www.bodicestudio.com
www.thereyougo.in
SANAH SHARMA S U S TA I N A B L E FA S H I O N www.sanahsharma.com
www.bloni.in
J AY W A L K I N G MUMBAI, INDIA jaywalking.in
EDITOR’S LETTER |
O
ur first issue talks about fashion and life in the new normal. This issue is a look into the pandemic stricken world. For Ewoke’s first issue we bring to you something very close to our hearts; localisation, sustainability and mental health. Putting this issue together while working from home was not easy, but that has not let us compromise the quality of work we put into it. Sure, we would have more to offer if the world outside was different but we are proud of what we have created while working remotely. We open this issue with an important addition to the Indian fashion culture, Thrifting. The article highlights the introduction of recommerce into the Indian fashion market, and our hopes for a better future in a world dominated by fast fashion. We continue through the book talking about, the reality of inclusive sizing in the fashion industry, the rise of
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ethical fashion and the startling facts surrounding the conspicuous consumption of the fashion industry, up-cycling denim the major clog of the industry, the fluid future of fashion and the shift to localisation. We are thrilled to celebrate the work of our incredible artists. From original creations by our contributors to an array of stories on the trends in the industry. From therapeutic and wearable art to extravagant make-up looks and virtual music concerts, we have you covered on everything. This issue also focuses on taking care of your mind and body with virtual therapy and gym sessions with professionals. While talking about care, we draw attention on normalising male beauty needs and the lockdown trend of giving ourselves new haircuts. The lockdown has led to the popularity of home-cooks, an easier lifestyle and an unhealthy and deeper addiction to social media, with people swallowing the toxicity like pills. Reusing, recycling and repurposing items has become a healthy practise, while the meaning of dating applications has evolved. We hope you enjoy what we have put together for you. As the seasons change, we hope that it turns new leaves for the current world situation. Until our next issue we hope you stay safe and healthy.
- SOHAYA GILL FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGR AM @SOHAYAGILL OR EMAIL ME AT LETTER@EWOKE.IN
EWOKE INDIA OCTOBER 2020
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www.bhaane.com Mumbai | New Delhi | Bangalore
EWOKE OCTOBER
CONTENTS FASHION 40
GENDER FLUID FASHION
50
SWADESHI: THE RISE OF LOCAL
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New playbook for designers and fashion enthusiasts, featuring Anaam.
The rule of the local.
55
LET’S UPCYCLE
66
RISE OF SLOW FASHION
72
LARGE COVER UP
76
T HRIF T SH IF T
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LOUNGEWEAR INTO FORMALS
Ways to re-purpose your worn-outs. Future of fashion in the wake of Covid-19. Uncovering the truth about inclusivity. The re-commerce of revolution.
A moodboard to come fall for all the inspiration you need.
76 COVER LOOK On Paridhi: D r e s s Tailored Treasure; Boots Folk Pants Styled by: Paridhi Photographed by: Paridhi Concept & Art Direction by: Sohaya Gilll
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CONTENTS ART 102 ARTAGEOUS:
TAILOR-MADE GALLERIES Artists create pieces for you to wear.
106 THE SHOW GOES
ON(LINE) Live music is more intimate than ever, thanks to social media.
110 EXPRESSIVE ART Creating a calmer world through art, in conversation with artists.
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118 THE FACE AS
CANVAS Face is the new canvas for artists to experiment.
SELF-CARE 128 THE RISE OF
ONLINE FITNESS An insight into the changes dynamics of fitnessin our homes.
134 VIRTUAL THERAPY
SESSIONS Telehealth: A silver lining in the midst of Covid-19.
180 140
BEAU BEAUTY The changing face of masculinity.
146 DID YOU CUT
YOUR OWN HAIR TOO? Rapunzel is ready to celebrate the lockdown.
LIFESTYLE 156
MEET THE GREEN WARRIORS Eco-enthusists trying to cut their rubbish.
162
HOME COOKS TO THE RESCUE Lockdown sees a rise in home chefs selling food.
168
SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION Social media, a blessing and a curse.
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LOVE IN THE TIMES OF COVID How the meaning of dating apps have changed during Covid-19.
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PAUSE : UNFILTERED LIFESTYLE Looking at the smaller things.
