Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2018 i Harper's Bazaar India

Teal BREAKER Accessorise an all-black outfit with a metallic Perona bag All that SPARKLES Layer glittering necklaces from Zoya over a sequinned top for a finished look All IN ONE Add more shine to a bejewelled jacket with an embellished trench from Rahul Mishra. Chandelier earrings from Outhouse are a plus. Bright SIDE Make a statement with an iridescent blazer from MxS by Monisha Jaising by pairing it with solid separates Free FALL Black and gold make the perfect match in a pleated top from Namrata Joshipura Star STUDDED A leather skirt with sequinned panels from 431-88 offers a sleek contrast to a slouchy shirt…

MY CLOSET IS SPLIT IN TWO—Indian on one side and everything else on the other. I don’t often get to pull out the Indian clothes—the twinkling sequinned anarkalis or even the simpler saris. For most of the year they hang on the rail, waiting for a wedding or family function when I can take them out again. When I do get to pull them on, draping them carefully alongside my cousins in a shared bathroom or under the deft hands of my mother, it’s like a light switch inside me suddenly clicks on: These clothes are forgiving, they’re flattering, they’re made for people with bodies and skin like mine. They don’t hang off me or remind me I am a problem, they just fit. I am always chasing that feeling…

Customisable shoes are the ultimate luxury. And two new footwear brands function on that very premise. Delhi-based business consultant Akanksha Khanna launched Flip Slide, a label specialising in footwear with changeable heels, in 2017. While their designs are classic—a range of strappy sandals in colours such as black, gold, silver, and nude—the heels come in eclectic colours and patterns including versions covered in glitter, animal print, or even denim. The second brand on our radar is Brooklyn Walk from Delhi. Sisters Nidhhi and Divvya N Gambhir are costume designers who started the label this year with family members Nikhil Dahra and Jyotii Gambhir. The winter collection focuses on boots, including fun over-the-knee styles in colours such as tan and purple. But the brand’s real strength is in their customisation. Working…

“Art has consistently been a starting point for many of our collections. Last year I travelled to Kashmir for the first time and I met a young photographer named Azaan Shah. His images of the streets of Kashmir captured how everyday life in the Valley might be very ordinary but you can still sense the weight of conflict. I wanted to try and translate some of his images into embroideries rather than prints. We’ve used many different mediums—beadwork, threadwork—and some of the pieces took almost two months to make. The latter half of this collection moves towards a much happier space, there are prints of images by photographer Mark Hanauer as well as doodles done by children.”…

It has been over 30 years since Walter Van Beirendonck launched his eponymous label, after completing his studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. It is here that he met Dirk Van Saene, Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Marina Yee, and Dirk Bikkembergs, and formed a collective that went on to be called the Antwerp Six. They took off to London with nothing but a strong story to tell. Thoughtful but outspoken, Beirendonck has through the years made strong statements about sexuality, identity, and even terrorism in his collections of menswear—always underpinned with his signature vibrancy and idiosyncrasy. Since 2007, he has been the head of fashion at his alma mater, inspiring the next generation of designers such as Raf Simons, Demna Gvasalia, Kris Van Assche, and…

Fragrance is an integral part of a beauty routine. It isn't just about smelling good, perfumes are an extension of our personality. Whether it’s soft and feminine or deep and seductive, we match our perfume to our mood and nature. This is where niche perfume houses come into the picture: Imagine scents that are released in smaller batches, with rare ingredients and complex structures. In recent years, there has been an incredible spike in popularity for unique fragrances as more people are discovering scents that speak to them - their distinct, quintessential persona. Fans of niche perfumes will love SCENTIDO Niche Perfumery-with it boutiques in Fort, Mumbai and Khan Market, New Delhi. Indulge your olfactory senses with fragrances that are rare, luxurious, and immersive. Housing dozens of fine fragrances from…

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The grandeur of Indian culture is the beating heart of Titan’s Nebula collection. With calligraphy on a mother-of-pearl dial, it’s like having a little piece of the Taj Mahal wrapped around your wrist. The intricate gold wire filigree work is reminiscent of latticework seen in Mughal architecture. And the Kundan-polki series called Nazakat is an ode to the long tradition of jewellery in Rajasthan. “We have a 5,000-year-old legacy of royalty, poetry, architecture, music, and crafts in India. That’s what we draw from. Except we contemporise it and make it relevant for today’s woman,” says Revathi Kant, chief design officer at Titan Watches. A tour of Titan’s workshop in Hosur, close to Bengaluru, reveals how the precision of watchmaking comes together with the craft of jewellery-making—the engineering, maintaining specifications, or…

