Monday, August 6, 2012

Fashion-Vashion....

Blogdosts, if you like the picture here, you must let Nitin Rai, also a Blogdost, know!! He is a superb photographer and I am going to invite him to share more images with us.

In fact, it would be a good way for Blogdosts to showcase and share different talents in this space... poems, short articles, sharp opinions.... and yes... photographs, too!

***************

This is written for Bombay Times...

Fashion-Vashion

Since Fashion Week fever is in the air, here’s a chhota sa quiz for dedicated fashionistas : How many Fashion Weeks are there in India - 4 or 40? In how many cities and talukas of the country do we celebrate these momentous events - 6 or 600? How many designers participate… take a wild guess, 100, 200, 1,000 ? Do you know the names of at least 5 of them? Are they the same names you have been reading about for the past 20 years? Are you aware of their signature lines – you will be disqualified if you answer – “ forty metres of embellished chiffon.” Do you know your peplum from a saree petticoat? ( Don’t worry if you don’t – most designers are equally clueless). Why is a show stopper called a show stopper ? Does the show really stop with that person? Do real people actually wear any of the clothes that are on the ramp? Have you ever seen someone on the street in fashion show garments? You have? Liar! Why do film stars walk for their designer-friends? Money, is a good answer. But generally it is for the prime coverage of their new movie. Would you buy something worn by an out-of-work tv actress or an ex-Diva? You would? Then you deserve it! Does anybody in India really care about ‘Fall Collections’? Do we even recognize such a season in this part of the World? Fall ? What’s that? Can experts tell the difference between assorted designer collections? Or is that irrelevant? Can designers themselves tell between their own collections? Where are the stated influences from Egypt / Ethiopia / Columbia / Myanmar in those embroidered bridal lehengas? Why not just pay a tribute to the actual inspiration – Karol Bagh? Why don’t we stage a few well timed, high profile wardrobe malfunctions just to jolly things up and relieve the boredom? What about inviting ACP Dhoble to the front row or even as a show stopper? Now, that worthy gentleman would literally stop the show! Talking of the front row cat fights, why not auction front row seats to the highest bidder? Any number of socialites would gladly cough up for this dodgy honour. Are you aware of the number of good causes designers support? Lost kittens. Lost souls. Lost focus?

Fashion Weeks, all 104 of them, are great equalizers. Each one of them throws up new names – mainly from Bollywood. Or at least, names of those who’d like to crash Bollywood - from the ramp to a blockbuster sort of story. As a platform for clothes horses who catwalk through movies, there is no better opportunity. But for the rest of the bewildered, unwashed masses, Fashion Weeks provide good entertainment. This year, we are authoritatively told, thighs are ‘in’. So they must be, going by the looooong slits on skirts that end at the waist. Angelina Jolie of the right leg fame, would approve.Colour blocking has been replaced by monochromes – please feel free to decode arbitrarily. Prints are on their way out – unless Kate Middleton decides otherwise. Pencil skirts still rule – because Victoria Beckham says so. Eco-friendly is good for the soul. But not the ramp. Statement jewellery … like diamante studded cycle tyres worn as neck pieces, is awesome. Aubergine ( purple, yaar!), is the new yellow. Bondage is big. And Fifty Shades of Grey dominate, even if you aren’t heavily into S & M. Confused? Don’t worry. Another Fashion Week beckons… and another. If you missed the one in Mumbai, you can catch all the action in Jamshedpur or Wasseypur. Better still, go to Karol Bagh.

31 comments:

Unknown said...

Fashion Weeks are an interesting place, especially from the perspective of someone who has worked in Finance most of my life, and only over the last year been running a fashion business (! life takes interesting turns)

Having attended the fashion weeks internationally and in India, one of the key things that stands out is the focus of the actual event. Internationally the emphasis is on the clothes, talent and the actual trends. In India, the focus is usually on being seen, being in the front row (as you have already pointed out, might as well auction these!) and of course which designer has used which bollywood star as a show-stopped (with some of them, you really wish the show would stop!). This is unfortunate, but also very realistic i believe.

Unfortunate because the stars and the people attending usually over-shadow the designs and the styles being presented.

Realistic because most of the Indian designers seem to focus on heavily embroidered garments - and these do not really change substantially over time. The newer and younger designers are more dynamic and make some very nice clothes that can be worn in a non-wedding setting, but these are only emerging now.

ACP Dhoble as a show-stopper, now that is an image i cannot get out of my head!! ha ha!

Jogeshwar said...

The picture is superb, Thank you Nitin Rai. As I saw the picture, the first thing that came to mind was Charlie's Angels and that you look, just like another one of the Charlie's Angels.

bhawna said...

i am going to attend a fashion show this year in Delhi as a dear friend is graduating from NIFT Delhi...
;-)
amazing picture nitin...
if i am allowed i ould like to share this short story in this space
http://plainlyblunt.blogspot.in/2012/08/jigsaw-puzzle.html

mridula pradhan said...

good idea,and very good picture.

Unknown said...

The picture is very lovely. Great work.
UPENDRA KUMAR
www.myearthian.blogspot.com

Theyoginme said...

It's not my photography ... Only Shobhaa can have the camera capture such amazing pictures of her. Happy to share more pictures Shobhaa. Thanks for the kind mention.

Viji said...

wow! what a smile and great capture...Kudos to you both for turning my Tuesday to Friday... Felt as if I am outdoors and enjoying the sunshine...
~Viji

Shwetha said...

Nice picture! Was this in Luxor by any chance?

Fashion show article is hilarious,I almost fell of my seat laughing so hard :))...

Pooja Rathore said...

when i saw your pic one word came out of my mouth "Diva"...true Diva..(good job nitin).
your column on fashion ..i agree with one of the blogdost..really hilarious but what u have stated are facts...i use to wonder watching the fashions shows ,people really wear these type of clothes..bcoz i never saw anyone (though some in movies)but never on streets...fashion designers...ritu beri,manisha malhotra ,young designer(neena gupts's daughter..i forgot her name,her clothes are hatke,but comes across as very talented),shobhaa de sarees(saree means shobhaa de),thats it.i just loved the column the ending was superb!u deserve a jappi(a hug) for this post.

a mom's diet said...

hahahaaa...
loved what u wrote :)
a lot of times i get highly inspired by your writing. bcoz this is exactly how i think too!
cheers!
-kunj
kohllined.blogspot.in

Deeksha said...

u r a class apart. had u pursued acting ,u would have become a superstar!but it would have been a dreadful loss to the literary world!

Payal Gandhi Hoon said...

Hey Shobha,

The picture is so you. Am curious to know what that tatoo means.Have sent you a mail through fb. Will be an honour to chat with you.

Regards,
Payal
www.tamarainlp.com

Raghav said...

@Nitin Rai: you have a blog with 'more images'... ??? ;) :)

Another Kiran In NYC said...

Great picture! Great talents both, photographer and model. So Nitin are you coming here to photograph our festivities on the 19th:)

bhawna said...

hello ma'am
it was a pleasure meeting you. thank you so much for taking out time to share some words with me.you are absolutely awesome and i am not saying it just because i am a Delhiite;-)
here is my blog link.
please give me your feedback
www.plainlyblunt.blogspot.com

Tsomo85 said...

Looking sexy as always~ but I don't know why you seem to be fan of chinese. Better watch out!!!!! hahahaha Your tattoo what does it say?

Murtaza said...

www.butt-murtaza.com

Unknown said...

wow.!! great click..... nice smile

Unknown said...

Very nice picture, looking cool and smart. Goggles and black tunic are just looking great with the golden earrings.

indian women fashion blog

Anonymous said...

nice Pictures
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