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www.studiobeej.com
EWOKE MASTHEAD
OCTOBER | INDIA
PUBLISHER PEARL ACADEMY
EDITOR - IN - CHIEF SOHAYA GILL
CREATIVE DIRECTOR NANDINI MITTAL
MANAGING DIRECTOR PARIDHI
PRODUCTION MANAGER ISHITA SANGHI
PUBLICATION DESIGN NANDINI MITTAL
CHIEF ILLUSTRATOR SOHAYA GILL
PHOTOGRAPHERS ISHITA SANGHI NANDINI MITTAL PARIDHI SOHAYA GILL
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS ISHITA SANGHI NANDINI MITTAL PARIDHI
CONTRIBUTING STYLIST ISHITA SANGHI NANDINI MITTAL PARIDHI SOHAYA GILL
FOUNDERS I SHITA SANGHI NANDINI MITTAL PARIDHI SOHAYA GILL
CONTACT US If you have any queries or feedback, please write to us at magazineewoke@gmail.com. For advertising inquiries, get in touch at advertisingewoke@ gmail.com
@ewokeindia EwokeMagazime @ewoke.india
badaam.co
House 8-C, Vivekananda Marg, C-Scheme Jaipur, Rajasthan @harago_
T H E T E A M | EWOKE
The Stylist ISHITA SANGHI Ishita Sanghi studying in Pearl Academy, pursuing Fashion Media Communication has a keen interest in fashion and styling. Styling gives her a chance to express herself. It fills her with excitement and she finds it quite relaxing.
The Art Director PARIDHI
Paridhi is pursuing FMC at Pearl Academy, Delhi. She loves to write, and be in front of the camera, whether it’s modelling, hosting, or acting, she does it all. She’s an inquistive one, who runs on coffee all day long.
The Graphics Editor NANDINI MITTAL
Nandini is a Fashion Media Communication student at Pearl Academy, New Delhi. She has a knack for illustrations and graphics. She works as a Graphic and Web Designer at ‘Cochere, and writes her own blog “Better with Time”’
The Writer
SOHAYA GILL Sohaya is a FMC student at Pearl Academy, New Delhi. She loves to write and create illustrations & collages. She writes her own blog ‘Phresh’ and her work has also been featured in ALTR magazine.
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C O R D www.cord.com
Shop No 4, Joanna building, Manuel Gonsalves Rd, Bandra West, Mumbai, Maharashtra silverstreakstore@gmail.com +91-9322510464
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702 Bellaire Chambers, near The Chanakya, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, 110011
helenabajajlarsen.com
2
1 Ekaya Banaras Rs.375
KoAi Rs. 375
Ekaya, reinterprets and redefines traditional weaves and motifs with a ModernIndian vision.
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KoAi experts in handloom Luxury, presenting the ‘Finest Textiles’ from Across India.
MASK-UP Face masks have become an indispensable part of our lives. Here’s where you can get your hands on design-forward styles.
Text by NANDINI MITTAL
Iha Rs.375 Iha, specialises in prints and texture, while giving their maks a modernistic touch.
4 Fabric Pandit Rs.375 Fabric Pandit is known for their Handcrafted Wearable Art.
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3 Kaveri Rs.275 Kaveri is a clothing brand based in Chennai, India. They specialises in the pure linen fabrics, which are mainly inspired by natural beauty, texture, drape and history of the glorious fabric.
D 34 Harijan Basti opposite B 8 Vasant Kunj New Delhi 110070 www.diariesofnomad.com
lu s t r e LIST
Text by SOHAYA GILL Here are 5 brands that provide a fresher view on the Indian jewellery market. These brands are the opposite of the basic heavy precious jewellery India is known to make. So, whether you are pantsuit donning corporate honcho or a sari-loving executive, these minimal jewellery labels will help you make a statement.
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1. Iguana by Swasti Parekh: Handcrafted jewellery made using the ancient traditional art of embroidery in modern reinvented way. Iguana, makes jewellery inspired by nature and all put together by hand.
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2. Aardhee: Delicate silver jewellery, handcrafted by artisans in Rajasthan. Aardhee focuses on creating modern designs using traditional techniques.
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3. Aseem Gioielli: A genderless jewellery brand, which is a fusion of Sanskrit and Italian that literally means limitless jewellery.
