Does every end lead to a new beginning??

Now, this is the first post which is coming straight from my phone! Couldn't wait to get home to write about what I'm feeling at this point!

Two and a half months passed by in a click.. That's what I'm feeling now! Where? At a place we call The VATICAN.. The London headquarters of the heritage luxury fashion label, Burberry! Yes, my resume shines with the presence of Burberry on it. I've touched, handled and worked with the Spring Summer 2011 collection samples before the ramp saw it, before Vogue saw it, before the world saw IT!! Christopher Bailey was a part of my day to day conversations and not just a mere occurrence in magazines or internet! Like, "Christopher might come down to the showroom to choose the jackets for the Milan show", or "Christopher is just back from New York and is looking for that particular shoe for the walk through!!" Whoa..

Source: www.burberrycareers.com

And today I am very close to saying goodbye to this prestigious institution.. I'm heading towards the end of my work contract! :(

I can't forget the first day when I stepped into this Vatican, elevated with thrill and excitement; the first time I set foot in the showroom, gazing at the accessories wanting to pinch myself to believe and be assured, "Yes its true, I am looking at the Spring Summer 2011 collection, one full year in advance!!" 

The amplifications of my heartbeats, when my hands first browsed through the Bible: the look book for the season went beyond control. My eyes sparkled when I was issued an ID card on a Burberry header! I so don't want to give it back.

Excusez moi for the bad image quality!

The Visual Merchandising, the mannequins, the Prorsum, London and Brit, the fabrics and trims, the ambience and music, a chance to flip through the Look Book on the fancy iPad, only cried out LUXURY! Wait, luxury doesn't end here, a first hand experience on helping the Prince and Princess of Bahrain shop for this collection (which hasn't even hit the ramp, leave alone the stores), who not only bought Burberry for themselves but also for their unborn baby...Ahem! Does anyone have a better example of luxury? ;)

THAT is the Vatican aka HFH!

Well, in a nutshell, everyone who's making a living from and for fashion will yearn to be associated with a label like Burberry. I only dreamt of being a part of maybe Burberry, Dior, Chanel or Prada before I came to London and let's be honest, London will seldom let you down! You get what you dream of!!

Confession: I don't want to say Good Bye, maybe bubye for now sounds much better. See you soon HFH (that's how the infamous Burberry, HorseFerry House is addressed!) ;)

Much Love 

DG for CC
x

Fashion Topics

La Mode, Movida and more..

What?

A private fashion show featuring young, upcoming designers. A debut of sorts.

Where and when?

Movida – A prestigious Celebrity and Private Members Nightclub in the heart of London i.e., Argyll Street, off Oxford Street. Thursday 17 June 2010.

Movida

Why?

Well, it’s important to applaud and encourage budding talent!

What did CC wear?

(Now don’t roll your eyes. This is an important question! You’ve gotta be well dressed if you’re invited to cover the event. Also, we like them shoes, around which we plan our outfits *winks*)

CC, Outside Movida

What was CC’s opinion of the show?

(Are you surprised we feel the need to express our opinion? Well, that’s our job, innit?! Also, that’s what we were invited there for!  *Wide grin*)

The venue worked. It was the right backdrop for a young, vibrant show (although the *ahem* slightly expensive drinks did shake us up a little bit). The compere worked. She provided the right amount of humour and spontaneous wisecracks that the event required. It also helped that she was dressed to kill! The music was the clear winner again! They always get it right. Always.

The models required some fine tuning. But then, when have we been satisfied with the models. *sigh* Bring back the Jesse Randhawas and the Bhavna Sharmas!!

Anyhoo, getting back to the fashion aspect of it all. The designers deserved a pat on their backs for a complete collection (shoes, makeup, hairstyles etc al). The show started with a boom and out walked the models in cupcake printed tutus and balloon shorts and pretty dresses. 

Chantal Gibbs-Jones

Chantal Gibbs-Jones

The collection was cohesive in terms of theme and infused some humour into the clothes. Of course, if it weren’t for the show-opening model, it would have lacked that zing. She came out with an air of arrogance blended with innocence. Good job girl! Chantal Gibbs-Jones, the designer took a bow amidst thunderous applause. Wish the cupcake print was used in a more creative way though. The collection left us asking some questions. Although overall, great going!

The rest of the evening gave us the chance to witness some innovative ideas and some unsuccessful attempts. A special mention has to be made of Kerry Knowles. Now this young lady, the recipient of several awards including Best Womenswear Designer of the Year 2007 at the UK Urban Fashion Awards, blew us away by her concept. Her collection (called Permutation) revolved around the concept of clothing that could be worn by women and men, with certain changes in the way it’s worn.

