Cannes Film Festival 2016: A Fashion Extravaganza

Cannes Film Festival is one-of-its-kind.  It not only promotes and showcases movies from across the globe but is also a great gateway to the world of fashion.  Every year it set fashion trends that rule the entire year. Celebrities from the film fraternity turn out for movie premieres in the best designer dresses that frame the fashion trend for upcoming year. This year was the 69^th annual Cannes Film Festival and yet again we witnessed some of the hottest fashion styles.  Let’s have a look at the best red carpet looks from this year.

Black Magic

 When in doubt, wear black! Yes, black is the safest bet for red carpet events. It’s not just a formal colour but also makes you look slimmer.  No wonder most of the celebrities choose to wear black at formal occasions. This year too many celebrities wore black gowns at the Cannes Film Festival 2016 but the gorgeous actress Julianne Moore and talented Kristen Stewart really caught our eye. While Juliane opted for a sheer black Givenchy gown along with Chopard jewellery, Kristen looked fabulous in a retro-inspired Chanel dress with a sheer button-up top. Both rocked their respective black numbers with grace and panache.

Red Hot

 Red never goes out of vogue. Also known as the colour of passion and sensuality, red looks ravishing on one and all. Keeping this in mind, stunning Bella Hadid and super model and actress Rosie Huntington Whiteley wore red gowns at Cannes 2016. Bella flaunted a daring thigh-high slit Alexandre Vauthier’s red satin halter neck gown and looked like a million bucks. Rosie also chose an Alexandre Vauthier gown and completed her look with jewellery from Chanel Joaillerie.  They did complete justice with the red and made it their own.

Sunshine Yellow

Yellow is synonymous with all things bright and beautiful. And this is what we witnessed when we saw the gorgeous Anna Kendrick in marigold Stella McCartney gown and Bulgari jewellery.  The silhouette was simple yet eye-catching, all thanks to the pop yellow colour. Apart from Anna Kendrick, Jessica Chastain also chose a yellow strapless gown for her red carpet appearance and looked dazzling.

Sheer Delight

Sometimes a neutral hue does all the wonder. Which is explains why designers came up with nude coloured gowns. Who rocked a sheer Atelier Versace sheer gown? None other than our very own ‘Gossip Girl’, Blake Lively! She looked like a true diva in her sheer gown with little glittery sequins and made onlookers go wow! Ex-Miss world and Bollywood starlet Aishwarya Rai Bachchan also chose a beautiful cape style sheer gown and owned the look. In addition, the very talented Kirsten Dunst sported a sheer nude gown with lace detailing. Not to forget, Bella Hadid’s Cavalli Couture gown that made her look angelic.

Pristine White

White is indeed a serene color and looks great on all skin complexions. We spotted actress, Eva Longoria, of Desperate Housewives fame, sporting a divine Pamella Roland white dress with a beaded top and fish-cut white fitted skirt. Her sartorial choice made her win the fancy of fashion police.  Another hit at Cannes fashion was Indian beauty Sonam Kapoor, who dazzled in her white Ralph & Russo’s dramatic gown with embroidered cape. She looked utterly sophisticated and classy in her white ensemble.  Calling her a delicate princess won’t be an exaggeration! Kirsten Dunst, actress-par-excellence also chose a fitted white gown with delicate straps and gave shutterbugs a visual delight!

Though the list of eye-candy fashion statements on the Cannes red carpet was endless, the above mentioned are our personal favourites. Take a look and I’m sure you will be mesmerised by the fashion at its best!

Image source: www.laineygossip.com, www.buro247.me, www.fashionisima.com.es, www.footwearnews.com

Manish Malhotra - A Success Story

Indian designer Manish Malhotra is one of India’s most well-known and loved fashion designers. But not only does he create stunning garments for Bollywood’s most important and loved names but has also designed for a number of world famous Hollywood stars, such as actress Reese Witherspoon and even supermodels Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell. Manish is well known world wide for the creation of extravagant and luxury garments with a distinctive traditional Indian style with the use of colour storytelling and glamorous and intricate craftsmanship.

