Accessories are the most important choices that one needs to make after one has chosen what clothes to wear. They have the power to lift your style and take it to another level. Shoes, bags, belts, glasses prescription or otherwise, jewelry, watches must be chosen very carefully.

Some accessories become an integral part of us, whether its a pendant that we have an emotional connect to, a ring that signifies a relationship, or a lucky bracelet which, when worn makes everything right! These pieces remain as non-negotiable....rest can and must be chosen!

Roma

Roma wears a sleeveless jumpsuit in black and pairs it with a crop top also sleeveless in a cobalt blue that adds a vibrant pop of color to her personality. However most delightful is her very unique neck piece and sunglasses drawing the viewers gaze against the plain black canvas of her jumpsuit. The dual string neck piece looks like a hi-tech gizmo refashioned from interesting and intriguing parts.....I sure wanna know more about it....don't you?

The oversize gold rimmed Jon Lennon glares are fabulous and just right for the moment where shapes of sunglasses are undergoing a major reinvention.

Roma

She finishes her look with a pair of white striped leather sneakers in black and an envelop sling bag in brown leather that spells out the only two things on her (true for most of us!) TO DO List......that is "Learn to Fly and Fly Away"

Roma

Lakme Fashion Week Summer/ Resort 2014- Day 1- part 1

The Lakme Fashion Week LFW is here guys and Mumbai is buzzing with blushed cheekbones, high heeled beauties and dapper and sensitive men. Designers, models, celebrities,fashionistas, divas,business owners,entrepreneurs, media and a plush venue, what a heady cocktail this is! Your blogger is there to witness, review and bring to you the best from this high octane, champagne drenched event....day after day!

So buckle up to go on the fast lane with me to see what the best in design in the country have to offer for this Summer/resort season of 2014.

DHRUV KAPUR’S MONOCHROMATIC COLLECTION HAD MINIMAL STYLISH ELEGANCE AT LAKMÉ FASHION WEEK SUMMER/RESORT 2014

Mumbai, 12^th March: Dhruv Kapur’s label DRVV for his collection reflected duplicity and duality in monochromes at Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2014.

 To match the theme and mood of the ensembles, the fabrics he opted for, started with double sided crêpe, georgette, cotton sateen, organza, silk flat chiffon and twill but stayed away from dazzling embroidery and bright colours. Dhruv played with black, white, grey, silver-grey and beige for a stylishly simplistic collection which had a great story to tell.

The contrast French cuff and built in bow shirt in poplin seen below is my pick from the womens offerings.

DRVV-by Dhruv Kapur

“2 Faced” garments like the coat back jumpsuit for men added to the fashion quotient for a very Zen like look that created a striking fashion statement for Dhruv Kapur’s collection.

DRVV-by Dhruv Kapur

PRANAV MISHRA AND SHYMA SHETTY BROUGHT NEO LUXE PRÉT ON THE CATWALK AT LAKMÉ FASHION WEEK SUMMER/RESORT 2014

It was pure luxury with comfort when Pranav Mishra and Shyma Shetty presented their collection for Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2014 under the “Huemn” label.

Influenced heavily by sportswear, the creations had a breezy fresh energetic young upscaled look. Sporty silhouettes were evident along with graphic creative wordplay and luxe shimmering handwork. Colours that created a fun element were, bright yellow and red along with pastel blue, mint, beige, and ended with black. Keeping the theme intact, plush silk, linen, Lurex and Lycra were the apt fabric choices.

Silky sweatshirts were a great complement for sequinned pencil skirts while trendy varsity Tees were given a stylish twist.

                               

 Huemn

I love the sharply cut Jacket glittered with stripes to keep the theme intact. Sporty broad stripes and giant numerical motifs added to the very fun collection which was at the same time quite right for elegant evenings.

For the lover of the great outdoors, Pranav Mishra and Shyma Shetty dreamt up an offering for the latest season that had all the practical as well as elegant stylish touches.  

                                

 Huemn

SNEHA ARORA’S COLLECTION OF IMPERFECTIONS AND STYLE CREATED DRAMA ON THE RAMP AT LAKMÉ FASHION WEEK SUMMER/RESORT 2014

 Sneha created a collection of imperfections at Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2014. Defects in fashion were highlighted while perfection was given a back seat.

