New York was buzzing on Monday at the preview dinner for soon to relaunch travel community ASMALLWORLD, hosted by Indians-away-from-home Sabine Heller (ASW's CEO) and designer Waris Ahluwalia. Waris, not only designed their new membership card, but starred in an ASW short film, screened for the first time that night. "The donkey stole the show, this always happens to me" he said of the quirky video.
After a performance by Grammy winning violinist Joshua Bell, and cocktails with ASW regulars Chelsea Leyland and Ben Pundole (of the Mumbai-based Pundole's auction house family), Sabine cosied up to good friend and designer Bibhu Mohapatra. "He's one of my favourite designers in New York" she said, naturally wearing one of his dresses.
Also joining the party were designer Olivier Theyskens, and more American blue-chip last names than a White House dinner, from Dree Hemingway, Kick Kennedy and Kiera Chaplin, to Jamie Johnson, Tali Lennox and sisters Mamie and Grace Gummer (Meryl Streep's daughters) – all popping balloons to find their desert inside, amazing cake balls painted like mini globes. A perfect NY night out!
VOGUE FASHION FUND 2012 FINALISTS SHOWCASE THEIR SUMMER 2013 COLLECTION AT ENSEMBLE
Updated on 2nd May, 2013
CALL FOR ENTRIES FROM DESIGNERS FOR SECOND EDITION OF VOGUE FASHION FUND ARE OPEN TILL 30TH APRIL, 2013
The six finalists of the first ever Vogue Fashion Fund (VFF) launched last year in India showcased their Summer 2013 Collection last week at Ensemble. The collection inspired by travels and holiday has been put together by VFF’s top 6 finalists including the last year’s winner - Aneeth Arora and runner-up Payal Pratap Singh, along with Amit Aggarwal, Nitin Bal Chauhan, Pankaj & Nidhi and Rahul Mishra.
The collections displayed the season’s latest trends - pastels and neons ruled the palette with light and flowing silhouettes supported by Indian handicrafts and fabrics. Also, on display were supporting collections by Malini Ramani, Savio Jon, James Ferreira, Anupama Dayal, Rriso and Flame by Martino, among others.
Talking about the Vogue Fashion Fund, Priya Tanna, Editor, Vogue India said, “India has proudly parented exceptional design talent. Last year, the Vogue Fashion Fund was launched to nudge and nurture this talent into the direction of longevity and commercial viability. In its second edition, Vogue Fashion Fund continues to encourage designers to participate in what may be the turning point in their careers. We will provide a platform that will help enable their creativity to join forces with commerce and for them to allow their pursuit of ideas and designs to find a permanent voice.”
Vogue Fashion Fund is a global property that Vogue India launched last year. This annual property has been established to give centre stage to India’s emerging design talent. Originally conceptualized by US Vogue and spearheaded by the iconic Anna Wintour, Vogue Fashion Fund has received much accolade from the fashion industry at large in India.
Vogue Fashion Fund’s participant designers undergo a rigorous judging process over a span of 6 months by some of the leading experts in the fashion industry that comprises the judging panel. These veteran fashion authorities gauge design talent over interviews, collections, factory visits and business plans to narrow down to the final set of talented designers.
Following the success of the first VFF, Vogue India has launched its second edition and entries from emerging fashion designers are open till 30th April, 2013. For more information on VFF and to register, one can log onto Voguefashionfund.com.
The eligibility criteria for designer applicants are as below:
• One should have a degree or diploma in fashion/design from a recognised institute
• Collection has to have retailed in India for a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 10 years
• Participation in a solo / joint / group fashion show in at least one fashion week is a must
• Should have received editorial or press coverage
• Should have a production facility or should employ a team of professional staff
The winner of Vogue Fashion Fund 2013 will get the opportunity to feature in a fashion shoot in Vogue India along with a year-long business/creative/marketing mentorship with an industry professional, a grand cash prize, access to prominent platforms in the industry besides mentorship from Vogue, PR support and media coverage.
Ritu Kumar conferred with Padma Shri Award 2013
Updated on 2nd May, 2013
By Divya Rajani
Designer Ritu Kumar was recently bestowed with India’s fourth highest civilian honor-the Padma Shri Award 2013, for her exceptional and distinguished service in the field of fashion, textile and craftsmanship. The award was presented to her by the honourable President Shri Pranab Mukherjee on the 20th April 2013 at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Designer Ritu Kumar has been active in fashion industry for the last 40 years. Sh. started out with four block printers and two tables in a small village near Calcutta 40 years ago. Ritu Kumar was the first woman to introduce the ’boutique’ culture in India under the brand name ‘Ritu’.
Ritu’s outfits have been patronized by style icons such as late Princess Diana.
“THE AMAZING SHOEMAKER” exhibition at Ferragamo Museum
Updated on 25th Apr, 2013
From 19 April 2013 to 31 March 2014, Museo Salvatore Ferragamo in Florence will host a new and important exhibition, The Amazing Shoemaker - Fairy Tales and Legends about Shoes and Shoemakers curated by Stefania Ricci, Sergio Risaliti and Luca Scarlini. In this exhibition, the museum explores the role that shoes play in fairy tales, myths and legends, which are very often centred around shoes and cobblers, as wearing shoes has historically been seen as a sign of wealth and power. The Amazing Shoemaker - Fairy Tales and Legends about Shoes and Shoemakers tells the life story of Salvatore Ferragamo, a personal history that already has all the essential ingredients of a fairy tale. It is an adventure that begins with a young boy’s passion for an age old trade, lessons learned from other cobblers and our hero’s travels to a distant land where shoes hold fascinating and mysterious powers.
