
Smoke House Deli
On your journey down the culinary
avenue of Smoke House Deli, try
vegetarian lasagne, spinach raviolli and
penne arabiatta with smoked chicken.
Barista
Enjoy a fun-filled evening with your
gang over a hot cup of caffe latte and
chicken sausage roll.
Market Cafe
Enjoy ‘Happy Hour’ with a beer bucket
at `699 and a cocktail pitcher at `999
and unwind with your friends.
TLC Kitchen
If you are very conscious of your
calorie intake, enter TLC Kitchen,
which has a lot to offer to the healthconscious bunch.
Gelato
Enjoy the romance in the air this
season with healthy, fat-free, fresh and
delicious Gelato ice-cream.
Bread and More
Bread and More offers a wide range of
more than 40 international breads and
a host of exotic cakes and specialised
confectionary products.
11
Buyer’s lounge
Get the conversation
started
‘Standards
have gone up’
Hiba Al Ateeqi from Kuwait, the
Managing Director of Darusha
Boutique, has been a regular at
Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week
since 2005. We caught up with this
WIFW loyalist.
What do you have to say about
this edition of WIFW?
I’m pleasantly surprised by the
set-up of the event this year.
Standards have gone up drastically.
The dresses are beautiful
and captivating, the lounges
sophisticated, and the venue truly
grand. Everything is bigger and
better. I say this to everybody that
ever since Sunil Sethi took over as
the president of FDCI, the quality
of the Fashion Week has gone up.
He is surely the man behind the
increasing popularity of the event.
Favourite designers
I am looking forward to the
collection of Amit Aggarwal,
Vineet Bahl and Tarun Tahiliani.
Designers you have worked with
before
I am in love with Sanchita’s
work, as her collection is always
beautiful and unique. Her work
ethic is impeccable and her whole
team is very helpful. She is one
designer I would love to work with
again and again.
Hiba Al Ateeqi loved Tarun Tahiliani’s
collection at his stall (above)
12
By Meha
Jayaswal
W
Public relations, the underrated cousin of advertising, has the
potential of turning a campaign around when used cleverly and that is what most fashion brands have been homing in on
hile advertising is a key
marketing tool, it is complemented by another effective instrument - public
relations. Where advertising
makes for one-way communication, PR generates dialogue among the target group. This
is an era of free flow of information, thanks
to the internet, and people are more aware
of a product or a service. Hence, their taking
any advertisement at face value is
rare. So what potential consumers require are independent
endorsements, discussions
and services that help
them take informed buying decisions.
Gone are the days
when fashion brands
relied solely on advertisements. Now they also
depend on PR tools, such as
discussions on news channels,
debates in schools and colleges,
and articles in newspapers and magazines.
Increasingly, fashion brands are exploring
non-traditional media and embracing innovative ways of reaching out to consumers.
Let’s take some of the most innovative public relations campaigns of 2013 and
explore what fashion brands caught the audience’s attention.
Take the case of Victoria’s Secret. According to www.businessinsider.com, Victoria’s Secret was the most popular brand in
2012-2013, beating established giants such
as Levi’s, Macy’s and Old Navy. It generated
a positive buzz and sustained it. Last year,
its annual fashion show drew wider interest,
mostly because of Taylor Swift’s involvement.
Her performance at the $12-million show
caught the attention of fashion enthusiasts
in more than 200 countries through all media
formats, including print, Facebook, YouTube and television. Soon, the show and its
$10-million exhibit, “The Royal Fantasy Bra”,
became the talk of the glitterati. Despite it
costing $10-million, it generated curiosity
and a level of mass hysteria that most fashion
brands can’t even dream of.
The second interesting example is Chanel’s most vocal and intelligent strategy for
its best-selling perfume, Chanel No 5. A male letter sender and imprint it on the digital letcelebrity, Brad Pitt, endorsing a female perter. Users could also pick the shade of the kiss
fume, followed by the nostalgia of Monroe,
from Burberry’s catalogue of lipstick colours.
got it more than 13 million views on YouTube. Easily one of the most innovative campaigns
It caught the attention of writers, critics, col- of 2013, this enjoyed weeks of publicity.
umnists, bloggers and the Twitterati; debate
Target, a retail giant, went a step further.
raged around it. The campaign was spontane- The Tweet-to-Runway show was part of Tarous but planned intelligently. The company
get’s larger “Everyday Collection” campaign,
followed it up with an exciting campaign
which brought together couture fashion with
called “Inside Chanel”, projecting “the most
everyday grocery shopping. The real-time
desirable woman of the 20th century”, Tweet-to-Runway show was the team’s way
as the face of the classic perof getting people involved in the campaign.
fume. The campaign opened
“It was a great opportunity to interact with
pages from history by citing our guests via Twitter to tell their stories of
Monroe’s famous quote
how they bring these everyday products to
of 1952 - that she went to life,” the organiser said. The show inspired
bed wearing nothing but
a wave of tweets, grabbed thousands of
Chanel No 5.
