The much-awaited Auto Expo 2016 is scheduled to be held from February 5-9, 2015 at the India Expo Mart in Greater Noida. The show will see participation of 1,500 exhibitors from motor companies such as Audi, BMW, Datsun, Isuzu, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Renault, SML Isuzu, Toyota Kirloskar Motors and Volkswagen, among others. “We are the biggest auto show in the world. Auto Expo has an average footfall of 126,000 while Auto Shanghai has nearly 118, 000,” said Sugato Sen, Deputy Director General, SIAM at a press conference.
For more than twelve years in the business of fashion, the Scottish fashion designer, Jonathan Saunders who is revered for prints and use of traditional silk screening techniques has announced to close his eponymous label. “The reason for the closure is personal. I am eternally grateful to my team for all their hard work and dedication,” said Saunders who was quoted as saying. Earlier this year, his company acquired an investor Eiesha Bharti Pasricha. Both parties mutually reached a decision to part ways. The label halts its production once spring/summer 16 orders are complete. Celebrities such as Michelle Obama, Sienna Miller and Samantha Cameron include in the Saunders’s list.
If you plan an aviation trip, touring the Caribbean in a private Gulfstream G650 jet, then, PrivateFly, a jet charter booking service based in the United Kingdom would help customising it. The luxurious PrivateFly holiday itinerary includes landing on the world’s shortest commercial runway on the 5-mile-long island of Saba, flying roundabout in St. Barts and St. Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport, a seven-night stay at Sonesta Ocean Point Hotel, meals at local restaurants, and private chauffeur-driven ground transportation. The price starts at $30,000 per person from Miami to St. Maarten, with departures also available from London and New York.
London, the city of luxurious fashion saw Hannah Jinkins picking up the winners’ trophy at the H&M Design Award 2016 at The Orangery in Kensington Palace, London. Jinkins is a graduate from the Royal College of Art, London. The international jury comprising Kate Bosworth, Olivier Rousteing and Nick Knight decisively awarded Jinkins. She has been rewarded a one-year mentorship from H&M, a prize sum of €50,000 and also gets a chance to develop her winning collection that will be sold in selected H&M stores in autumn 2016.
VINTAGE VENEER | Taking on a home makeover project, a French inspired décor is worth exploring for its charm and elegance
Lace, lavender, florals and delicate frills could be words summoning feel of French but French country home decorating is a very unique form of rustic chic. Think cottages and stone houses in Provence and other parts of South France and you will notice the fluidity of boundaries between home and outdoors, the inventive use of ornament and subdued yet splendid upholstery make for an authentic French interior design. A simple wicker chair, a bucket filled with dried flowers, floral fabrics, cane baskets, stone floors all add upto a nature’s feast which is what the vintage French look is all about. Walls, floors, colours, furniture, fabrics and accessories all have an equally important role to play in bringing together this and for that matter, any look.
FRENCH ACCENTS | Decorative items are all part of a scheme which is all in harmony and not as an outstanding ostentation
So, if you are in the mood to redecorate and not undergo the pains of a complete overhaul then here are some tips on how to get the Classic French Vintage look into your house. Being an evergreen theme, this holds the same charm and warmth as it does in the beginning, so you are good to go with this one.
Taking up each aspect of your house, here are décor ideas to impart that distinct French aesthetic to each before having it all come together in harmony.
WALLS – Un-plastered stone walls and textures are elementary to this look. Cracked plaster look or distressed wall finishes help in advancing the vintage appeal.
FLOORS – Terracotta has been used for thousands of years inside and outside the house. Terracotta and its close companion – brick – lend sensuous warmth to the house exteriors and interiors. These materials even when finished with a modern sealant have a friendly comforting feeling – a sense of elemental earth. Wooden floors have an old world charm and antique rugs further compliment that charm.
SHABBY CHIC | Rustic textures, on the wall especially, are part of that natural innocence which an old world unmade look is all about
COLOURS – The colours that dominate a French home are soft blues, greys, greens, pinks and whites. It is very crucial to understand how to make best use of these colours as the entire scheme of things revolves around them. Soft colours, soothes and creates interest. They have character and depth in them and compliment the other elements of the room. Glitter, Gold, Silver are a big no no here.
FURNITURE – There is extensive use of traditional natural materials which are then painted or polished. It is uniquely decorative and easy to live with. The cupboards could be lime washed/painted/colour stained and the inside surfaces lined with patterned fabric/paper. Armchairs, love seats, chaise lounge in designs which are French inspired will also make for this look.
The bed represents the largest and most important piece of furniture in the house and should be upholstered in fabric or decorated with bed frill/ drapes or have a floral canopy.