The focus of this exhibition has stirred the interest of a number of writers and artists in myriad disciplines, who have enthusiastically contributed to the project with their own works of art.They include experts in children’s literature like Antonio Faeti and Michele Rak; film historians like Alessandro Bernardi, and writers and poets like Hamid Ziarati, Michele Mari and Elisa
Biagini who have written new fairy tales specifically for this project, with illustrations by Michela Petoletti and Francesca Ghermandi. In addition, renowned composer Luis Bacalov
has written original music for the exhibition overture, while young photographers Simona Ghizzoni and Lorenzo Cicconi Massi, together with expert photographer Arrigo Coppitz, have
photographed Salvatore Ferragamo shoes in fairy tale settings.
The participation of so many artists has led to a unique and magical portrayal of the world of shoes in which Annette Lemieux’s work of art, entitled Messenger, is compared to the myth of Mercury, while the artwork by Carol Rama is seen as a more extreme version of Cinderella and Daniel Spoerri’s work is compared to Hop-o’-My-Thumb.Other artists have chosen to create new art inspired by various fairy tales: Liliana Moro looked to Donkey Skin; Ann Craven to Cinderella, Puss in Boots, Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz; Timothy Greenfield-Sanders to The Wizard of Oz; Liu Jianhua to Cinderella; and Jan Svankmajer to The Red Shoes.
An entire section of the exhibition is devoted to the sculptures and drawings of Mimmo Paladino. This artist, from Italy’s Campania region, has collaborated on an original animated
story with writer and comedian Alessandro Bergonzoni, author of a visionary tale. We could not, of course, leave out a modern form of storytelling: the comic. Frank Espinosa the creator
of famous comics like Rodcenko - has penned the illustrated story of Salvatore Ferragamo’s adventures.
Finally, two short films complete the project. In the first, directed by the Italian director,Francesco Fei, the shoe is cast as an essential part of the hero’s accoutrements, needed for his
travels into the kingdom of the dead, as in the tales of Native Americans. The second is an animated short inspired by an episode in the life of young Salvatore Ferragamo, created
by two masters of fantasy film: Mauro Borrelli, the storyboard artist for hit films like The Adventures of Baron Münchausen by Terry Gilliam and Dracula by Francis Ford Coppola, and
Rick Heinrichs, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow.The exhibition will also include rare volumes from the National Libraries of Rome and Florence and the Marciana in Venice, as well as the priceless manuscript by Federico García Lorca, La zapatera prodigiosa, on display for the first time in Italy.There will also be masterpieces of art, including Giambologna’s sculptures of Mercury, god of the winged sandals, from major Italian and international museums.
To discover more about "White Shoe", one of these short movies, showcasing the ever surprising story o
Shopaholics’ Switzerland unveiled in this month’s Condé Nast Traveller India Switzerland Specia
Updated on 18th Apr, 2013
Switzerland is often depicted in popular media as a land of endless snow-capped hills, chocolates and watches. But there is more to this beautiful country, especially when it comes to fashion and sartorial ingenuity.
Few people associate Switzerland with well-priced designer labels. But this tiny alpine country is home to a number of outlet malls selling a wide variety of Swiss and international brands. From fine Italian Prada shoes to Louis Vuitton bags, you’ll find every conceivable luxury brand here at very attractive prices. Shopping in Switzerland may not necessarily burn a hole in your pocket, provided you visit the right stores and malls.
This month, Condé Nast Traveller India has introduced a Switzerland special issue, filled with these lesser known facts and information about the beautiful country. One of these stories lists out places in Switzerland that are a must visit for all we fashionistas.
Here are some excerpts from story on the six best Swiss outlet shopping malls
1) Designer Outlet Landquart
What: This charming outdoor mall has more than 100 chalet-style outlet stores and is open every day of the week. Take your pick from over 130 local and international designer stores, all in a pristine mountain setting.
Where: Landquart, also known as Alpenrhein Village
Close to: Zürich, a 60-minute drive away
International labels: Boggi Milano, Arfango, Max Mara and Miss Sixty
Swiss labels: Victorinox and Wenger
Shopper service: The outlet’s Information Centre provides further discount vouchers to shoppers. And if you’re carrying a lot of luggage, you can choose to deposit your belongings in one of Landquart’s lockers.
CNT tip: Designer Outlet Landquart is pet-friendly, so leashed canines are welcome.
2) Fashion Fish Premium Factory Outlet
What: A former Bally factory, this indoor mall has over 37 designer shops featuring last season’s gems at low prices.
Where: Schönenwerd, in Aargau canton
Close to: Zürich, a 30-minute drive away
International labels: Tod’s, YSL and Boss
Swiss labels: Beldona and Zimmerli
Shopper service: Fashion Fish has a dedicated nursery on Saturdays, from 11am to 5pm, where you can drop off the kids while you shop in peace. If you’re going on any other day, you can let them loose in the
outlet’s playground.
CNT tip: Take a break from all the shopping by relaxing in the Fashion Fish lounge with a strong, European-style coffee from the Il Cappuccino café.
3) Bally Factory Outlet
What: Just down the street from the Fashion Fish Premium Factory Outlet, this store offers discounted shoes, bags, belts, wallets and scarves from the Swiss brand.
Where: Schönenwerd, in Aargau canton
Close to: Zürich, a 30-minute drive away
For more information grab your copy of the latest Condé Nast Traveller India Switzerland Special issue, which hits the stands tomorrow.
