When Bollywood met Designer Anarkali Suits

Ask a typical Indian woman what she loves. The answer is simple: Bollywood and designer Anarkali suits. Indian fashion is rampant with all sorts of Anarkali suits. Short, long, gaudy, simple, basic, minimalistic, fancy, and the list goes on. Our Bollywood beauties are no strangers to these extensive designer Anarkali suits. Knowing all you people so well, we’ve gone and taken the liberty to create a list that’s definitely going to help you select your designer Anarkali suits! Go ahead and feast your eyes.

Don Draper is totally correct when he says ‘Make it simple, but significant.’ And Anushka Sharma does just that in this beige Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla designer Anarkali suit. The whole look is so effortlessly chic, that we can’t stop our admiration. You go, Anushka Sharma!

Kalki Koechlin rocks this black Sabyasachi Anarkali with the utmost elegance. This designer Anarkali suit is practically moulded to her lithe body and accentuates her delicate features.

Hats off to Kangna Ranaut for opting for this uber colourful Manish Arora Anarkali. Only you, Kangna, can carry off this designer anarkali suit with obvious style and flair!

Our favourite Bollywood diva of yesteryears, Sonali Bendre Behl, looks simply breath taking in this Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla Anarkali. It’s difficult not to fall in love with this golden creation wrought with intricate mirror work.

Jacqueline Fernandes walked the ramp for the brilliant Tarun Tahiliani, and how gracefully so. She looked ethereal in this orange designer anarkali suit. But it was when she did a perfect twirl that the audience held their breaths in awe and adoration!

Madhuri Dixit couldn’t have looked more beautiful in this floral Anushree Reddy outfit. It’s the perfect fusion of simple and elaborate. The skirt has an ombre appeal due to the stunning orange hues. What makes this outfit really stand out is the heavily embroidered bodice.

We have never seen anyone carry ethnic clothes off with so much panache as Karisma Kapoor does. She wows us in this white Shantanu and Nikhil designer anarkali suit. The long trail of buttons and minimalistic accessories are just perfect. Not too little. Not too much.

We have looked far and wide and our conclusion is that Bollywood’s resident fashionista Sonam Kapoor takes the crown for being most creative with her designer anarkali suits. She opts for soothing, soft colours and novel, unique designs that are sure to make a fashion statement. The first outfit is by Payal Pratap and gives the whole concept of Anarkali a very modern feel. Ridhi Mehra takes things to a whole new level with this gorgeous minimalistic outfit with the perfect amount of flowers to make it stand out. Bollywood’s new favourite is the emerging designer Shehla Khan. Sonam Kapoor looks exceptionally poised in this ethnic floral creation.

As a rule, we’d like to save the best for the last.

A woman’s dream designer is Manish Malhotra, no doubt. All he has to do his wave his magic fashion wand on Priyanka Chopra and the result is something so very exquisite and opulent that we are rendered speechless. One word: Bravo.

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The Future of Fashion in India

The best thing about fashion in India is that it doesn’t remain constantm with new ideas constantly springing up. West meets ethnic is the fashion statement which has taken the country by a storm. Peasant crop tops, solid anarkalis, printed trousers and culottes are just some of the few wardrobe must haves. The glorious fusion of chic modern style with quintessentially Indian fashion has created an explosion of unique designs and a riot of never seen before colours. This is the future of Fashion in India.

Fashion blogger duo Shereen and Kayaan are fun, challenging, confident and bold. They push their boundaries and wear quirky outfits that leave us desiring some for ourselves.  

Their Rakshabandhan blog post was aptly titled Raksha Fusion. Kayaan, as seen in the top image, has captured the absolute essence of India with her Debashree Samanta dhoti pants, and flashy gold jewellery while the crop top balances the whole look lending it a western touch.

Shereen, as seen in the top image, wears a Karishma Jamwal drape dress and tops it with a Kiran Uttam Ghosh pleated cape. The loud and vibrant orange and red colours add that perfect smack of ethnicity.

They also modelled for the next gen Indianfashion designer Tanya Sharma’s eccentric label named ‘GaGa’. Shereen, in the far top image, wears a quilted Bandhini sweatshirt, a croptop and bright lehenga skirt. Kayaan on the other hand goes sporty ethnic (yes, that’s a thing now) with a quilted jersey and tie dye anarkali. These outfits take this wonderful fusion to a whole new level.