BED ROYALE | Quaint and plush at the same time, a French canopied four-poster is the ultimate word in bedroom indulgence
FABRICS – The French love vintage textiles. The traditional ‘ boutis ‘quilt is widely used throughout the house. In every room textiles appear in profusion- not just curtains and blinds but on chairs, benches, cushions, beds and tables. Fabrics give the room a lift but should never be loud enough to overwhelm the rest of the elegant scheme.
ACCESSORIES – Antique hanging lanterns against a stonewall, ceramics, pottery, glass, candelabras, cloches, jugs filled with flowers, baskets stacked in a heap, plates stacked into satisfying piles are the decoratives that give a typical French house its individuality and character. One can say that “There is elegance of use rather than the elegance of ornamentation.”
PRISTINE BEAUTY | White is unmitigated elegance and a bold statement at the same time, making it a predominant colour in the very French pastel palette
Some handy tips to take over the above will start with a call to dare to be different. Another one is to not be prisoner to trends but to go classic. And moving towards the finer nuances are the following suggestions –
Loud colours tire the eyes. Go pastel.
Begin by choosing stone floors and say ‘NO’ to Italian marble.
There should be a sense of space and lightness of touch in every room.
Display flower arrangements for instant charm.
Do invest in bed linen and quilts.
Never keep the curtains drawn during the day. Natural light makes the place bright, fresh and happy.
SIX YARDED DREAM | Raw Mango’s handwoven sarees explore and energise the traditional Mashru and Brocade weaving techniques of Varanasi
While designer Masaba Gupta and actress Soha Ali Khan took to Raw Mango as their brand of choice for bridal wear, designer Sanjay Garg took to the ramp opening the Amazon India Fashion Week Spring Summer 2016. Speaking of his collection for the fashion show, Sanjay Garg [accompanied by his disarming smile] said, “The garments in this collection aim to bridge the gap between textile and fashion, and at the same time, blur the categories of traditional and modern, old and new, past and present. The garments present technical advancements in Mashru that make the ‘old’ textile contemporary, while retaining the luxuriousness that has always been an important part of it.” This unfailing commitment to a vision is what makes Raw Mango creations resplendent, on the ramp and on the celebs who vouch for it as their garment of choice when making a stark statement is on agenda.
ROYAL REGALIA | Raw Mango’s stellar line inspired by the late Maharani Gayatri Devi is all pastels, scalloped hems and intricate details
Raw Mango, a niche design label for hand-woven sarees and textiles, is known for its minimalist design and understated style marking its sarees and heritage garments retailed in Delhi by-appointment-only at their studio tucked away in Chhatarpur. The brand started with Chanderi, a hand-woven fine, light and luxurious textile. Today the brand works with nearly 500 weavers in clusters across the country on a variety of fabrics including Mashru, Banarasi and Kolkata silk among other heritage fabrics. With five of its sarees displayed in the permanent collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, UK, Raw Mango is synonymous with ethnic elegance in Indian style thanks to its distinct visual signature. The Luxe Cafe caught up with brand’s creative head and founder Sanjay Garg to know more about his love for vintage fabrics, heritage techniques and textiles that celebrate the Indian aesthetic.
The Luxe Cafe: Why the name Raw Mango? I always appreciate the beauty in imperfections. That’s where I can do the best. Simplicity is the key to luxury . To me, as Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto said, perfection is ugly and Raw Mango is the perfect metaphor for imperfections.
A SUITABLE BOY | A study in calm, Sanjay Garg, is at once not your flamboyant designer but comes across as an artist in love with his craft
Why did you start with Chanderi? I had worked with Chanderi earlier. I always loved the material and liked experimenting with the fabric. The drape of Chanderi is very fussy, so we realized the need to make it softer and drape-able. We started working with a couple of weavers to make the designs more contemporary and wearable. We removed the starch from Chanderi to give strength to the fabric and later in the post-production stage we tried a few tricks to make the fabric lighter and drape-able with a beautiful sheen. No one could believe that hand-woven sarees could be so beautifully simple, light and drape-able. I have simply made Chanderi easy to wear. We also introduced some design innovations, such as improving the way silk was processed, which prevented sarees from cracking at folds.
Which other handlooms do you specialise in besides Chanderi? I am currently enjoying working with Kanjivaram and Mashru. I want to experiment with a new fabric every year.
SIMPLICITY INCARNATE | Paying tribute to India’s heritage of light and airy cotton garments is Raw Mangos’s summery Sooti Collection
Which is your favourite fabric?
I have a constant love affair with Chanderi but at the same time I really like Mashru, which I would say is one of the most luxurious fabrics in the world. It is designed and worn by the royals.
