The last ten years have been a rising curve of aesthetic evolution for the Indian fashion and design industry. There’s been a huge influx of international influences simultaneously developing with a deep exploration of Indian craftsmanship.
Many major brands entered the Indian markets and a lot of e-commerce companies started providing services to the Indian consumer. While this opened doors to accessible western designs, there was a wave of homegrown labels launched across the country with a strong focus on Indian crafts.
The amalgamation of these varied offerings have overall raised the bar of aesthetics for the Indian consumer. From the beginning of the last decade to the end, there is an obvious elevation in product quality, design as well as technology.
The most iconic advancement would be the rise of e-commerce and social media. From the comfort of our homes, we can now access beautiful products from around the world and have it delivered at our doorsteps. Likewise, Indian homegrown labels have found markets across the world. Social media apps like Instagram have fuelled the inspiration with easy access to imagery from every part of the world. This mutual exchange of aesthetics has cultivated multicultural designs, where influences are no longer restricted to travel buys.
That said, the last decade also witnessed a major rise in international travel. As travel becomes accessible, design aesthetics have become phenomenally globalised.
The Indian consumer now has a more evolved understanding of aesthetics and their lifestyle is driven by their design choices. As more and more people invest in quality design and become aware of its core essence, we draw ourselves closer to an aesthetic revolution.
Scandinavian design has been a huge influence in global fashion and lifestyle from a while now. Nordic style is often associated with a clean, minimalist aesthetic. The colours are usually represented as desaturated tones and neutrals for this specific region.
Considering all this information that I had gathered through various textual and visual resources, I had always perceived Copenhagen to reflect a typical Scandinavia/Nordic outlook. Little did I know, I was in for a big surprise. As I stepped foot in this city last summer, I came across a gamut of contrasts to my knowledge.
Copenhagen is by far the most aesthetically evolved city I’ve been to. While Design is obviously right at the core of everything in here, it is the freshness of aesthetic that draws one to observe each and every object around.
From the beautiful amalgamation of new and old architecture to the streets full of pretty little nooks.. this city is like a carefully curated exhibit of supreme aesthetics.
Copenhagen embodies the essence of good design; it is simple, effortless and extremely functional. The city is flocked with bicycles and almost everyone seems to ride to their workplaces. Likewise, their clothing and accessories reflect the functionality of movement and is hence made simple. It sure does not mean they’d take their styling a notch down. In fact it’s the exact opposite. Fashion is effortless but extremely cool. The way they play with bright fun prints and fresh colours, you’d never see that so consistently well put together any place else.
Local brands here are also a total delight. They carry the essence of the Scandinavian aesthetic but it’s reinterpreted in a very cool Copenhagen way. From fashion to utility stores, anywhere you go there is no dearth of design inspiration. Some really cool fashion and lifestyle stores to check out are Ganni, Wood Wood, & Lovechild 1979.
And last but not the least, the food here is a cultural mix of world cuisines served with a Nordic twist. While there are many fancy restaurants and cafes to visit here, I will restrict my list to this one place Torvehallerne. This place is basically your one stop for a variety of foods and beverages served in a casual street setting. There is something to tingle everyone’s taste buds in here.
Like I said in my last post, Im absolutely enamoured by this city and could go on and on about it. But this is a gist of all that I saw and loved about it. Hope you find inspiration in exploring this city as much as I did 🙃
Hoo-gah is the Danish secret to the country’s ever growing happiness index. During my recent travels, I got introduced to this beautiful word/feeling/phenomenon. I have since been passionate about learning more.
From my little experience in life, I have come to realise the real meaning to life is nothing but happiness. And damn it’s hard. Especially for us Millenials. Why? Because we are so obsessed with trying to be better everyday that we somehow forget to live the moment we are experiencing in the present.
Hygge comes as a totally refreshing concept for the Millenial life. It’s the exact opposite of whatever we have been accustomed to, as a source of achieving happiness. I found myself deeply fascinated by the concept. To the extent that I have read several articles on it, besides experiencing it live in the beautiful city of Copenhagen (which I believe I can write a book on, one day).
Hygge is a feeling, a state of calmness with a completely happy state of mind. What makes it different is the fact that it is achieved through small/simple day to day gestures. Some of the most common practices of the Danes, in the quest to make their days hyggeligt include lighting candles, eating a cake or sitting next to a fireplace. Now while some of these activities may be specific to the weather conditions of one’s geographical location, the essence of Hygge lies in its effortless simplicity.
I have come to learn a few good tips and tricks from several random articles and a book on Hygge by Mike Weiner (the CEO of Happiness Research Institute). I strongly believe that it lies in the simple acts of small gestures with good company.