THE CHANDLO Nipa Doshi Chandlo was born of my fascination of the ritual of sringar. On one level, it draws from the utopian 16 steps of dressing up and particularly reflects the big circular bindi that women wear, yet it is very architectural with its lines, planes, and three-dimensionality. Chandlo relates to beauty, because beauty is integral to my design practice. I think the feminine approach to design is not just decorative—it is not that obvious. For me, narrative is important. Design is not purely about solving a problem or creating a form. It has a close link to human desire and beauty. One can say that beauty is superficial but for me it is also about embodying a ritual. It is an attitude towards material and environment. I’m deeply…

THE BRAND AMBASSADOR FOR PACO RABANNE’S ‘PURE XS FOR HER’ is, much like the fragrance, “an explosion of the senses”. Emily Ratajkowski is fearless about her femininity and feminism. And the wild and provocative floral scent—embodied in a bottle that is sensual, and fluid with a serpentine accent—complements the actor-model-activist’s sensuous role in the brand’s promotional film. Bazaar chatted with her on a gorgeous summer day in the south of France. Tell us about your association with Paco Rabanne. My first memory of Paco Rabanne was its iconic images of women. As I became more aware of fashion, I saw [the brand] as cool and modern, yet sexy and feminine. Our ideas of femininity and womanhood are aligned, so it’s a natural collaboration. My first memory of Paco Rabanne was…

BOOK A line from Pretty Woman comes to mind as I reflect upon Benaras: “That’s just geography”. Why else would the cosmopolises of New York and London seem more familiar than Benaras, an hour-long flight away from Delhi? The sense of dissonance here isn’t jet lag—it’s as if time, somehow, has paused. You come across a keen awareness of ancestry and lineage, dating back generations; you hear Sanskrit spoken effortlessly and casually; you see death and decay so closely it becomes an enduring motif of the ghats, as natural as the water in the Ganges. It’s telling that it is the only city exempt from Bazaar’s style guide—Bombay is Mumbai and Pondicherry is Puducherry, but Benaras is never Varanasi. It is this idea that Aatish Taseer explores in his thoughtful…

CULTURE I first stepped into these libraries in 1994, while shooting for Fort Walks, a book by Sharada Dwivedi. And I was enthralled by the Minton-tiled floors, marble statues, old wooden cabinets, high ceilings, and, of course, the smell of old books. This was also when I was just beginning to discover my home city, one building at a time. Since then, I have returned on many occasions—when the David Sassoon Library hosted my first exhibition; to photograph the stained-glass windows at JN Petit Library; to flip through bound volumes of the Illustrated London News at Bombay University’s Library for a story, and to photograph conservationists at work on priceless vintage books at the Asiatic Society library. Most recently, I spent two years photographing the collection of books at the…

SHE OWNS A ROOM IN A MATTER OF MINUTES. When Janina Gavankar walks into the LA Theatre on a sultry morning in October, she is dressed in a pair of distressed denims, her face is free of any makeup, and she’s just parked her car—she could have been the girl next door. But before you knew it, Gavankar slipped into character. Her tall, athletic frame morphed into a movie star’s, as she moved effortlessly from frame to frame during the photoshoot, channelling her high-octane energy to reveal the breadth of her talent. She danced, she sang, she posed. Bazaar was at the iconic movie hall where Charlie Chaplin’s masterpiece City Lights premiered in 1931 (with Albert Einstein in attendance). Reportedly modelled on the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles, the LA…

A flash of cunning played on Robert (Bob) G Lyngdoh’s smile as he narrated how, as former home minister of Meghalaya during the late-1990s, he tackled militancy in the state. The biggest insurgent organisation back then would invariably call a statewide general strike on the two Indian milestone days—August 15 and January 26, Independence Day and Republic Day, respectively. Lyngdoh devised a simple and effective plan: Organise big-ticket rock concerts on those days at the biggest stadiums and arenas of Shillong. If previously fear kept people indoors, the thrill of rock music brought them out in droves. Having been a musical associate with one of Shillong’s early breakout bands, The Great Society, which also featured the Northeast music legend Lou Majaw as frontman, Lyngdoh clearly knew his stuff. At his…

