Pero by Aneeth Arora presented "Labour of Love" Spring Summer 2014 at Fashion Design Council of India's Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week on October 12th ..... the first indication about the collection appeared on the brands facebook page with a picture of a collection of recycled dolls with the description ...... "She looked to the skies and wished. She remembered all the people that inspired her. The journey had just begun. And by late evening, it started raining. Polka Dots. Gems and Dolls" ..... And that was precisely what happened .... there were polka dots on the runway .... gems in the press kit ..... and living dolls in straw boaters, ribbons and lace, bows and hearts .... merrily gliding out of a Parisian Cafe .... with cupcakes and periwinkles in flower vases ..... to the bossanova strains of The Girl from Ipanema .....

"Tall and tan and young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, each one she passes goes - ahhhhh

When she walks, she's like a samba
That swings so cool and sways so gently
That when she passes, each one she passes goes - ahhhhh

ohhhh - But he watches so sadly
How can he tell her he loves her
Yes he would give his heart gladly
But each day, when she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead, not at himmmm ... "

As supermodel Indrani walked down in a signature Pero anti fit baby doll dress ..... polka dotted ribbon in her hair and red bindi dots on her bare feet ... followed by a bevy of girls in floaty loose sheer layers full of light and grace ..... the frow tried to cheer politely (the front row claps soundlessly while the cat calls, whistles and ovations come from the non front rowers heheh :) ..... while the media pit cattily chinese whispered "Sarojini Nagar" (you gotta be a Delhiite to understand this epithet :p .... Sarojini Nagar market is the most famous flea market in Delhi ..... if you want export surplus summer cotton, lace, knit, hosiery or any kind of summer sheers for an unbelievably cheap 100 rupees or 2 USD .... this is the place to shop .... if you still don't understand the reference, you need to talk to a Delhiite :P)

Herein lies the problem with a label like Pero ..... It's distinctly Indian in its textiles, easily identifiable with locally made and internationally famous Indian handloom textiles and its variations ..... The "look" of Pero is nothing new for the average Indian ...... This kind of shabby chic is what we wear at home or sell to foreigners ...... It is pretty difficult to think of buying Pero at its designer level price point as an anti fit silhouette for an Indian body type ....... So here then is a very brave designer who is absolutely convinced of marrying an International aesthete to local material at a selling price that demands your curiosity ...... To Appreciate Pero you have to understand the journey of Every garment that comes out from the atelier of Aneeth Arora !! .... It is a Labour of Love .... by hands, that stitch every heart, embroiders every dot, closes every lining .... without a machine !! ..... Truly hundred percent handstitched and handcrafted .... in the brands own words .... "‘Péro’ interprets international aesthetic using local material and skills, taking inspiration from what surrounds us, to make a product that connects with people, wherever in the world it is placed. The Indianness of ‘péro’ rests in the textile process, where materials pass through the hands of one craftsperson to the other, carrying forward the Indian tradition of the hand made, and creating pieces that are at once unique. The resulting garment evoke some sense of culture from which it originates, this culture communicates internationally in such a way that the wearer looks equally at ease in the streets of Paris or London, as she does here in India.The look is not about an age group or season, it is about a mindset , a willingness to incorporate the effortless style of the local people in ones attire." ......

When Charu Parashar's Spring Summer 2014 collection "A Persian Dream" opened with the track Endless Reverie from the album Elysium For The Brave by Persian singer Azam Ali ...... I shivered with goose pimples at a coincidence ..... Azam Ali, Iranian singer raised in Panchgani, India and resident of Los Angeles and Quebec is also someone who is known for her unique jewellery pieces, specially the Farvahar or winged disc - the national symbol of Iran and the Medallion and vine motif design from the Carpets of Isfahan ....  truly unique jewellery and therefore she is frequently featured in Blogger style diaries across the globe ! ..... I have been recently following the sartorial style of Azam .... And then million of miles away in the East, here was Charu Parashar presenting her Persian Dream to a soundtrack of Azam Ali !! .... Co incidence is it not ? .... The Resham embroidery motifs in her persian collection, also reminded me of William Morris's illustrations of the Rubayat of Omar Khayyam, the dome of Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, and the Persian motifs taken from the rich textile culture of the Safavid dynasty of ancient Iran ..... which also gave birth to our own Mughal motifs descended from the Timurid dynasty of Iran !!! ...... CP's romantic sexy sophistication with flowing hemlines and breezy sleeves brought ancient Persia onto the modern red carpet ..... and her finale gowns certainly brought in the whiff of the Bengali Garad and/or Korial saree ..... with its pristine white with red border  .... the colour palette was very basic salmon pink to red to white ..... the show was stylized with bandana caps with latkans, gold hoops and disc ear rings, bracelets, with pearl, gemstone, and mesh potli, minaudiere and clutches ...... The make up was subtle and classy with a sharp half winged liner on the eyelids with gold highlights in the corner, and a nude pale pink lip.