While the designer, Debashri Samanta, was inspired by the plight of the Vietnamese fisherwomen when creating these outfits, we can’t ignore the subtle Indian ness in them which is so chic and strangely elegant that we can’t take our eyes off them.

Our absolute favourite is Masaba Gupta, the originator of the avant-garde. With her zany, quirky and eccentric prints, she has won over the hearts of millions. Such was the demand for her clothes that she started a new line of unusual and unconventional outfits in affordable prices!

Khyati Pande is an upcoming designer whose creations are spreading like wildfire. She combines various elements to create one outfit and the best part is that it doesn’t look garish or over the top.

She loves her colours and knows how to play with them. Layering with flair is her forte and she loves bright waistcoats, minimal kurtas and bold trousers.

‘It’s a new era in fashion- there are no rules’ –Alexander McQueen

Never be scared to experiment with your style and fuse eastern and western elements!

Christmas Gift Ideas: Featuring Indian Designer Clutches by Meera Mahadevia

When it comes to Christmas gifts, the more unique and special the better. In relation this, a Meera Mahadeica Indian designer clutch is the perfect gift, Meera Mahadevia clutches are detailed with a variety of semi-precious stones to create stunning fashion forward accessories. Handmade to the last detail, no two bags are identical. These uniquely designed luxury clutches are often worn by and designed for Bollywood actresses to famous celebrities.

Our first top pick is this elegant silver clutch, it is a quintessential party wardrobe essential and will go with almost every outfit. It features a gorgeous cut work pattern studded with small white stones and one large gleaming oval shaped stone. This sparkling clutch is perfect for standing out.and dressing up simple outfits.

Next is this enthralling black and gold Indian designer clutch, which exudes charismatic aura and can glam up even the simplest of party ensembles. It features a intricate gold leatherette base with black velvet lace weaving in a stylish pattern on the front. The metal pieces add further dazzle into the opulent design.

This stunning glittering piece if the perfect Christmas gift, it’s unusual shape and gorgeous detail makes it a must have for a up to date evening wardrobe. Bringing gold and Silver together is a handy essential for a mix of match with jewellery.

Last but not least is this exquisite festive Indian designer clutch in gold polish. It is perfect for adding a glamorous touch to your special occasion’s ensembles. It features a maroon velvet base adorned with gorgeous metal flowers at the front lower half. The dazzling big semi-precious stones make it all the more striking and desirable. This versatile and easy to combine shape is ideal for those days that require something really special.

Love Indian fashion!

Bridal Lehengas: On Trend Bridal Styles

Indian traditional wear comes in many different forms, such as sarees, salwar kameez and not forgetting the number one favourite, the lehenga. In an Indian wedding, family of the bride and groom, especially the women, can even spend months deciding what to wear. However, the most challenging decision is definitely the bride’s wedding dress. She is the heart of attention and her attire is what matters the most within the big day. For an Indian bride, especially brides from the North, the favoured bridal outfit is bridal lehengas, traditionally a combination of long skirt, blouse and stole.

There are many different lehenga trends, and until a few years back contemporary were most popular and now traditional lehengas suddenly seem to be most in demand on the scene. Thanks to Bollywood movies and popular television shows, Indian brides are now choosing to go extremely traditional when it comes to picking their bridal lehengas.

A lehenga is usually a full pleated long lengh skirt in a number of colours such as burnt orange, pinks, reds, maroon, greens and yellow. The cut and shape of the blouse has recently been modernised, brides are now teaming their bridal lehenga with everything from small patterned crop tops to tightly fitted corsets.

Recent and popular lehenga trends include that of ‘Village Chic’, which includes rich and bright contrasting colours which emulate the floral prints well known cotton fabrics, but in contrast, this trend is extremely luxurious with art sliks, heavily detailed handmade embroidery and thick patched floral motifs. This rejuvenated trend is the prefect balance of down to earth and fancy!

Another recent popular trend is ‘Polychromatic’ lehengas. Contrasting colours are a go-to trend this season, take a chance on a stand out tasteful multicolor palette that breaches past just two or three shades. The playful contrast of colours will bring the perfect spontaneity a bridal outfit.

The latest trends in bridal lehengas are also to do with the style of embellishments and detail on the skirt. Today, the traditional style is complete with heavy borders of gota patti work or intricately detailed embroidery which is currently in huge demand!