The Surrealist art movement captured the fashion industry in the 1930s. It influenced designers like Elsa Schiaparelli, who in collaboration with Salvador Dalí, created a velvet hat shaped like an upturned shoe and lobster motif on an evening gown. And Bazaar US, under editor Carmel Snow and Alexey Brodovitch, too, interpreted the movement through fashion illustrations, some by Dalí as well. One of the greatest covers of this time was drawn by French painter and artist A.M. Cassandre, best known for bold typography and graphic design in advertising posters of the 20th century. Influenced by both Surrealism and Cubism, the September 15, 1939 cover featured eight floating eyes and pieces of thread, representing eyes on the new Paris openings. Even today Bazaar continues to highlight the significance of art—in this issue,…

What do you do when you come across an extraordinary young woman who is articulate, fiercely intelligent, and hugely independent? You make sure you get to know her better. And then you find that she is compassionate, kind, and so, so nice which makes the conversation deeply personal. You talk about your fathers, celebrating their presence even in their absence. At some point, you forget that you are interviewing a Hollywood star. It is easy to see why Janina Gavankar is unique. She is intensely honest. To herself and her career. She has taken her identity and transformed it into a superpower (thanks to her amazing parents). She has used her voice to discuss diversity. Most of all, she has a story to share. A vision for the future that…

Love is not perfect. Love finds beauty in imperfections. Every kind of love comes with its fair share of ups and downs and fights and fallouts. But true love prevails all. The new wedding campaign from Manyavar is a fine portrayal of the happiness shared between two people despite all the challenges. Taking Naye Rishte Naye Vaade a step further, the Indian ethnicwear brand puts a spin to new-age wedding vows. Moving away from the ideal picture, the ad is a celebration of the flaws that lend strength to the auspicious bond of marriage. Take, for example, Anushka and Virat. The two look stunning together-Vi rat in a suave midnight-blue double-breasted outfit, while Anushka dons a pretty hand-embroidered lehenga in ivory-both from the brand’s latest Wedding Collection. Offering edgy, asymmetric…

GUNDI STUDIOS THE STORY The international movements on feminism, and their impact on women of colour, inspired Natasha Sumant to launch her label Gundi Studios. “I chose the word ‘Gundi’ because it’s reserved for women who are cheeky or outspoken, and there’s nothing in Indian culture that celebrates that trope,” says Sumant, a graduate of Parsons School of Design based in New York. She launched her brand in 2016, when during a visit to her family in Kolkata, she worked with a local embroiderer to make a set of gold patches with the word in English and Hindi. That same embroiderer still makes her patches while the pieces are manufactured in and around Delhi. TWO WORLDS Sumant takes techniques commonly used in desi clothing to create a six-piece capsule collection…

METAL SARI In this detail of a 1995 work by artist Sharmila Samant, recycled metal bottle caps of aerated drink, Thums Up, are stitched together to create a sari. Titled Factory-made Sari, the work was one of the most popular in the exhibition. By using a material not associated with fabrics or fashion, it questioned the boundaries of what constitutes textiles. KALAMKARI REIMAGINED This five-feet long scroll, handpainted with natural dyes, is a collaboration between master kalamkari artist Sri Niranjan from Srikalahasti in South India and French designer Berenice Ellena. First commissioned for the Devi Art Foundation, the scroll depicts the similarities in Greek and Indian mythology. It also replaces the traditional religious narratives of kalamkaris with Ellena’s own personal journey from Europe to India. EMBROIDERED ARCHITECTURE New York-based architect…

As a third-generation hotelier, wine consultant, and owner of vegan food brand Amai, Aishwarya Nair Mathew is her own ideal customer. “Our lives have become so demanding,” says the founder of Mumbai-based label Aligne, “that I wanted to create clothes that were classic, comfortable, and could easily work for day and night.” While her first line includes polished, pragmatic slips, trousers, and blouses in an office-ready palette of white, black, and blue, the building blocks of the label are her shirtdresses. Fashioned out of crisp cotton-silk and lush silk-crepe they come in multiple variations with details like oversized sleeves, uneven hemlines, and metal buttons. “It’s classic, but not too minimal. These are clothes that you will still love after 10 years,” she says. Alignestudio.com…