Kerry Knowles

Kerry Knowles

When the collection was introduced, we were all intrigued and started craning our necks to see what we were in for. We weren’t too disappointed with this one. Extremely interesting and she appeared to have given it a lot of grey matter. There were male and female models to do complete justice to the theme. After all, we had to see how a man’s vest could be worn by a woman or how a skirt would find place on the male form! So thumbs up! We like you Kerry!

The other designers showed lingerie and more womenswear collections.

Leeanne Ripley-Garret

Leeanne Ripley-Garret with her finale ensemble

Rae-Emily Smith's "My Fair Lady Lingerie"

All in all, a compact, well organized evening of drinks, fashion and lots of networking.

Much love,

CC

CC's not-so-clandestine narcissism

CLANDESTINE’S DAY OUT AT THE IPLFW – Volume 3

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Yes yes…before you wear a stunned expression at the sudden realisation of the Clandestine Cigarettes as to the third (and final) volume of the IPLFW series, let me just say it is you who prompted this delay. Our throats are sore from asking for comments on the blog. Our fingers refuse to type out “read, comment, follow” any more and our minds can’t seem to come up with any more ways of saying “comment on the blog please!” Instead, we get comments and feedback and reviews and mails in our Facebook inboxes and email ids *rolls eyes*. What good is that, I ask! Anyhoo, since my brain is growing cobwebs from not having written in eons, I decided to end my hibernation and finally brighten the CC page! So here goes, the grand finale of the IPLFW trilogy!! Woohoo! And I can proudly say, it is definitely worth the wait.

Presenting…a rendezvous with GayatriKhanna, Rocky S and LinaTipnis!!! Yes, we met them. Yes, we touched those beautiful clothes. Yes, they gave us a minute of their precious time (actually 30) and took us through the tedious, yet fulfilling process of getting their designs ready for the IPLFW.

Here are excerpts from the Gayatri Khanna and Rocky S interviews and a short review of the understated elegance of Lina Tipnis’ show.

Gayatri Khanna

A simply clad lady walked past us and it took us a minute to realise it was the lady herself! The humility was refreshing (especially since some of the young guns have an inexplicable air of arrogance!). We walked up to her, introduced ourselves and found her to be extremely warm and friendly. All we had to do was ask to be shown a couple of samples and that happened to be the equivalent of an “open sesame” to the entire range of the season, complete with inspiration, mock-ups, fabric detail and design team orientation! Whoa!!

So her collection was a wonderful mix of deep tones and prints that were variegated and experimented upon through use of motifs and surface ornamentation techniques. Divided into three segments based on main print ideas, the range consisted of fantastic permutations and combinations of the dominant motif. Therefore, a geometric motif in a tessellation print was turned and twisted around. In certain places, the lines were picked up with sequins and beads, in other cases colour variations added the necessary highlight. Orange and brown, red-burgundy-black and finally purples were the main stories.

A Beautiful play of colours by Gayatri Khanna; psst.. That is Gayatri herself showing CC each garment!!

Cut-work, drape, play of seams and surface technique experimentation were the selling points of the show. What stole the show, however, was the use of pure silk jersey. Aah! The lush feel of the fabric!! I felt like resting my head against it and letting it take me into a deep, peaceful slumber! Kudos to Gayatri Khanna for refusing to bow to the market dynamics which most designers fall prey to. When one doesn’t let costs threaten the quality of the design, one is indeed on the right path. (Pardon the sentimental discourse, but I get a little carried away when it comes to garment detail). Ms.Khanna is famous for her “western” designs, but what was commendable was how effortlessly she blended her roots with her inspirations. The result? A stunning collection that was the perfect representation of an Indian designer’s work in the “west.”

Cut-work tunic by Gayatri Khanna 

It was a pleasure to meet you Gayatri! Keep up the sincere work :-)

Rocky S

What comes to mind when you think of Rocky S? Funk, jazz, confidence, Bollywood and femininity with an underlying desire to cross over to androgyny? His collection lived up to all these expectations and managed to surprise at the same time. A cool dude that he is, his collection reflected some of his charisma and brought out the subtle glamour of the movie world he so proudly belongs to. Utterly approachable and yet slightly intimidating at the same time, Rocky was extremely enthusiastic about the idea of his work being written about by the Clandestine Cigarettes. He gave us detailed answers  to all our questions and also shared his contact details in case we had any more questions. What a darling! (The next time please give us a free dress, Rocky!)

