milgayi style diary

Meet & Greet Accessory Designer – Suhani Pittie

This is the accessory section of our Meet & Greet Designers from Lakme Fashion Week Spring Summer 2011.  Meet Hyderabad based accessory designer Suhani Pittie.  A lot has been said about her exceptional artistic endeavors.  Suhani is best known for creating fabulous pieces of jewelry from hardware materials such as steel, copper, brass, plastic and plated copper. Her collection for LFW SS 2011 “Urban Folk” is an impersonation of transitional landscapes of her hometown on jewelry. The styling is strong, funky  and art nouveau.  Suhani often refers her jewelry as “wearable art”. 

 
What I love about her work is how unconventionally Indian the look is and how one collection is amazingly different from the others but still retains her signature touch. More with Suhani:

Inspiration for this collection – This collection is mostly a reflection of what’s going on in Hyderabad at the moment, in terms of the city undergoing a massive makeover where newness and globalization is taking place at all corners of the city. 

 
Accessory Trends for 2011 –Accessories should have a bit of everything in them be it bold color, a strong personality, a sense of humor or a vintage look – one should have fun with their jewelry and accessories, then the whole ensemble becomes interesting.

Favorite Designers – I love the work of Stella McCartney.

Future Plans – Our agenda for this year is to ramp up our already highly successful e-commerce business. 

 
You can find more of her work here.  Psst:– Her sister is renowned fashion designer Anamika Khanna. No wonder, artistic style be it jewelry or fashion runs in this family for sure.

Meet & Greet Designer – Malini Agarwalla of Malaga bags

Brasil…la la la la la la!!! Incase you missed the Carnivale this year, you could still take home a souvenir via Malini Agarwalla`s bags, more famously known as ‘Malaga Bags’ – known for their superbly handcrafted jeweled encrusted bags and clutches, these bags are worth collectors’ items.  I recently caught up with the charming designer at Lakme India Fashion week and had a heart-to-heart conversation as to what makes her tick.

 
Tell us a bit about yourself – Well, I`m a Bombay based handbag and accessory designer.  I have done my MBA in Finance and a decade ago, I started designing bags and accessories which is something I am very passionate about.  I thoroughly enjoy what I do. My education helps me to keep the balance and not to get carried away creatively.

Inspiration for this collection – This year, my Spring/Resort collection is inspired by the Brazilian Carnivale which is going on at the moment.  I wanted to surprise myself and do something different all together. This collection is full of vibrant bags, neck pieces and hair accessories adorned with feathers, masks, sequins, beads, corals and turquoises.

 
What mediums of jewelry do you love working with?  Pearls are my absolute favorite.  Though I try to use different elements in every collection, but I often find myself veering towards them.

What inspires you to design a new collection?  Well, it could be anything; a place, I recently visited, a great novel, street fashion.  Small innate things inspire me.

 
Favorite Designers -  Carlos Falchi for their skins and Lulu Guinness for their style.

Future plans – I’m essentially a bag designer and after embellishing so many bags, we have ventured into designing jewelry (which I love) and I’m also getting into designing footwear as well. So it’s all three falling well together.

 

Meet & Greet Designer - Nachiket Barve at LFW SS 2011

It was such a pleasure to have met so many talented people at Lakme India Fashion Week. In the midst of all the chaos, I was delighted to have had a couple of one-on-one sessions with some of the designers.  One of my favorites, whom I spotted, at LFW was Nachiket Barve and I simply had to go up to the guy and chat with him.

Bombay based designer Nachiket launched his label at Lakme GenNext platform way back in 2007. In a short span of time, he has grown his signature label to an astonishing brand that supplies stunning ensembles to numerous boutiques in India and abroad.  He has dressed the who’s who of Bollywood from Aishwarya to Sonam Kapoor and Jaya Bachchan. He has definitely come a long way and is currently one of India`s hottest young designers. Here are snippets from our chat with him.

 
 USP of your clothes - Our collections come from the idea of being effortlessly chic.  We create fashion ensembles that become wardrobe collectibles over time. Our designs can be worn by anyone on the planet – they are boundary less and timeless. The garments have a strong essence of India but they are not ethnic.

Your Inspirations - Everything inspires me.  I think creativity is a state of mind. For me, nature is a strong reference point. Hailing from a family of doctors, I grew up reading National Geographic and Reader’s Digest so I have a non conventional spin on fashion, although I`m a devotee of old world haute couture.

