Affair(s) to Remember...

The national express coaches are not just a mode of transport for me anymore, especially when it comes to the route M1. My usual companions on this route are a pair of headphones, my E63 and Youtube! Considering my past records of having missed the coaches by being late or by booking the wrong ticket and even worst by printing out an old expired ticket; it was a proud moment for me to have reached the coach station 15 minutes before the departure time.

Airports, coach stations, railway platforms; anything to do with picking up or seeing off has played cupid in my love life since day one. I guess it’s just the feeling of going away that pumps up all the love you ever had for your partner! Well, there I was, Coventry coach station, a place that always makes me think, ‘Oh how in love am I!’
 

The coach driver requested the passengers to fasten the seat belts and off we were! As I switched to my travel companions and lured myself to my latest obsession with ‘Aaj Din Chadiya’, I couldn’t get that face off my eyes, those eyes though hidden behind his Ray Bans made me speechless, the hug before I boarded the bus..! As the coach moved away from him, I felt uneasy at the prospect of leaving him behind. I shifted impatiently in my seat and gazed back from every possible angle to take one last look at his silhouette that faded away into the background.

As I passed the sheep rearing on calm fields with the bright clear sky above and with ‘Aaj Din Chadiya’ playing in a loop, I dreaded the thought of getting to London without him. Two hours twenty minutes later, after having crossed the borders of London, I smiled and looked around and told myself, “I miss him but I have a confession to make, I LOVE LONDON, I missed the city and if that means I’m cheating on him with the city of London.. Then…. Ahem!” ;)

DG

The thoughts of a wannabe Fashion Critic

I woke up this morning and decided it was going to be a great day!  The sunlight poured in through every crevice and bounced off my black patent heels. The Miss Sixty dress I was going to wear that evening was laid out neatly beside the “Bitten” by Sarah Jessica Parker jacket that went so well with it! A leisurely shower and the customary steaming mug of coffee later, I started to get dressed. It was 3.00 pm and I was an hour early (for the first time ever!). But I couldn’t wait to get out of the house and be on the move. 

The thrill of watching a London College of Fashion (LCF) grad show was giving me wheels beneath my feet. I walked with a spring in my step and felt a strange sense of anticipation and restlessness. The BA (Hons) Fashion Design Technology students were graduating and I had been invited by a friend to witness the debut of tomorrow’s Chanels and Schiaparellis (or should I say McQueens and McCartneys?) 

The show was due to begin at 5.00 pm and I found myself at the doors to the university an hour earlier! Why Tejasvi! This is a major improvement for someone who arrived an hour late for her first ever job interview! Anyhoo, after an hour of waiting patiently (which required me to summon all the strength I didn’t know I had) we were ushered into the Rootstein Hopkins Space – the venue for the fashion show. People poured into the hall by the dozen and took their seats in less than 5 minutes (I know! :O) After the usual “Switch off your mobile phones” announcement, the lights were dimmed and there was a slight murmur in the audience. People shifted in their seats, a few whispers flew around the room and a couple of mobile phones vibrated audibly. But once Chicane blasted through the speakers, all sings of restlessness and impatience disappeared. The catwalk lit up with focus lights and out strutted the models one by one, their strides matching the rhythm of the beats. Here are a few of my personal observations from the show (in no particular order):

1. Indian model are leagues ahead of the western ones! In terms of body language, poise, walk, ramp attitude, the body itself and the way they customise and change their walk and posture according to the outfit they wear to better enhance the elements of that particular outfit. They take the business of “modelling” very seriously! After watching the weak, expressionless zombies on catwalk today, I feel proud to have been associated with the Indian modelling industry, if only for a short while.

2. Even models have cellulite‼ Yes it’s true. So don’t worry about the slight dimples on your thighs, girls! Chin up and pull out those shorts for the summer. You’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about!

3. LCF is no great shakes. NIFT is as good, probably better, in the education imparted and the quality of students it churns our year after year. Some of the collections were so poorly finished, I wanted to cry for the designer! At one point, I distinctly remember having a strong urge to grab the garment off the catwalk and sit down with a needle and thread for a long session of hemming and slip stitches! I think the NIFT professors are doing as good a job and we NIFTians should be very proud of our roots.

4. Watch out for Trisha Saklecha, my friend and an upcoming fashion designer. One of the most brilliant young designers I’ve had the good fortune to meet. Her collection made a small part of me want to go back to the drawing board – a very small part of me :) 

5. Although a majority of the show comprised low quality fabric and garment finishing, not to mention average designs and cheap accessories, the remainder of the show gave me the chance to witness some outstanding garment construction and use of fabric. Now that’s what I expected to see more of.

6. We Indians could take a page out of the fashion industry’s book here. The show started promptly at 5.00 pm, it was crisply managed and well organised, everyone followed the rules and there was no squabbling for seats or fighting over someone having stepped on your foot. They said it would last an hour and lo and behold! I found myself being ushered out the door at 6.05 pm. Impressive‼

7. I was aghast at the poor hair and makeup and the even worse lingerie of the models. Did no one tell them about stick-on silicon bras and nude thongs? A wedgie is not something I want to see on the catwalk!

8. Can I make a quick mention about the fabulous music used in the show? This time, a very big part of me wanted to jump out on the runway and join the models.

9. Looks like exaggerated shoulders and hips are here to stay.

10. Punk, studs, rivets, leather and bling just don’t work any more. Out the window I say!

11. Plaid – in any combination, size and weave – is done to death. Over and out.

12. Unexpected seams, pleats and draped construction are the direction garments need to be taken it. Gives a simple silhouette an interesting edge.

13. Go suede and chiffon‼ We could definitely see more of these fabrics.

14. Peek-a-boo elements are slowly creeping into simple styles for a touch of mischief.

15. Whatever happened to “dressing for the occasion”? There was a guy in denim shorts and trainers at the show today – IN THE FRONT ROW‼ No, that’s not cool!