I’m utterly obsessed with the concept and have decided to have my version of a little Hygge everyday. A warm cup of coffee while listening to the sound of rain, to begin with.. 😊
As a creative, one goes through spells of lack of inspiration. I’ve been on a rather long one. So long, that it actually took me a lot of thinking to get back. Truth be told, I did not really stop finding things that would inspire me, it was the lack of expression that took over. Hence, no posts from over 3 years.
I wanted to get back to writing by explaining this hiatus. It’s weird and unsettling, the feeling of not being able to express. Imagination and ideas never really stop bubbling inside, it’s the confidence (or lack thereof) that takes a toll over creativity. I realise this every time I travel. Just how much I yearn to document the amazing things I see and experience
I think comfort and familiarity puts me into a state of creative block.
I need visual stimulation and it usually comes with exploration of new things, be it a new place, a restaurant or sometimes even a simple movie. Its not that I didn’t find stimulation during the last two years, it’s probably that the fact that I got too comfortable doing the things that are a part of routine.
So here’s to more moments of inspiration and a conscious expression. Here’s to being curious forever!
As Twin Peaks is all set to return back to television, I cannot help but reminisce the original series. It was a cult classic that defined the 90’s. A series which successfully managed to create a nouveau genre of television, a surreal murder mystery thriller that was almost horrific, focusing on every character with as much depth.
David Lynch has released a statement saying he would no longer be a part of the forthcoming revival show, while Showtime still insists on striking a deal to rope Lynch in somehow. It is no secret that if it were not for David Lynch’s surreal imagery, the series would never turn out as such a cult in the history of television. Lynch’s vision has always been beyond extraordinary, there is always an intricacy prevalent in the image as well as the concept and script.
In this particular event, I am focusing on the most striking aspect of the series, the ladies of Twin Peaks. The series brings forth four very different characters with strikingly varied style. What’s common, is the eeriness around all these women. Let me describe each one of them briefly.
LAURA PALMER/MADDY FERGUSON- The series is based on this character but interestingly, we see very little of her. She is a high school student and a prom queen. Needless to say she appears docile and beautiful. From her blonde blown up hair to minimal natural make up, she’s the picture of a popular high school girl. She is characterized strongly by a high school prom photograph in a tiara and a white tube dress, with some additional scenes where she dresses as a high school girl in turtle neck cardigans and skirts. Her outlook is simple, yet mystifying. Somewhere during the show she makes a re-appearance as Laura’s cousin Maddy. Maddy wears typical 90’s huge horn rimmed glasses with full blown curls and crew neck sweaters with skirts belted to tuck the waist.
DONNA HAYWARD- Laura’s best friend, who is depicted as deeply impacted by Laura’s demise. She embodies the quintessential 90’s high school badass with an experimentative style. She is seen wearing oversized cardigans and boy jackets, buttoned up check shirts, also while sporting some sleek dresses and long pencil skirts. Her curly bob is perhaps the apt hair cut for the moment and the make up was usually marked with nude eyes and vermillion or tangerine lips.
AUDREY HORNE- Audrey is my style icon for the series. She is a part psycho part innocent maddeningly surreal character, who looks like she stepped out of 1950’s Hollywood. Her look is characterized by her dark & wavy bob perfected with a black eyeliner and scarlet lips. She wears fitted two pieces, mostly shirts/embellished or knit tops and pencil/pleated skirts with brogues or kitten heels. She is also seen in slip dresses, deep V necks, and almost all her costumes enhance her figure with a strong sexual undertone making her the siren of Twin Peaks.
SHELLEY JOHNSON- Shelley is a restaurant waitress and is often seen in a uniform, but that does not hold back from her peculiar style. She carries another exemplifying 90’s style, the long curly blown up hair, full dark brows and well lined red matte lips. She wears those (you know, we all wore them) thick hairbands or various occasions with tiny silver danglers. When she’s off duty, she’s seen wearing embroidered shirts and felt coats, yet another symbolisation of the 90’s outerwear.
After writing this post, I think I have been drawn into the world of Twin Peaks yet again. Time to start with the Pilot episode while Lynch decides on his direction plans. Though, I sincerely hope he will be a part of the show because we all know there can be no Twin Peaks without Lynch.
As the iconic series on the Advertisement world of late 50’s-60’s comes to an end, what better way to mark the occasion, than with an exhibition designed to commemorate the show’s excellence. Museum of the Moving Image, NYC now exhibits the creative process of conceptualisation in every bit of detail that went into making MAD MEN. The exhibition commenced on March 14th and will be showcasing until June 14th.
Matthew Weiner’s vision is precisely curated with a focus on every major aspect of the show. From the sets, furniture to the costume depictions and original scripts. This exhibit acts as a mirror to the creative process and vision behind the remarkable success of the series. The vision was anything but limited, as the series detailed every bit of the pictured era in contemporary film technology giving a virtual time lapse experience to the viewer. Much of this can be credited to Matthew’s incredible attention to perfection.