  
The Nachiket Woman – She is somebody who understands design, who has a real life and and who can put her signature style to our designs.

Favorite Designers – Historically, I love the modernity of Coco Chanel. I think she was ahead of her time.  The rigueur of Balenciaga and the femininity of old Givenchy.

Future Plans – "Que sera sera…"

Tête-à-Tête with Sabyasachi at LIFW SS 2011

Lakme India Fashion week maybe over but stay tuned as our updates from "Meet & Greet Designers" will be pouring in.  Unfortunately, I missed Sabyasachi`s show on Friday night but was still able to meet the man in person and ask him what was his collection at LIFW SS 2011 all about and here's what he had to say:

 
Your inspiration for this collection: This season, I did a collection based on a project I was working on, with Aircel (an Indian Telecom brand) on corporate social responsibility known as “Save our Tigers"; so my collections were inspired from the Royal Bengal Tigers of Sunderbans.  I took inspiration from the flora and fauna of Sunderbans, the way their women wear their saris, their bright eclectic prints.  The collection had quite a Bengal-Japanese feel to it.

 
What story do you wish to tell each time you design a collection & how do you give the signature Sabyasachi look to every collection? 

Since I`m a textile proud designer, I always try to incorporate Indian textiles and the rich heritage of Indian fabrics to all my collections and that’s the recurring theme and story of all my collections - always.

Who is the Sabyasachi woman: She is someone who is self proud, financially independent and not crazily attached to clothes.  She buys clothing not for the heck of it.

 
Your favorite designers : Dries Van Noten, Marc Jacobs

Your future plans : I’ve started designing jewelry and will soon extend my designs to bags and accessories.  I`m on the verge of completing my Bollywood commitments and focusing on completing my script. I`m planning to direct a film very soon. So lots going on...

 
All images courtsey www.lifestyle.in.msn.com

LIFW SS 2011 Grand Finale featuring Gauri Nainika

Yes, LIFW SS 2011 officially came to an end last evening with the Grand Finale of Gauri Nainika`s "Fantasy" collection.  All I can say that it was perfect ending to a fabulous show, with a dream like backdrop of a scene taken from "A Midsummer Night`s dream" with dancers on stilts which captivated the audience from the beginning to the end.  The collections inspired by Lakme's new color cosmetic line "Fantasy" consisted of one shoulder ruffled minis, cocktail and frilly dresses, satin & laced gowns, enormous tulle creations in soft summer hues of ivory,pink, green and yellow. What I loved about this collection were interesting details, original creations and romanticism at its peak. 

 
 
 
 

LIFW SS 2011 featuring Pria Kataaria Puri

The Queen of Luxury Resort Wear is back.  If you`ve got Marrakech on your mind, then you`ll love Pria Kataaria Puri`s collection.  Inspired by the exotic red city of Morocco, her collection "Marrakesh" is a traveller`s delight in all its fantasy.  Think of flying carpets and magical Arabian tales  told to you when you were a child. Inspired by the souks and deserts of the this exotic locale, Pria`s collections were absolutely magical.  Flowing kaftans,  maxi print dresses, gypsy saris and tunics, in luxurious silks, satins and chiffons in warm hues of apple green, mustard, tangerines, ivory and golden sand sashed down the runway. Pria added her signature glam factor through large doses of silk tassels, crystals. mirror work and unique Arabesque prints. 

 
 
 
 
 

LIFW SS 2011 featuring Anita Dongre

Anita Dongre`s 'Timeless' show last evening was another favorite of mine.  Her collections were cool, comfy and very wearable for perfect summer evenings.   Cool lehengas, brocade cholis, slightly embroidered saris, shimmering corset gowns and tunics teamed with loose pajamas or salwars, in summery shades of ecru, ivory, rose pink and baby yellow embellished with simple silver gota work were dominant in her collections.  A perfect ensemble for those sultry summer evenings..we like !!!

 

 
 

LIFW Spring/Summer 2011 featuring Siddhartha Tytler

One of my favorite shows from last evening was Siddhartha Tytler`s show.  This Delhi based designer made his debut collection for Spring Summer with an emphasis on metallics found in elements,colors and fabrics.  Sensuous mini dresses in lame,gold brocade, silk spandex and sequined embellished shifts and halter gowns in black, silver, gold and oxidized grey hit  the runway collections.  Fine detailing of crystals, crystal mesh and applique work was immaculately applied to all his creations.   With the eternally popular black and white splashed with metallic dazzle, Siddartha Tytler offered one of the most glamorous collections for the global cocktail circuit.