From where do you get the inspiration to create such beautiful sarees? Inspirations come from what you see in day-to-day life–birds, trees, nature, surroundings etc. I keep absorbing images. Every collection that you see is inspired from an era gone by or Indian folk stories.
BOLD & BEAUTIFUL | Playing with a bold palette, beautiful patterns and bringing them together in a contemporary celebration of traditional elegance is Sanjay Garg’s forte
What design and colours are most preferred today? It depends on time, occasion, weather, country, skin tone and the context. I want to change the way colours are perceived in India and that’s the challenge. I changed the way lime colour was perceived and made even the most sophisticated wear lime. I don’t follow any trend. If I followed, I would not have been able to achieve anything in life.
NEW FORAYS | Sanjay Garg’s eponymous label showcased clean yet colourful kurta-trouser, dupatta-lehenga combos in his latest collection titled Gulbadan, Danedar and Ashrafi
Tell us about your royal collection? It all started after I read a book on Maharani Gayatri Devi and decided to roll out a collection of hand-woven sarees inspired from her elegance. Her style was regal and at the same time understated. We have used soft pastel colours with subtle contrast for ‘ Gayatri’ collection. Sarees from Diya Kumari collection have been designed to give a very young feeling with delicate patterns. While sarees from Jodha Bai collection are made with broad borders. The challenge was how we could give a new vocabulary to the Indian woman, keeping in mind her sensibilities. We wanted to focus on the day-to-day life of the nobility. Through the Royal collection, I tried to offer elegance with simplicity. Minimalism is the key to stand out and that has always been in my designs. Through this royal collection, I wanted to redefine Royalty.
Some of your sarees are on a permanent display in Victoria & Albert museum? Can you tell us about those pieces?
Five Chanderi sarees are in the permanent collection of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. They are from our regular collection, very simple ones. They wanted to document the timeframe of Indian fashion.
“Saree with zari work should never be put on a hanger as it absorbs the moisture in the air.”
Any tips for the maintenance of Chanderis? If you really want it forever, roll it on a stick. Saree with zari work should never be put on a hanger as it absorbs the moisture in the air.
What is luxury to you? To me Luxury is raw. It doesn’t always mean well finished, it can be thoroughly semi-finished. Luxury means rarity. In short, anything which is not easily accessible.
Now in its second year, Wellness Travel Awards 2015 was organised at a glittering night in London’s ExceL Exhibition Center. The awards honour the best health spas and pioneers in spa tourism across six continents. The Wellness Travel Awards 2015 nominees were selected by a global panel of 33 industry experts. Out of all categories, 12 awards were won by COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali [also “Best in Asia”], whereas ESPA Life in Corinthia, London was awarded the “Best in United Kingdom”. Europe’s winner was the Sha Wellness Clinic located at Alicante, Spain. Lanserhof Tegernsee in Germany won eight awards for “Best in Germany” and “Best for Medical Services.”
The French luxury fashion house, Yves Saint Laurent has opened its largest store in Tokyo, Japan. Located at Omotesando Avenue, 4-3-10 Jingumae, Shibuya-Ku, the store spreads over 705 m². The store offers a full range of men’s and women’s ready-to-wear collections and accessories. Developed by Creative Director, Hedi Slimane, the concept of its interiors is inspired by French-style Art Deco. The store has a contemporary look with veined marbles, mirror features, wooden shelves and metallic structures – making it a luxurious experience every inch of the way.
A renowned fine jewelry and luxury time piece brand, David Yurman, has recently opened a 1,950 square-feet boutique at the premier shopping mall, Ala Moana Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. The modern, expansively chic store expresses its founders’, David and Sybil’s, love of craft and design. The boutique draws its inspiration from Hawaii’s natural beauty and amalgamates modern and natural materials such as stone flooring, live edge wood counters and artisanal bronze finishes. The store offers signature David Yurman collections for men and women, including gold and sterling silver designs, diamond, pearl and gemstone jewelry such as Renaissance, Albion, Belmont and David Yurman time pieces and the wedding collection.
The German illustrated automobile bestseller My Porsche book portrays all variants of iconic Porsche 356 and is now available in English translation for the North American market. The production of this light-weight sports car dates back in 1948. Since then, the car was termed as a major engineering innovation in motor sports. While the book pays tribute to the classic Porsche 356, it also covers the journey of automotive photographer and visionary, René Staud who presents all his photographic 356-icons in the book. Also featured are the photos by other proud owners of Porsche. The $89 book counts 240 heavy paper pages and measures 30 cm x 30 cm, hardbound with dust jacket.