Calling her presentation “Leak”, Sneha went from hues like dirty ivory, patchy beige and leaking indigo along with dusty brown to stay true to the title. I love the neckpiece and the colors.

Sneha Arora

Asymmetric prints were once again blotchy, while leaking plackets and collars were in miss dent dobbies and cotton voiles. Summer dresses too revealed leaking details in cotton satins and hand-woven silks. Bottom wear comprised displaced cropped trousers and culottes, which were teamed with deconstructed blazers with dripping lining that gave an unconventional relaxed silhouette to the garments.

Pleating gave the dresses, trousers and jackets a slightly feminine touch; while the clever layering of different garments offered a mix and match option to the wearer.

Sneha Arora

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES INSPIRED SOUGAT PAUL’S VERY UNIQUE COLLECTION AT LAKMÉ FASHION WEEK SUMMER/RESORT 2014

The detailing was rather unconventional as embellishments were the zippers that made striking additions. Digital prints played a major role as geometric and floral motifs in multi colours and fabrics were teamed with solids to highlight the garments. While the silhouette was basic, it was the pleating and draping that added drama to the garments. Beaded tassels appeared for colour blocked pre-stitched saris and were easy on the eye.

                             

 SOUP -Saugat Paul

The final three beaded beauties – black chiffon maxi, red jacket with georgette skirt and the dusty green gown with 3D embellishments were ideal Red Carpet entries. For a nostalgic fashion journey Sougat Paul’s “Vintage Sewing Box” collection was the perfect tailored offering from dawn to dusk.

                            

  SOUP -Saugat Paul

Street Style Diaries Mumbai - Loulou van Damme

Someday I want to be Loulou!

I noticed her when she got up after dinner from the table next to mine at this restaurant and possessed, I followed her, not caring for my soup that had just arrived.....

Loulou van Damme, originally from Belgium is a self-confessed indophile, loves everything about India and calls Mumbai her home. This grand dame of style is a creative consultant for interiors and works with Maithili Ahluwalia's Bungalow 8.

Loulou wears a creation from another creative genius behind Bungalow 8's fashion Mathieu Gugumus Leguillon. She has the agility and aura of a yogi and Comfort seems to be the keyword for Loulou's style. She wears this unique jumpsuit in black and white horizontal striped cotton, the silhouette of which is a masterful blend of the traditional Indian dhoti+kurta pairing. She teams up her visibly comfortable attire with a pair of canvas sneakers in white, also high on comfort; and an interesting graphic printed stole around her neck. 

Being an indophile and a woman automatically makes her a lover of the white(silver) and yellow(gold) metal and many interesting pieces adorn her hands neck and ears. I am sure each piece of jewelery on her has a story behind it and has the flavor of the places it comes from.

For a lady who doesn't want to lug around a bag, Loulou proves that all you need phone+money+keys can fit in her comfortable and compact customized sling.

You define grace, and some day I want to be you!

Loulou van Damme

Street Style Diaries Mumbai- Kubra

When you own every element of  your style the comfort and confidence shows. 

Kubra is vivacious, gorgeous and has that rarity of making the bespeckled-beauty look work. Very few women  have managed to make Geek look the ultimate sexy, Brigitte Bardot in the 60's, our own Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Guzarish in 2009, Caroline Murphy for Tom Ford in 2010. Ace designers like Tom Ford and Sabyasachi Mukherji have identified, appreciated and incorporated this unique perspective in their respective looks and created distinct unforgettable identities.

Kubra wears a charcoal jumpsuit in crepe-de-chine with a cowled front neck and a super-sexy scoop back with multi metal chain detail in gold unlike any that I have seen. Multi-chain necklace are very popular neck adornments, but Kubra shows a new way of wearing them that I totally dig!  Jumpsuits and playsuits are the flavour of the season and women world over are wearing them and lapping-up the look. This outfit adds to one's height and make one appear taller. 

A black leather bag with metal chain strap,  ballet flats in black, her amazing pair of slightly cattish spectacles and a pair of diamond drops complete her look. Her playful soft curls and dark cherry red lips just add the sizzle!  

Kubra- Anchor