Manish was born in Mumbai, and his swift journey to the top of the fashion industry has ultimately been one of a kind. From his characteristic love for movies, glamour and unique colour to forming an extremely niche category for himself as a top Bollywood stylist/Costume Designer. He is now one of the most well know and influential designer’s in the country, he has without a doubt created an unique pathway to success.

As a self-taught designer, Indian designer Manish’s career first started with a small Mumbai-based boutique. From that moment he chased his dream to be a Costume designer for the top movies. He initiated ‘styling’ in Bollywood as a whole as we now know it today, a visionary that involved not only the creation of the clothing but the development of the character and the aspect of working on each fragment of the look.

Manish Malhotra's imaginative outfits and garments always attract applause from the audience at Lakme Fashion Week, but his most recent cocktail dress collection for the current year's Winter/Festive Season fashion week hosted in Mumbai was all the more incredible and jaw-dropping. We saw a variety of shimmery, beautiful and breath-taking ensembles of couture Indian attire from the Indian designer including unique lehengas, sarees, and fusion outfits.

Staying very true to his glossy theme, Manish designed his whole collection around shimmering fabrics and dreamy rich colours.

As the saree develops as more and more globalised as a fashion statement, Indian designer Malhotra used its elegance, detail and charm to design beautifully flowing skirts – doubling up the traditional Indian garment into a stunning ball gown that glides across the room.

The fashion week festivities wouldn't be completed without some breath-taking and unique lehengas, created from shimmering silver fabrica and embroidered with gorgeous pearl coloured beads! Manish Malhotra's designs are known to feature heavy materials and borders in line with a graceful and royal image.

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!

Pic of the Day: Indian Earrings in Chennai Express

The list of Bollywood records broken by Chennai Express is incredible. Already the comedy has had the highest paid preview collections, the fastest 100 crore, the highest weekend collections and the highest overseas collections for an opening weekend for a Bollywood film.

One of the most obvious reasons for the film's success has to be down to its fashion statements. Take for example this shot of leading lady Deepika Padukone in these Indian earrings. They are just stunning.

Picture Of The Day: Vidya Balan's Indian Earrings in Retro Filmfare Shoot

Vidya Balan is never afraid when it comes to fashion. Her photoshoot in this week's edition of Filmfare magazine is a testament to her pioneering sense of style. Dressed in an extremely traditional manner, the Bollywood diva appeared in fully-fledged desi style. We are particularly admiring of her subtle yet sophisticated indian earrings. Check out the Bollywood icon here:

Wondering Ahana Deol's Wedding Outfit

If you've been following Bollywood news recently, there is little doubt you will have heard about Ahana Deol's engagement to businessman Vaibhav Vohra. The private nature of the engagement is further fuelling curiosity. A date has been announced for the next November and the wedding is expected to take place in Gurgaon. Ahana's mother reported “I couldn’t have hoped for a better closure to my two daughters search for the right partner. Esha chose Bharat who is a perfect husband". While we wait for details of the Indian wedding outfits to be announced by the couple, let's enjoy this picture of the beautiful dancer's engagement saree!

Rani Mukherjee and Aditya Chopra to Wed in January 2014

Fans of Bollywood are in for a treat next January as the head of Yash Raj Films Aditya Chopra and actress Rani Mukherjee have announced the new date for their wedding. Rumours of the couple's wedding have been spreading. The couple had planned to marry last year, but the untimely passing of Yash Chopra, Aditya's father meant that the ceremony was put off: according to Punjabi custom, a period of one year is intended for mourning after the passing of a family member.

We are overjoyed at the announcement of the new date, and we simply can't wait to see what kind of wedding outfits the couple will wear on their big day, not to mention Chopra's continuation of his father's legacy in Bollywood.