So Rocky’s collection revolved around the “authentic quintessence of lavishness”. In his own words, the collection was “an affluent zenith of rich and sumptuous lehengas, graceful saris, chudidhar kurtas with a modern twist and lavish sherwanis”. It was quite evidently based on varied inspirations from around the world and very quite well received from what we could see. One more season at the IPLFW, and it will be lapped up by the buyers.

Rocky was apparently approached by Idea Weavers (the event coordinators) and by his own admission, instantly agreed to be part of it. And why not? The perks are fantastic global exposure and the chance to spread your wings in the international market. Plus since there is a huge demand for Indian clothes in the so called “western” world, this is a wonderful platform to connect with them on a personal level. Good thinking Rocky! And given a chance, he would love to participate in London Fashion Week as well. Who wouldn’t! Think of all the buyers under one roof!

So thumbs up to Rocky S for a successful stink at the IPLFW! Good going man!

Lina Tipnis

What a show! What a collection! Made us forget about the pathetic models and the completely immersed our minds in the Turkish delights that the range was inspired from. 

So with Istanbul as theme, one would expect yawn inducing details, a predictable palette and a tired-looking range of blues and whites. But she took Istanbul and turned it around on its head. What followed was a refreshing array of gaucho pants, draped constructions stitched into place, small, fine detailing, beautifully placed embroidery and surface ornamentation and a cool summer palette consisting beige, off white, gold, teal, brown and of course turquoise with red accents. Gold criss-cross patterned footwear added the perfect finishing touch to the simple, minimalistic collection. It was much admired and extremely well received by the London audience. It had to be! It was a wonderful end to the perfect day at the IPLFW!

We left from there assured of a good future to the Indian fashion industry in the “west”. The new designers showed ample promise; the veterans paved the way for a secure place in the London market. Here’s to being invited to more such events!!

Much love,

CC

CLANDESTINE’S DAY OUT AT THE IPLFW – Volume 2

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GenNext and more…

The rest of the GenNext show was mediocre (and I’m being lenient). Some of the garments displayed took our breath away by the sheer lack of design sense while some others comprised such cheap fabric and surface ornamentation that we were left appalled (and slightly irritated). Ok, to be fair, there was a tiny part of the show that did feature wonderful style trends that had a lot of potential to be tapped. Let me take a quick moment to mention two designers (not GenNext) who not only showed fabulous collections but also were a pleasure to interact with after the show. Warm, welcoming, humble and extremely patient with all the questions and small talk we put them through…I’m kidding! Clandestine Cigarettes make for wonderful company‼ Anyhoo, I hope they remain the same a few years down the line when they’re hotshot designers showing in Selfridges.

So Ankyra by Priyanka Kakkar was a treat to the eyes starved for fine design sensibility. TEAL TEAL TEAL! She took the hottest colour of the blue-green palette and used it in stunning fabric to retain (and nourish) the richness of the colour. Velvets provided the classic touch to an already royal collection and there was an interesting combination of surface ornamentation and draping, of creative pattern making and play of seams in simple shift silhouettes.

She made a smart decision to avoid accessories altogether. The garments were left to speak for themselves and that’s what was required!

Two thumbs up to Priyanka Kakkar! I guess the NIFT language spoke loud and clear (errm yeah I forgot to mention the tiny fact about her being a NIFT Delhi alumnus). 

Raman Vij was an absolute darling! Shy and humble, and one of THE most brilliant knitwear designers we’ve met (and we know what we’re talking about, as ahem…we’re knitwear designers from NIFT Mumbai ourselves :D) His flat knit structures had us wondering what commands he used on the knitwear machines to have them belt out such mindblowing knit-purl designs. He combined knits with woven fabric to create stunning patterns in (again) simple silhouettes. Get the drift guys? Keep the silhouette simple‼ Anyway, three cheers to Raman Vij. 

Some of the other labels on display were Soltee (wannabe exquisite), Timsy (wannabe western…why Timsy, why?), Arti Vijaygupta (Nice garments, no cohesion in the collection..ergo, not a “collection”) and Mohit Dochania (Kitsch! Manish Arora! Mohammad Ali Road fabric! Bhendi Bazaar trims! But an honest effort...:-D)

Soltee, IPLFW May 2010

Left: One of the looks from Timsy's collection.

Above: Spotted a HOT footwear trend at the same show.