NO 1 age of elegance The new way to wear the wrap dress is over a printed top. Add a beret for effortless style. NO 2 sway with me Carry a blazer to add sharpness to a playful dress NO 3 high drama For a clever clash of textures, contrast a frill top with a woollen coat NO 4 on the dot A cinched-in waist and a box bag instantly elevates an everyday dress NO 5 return to the fold Offset a practical sweater with a pretty pleated dress underneath NO 6 the perfect match Layering continues to be a key trend: Wear a sleeveless dress over a top and trouser look.…

THE CUBBONPET SARI BY PAVITHRA MUDDAYA “For me, revival is important only when it helps a weaver’s livelihood. The Cubbonpet sari is named after a region in Tamil Nadu. When we went searching for a weaver who knew the technique, we found an old man who said that he remembered it being woven when he was a child of seven. Imagine how far back this weave goes. Elephant and tree motifs, a 10-inch border with temple checks—the Cubbonpet is a rare gem.” STEEL WIRE TEXTILE BY RIMZIM DADU “My design philosophy revolves around the strength of the material. I constantly try to re-engineer materials and play with their structure and flow. From far, my metal wire textiles look structured and stiff, almost like an armour. But a closer look and…

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“Hermès is very classical. But I discovered a lot of colour, creativity, and fun!”—Christine Nagel MEETING A FAMOUS PERFUMER IS A TREAT. They are elusive, sometimes eccentric, and always amazingly creative. Nagel, is something more: A pioneer. The first-ever female in-house perfumer for Hermès. To put this in context consider that there are only approximately 500 perfumers the world over. It is a rarefied circle and one that has historically been male-dominated, and closed. “I worked as a researcher at [the perfume company] Firmenich and from my lab I had a view of the garden. One day I saw a perfumer who was applying sample perfumes on women’s wrists all morning, and they would smell and discuss after he left. I realised then that a perfumer’s job is special—it is…

OPRAH WINFREY: First, let me just say: Nothing makes me happier than sitting down with a good read. So when I realised—in the preface!—what an extraordinary book was coming, I was so proud of you. You landed it. The book is tender, it is compelling, it is powerful, it is raw. Millions of people have been wondering how you’re doing, how’s the transition, and I think there’s no better example than the toast story. Can you share the toast story? MICHELLE OBAMA: Well, I start the preface right at one of the first weeks after we moved into our new home after the transition—our new home in Washington, a couple miles away from the White House. It’s a beautiful brick home, and it’s the first regular house, with a door…

ALL IN GOOD SPIRIT Add to the holiday cheer with bright red and deep green accessories embellished with shimmer and shine TO PINE FOR TINSEL TOWN…

SPARKLE Add a splash of shine to your look, beginning with your accessories. Crystal studs adorn Christian Louboutin’s sling bags and Sophia Webster’s colourful clutches, while a hint of metallic sheen makes Coach and Givenchy shoulder bags perfect for day as well.…

For the founders of sustainable brand B Label, hemp is the fabric of the future. It’s eight times stronger than cotton, easier to grow, requires less water, no pesticides, and has a higher per-square foot yield. The Mumbai-based brand is part of Boheco, an industrial hemp and medicinal cannabis start-up founded in 2013 by seven friends. “We realised one way to educate people about hemp was by creating something valuable and offering it to customers,” says co-founder Chirag Tekchandaney. The first piece they created two years ago for their fashion brand was a simple white T-shirt but now, B Label’s offerings include a range of summer-ready attire including crisp shirts, ruffled dresses, and more. “Another benefit of hemp is that it actually gets better with age, softer, more comfortable,” adds…

FUCHSIA Think pink—but nothing too sweet. Instead, we’re championing a defiantly-bold fuchsia. Pick stilettos studded with crystals like those at Manolo Blahnik or a pretty pink purse by Marni. Better yet, see the world through Dior’s tinted frames and it will definitely look rosier.…