"I am really excited about this season. The new reinvented look is inspiring. I have experimented with print and embroidery. This time I tried to create a very classic look. The print is basically inspired by Persian carpets and culture. We have done a lot of resham work," Charu said.

The designer added that through her collection she is trying to create an identity for today's woman with clothes which don't just make style statements but are also classic in appeal.

The ecru coloured garments lend a dreamy feel. She also used a lot of Banarasi chanderi for her white collection. It has sheer bodices in net, embroidered with resham work. The translucent feel to the apparels adds sensuousness. - Post Show Press Meet interview.

"Once upon a checkered dream

Of songs in lace and rivulets of gold

Silence became the song the theme

By light the tale of its falling was told

somewhere she said an eye would blink

And somewhere a cave will stall

Night would be the torch to everything

On the day light falls "

- Press Kit, Gaurav Gupta

"Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned."

JJ Valaya opened Aamby Valley India Bridal Fashion Week 2013 in typical Indian late lateef style .... the show scheduled for 8 pm started at 1030 pm .... the venue at The Grand, Vasant Kunj was way too small to accommodate "the invited" and the press .... "the invited" were seated much before the media and therefore we had a first time experience of watching a couture show seated on each others lap ... or standing on each others toes .... but then we are Indians .... and we are used to travelling on a single cycle with the entire family, and its a shame if you can't fit at least 15 family members into one Maruti 800 .... maybe that is why a lady from Valaya's seating team literally threw a fit because she didnot know where to throw the press people away .... all the poor mite did is shout and shake in her lovely beige Valaya outfit as she commanded us press types to climb onto each other and not cross the holy rope that separated "the invited" from "the barely tolerated", aka the media ..... if i were Valaya, i would have done off with her head of course .... because i am sure JJ, the genial, sweet Sardarji knows the worth of publicity from the same media types, which all his celeb guests put together cannot ensure .... as a true blue Punju he knows that at the end of the day after all the "shoshabaji" and "hello jis" are done, the impressed "invited" will still look at pictures that people like us put up and get their outfits done from Diwan Saheb (since this is couture, i will not mention the local darzis lol) .... the few that will come to his atelier will want bespoke and none of those clothes already worn by models on the ramp seen by every nukkad in the country (kya karen ? those good old days of exclusivity are over, now even "gaonwallas" with crores of "khandaani khet" are internet savvy) .... so the purpose of a couture showing is to showcase a design house's innovation, craftsmanship and creativity .... and the dissemination of a couture house's design aesthete can only be done through the media ..... and i am not foolish enough to presume team Valaya do not think it relevant that the media be seated for his show !! ..... Anyhow, the most striking experience of JJ's show was no doubt the set design of scenographer, designer and installation artist Sumant Jayakrishnan .... it was such a stunning masterpiece, with boats, royal arches, cupolas .... a veritable royal court fit for the collection theme called "The Maharaja of Madrid" .... I cannot comment much on the garments .... all looked nice and royal .... i could barely see them through the armpit arches of the fellow standing in front of me .... but looking through the photographs of my camera person .... few things stood out ..... For whatever it is worth, here is my opinion .... can we leave Spain alone ? .... is the Spanish government secretly trying to ensure all things spanish should show up in every fashion show across the world ? .... Suneet Varma already did Spanish this year .... Georgina Chapman did it with Marchesa too .... and Anita Delgado meets Kapurthala is a stale story really ..... and off with the Turbans too .... i know i know its a Maharaja story JJ was selling .... the only turban that looked good was on Kabir Bedi .... now that man is a bonafide Maharaja .... turban or no turban ..... we already "ooh aahed" enough when Manish Arora showed turbans on the ramp in Paris and Wills India Fashion Week, Delhi this year .... now only a bland "oh" of observation remains ..... and what is with the curtain tassels hanging around the men's neck ? .... looking at the pics, you would say what lovely clothes !! .... and the clothes are lovely no doubt .... but hey this is Valaya .... he is one of our most revered couturiers .... he can do jamawar paisleys, gota, brigade with both his eyes shut ..... Of course i appreciate his excellent craftmanship, but why is he forever dressing the Maharajas of Mandwa, Kapurthala, Timbuktu whatever ..... For all the pedal pushing of Maharaja themes in Indian couture, look at what our actual erstwhile royals are wearing !!! ..... Simple chiffons and elegant pearls .... Very Jaqueline Kennedy still .... And the contemporary business Maharajas are into contemporary bespoke .... As in yes we are Indian, and extremely proud of our heritage and culture, we will always wear, gota, zardozi, and an inordinate amount of jewellery ..... But we also want a global touch to go with our Indian couture ..... and this idea of a Spanish Maharaja is a Grandee with too many layers and embellishment with the stinking armpits of an Indian summer .... But then what do i know ? .... Many peeps must be wanting this only .... Here have a look .... And just for the record, because so many peeps thinks fash bloggers maynot be able to afford couture and therefore the opinions are suspect .... I can but i won't .... But if you are wearing Valaya couture, i will still clap for you, because i know how much these creations cost, and thereby how much you need a validation of your financial worth ... So i shall clap :)

