Soul Engineering
Payal Jain looks within the layers of consciousness to debate the meaning of life, as the Holy Grail is truly inner calm By Asmita Aggarwal
Tree of Life
Vaishali S celebrates the prowess of hand woven with textures inspired by natures resilience By Asmita Aggarwal
CELEBRATION OF THE NATIONAL HANDLOOM DAY
Some reminisces By Dr Sanjay Kumar Panda IAS(Retd), Former SecretaryMinistry of Textiles, Govt of India
TRYST WITH TEXTILES
A salute to the quiet warriors of handlooms artisans, as they add a human touch to our otherwise assembly line wardrobes, in a soulful celebration of handloom month by Asmita Aggarwal
Dusty Town, Big Dreams
Modelling is witnessing a chrysalis of sorts with small-town girls becoming coveted faces on the catwalk. One such tale is of Pragya Bais, a lawyer… By Asmita Aggarwal She grew up in a small town—Singrauli, in Madhya Pradesh, in a joint family, she had five siblings and her dad used to also support his brothers family as her uncle refused to work. Such challenging circumstances kind of polished the rough diamond— Pragya Bais. It was hard for my father, but he did all this without ever complaining. I had two pairs of clothes one for home and one for when we went out, which was seldom. We travelled in general compartment and mom would make us rotis which would dip in tea and enjoy, on our train journeys, she smiles. So today when Pragya made it to the list of models to walk for LMIFW and took a flight to get to the city, she remembered those humble days with family. I used to watch fashion TV when I was young, that was my only knowledge of fashion and no one in my home is even remotely connected to this field. In fact, they dont even consider it a profession worth talking about. My dad always told me not to join, as models he felt are not respected. So today when he sees me do well, he talks about my success to our relatives. I am happy to see him change his view of what women are perceived to be like in fashion, she laughs. Pushed to studying law, Pragya completed her degree from Pune University, (also she was committed to help people in dire straits), but her heart was set on modelling so without telling her parents or asking them for any financial help she would go for auditions. I was keen on constitutional law as that really connects you to the grassroots. But life under the spotlight fascinated me. To earn money, I joined a company and worked as a customer assistant for Rs 18,000 a month that would help me join a gym, buy clothes and pay for travel, she adds. However, life kind of metamorphosised, and from an introvert, who had no self-confidence and could never face anyone, fashion instilled in her the will to succeed and chase her dreams. Now to be a model it is not about just beauty, you need individuality. And I hope to also do theatre as acting interests me and I am saving up for it. With family acceptance things are now easier, she admits. In the future, Pragya hopes to start her own business as she has been smitten by certain aspects of designing, and maybe later would like to pursue it. I think what has brought me here in life is my optimism and never-say-die attitude. I tried many times for India Fashion Week, but I never made it, however, it didnt dim my enthusiasm. Unlike many other girls who were crying and complaining when they didnt get selected, I took it positively and came back next year, with a better version of myself, she concludes.
Beauty is a Verb
The Tamana show was a tribute to the undying human spirit, how it preserves even in moments of despondency and dependency, yet rises like the proverbial phoenix
Weaving Conversions
How to make a neoprene-loving generation admire and appreciate the beauty and purity of handspun is the challenge the handloom industry faces today. Making it cool seems to be the answer both metaphorically and literally!
Wizards of Design
Live piano, six style gurus, fame, awards and a whole lot of mingling made the first historic Couture Hall of Fame awards, by FDCI, a runaway success
The Admirals Son
Weightless is the new language of instruction, as couture swings in the direction of opulence minus cult musings, power posing, flurry of feathers or inventive iterations, just mixing craftsmanship with a Tarun Tahiliani brand of realism
Sea Change
Gaurav Gupta has studied the Undercurrent like no one else and decided not to swim against the tide. His couture is lighter, subtler and unfussy, armed with his new offering of shiny baubles and sharp tailoring to create an awakening for those who possess an undeniable mystique