ArtiVijay Gupta and Mohit at IPLFW, May 2010

I wanted to write so much more! I wanted to write the quintessential fashion critique analysing in detail the designs, the shows, the models, the music, the style trends spotted and the merchandise on display. I wanted to talk more about the guests, the organisation of the fashion event and the general management of the event held in what is considered one of the fashion capitals of the world. I wanted to tell you more about the designers and their inspirations and ideas. There was so much I wanted to share with you about Clandestine’s day at the IPLFW but the one fact that stood out from the rest and blurred my objectivity toward the rest of the event is how Indian fashion is still struggling for an identity amongst all the so-called “evolved” fashion leaders of the global industry. We went to the IPLFW and saw some marvellous talent and some who were trying to make a mark. We saw some who were proud of their roots and refused to buy into the “When in Rome” syndrome, and then some who tried their hand at western tailoring and ended up in no-man’s-land with neither western nor Indian construction/elements of design/fabric/styling/design interpretation and execution. We couldn’t help shake off the feeling that the Indian fashion industry should stop trying to fight for acceptance in the western world. We have all the talent and resources we need (probably more) and we can definitely hold our own in the global fashion industry.

TD*DG

CLANDESTINE’S DAY OUT AT THE IPLFW – Volume 1

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Clandestine Cigarettes proudly presents….*Drum Roll* ….a detailed account of the IPLFW‼ *Applause*. We went, we saw, we came away with mixed feelings. Yes we were tres happy to have been invited by our good friends, the Mapxencars, who were showing their collection, for the first time ever, on foreign shores. Yes, we loved the fact that the Indian fashion industry seemed to be getting bigger and (wish I could say better) bolder in terms of experimenting with a foreign market and trying to make its presence felt with minimal press coverage and media buzz. We liked the fact that a prime location in the heart of the city (Holborn, Southampton Row) was chosen as the venue of the first ever season of the Indian Premier London Fashion Week (actually 3 days). And finally, it was admirable that such a new body of the fashion industry was giving young, fledgling designers the chance to expand their wings and capture an international audience even before their teething stage in India had ended. Two thumbs up for courage and a pat on the back for encouraging new talent. So here’s what we thought about the whole event (starting with, of course, the Mapxecars‼) and then the rest of the day at the Bloomsbury Ballroom, Victoria House, Southampton Row, London.

mapxecaRS by Riddhi & Siddhi

These identical twin sisters are as different as chalk and cheese when it comes to personal style and personalities (for lack of a better word). But as a team, they’re perfect together. They understand each other’s design language and give each other enough creative space so that ultimately, as a label, the mapxencaRS come up with something they believe in and love! That is the commitment that was blatantly on display at the IPLFW GenNext show.

The sisters looked to one of the world's most renowned architects - Daniel Libeskind - for inspiration. A little background on the architect for the uninitiated - some of Daniel's best work includes such symbolic structures as the Jewish Museum in Berlin, Imperial War Museum in Manchester, the Spiral extension to the V & A Museum in London and master development of WTC.

The mapxencaRS used the theory of deconstruction (or what they called “deconstructionism…WHAAT‼ C’mon sistahs! That’s not even a word) and gave it a twist in fashion language through garment construction and draping techniques. Result? A very interesting play of seams twisted and stitched down to form mindboggling structures of lines and curves (good theme interpretation, innit?) Their palette comprised black in combination with grays, electric blue and a sprinkling of a range of pinks. The metallic edge (that defines Daniel’s work) was provided by silver.

The entire collection was cohesive in terms of theme interpretation. Kudos to them for maintaining harmony in the elements of design and experimenting with various construction techniques! However, maybe there was too much of a good thing in the collection? Too many elements together crowded the tiny area in the mini dresses. Additionally, there was one panel too many in some of the ensembles. However, the simple silhouette saved the day.

I have to make a special mention of the deadly diva that Siddhi was on ramp. Totally overshadowed the models! And Riddhi’s personality shone through the tiny black dress and engulfed the ramp atmosphere. Such a pleasure to watch these girls on ramp! A breath of fresh air when compared to the jeans-sneakers clad designers taking a bow at the end of a show while furiously chewing on gum.

After the show, the mapxencaRS gave us the chance to see them in action at their stall. Interacting with buyers, networking with potential clients, discussing business matters and generally being the entrepreneurs and proud owners of an already successful label. Gave us great pleasure to see our goofy friends from college transformed into serious business partners and we couldn’t help but be happy for their success.

Keep up the good work nos amies! We’re proud of you girls!