Anita Dongre: When Elegance Met Edgy

Dear Anita Dongre, is there anything you cannot do? We desperately wish someone could answer our question. Anita Dongre is the reigning queen of Indian Fashion. She is the preferred designer by various Bollywood celebrities and has dipped her fingers in almost every field. Ranging from suits, sarees and lehengas in Indian fashion to contemporary fashion, she has left no stone unturned. In order to commemorate her sheer brilliance, we have put together a list of all our favourite Anita Dongre salwar suits and anarkalis.

We are in love with this Anita Dongre embroidered kurta jacket and straight pants. It has the perfect mix of black and golden; elegance and edgy; new and old. Minimal accessories add the perfect finishing touch to the outfit. This ensemble is sure to make heads turn with envy.

This Anita Dongre salwar suit is ordinary yet extraordinary. Contradicting statement, yes. But strangely true. This salwar suit combines three most basic and commonly worn colours. Fashion faux pas? Some may see it as that. But we see this Anita Dongre creation as a symbol of her versatility. She makes unusual combinations and ideas come to life and with such flair, mind you! Don’t give this super chic outfit a miss. Trust us.

We strongly believe you can never go wrong with pink. Pink is definitely the new black. It is consistent and never goes out of fashion. So when our eyes landed on this pink Anita Dongre anarkali with flare pants, we just couldn’t get enough of it. The gota work, intricate embroidery and printed anarkali scream timeless beauty.

This white Anita Dongre salwar suit personifies perfection and Kareena Kapoor Khan carries it with so much finesse. While pink has a special place in our hearts, white isn’t forgotten. For an instant burst of elegance and grace, embrace this elegant colour! Preferably this Anita Dongre salwar suit.

In our craze for grace we haven’t forgotten edgy and modern styles. This Anita Dongre salwar suit fulfils all our requirements. It has a long printed flare top paired with pants. This ensemble is seen in two of our favourite colours, black and red, which gel so immaculately with each other that all we can do is lust after this outfit.

Our last outfit is this blood red Anita Dongre lace kameez with straight pants. Lace is very difficult to get right, both whilst creating it and wearing it. But Anita Dongre undoubtedly nails it. Available in an array of colours, red was the hue that stood out for us. As Bill Blass so aptly puts it “When in doubt, wear red.”

We can’t get enough of all things Anita Dongre. She has definitely carved a niche for herself in this huge Indian fashion world. Now go and treat yourself to some Anita 

Bollywood Best Dressed - Our Picks from Cannes 2014

Bollywood's footstep on the Cannes red carpet is rapidly increasing each year and this year they certainty did not disappoint! The Bollywood stars certainty held their own in terms of fashion this year, even showcasing a stunning Indian evening gown, joining a number of the other celebs for best dressed of the event. The Indian evening gown trend was proudly showcased as stars such as Sonam Kapoor presented a stunning gold sheer Anamika Khanna Saree with a detailed pearl and gold detailed choker, designed by Sunita Kapoor.

This wasn’t the only show-stopping outfit Sonam presented, the 28 year old Bollywood celebrity heated up the red carpet in a number of breath-taking looks that left everyone in awe.

First shown was a dramatic black embellished Ellie Saab Spring 2014 Couture gown which featured gorgeous jewel detail. Finally, the GQ India beauty dazzled in a delicate powder blue Elie Saab gown, complete with a flowing skirt and structured bodice, which she wore to the Chopard Dinner.

It's hard to choose which gown is our favourite but we're leaning towards her dusty pink Indian evening gown!

Another Bollywood beauty who certainly stole the show was without a doubt Aishwarya Rai, wearing a stunningly structured golden Roberto Cavalli gown, Aishwarya's hair and makeup was every bit glam. She made her impressing 10th consecutive attendance at Cannes as L’Oreal Paris’ ambassador. The world went crazy over her and her golden look and was talking about everywhere – from printed publications to social media.

For her second appearance, for the premiere of the movie “The Search” – she showcased a beautifully detailed white Roberto Cavalli gown embellished with tons of Swarovski crystals, she also opted for nude lips and perfect subtle make-up.

Last but not least has to be Mallika Sherawat, she was a vision in blue as she showcased a stunning powder blue lace gown with cut out detail and a volumous up-do, teamed with statement jewelled earrings. For her next appearance she dazzled in a all white pleated number with a plunge neck line. This ensemble looked amazing as the windy weather swept it around as she made her way down the red carpet!