JJ Valaya India Bridal Fashion Week 2013

Fashion One International announced the fourth edition of Aamby Valley India Bridal Fashion Week (AVIBFW) 2013 ..... India Bridal Fashion Week will host its first edition in Delhi, which was previously held in Mumbai .... ( it was also announced that IBFW will be showcased in London too from 2014 onwards) .... 12 acclaimed fashion designers will showcase the finest bridal couture collection from the 23rd of July till the 28th of July 2013 .... and during the Press Meet on 10th July, at The Grand, Vasant Kunj, the 12 designers gave us a preview of their upcoming collection .... Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez is the ambassador for the event ... wearing a Jyotsna Tiwari outfit and will be seen during the Fashion Week .... We at Delhi Style Blog bring you an exclusive preview of the designers participating and their collections .... So what is new for the Indian Bride ? .... Is she going to channel Queen Elizabeth 1 in a desi avatar as Rohit Bal intends .... or a Roman princess from the times of Pompeii as showcased by Suneet Varma .... or she will be a Royal Begum from the famed Mughal Miniature paintings as shown by Ashima and Leena .... or maybe she will be a story unveiled .... like the curious print of Calla lilies and American Indian, headdress feather war bonnet, that we spied on opening show Couturier JJ Valaya's bride ..... have a look further on :)

The Devil Wears Prada actress Meryl Streep turns 64 today ... Though this supremely talented, record breaking, 17 times Academy Award nominee and 3 time Oscar Winner is far known for her more famous roles in a glittering career spanning 30 decades .... we who are more sartorially inclined, remember her most in her role as Miranda Priestly, the editrix of Runway Magazine, which is the temple for the flock of the New York Fashion world in the 2006 movie "The Devil Wears Prada" .... adapted from Lauren Weisberger's book of the same name .... Though Anna Wintour, the powerful Vogue editor was the inspiration for Streep's character, as is widely believed ... (Weisberger once worked as her assistant) .... both Patricia Field (stylist and costume designer of the movie) and Streep were very clear that the character sketch should be uniquely "Miranda Priestly" .... a stand alone character in terms of styling, fashion and idiosyncrasies ... who is more classic and "rich lady" as befits an Alpha female, .... compared to the equally stylish but more modish characters of Andy and Emily ....  Patricia Field (also designed costume for Sex in the City remember?) had a $100,000 budget for the film's costumes, and was supplemented by help from friends from throughout the fashion industry ... Ultimately, almost $1 million worth of clothing was used in the film, making it the most expensively costumed movie in cinema history !!! .... In today's fun post, we revive the myriad looks of Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada ... along with some of her most famous quotes from the movie ... ( and oh yes, if you do not understand what we are talking about till now, this post is not for you dear friend :) .... this is a fan post for Meryl Streep who acted as this Fashion Editor character in a movie called The Devil Wears Prada( yes yes we are sounding like parrots, but what to do, needs to be said) ... and since today is Meryl's birthday, we are indulging in a photoblog of her looks from the said movie :D )

Last year in spring I(D) was in the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) Los Angeles, for campus open house, with my portfolio of illustrations .... and my admission advisor Bryanne Hill was bragging about a certain alumni whose name i didn't quite catch but definitely sounded French to my ear .... As I was shown around the campus, we came across a Limited Edition Designer Barbie Doll collection amongst which was one by the above esteemed alumni ...... Monique Lhuillier ( pronounced : moNEEK loolYAY ... The caps part are emphasized more than the non-caps :p ) ...... OF COURSE i knew about Monik Lui Li er !!!! ( the Indian pronunciation my friends hahahaha) .... Anybody Indian who watches the Oscars and have a drop of motherland-blood-loyalty towards AR Rahman would know about the queen of the Hollywood glamour set, if sartorially inclined of course ( 2 things about typical Indians - 1. nobody knows what the Academy Awards are, everybody knows the Oscars, since Lagaan, when it didn't win, and for the late bloomers, since Pussycat Dolls sang Jai Ho wearing cholis and dhotis ...... 2. everybody knows a fashion designer but we trust the sartorial sense of our local darzis(tailors) to make us fantastic copies (even of Monique after this post :p) at a rupee-economy-rate ) ..... Having said that my dear readers, we know how to appreciate a fabulous collection .... especially if it is in jewel colours of oxblood red, royal purple, emerald green, amethyst, silver, gold and bronze .... And that is what Monique Lhuillier presented in the Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week, Fall 2013 !!!!!!