Designer Anju Modi : The Indian Cinema Inspired Indian Fashion Industry

According to the Indian designer Anju Modi, Indian cinema has a crucial role in promoting the Indian design industry in every era. She told to IANS that : "Cinema plays an essential part in every Indian's life. We always get mesmerised and inspired by cinema. I remember every era on Indian cinema which gave different recognition to costume designing. From those grand sets and elaborate costumes Indian cinema became an important part of the Indian fashion industry. And since then everything is about movies and cinema."

(Bollywood star Madhuri Dixit showcasing a bridal lehenga by Anju Modi (right) at Couture Fashion Week in New Delhi )

Modi is one of the founding members of the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), the industry's apex body. She launched her label in 1990 and has been a strong force in the vehement increase in growth, awareness and potential of fashion in India and believes in taking risks for creating new things.

In 2006, Modi was one of only four Indian designers selected for Heyers Fashion Festival in Paris, organized by the Chambre Syndicale, also the organisers of the Paris Fashion Week. In the same year, she was also invited to present her collection at the Miami Fashion Week.
She designs traditional Indian clothes like saris, lehengas, anarkalis, salwar kameez, dupatta and many other pieces.

Thanks to her experience, Modi felt that the "Indian fashion industry is emerging and making its own place in the domestic and international markets. In the last few years, the industry has grown bigger and better, and International designers and fashion houses are getting inspiration from Indian textiles and fabrics. I have been working on development of new fabrics and colourways for the last two decades. My work has been appreciated internationally," she said.
Have a look at this celebrity style!

From Strand of Silk Blog: Trend Files from Bollywood

Today I want to talk to you of an interesting article that I read on Strand of Silk.

"Bollywood was always a lot more than just story telling. Today, this ‘something more’ is what we call trend setting. Of all the avenues of fashion following, Bollywood styles are the most followed and desired."

The article goes through some stylish suggestions taking the outfits performed by the beautiful Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor as a starting point.

The styles lovely suggested for the summer are all white! And I particularly like the indian long gown dress that Sonam is sporting in the first picture on the left. 

If you want to read this interesting article, you can find it Here in the Strand of Silk Blog!

Indian Cinema Inspired Indian Fashion Industry

According to veteran designer Anju Modi, Bollywood has played an important part in promoting Indian fashion and the Indian design industry.

"Cinema plays an essential part in every Indian's life. We always get mesmerised and inspired by cinema. I remember every era on Indian cinema which gave different recognition to costume designing. Indian cinema became an important part of the Indian fashion industry, we all remember our favorite indian costume jewelry from a specific movie", said Anju. 

She added: "In the last few years, the industry has grown bigger and better, and International designers and fashion houses are getting inspiration from Indian textiles and fabrics. I have been working on development of new fabrics and colourways for the last two decades. My work has been appreciated internationally.




Have a look at the summer collections!

Designers Put Their Bridal Best On Display

Popular designers such as Vikram Phadnis, Narendra Kumar, Jaya Misra and Shaina NC recently presented their Indian bridal wear collection at the Hotel Westin, Pune. 

Giving the fashion outing its dose of Bollywood glamour was newbie Evelyn Sharma, who did the showstopping act for Misra.

While Phadnis and Misra presented opulent designs and bright colours, the other two creative heads stuck to a lighter colour palette and toned-down silhouettes. While it was traditional or fusion lehengas, indian bridal dresses and embroidered saris for the ladies, for men, it was more about tailored jackets and brocade sherwanis paired with dhoti pants and silk trousers.

Here are some of the pictures of the different collections showcased at the event.

Stay tuned to have more informations about Indian fashion...

Bollywood: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

Bollywood: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told is a documentary released in 2011 about all that makes Bollywood so controversial.

The film-makers Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Jeff Zimbalis endeavour to make you think about what Bollywood represents, after you are being given all the information to make up your mind. 