On-trend Indian Skirts for the Upcoming Season: Our Top Picks

The cold is closing in and we have officially entered winter, but that hasn’t stopped the influx of the Indian skirts trend which has dominated the fashion scene this Autumn/winter. Although skirts are associated with summer, we are seeing a variety of Autumn and Winter inspired designs and styles recently which are perfect for layering up and still looking trendy. 

One designer that always catches are attention when it comes to for Indian skirts is Anita Dongre, each style within her collections consists of a fusion of the old and the new, with a versatile colour palette comprising of a contrast of soft neutrals like nude and cream, to vibrant tones such as ruby reds, fuchsia pinks and peacock blues.

Anita dongre’s Jaipur bride collection consists of stunningly embellished Lehengas in rich Autumnal colours which are a definite favourite of ours this season, all of which are extremely unique yet characteristically Indian.

In relation to this, Anita has stated that a Jaipur Bride is said to be beautiful, complex, full of colour and very powerful. The collection is packed with unique beauty to each skirt designs and is what every bride-to-be could dream of. This particular exclusive collection is tailor made for the new-age Indian bride who want expand from the ordinary.

 

Another designer who has stood out to us is Siddartha Tytler, who creates the most unique skirt designs of all. According to the Indian designer “Novel silhouettes, innovative structural elements, new fangled patterns, ‘wear-ability’ and originality are the essential elements in every creation at the Siddartha Tytler studio". 

When creating one of his pieces an important factor come into play: changing trends or the inspiration by elements that exist as part of our everyday lives.

Siddhartha's extraordinary attention to detail is witnessed in the sharply defined silhouettes of his Indian skirts, we personally love the intricate detail showcased in each one of his garments, which is usually combined with dark colour tones and gold detailing. 

Making women look good is what Siddharta Tytler does best, form fitting or free-flowing, the silhouettes of these skirt designs emphasis the natural curves of the women’s body with a focus on surface ornamentation and unique embellishment. Never one to ignore bling, his forte is the use of crystal embellishment combined with gorgeously detailed thread work, a match made in heaven!

India’s international jewellery Week 2014 Highlights and Top Picks

India’s international jewellery Week 2014 has recently taken place and it was certainly was not one to be missed. A huge array of models showcasing gorgeous Indian designer jewellery collections of all shapes and sized sashayed down the ramp at the fifth edition of the India International Jewellery Week.

A unique variety of jewelers, designers and design graduates from the Indian Institute of Gems and Jewellery presented their creations at the event hosted by the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council.

The Indian jewellery designers produced the most essential and inspirational jewellery to date, making a statement across the globe. India’s international Jewellery Week provided a perfect international platform for India's most talented designers and design houses to showcase their original and contemporary Indian designer jewellery collections.

 The shows took place over a spectacular four-day period, from July 14 to July 17, and featured from of Bollywood’s hottest stars.

Day 1: Our favourite show from day 1 had to be Sunny Leone’s collection, full of black magic and darker tones, the statement gold and silver pieces were beautifully designed, and perfect for dressing up a simple outfit and standing out from the crowd.

Day 2: Day two of event featured a stunning array of Indian designer jewellery collections, but Swarovski definitely stood out to us as being the number one show stopper. The ballroom of the Grand Hyatt was transformed into a marriage Mandap with masses of marigold streamers dangling from the ceiling. The runway ramp was edged with a gorgeous border of marigolds, setting the stage perfectly for a mega wedding style celebration, which featured a number of brides from all around the country.

The Swarovski “The Brides of India” collection was presented by Nazraana in association with P C Jeweller, and was a mind blowing combination and variety of genuine jewels and synthetic stones all beautifully crafted. The colour, detail, sheer beauty and cut of the stones were a breath-taking view on the catwalk as the models strutted their way down the runway.

Day 3: Sonam Kapoor, Sridevi and Parineeti Chopra took to the ramp on Day 3, making it a day to remember! Our favourite show had to be by Golecha Jewels. The collection consisted of stunning oversized and detailed traditional neckpieces, which were displayed with deep oranges and reds which made the richness of the gold stand out beautifully.

                                                   

And lastly, our favourite of all the shows took place on the last day of IIJW. It featured one desired and standout piece of Indian designer jewellery from each of the many stunning collections shown in the first three days of India International Jewellery Week 2014. There were 21 items altogether from the different brands and Indian jewellery designers that were there to make their mark in the global jewellery scene.