Facebook “likes” and inspired hundreds of
Then came Louis Vuit- blog posts.
ton. The brand created a
H&M, which is the second-largest-selling
30-ftx100-ft suitcase covbrand according to www.statisticbrain.com,
ered in iconic gold-on-brown combined advertisement with PR strategy
pattern, designed to house an
through its Beckham campaign. As Al Ries
exhibit about travellers at Moscow’s says in his book The Fall of Advertising & the
Red Square. The proceeds from this were to
Rise of PR, the quickest way to make your
go to the Naked Hearts children’s foundation brand famous is by making the advertising
of Russian supermodel Natalia Vodianova.
famous. The high-street fashion retailer H&M
However, it sparked “outrage” among the
announced a partnership with the footballing
Russians, generating some 18,80,000 search
brand royalty David Beckham to initially
results on Ft.com, Bbc.com and Moscowlaunch his own underwear range through the
times.com. It is said no news sells like
Swedish retailer’s global network of stores.
negative news.
The PR around the campaign
Another example
drew fantastic coverage. This
produced 79,000 search
is Prada, where the PR
results, with the piece being
strategy was to cast
reproduced as a story on
a Kenyan-born, black
fashion blogs. However, usmodel, Malaika Firth,
ing a shorter search “David
in its new ad campaign.
Beckham H&M February”
This caught the media’s
Google returns an astroattention - colour and
nomical 891,000 results.
race always do.
There is no better example
Burberry and Target
of how a company haradopted more innovanessed the mass appeal of
tive, daring and contemits ambassador.
porary ways to tap the
Hence it’s easy to see that
masses. Burberry had a
surprise last year with its digitally innovative advertising can catch the consumer’s attention but, when combined with intelligent PR,
“Burberry Kisses” campaign. It re-invented
the love letter in digital form with a sealed-in it can be part of a larger social conversation.
kiss that was an exact reproduction of their
unique lip-print. The technology used a
Meha Jayaswal is course leader, fashion media
simple webcam to capture the lip-print of the communication, Pearl Academy.
Prada cast a
Kenyan-born,
black model,
Malaika Firth, in
its ad campaign
- and it grabbed
eyeballs
trend ho!
Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week – Autumn Winter 2014
March 26 – 30, 2014 | Hall No. 18, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi
SHOW SCHEDULE
Day 1, Wednesday – March 26, 2014
3:30 PM
Opening Show by Tarun Tahiliani
MSA 2
5:45 PM
Anupamaa by Anupama Dayal
MSA 1
Vineet Bahl
7:00 PM
Kiran Uttam Ghosh
MSA 2
Raakesh Agarvwal
8:15 PM
Shantanu & Nikhil
MSA 1
9:30 PM
Nokia presents Rina Dhaka
MSA 2
Day 2, Thursday – March 27, 2014
2:00 PM
‘Myoho’ by Kiran & Meghna
MSA 2
Prama by Pratima Pandey
Vaishali S
3:15 PM
‘my village’ by Rimzim Dadu
MSA 1
Kallol Dutta 1955
4:30 PM
Anand Bhushan
MSA 2
Nachiket Barve
5:45 PM
Amit GT
FLOwer
power
MSA 1
Charu Parashar
7:00 PM
Ashima-Leena
MSA 2
8:15 PM
Malini Ramani
MSA 1
Nikasha
9:30 PM
Rahul Mishra
MSA 2
Day 3, Friday – March 28, 2014
2:00 PM
Pia Pauro
MSA 2
Urvashi Kaur
3:15 PM
Akaaro by Gaurav Jai Gupta
MSA 1
Paromita Banerjee
4:30 PM
Vogue India Fashion Fund presents Archana Rao
MSA 2
5:45 PM
Dev r Nil
MSA 1
W
hile on the ramp, it was all about winter, dark
colours and warm fabrics, outside, guests and
designers were supporting summer florals. A
touch of the previous winter maybe, when bold flowers
were hot. Among the prints, we also spotted designer
Nida Mahmood (centre) with blooms in her hair;
trademark style!
Rishta by Arjun Saluja
7:00 PM
Payal Pratap
MSA 2
Sanchita
8:15 PM
Satya Paul
MSA 1
9:30 PM
Twinings presents Abraham & Thakore
MSA 2
Day 4, Saturday – March 29, 2014
12:45 PM
Chhaya Mehrotra
MSA 1
Josh Goraya
Rinku Sobti
Saaj by Ankita
431-88 by Shweta Kapur
2:00 PM
SAREE
bindi
Hemant & Nandita
Tanvi Kedia
3:15 PM
Rajputana by Samant Chauhan
MSA 1
Zubair Kirmani
4:30 PM
Soltee by Sulakshana Monga
MSA 2
Virtues by Ashish, Viral & Vikrant
5:45 PM
Mandira Wirk
MSA 1
Rehane
7:00 PM
Rabani & Rakha
MSA 2
Siddartha Tytler
8:15 PM
péro by Aneeth Arora
MSA 1
9:30 PM
Fiama Di Wills show
MSA 2
Day 5, Sunday – March 30, 2014
12:45 PM
Pinnacle – Shruti Sancheti
MSA 1
Tanieya Khanuja
Taurus by Dhruv - Pallavi
3:15 PM
Jenjum Gadi
MSA 1
Mrinalini
Sahil Kochhar
5:15 PM
Anita Dongre
MSA 1
9:30 PM
Wills Lifestyle Grand Finale by Namrata Joshipura
MSA 2
Space for map
14
S
arees ruled both the ramp and
off it. While some draped it in
a quirky style, others kept it
traditional. Loved Anupama Dayal’s
(bottom right) saree style. Many
sported the white bindi to voice their
protest against child marriage.