WHEN SANGITA DEVI KATHIWADA OPENED MÉLANGE IN MUMBAI IN 1993, she said no one expected her first collection—comprising pastel-coloured khadi outfits—to sell out. But it did, and Mélange went on to be one of the first boutiques to nurture notable designers like Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Anamika Khanna, Savio Jon, and Aneeth Arora. This year the store turns 25 and to mark the occasion we look back at some key moments in its history. FIRST STEPS Spurred on by the success of her store, Kathiwada followed up by starting the Morarka Centre for Arts in 1995. She convinced industrialist and philanthropist Kamal Morarka to grant her the funds, and Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Sons, to let her use the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai, as a venue for the…

In 2016, designer Maria Grazia Chiuri made a highly public move from her long-standing design partnership with Pierpaolo Piccioli at Valentino. Grazia Chiuri’s new solo career was as creative director at Dior. International media zoomed in on the fact she was the first-ever female designer at the helm of this legendary house For her first Dior show, Chiuri set fashion press abuzz with a T-shirt bearing the slogan, “We should all be feminists”. Chiuri stated she wanted to bring an empowering message with her tenure at the storied house, galvanised by the #MeToo movement, and a groundswell of women’s protests globally. The media storm behind Chiuri’s appointment signalled that fashion is at a crossroads. Two significant currents have emerged: Firstly, the role of women behind the scenes of fashion, where…

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GOLDEN ARCHES Forget wave and feather brows—today is all about colour. Gold, in particular. The look is best worn with subtle, bare makeup as seen at On-Off’s Fall 2018 show. We love: Dior Diorshow Bold Brow Instant Volumizing Brow Mascara in 004 Gold, ₹1,850, and Yves Saint Laurent Mascara Vinyl Couture in 8 I’m The Fire, ₹2,100 (approx). Jacket, ₹78,500, Rajesh Pratap Singh. Earrings, ₹3,500, Studio Metallurgy at NIMAI.…

The only way to truly care for your hair is by knowing exactly what it is, and what damages it most What do we really know about our hair? Often, it’s surprisingly little. Forget the intricacies of its structure, few can genuinely identify their hair type. Fine strands, even in abundance, may give the appearance of less hair, while fewer but coarser strands could inaccurately suggest greater density. And that’s just one of many uncertainties. Which is why we spoke to Rob Smith, a senior engineer at Dyson’s hair science research programme in England, where they have tested nearly 1,625 kms of hair to study everything from airflow dynamics to its cellular structure. Here, he tells us everything we need to know, from what hair is, exactly, to what damages…

CAPRICORN DECEMBER 22-JANUARY 20 An intensely personal matter may seem confusing and frustrating but the second half of December will bring light to relevant factors which you haven’t had access to previously. A solution presents itself when needed most. LUCKY DAY 16th—rules being challenged enhance an unusual situation. AQUARIUS JANUARY 21-FEBRUARY 19 Developments within a somewhat testing area will flourish. This is not to say that you can take chances financially or in terms of your reputation. Opportunities may seem heaven-sent but you need to approach them with rational thinking at all times. LUCKY DAY 6th—clouds hovering over a sensitive area disappear. PISCES FEBRUARY 20-MARCH 20 It may be tempting to toughen up your approach to friends but you won’t want to rupture meaningful relationships. You stand a better chance…

# 431-88 www.431-88.com A Abraham & Thakore Delhi (098717 74436) Bengaluru (080413 29316) Adawna Mumbai (022 6695 7918) Adi Handmade Delhi (099119 54130) Aikeyah Delhi (072918 25361) Mumbai (022 2367 2418) Alankaram Delhi (011 4646 3333) Aldo Delhi (011 4265 8363) Mumbai (022 6180 1290) Alice McCall www.alicemccall.com Amanda Wakeley www.amandawakeley.com Amaris Delhi (011 4109 5655) Amrapali Delhi (098117 40900) Mumbai (022 2612 5001) AND Delhi (011 4087 0556) Mumbai (091671 51269) Aniket by Aniket Satam houseofaniket@gmail.com Anita Dongre Delhi (072900 14086) Mumbai (070456 69647) Anju Modi Delhi (011 4058 8627) Annoushka www.annoushka.com Aquazzura at net-aporter.com Archana Rao www.archanaraolabel.com Artis www.artisbrush.com Aurélie Bidermann at farfetch.com B Bobbi Brown Delhi (011 4101 8275) Mumbai (022 4002 0982) Bodice Delhi (096500 71122) Boodles www.boodles.com Breguet at Johnson & Co, Delhi (011 4151 3121) at Time Avenue Mumbai (022 2651 5757)…