 
 
 

Lakme India Fashion week Spring/Summer 2010 featuring Manish Malhotra

Hola,  I`m in  one of my  favorite cities Mumbai, covering Lakme India Fashion week for Spring/Summer 2010.  I  got in yesterday and have missed some good shows..My bad for that..I regret missing Sabyasachi`s show from Friday night.  Anyways, here are updates from Manish Malhotra`s show last night.  Yes, I did get to meet the man in person.  I`ll put up pictures of that later.  For now, you can have a sneak peek at his collection.  As usual, romance, fluidity and delicacy domintated the runway collections.   His creations were displayed in soft pastel shades of ivory, aqua and baby blue resplendent with wonderful Chikankari and Kashmiri embroidery and a slight dash of sequins. 

 
 
 
 

So chic – Soigne K – New York`s Hautest Indian multi designer boutique!

This just came in. Last week, one of my friends based in New York went on a shoe shopping spree on Madison Avenue, looking for the perfect pair of metallic tie up heels instead what she found was a treasure trove of fabulous Indian haute couture stuff.  Step into New York`s most happening boutique – Soigne K (pronounced as swan-yay, meaning elegance in French) is the latest entrant of multi designer boutiques making waves in the US. 

Started by Soigne Kothari, an entrepreneur in the making, a renowned jewelry designer, and an eternal Mumbaikar at heart is all set to bring high end contemporary Indian fashion to the Western world.  Her namesake minimalistic store spans over two levels carrying lavishly embellished one-of-a-kind saris, Cavalli-esque-printed tunics, feathered and crystal studded mini dresses, a state-of-the-art Indian bridal salon equipped with sari-draping and tea services. Very impressive indeed!! We recently caught up with her all the way from Delhi.  Here are some excerpts from our telephonic conversation.
   
Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Having resided in New York City for over ten years, I’m still a Mumbaikar at heart. After completing my undergraduate degree in Finance in India, I received an Associate’s degree in Fashion Merchandising from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. Prior to starting Soigne K, I used to design a jewelry line called Karma, which was spiritually inspired and was distributed exclusively by Fragments.

What inspired you to start Soigne K?  

I opened Soigne K five months ago as a platform for Indian designers in the Western market. Having studied and worked in fashion, I recognized the high level of design, quality and craftsmanship that is possessed by many Indian designers and inherent in many Indian products. I felt that many of them had not achieved international recognition as there are very few outlets to showcase these incredible designers to Westerners. I`m hoping that Soigne K will showcase their talent as well as introduce Western women to new unique designers and ways of dressing.

   
Which designers does Soigne K house?

The ground level at Soigne K displays high-end contemporary wear, while the upper level is dedicated to evening wear, fine jewelry, and traditional Indian wear. With our merchandise I constantly strive to purchase items that fuse the sensibilities and aesthetics of the western woman with the very best fashion that India has to offer. Some of our featured designers include Tarun Tahiliani, Manish Arora, Falguni & Shane, Rajesh Pratap, Pria Kataria, Prashant Verma, Ranna Gill, and Cue to name a few.  

Which designers can we find in your closet?  

I often wear silk dresses from Prashant Verma, jackets from JJ Valaya, tunics from Pria Kataria, sequin leggings by Manish Arora and for special occasions, stitched saris by Tarun Tahiliani, gowns by Azara and jeweled clutches by Malini.

 
How would you describe your style?

My style is colorful, feminine and sophisticated: A perfect blend of east meets west. I love mixing pieces from Indian designers with western staples such as jeans, blazers and black pants. For instance, when I am going out for dinner I often wear a colorful silk dress with a black blazer over it, or one of our hand-embroidered coats with a white tee and jeans. 

What are your future plans?

My future plans are definitely sustaining and growing the brand Soigne K. Besides providing clients with the highest level of customer experience, I’d like to include a custom clothing division where clients can have made-to-order clothing made for special occasions. Also, I would eventually like to open several more Soigne K boutiques in various cities across the US.

I can’t wait to go to their store and check out their goodies.  I`m hoping she opens one soon in my city, San Francisco.  Soigné, hope you are listening??

Soigne K

717 Madison Avenue

New York, NY

Ph: 212.486.2890