TD*DG

The symptoms of Ageing

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I opened one eye at a time. The distant sound of a clock ticking in an otherwise silent room. Disorientation. Confusion. A mild ache in my bones. Stiff feet. Cold panic! I jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom mirror. Do I see wrinkles?! Oh no‼ I took a quick look at the back of my hands. Oh my God‼ I see veins. Green, prominent, protruding and mocking me as if to say “You old hag!” Nooo‼ It’s not the 9^th of May! I can’t be 25‼ I’ve crossed over to the dark side now. I’m in the silver club and time seems to be flying at the speed of light! To quote Joey Tribbiani (F.R.I.E.N.D.S) , “Why God why! Why are you doing this to us!” Ok breathe. Of course I’m being a total drama queen, imagining wrinkles and visible veins! I’m turning into a hypochondriac! Wait, is hypochondria a sign of old age? Stop it Tej! Breathe again. Relax. Rewind to 48 hours earlier. Smile. :-)

It’s 6 am and we’re all gorging on delicious potato curry and rice. We’re all partied out and my feet still hurt from all the dancing and the 45 minute walk to Marble Arch for the night bus home.

Darshana’s making potato curry and rice and desperately trying to persuade me to eat and then go to bed. But I’m old and tire easily. I just want to change into comfortable pyjamas and go to bed.

Santosh in between hiccups says “My grandmother told me to think of a random number and match it to a letter in the alphabet. So when you have hiccups, the person whose name begins with that letter is thinking of you really hard!” It’s funny how such random, juvenile talk can take your mind off the long, tedious journey home. My feet still hurt. Damn those uncomfortable heels!

Oh when will the bus come?! It’s 2.47 am and N207 should be at the stop any time now. I’m still smiling from the lovely party and sulking over the aging process at the same time.

I’m in Miami Biiitch! Oh how I love this song! And this was the third time it was being played! Does the DJ know it’s my birthday? I check my watch and smile. It still IS my birthday‼ Woohoo! So what if there are only 15 minutes to go? I’m still on the border separating youth from wannabe youth. I look around and see Darsh doing the “goin down low” competition with Pinca. Oops! Pinca spilled her drink AND Darshana’s! Everyone else was having a great time and dancing away to the wonderful music! I loved how all my friends came together to celebrate. Overwhelming and extremely touching.

We’re late! We were supposed to be at the FunkyBuddha at 10 and were on the way to the tube station at 9.45 pm‼ But would that prevent us from posing for pictures at the bus stop? No sir! Out comes the camera. Pose. Click. Flash. Change of pose.

Anne and Tabea come in singing “Happy Birthday” and what’s this? My gifts‼ Woop Woop! A beautiful lavender potted plant, a box of chocolates, a gorgeous top and a beautifully written note in a card. Aww‼ I was so touched.

It was 4.00 pm. SO many things to do! 8 hours to go before I get a hunchback and need a walking stick! I rushed to the temple (another sign of old age?) and made a few calls on the way to fix plans for the night. I hadn’t a clue where we would be going, who would be coming and what I would be wearing! Ok no, I did have a clue about the last bit. I found peace at the temple. Prayed and thanked God for everything He’s given me so far. I truly was grateful.

I woke up smiling. I loved the sound of 8^th May. I loved how the previous night (errm morning had ended). We bowled like maniacs and laughed half our guts out. Darsh and I had sore throats from the fake Brit accent we had put on most of the night. Happy to entertain people on the bus ride home.

Yes! Gutterballs‼ Darsh and I made the perfect team. We had won the second round (backwards‼) :-D A quick photograph with the bouncer, a quick groove to Sean Paul and an even quicker round of photographs later, we were ready to call it a night..errm day (it was 3.00 am)

Oh my God‼ Is that a cake?? I couldn’t believe my eyes! Aww! My friends had a cake for me! I was so pleasantly surprised and elated at the same time, I couldn’t help bouncing around (Gajare,2010) with happiness!

Annnnd it’s midnight! We were on the 105 to Airport Bowl and my silver had arrived on the bus ride to the bowling alley. Memorable indeed! Lovely cards and a cheesy (but cute) “Birthday Girl” badge ,  hugs, kisses and a barrage of phone calls. :-D

Click. Click. Pose. Pose. I was ready to leave for the bowling alley. Darsh had styled my look and how‼ :-* for her. BTW, she looked like a million bucks as well! 

Friday, the 7^th. It’s my birthday weekend‼ Darsh had already started wishing me. In fact, I was woken up with “Get out of bed. Only 14 and a 1/2 hours to go‼” That made an impact…2 hours later :-P

Ok I feel better now. I can breathe. The past 48 hours had been unforgettable indeed. A long , nonstop party, wonderful friends and a lifetime supply of memories. Who cares about being 25? That’s not so bad! I know I’m never going to be 30 because WE (looking up threateningly at my friend above) have a new deal (quoting Joey Tribbiani again).

TD