If you want to see the best love stories, the most stunning Indian bridal wear, the famous breathtaking dances and songs, plus an insight on Bollywood reputation, this movie is definitely for you!

See also the Band Baaja Bride makeover show! 

Narendra Kumar designs India's favorite clothes!

Dear All,

We have always shown interest in Narendra Kumar's collection and we have always loved his styles.
And the more we know about him, the more we love him!

Obviously we are not the only fans he has, also Bollywood stars know that when Fashion comes in place, Narendra Kumar's Indian Clothes are a must have.

When fashion calls, Kumar doesn't hesitate!

Are you looking for Indian Fashion Designers Online?

Strand of silk is the website you are looking for! All the best indian designer collections are waiting for you!

New Attractive Venues for Indian Weddings

It seems like getting exclusive dresses from the top Indian Fashion Designers is no longer enough for Indian celebrities.
The new frontier of luxurious Indian weddings is the choice of the venue, and the new fashion is to celebrate at Mauritius.

Rich Indians and Bollywood stars made Mauritius a popular location for celebrating their wedding with family and friends. 
In particular InterContinental Hotel in Balaclava and Oberoi Mauritius are the top seaside resorts for the extravagant cerimonies, that continue for days.

The costs involved are impressive! About USD 300,000 per day for 400 guests!
Also, those who can afford additional caprices, chartered planes and dance performances by Bollywood stars can bring the expenses to millions.

If usually the attention is on the costs for bridal clothes, in these expensive scenarios they are considered the least worry.

Lucky those who can celebrate in this fairy tale fashion their wedding!

Do you want to know more about Indian Fashion and Indian Celebrities Habits?

Strand of Silk is the source of information you are looking for!

Follow us on Facebook  (http://www.facebook.com/strandofsilk) to get constant updates and curiosities on Bollywood.

Visiting http://strandofsilk.com/ you can see and shop the latest collections by Bollywood celebrities' favorite designers!

Looking For A Thrill?

Take a sneak peek at the trailer of Ek Thi Dayaan (litteraly, “There was a witch”), the new Bollywood paranormal thriller by Kannan Iyer.

The cast of this movie include Emraan Hashmi, Huma Qureshi, Konkona Sen Sharma and Kalki Koechlin.

Out in Indian theatres on April 18^th 2013. Hope you enjoy!

See also Bollywood style at New York fashion Week!

Rajesh Pratap Singh's Latest Collection

Rajesh Pratap Singh

It may be sunny in the south, but the Indian designer Rajesh Pratap Singh in collaboration with Woolmark, makes us want to migrate to the North. The stellar collection presented a subtle take on androgyny with pant-suits and less structured dresses. Patchwork blazers formed the core of the menswear collection.

This latest collection very elegant and contemporary, was a huge success, and it should not take long to see his creation in Bollywood. More about Indian Designers

Fashion Week 2013 – Marchesa And Its Bollywood-esque Collection

  

It seems like Marchesa designers decided to make a bold move during this year’s Fashion Week in New York. 

We were used to seing A-list celebrities wear their dreamy dresses on the red carpet, but they apparently moved aside from their fairytale inspiration. 

For their fall collection,  Keren Craig and Georgina Chapman got influenced by “the spirit of India in the 1960s” and came up with embroidery, fringe and saree weaves for their evening gowns. The looks were very Bollywood-esque on the catwalk and didn’t leave the audience indifferent.

I will let you judge through these few pictures what you think of this change in style.

Other curiosity about Bollywood?

The dub in Bollywood

Did you know….?  They record the scene and after they dubbed the dialogs.

In Bollywood when they are filming the dances and songs mixed with interesting choreography Western pop are usually filmed and later dubbed because of the amount of Language that there are in India and as well to make it easier to translate to other languages as English.

We let you some nices choreographies:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePhtl_aRGPE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z9cM0ITQYs

Enjoy and don´t forget tell to everyone!! :D

Greetings from Team Strand of Silk.