Talking of costumes and art direction, areas of special interest for me, I think this show symbolised the 60’s fashion like no other show/film could. Especially considering the fact that they were successfully able to maintain the evolution over a period of time depicted through the 7 seasons.
From whatever information and pictures I could gather online, I believe it would be a delight for the fans to be able to stand so close to what went behind the cameras and picture in reality. So for all you lucky people who live in NYC or around, or those of you travelling to NYC, go ahead and be a part of this iconic journey of television and fashion.
The standards and style of beauty vary across the world. The way beauty is portrayed also varies from person to person. As they rightly say, ‘beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder’. This holds true for Romanian photographer Mihaela Noroc who is on a mission to click women in their native surroundings worldwide. She calls it THE ATLAS OF BEAUTY.
While there are some beautiful portraits, there is also a noticeable style of photography which is comparable to how an artist views his subject and paints the portrait according to his/her own taste. Similarly, Mihaela creates a beautiful portrait with her own personalised rendering. Its more like seeing these women through her eyes.
The women come from diverse settings and they all carry their distinctive style which is a great directory to identify the variety of cultures they are inhabiting. It screams individualism and unabashed glory which is beyond standardized beauty. For me the photographs are more like the atlas of culture.
Follow Mihaela Noroc on instagram to see the complete collection of pictures. @mihaelanoroc
Xiao Li was a real breath of freshness at LFW. A perfect debut for A/W15.
She presented a primarily knitwear dominated collection which was created with witty quirkiness and high contrast color combinations. I personally fell for the quirky intarsia patterns in tangerine hues on dark chocolate and black bases. It was a fun reprise of quirky fashion.
With many new designers battling for the LVMH prize each year, this contender comes with originality and some great pattern making garnished with subtle humor. Have a look at the collection and enjoy some fresh fashion statements. Clearly one of my favorite new ones to hit the runway this year.
First and foremost, let me take the honour of stating that Jean Paul Gaultier happens to be my most favourite designer and I have been lucky enough to witness his genius first hand. Ever since I first realized my love for fashion, Jean Paul Gaultier’s work has been with me through the years. I have scanned all his collections, piece by piece, and have (atleast tried to) read all his interviews in almost every magazine I could find.
His story always fascinated me, a young boy who loved cinema (just like me 😉 )and lived in the world of dreams and fantasies. His obsession with ‘Nana’ the bear is no secret, but I surely do love how he carried his childish fantasy in his works through decades. He has also addressed some very important issues like gender,sexuality and effeminacy with some brilliant collections that have become an iconic part of the global fashion history. His muses have long been the strength of his work; from his grandmother in his early childhood to the likes of Kate Moss, Amy Winehouse, Beth Ditto, Madonna, Andrej Prejic and Dita Von Teese. His clothes are a narrative that take you in and you engage with the story.
The Exhibit: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk.
Much like his collections, when it was decided to create a collective exhibition of his fashion journey, the exhibit became a narrative in itself. ‘From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk’, a travelling exhibition that covered a large section the world, sharing the amazing life and works of Jean Paul Gaultier.
So last year, about the same time as now, I visited New York for a work presentation. As I enquired with my friend for some good design and art exhibitions to look around, I chanced upon this one, one that encompassed my favourite designer’s entire portfolio. Well, I really do consider that the heaven’s had this planned for me. I went straight to Brooklyn’s Art Museum and witnessed what is most likely the best works of fashion I’ve ever seen in person at less than a feet’s distance. The mannequins sang operas and spoke dialogues in french as there were faces projected on them, a technique of presentation I had never seen before. All the collections were divided into separate areas with a special ambience specific to the collection. It was like watching a film with interludes, and characters standing right next to you. Here are a few pictures of the ones I loved the most…
Yet again United Kingdom has generated a luxury fashion destination that is all set to take the industry by a storm. They just launched this February and have been all over the fashion newsfeed ever since.The website http://www.veryexclusive.co.uk/ promises to spoil you rotten with the finest of runway from premium designers and fashion brands across the world. They come with a great selection of some exquisite pieces also serving looks by forming interesting stories and taking a fun but easy approach to shopping.
Here are my favourite picks from their current offering:
Also, it comes with a simple non fussy navigation which makes it easier to understand the range division. All this is great and of course makes online shopping convenient but nothing breakthrough right?
Well I’ve saved the best for the last; brace yourselves now because this website actually lets you buy from some highly coveted aspirational collections with an option of paying the dues over a period of three months totally INTEREST FREE! Isnt that a total deal maker..?? A special section called INSPIRATION HUB lets you devour international trends while sitting in the comfort of your couch. For those of you who are confused about styling these dream pieces, they offer you a style guide as well.
I am surely registering myself to explore this website some more and get their takes on runway fashion while secretly putting things in my basket! Aspiring fashion always feels good. 🙂
THE INDIAN AESTHETE 