16. Muddy, murky, dirtied versions of pastel colours are the hues to watch out for. So much more interesting than the done-to-death tones we see everywhere. 

I walked out with an inescapable sense of disappointment. As I munched on a tuna sandwich, I couldn’t help but wonder which of the designers from today would take a bow at the London Fashion Week soon! Hopefully I can write about that too, on a more professional scale!

P.S: Missed you Darshana – my fellow blogger and the other half of Clandestine Cigarettes.   

TD

Musings of a mind obsessed with la Mode

Snip, slash, sketches and seams

I close my eyes and there are reams and reams

Of tulle and silk and satin and organza

Oh the quirks of this world and all its wild extravaganza!

Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel

The apt sequel called Karl Lagerfeld

Those infamous pearls and the ubiquitous tweed suit

The little black dress and N^o.5 to boot!

Of supermodels and runway shows

30 second changes and backstage chaos

Viv Westwood on a bicycle without her knickers on

Those delectable monogrammed totes by Louis Vuitton

The must have red-soled Louboutins

Not fearing death as much as a deadly faux-pas!

Fashion week mayhem and the reviewer’s flak

“Sequins are in” and “black is the new black!!”

Of perfectly tailored Balance and Cue

And the funky insanity of Moschino and Miu Miu

Of avant garde and couture and prêt-a-porter

The trickle down theory and knocking off from net-a-porter!

Of McQueen’s ode to Isabella Blow

And Fall’s delicious gingham and Savile Row

Oh it’s a crazy world where bizarre meets chic

Where Dior coexists with London’s High Street

Where Lesley became Twiggy and Elle did really have “The Body”

And the vision of a winged angel will forever be Heidi

It gave us our Manolos and Salvatores

And a Quantum of Valaya with Miyake’s “Pleats Please!”

It’s the land of the dandy

Of fashionistas and eye candy

Of yards of taffeta and luscious organdy

Of front row divas and inimitable style icons

Of Chalayans and Sabyasachis and Saabs and Peacocks

I open my eyes and see it all around me

The smell of N^o.19 in the air and the feel of suede beneath my feet

The charm of this wonderland has everyone mesmerized

It’s where the dreams are born and even more realized

“Nothing is going right! Besides my personal life!”

That’s the first symptom of a Panic Attack. When everything is going just fine; your parents agree  to your relationship, a month’s successful work placement in London, an amazing getaway to the beach, lovely housemates, goodies from home and a whole lot of other things, you have to locate that free space in your head to scratch and complain, “Oh! That’s not going the way I wanted it to go!”

My fellow blogger, TD, addresses this as ‘Classic Human Nature.’ We love our positives but possibly love to worry about our negatives even more! And why not, when the negatives stand out like a sore thumb and loom large over your head like the sword of Damocles, you can’t help but focus your energies on it.

But that isn’t that case here! It’s not the negatives that bother me, it’s probably the lack of focus and direction that lead to the Panic Attack; note the presence of the word ‘probably’ when talking about focus and direction! Anyhoo, occasions like these make you wonder and wander but wander in today’s day and age is from one chat window to another! Just this afternoon I wondered how scholars successfully gained MAs and PhDs without the internet; while I, on the other hand, struggle to merely identify the ‘learning outcomes’ from my MA unit handbook!

The medications or therapy I used to get over and calm down after this panic attack were the regular brainstorming sessions with San and TD. That didn’t really seem to help, which is when I wrote this. This isn’t really helping yet either! But I guess I have now located that free space in my head...and that tells me, it’s time for COFFEE!!

The Lone Lavender

There it stood, gently swaying in the breeze

Proud and unafraid, with only the dry woods for company

Unaware of its dazzling charm

Oblivious to the admiration of its beauty

The cynosure of all eyes, strangely untouched and pure

With a blanket of innocence and an aura of allure

It was the object of everyone’s desire

Raw, wild and naïve

Welcoming the odd woodpecker, with doors open to its heart

Yet unmoved, immovable by the winds of change threatening to tear it apart

Refusing to bow to the temperaments of nature

It stood tall as they watched, mesmerised and enraptured

I turned around to see it fade in the distance

When it gently blushed amidst the mesh of thorny bushes

I sighed as I took in the scene

Of the winding path beyond the faraway, lone lavender tree…

Clandestine Cigarettes

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Late night coffees, Foamed and steaming , Bed time gossip, Non- stop giggles, Midnight styling and accessorization, Food for thought and thoughts about food, Haircuts and spa dreams, Nail colour and high heels, Totes and duffels and clutches and clings, Boxing boots, funky laces and strings, Lunchtime plans for dinner and breakfast dreams at supper, Backyard cappuccinos and Spanish omelettes with pepper, Budgeting panic attacks and future paranoia, Jet setting careers and spontaneous adventures, Escape to nowhere and wine and board games, A hop to the pub after prayer service sessions, A love affair with 141 and photography obsessions, Extreme narcissism disguised as cute, Super spicy stuff that makes them drool, No guilt about facebook addiction, "Can't get out of bed without 20 notifications!!", Bollywood drama or what we call "Hungama", Internet chatting across the same table, Nonstop texts and telepathic coincidences, Weight loss plans and early morning jogs, Plans that never took shape nor took off!, Collective job hunts and simultaneous applications, Clandestine cigarettes - no apprehensions or reservations, Sex talks, Inner secrets, Wedding plans, Marriage skepticism, Endless wait for Mr.Right, Bli and San, All nighters, Fresh toast with butter, Fish n Chips, KFC wings, Vegas mansions, Spur-of-the-moment Sambucas....Yata Yata Yata Yata.....Welcome to our world!