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4. Olio Stories: Modern heirlooms, a brand that tells stories instead churning out mass produced products. Their aesthetic is nostalgic with a touch of whimsy. 5. Lazy Lemons Studio: Lazy lemons studio creates jewellery out of up cycled brass. They use modern abstract linear designs mixed with the antique finish of the brass balancing the new and the old perfectly.
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chambrayandco.in
PULL UP YOUR SOCKS Text by ISHITA SANGHI Whether you’re going for a run .or need to keep yourself warm on a cold night, it’s socks that’ll do it for you. We love our socks as much as we hate wearing shoes without them.
SOCK REPUBLIC Ankur, the founder of the brand believe socks should always lighten up your day and bring a smile to your face. Sock Republic vows to bring color to your muted sock drawer.
SOXY TOES Sock-preneur Aayush Goenka realise that socks needed a revolution too. Thus, the brand started talking about socks 2.0. Better quality, eyepopping designs injected with a lot of new tricks up our sleeves, that's what Soxytoes is promising to deliver.
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THELA GAADI The brand offers a wide range of socks with designs curated from all story frames like history, fairy tales, cartoons, classics, and interesting patterns that add more colours to our daily lives.
SOCKS BAKERY
BOMBAY SOCKS Cofounded by Cyrus Dastur, Bombay Socks is a rapidly growing start-up. Their aim is to make good quality comfort socks, sourced from some of the finest and softest yarns produced in India.
Chandigarh based Socksbakery is direct-to-consumer socks brand for men. The startup is Cofounded by ML Jethi. Available online, the socks startup offers regular, luxury and theme-based socks.
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@valkyrecustom
@nonasties
NONASTIES This homegrown label makes contemporary, graphic, and sophisticated garments.
VALKYRE Vakyre does customiszable hip-hop & pop cukture inspired Tshirts.
T - S H I RT TAKEOVER Here are a few T-shirt brands to help refresh your work-from-home wardrobe.
Text by: ISHITA SANGHI
@bhaane
BHAANE Bhaane creates contemporary wearable clothing, that celebrates simplicity and individuality.
@caramelcarbon
CARAMEL CARBON Caramel Carbon focuses on converting original illustrations into T-shirts.
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H I T THE SNOOZE
B U T T O N Text by ISHITA SANGHI We’re all about unapologetic relaxation and quality rest. Especially right now, while we’re focused on staying in, to protect our communities from the spread of COVID-19. That’s why we’re always on the lookout for loungewear essentials. These are some brands that are making those essentials— perfect for bedtime or a cozy weekend in.
SNOOZE BY KIRAT This brand does readymade and customised sleepwear for women and are equally walletfriendly.
THE COLLECTIVE CALM This Indian sleepwear brand focuses on the importance of a sufficient and satisfactory sleep ritual. They use light-weight, breathable cotton and silk.
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BELOW THE BELT Catchy name aside, this Delhi-based store makes eyecatching pyjamas: super hero prints, Aztec motifs, animal prints—they have it all.
DE NAP Mrs. Chaudhary (brand owner) believes that pyjamas should no longer be boring or restricted to old and worn out tees and kurtas.
CATNAP SLEEPWEAR Making sleepwear for pets, humans and babies, the 22-year old entrepreneur, Sabrina Omer focuses on patterns and quirky elements like ribbon, butter paper and personalized notes in the customized bags.
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FA S H I O N GENDER FLUID FASHION RISE OF LOCAL AT HOME DIY’s ETHICAL FASHION SIZING ISSUE THRIFTING MOODBOARD FOR ALL
ILLUSTRATION BY SOHAYA GILL
FLUID FUTURE OF FASHION Don't let the society's norms put your wardrobe in a box
PARIDHI
I
n the words of Miranda Priestly, from a Hollywood fashion classic ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ released in 2006, “You go to your closet, and you select that lumpy blue sweater because you’re trying to tell the world that you take yourself too seriously, to care about what you put on your back. But it’s sort of comical, how you think you’ve made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry, when in fact you’re wearing a sweater that was selected for you, by the people in this room.” The fashion industry is the oldest, and the biggest industry to have influenced humans through centuries. Due to the pandemic, it
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stumbled like never before throughout the globe and is now going through a revolution at a speedy pace. Gender-fluid fashion is a very prominent contender in this race. Fashion is now more than ever, real-time updated, conscious and in accordance with politics, environment and society. It seems though, that the fluid future of fashion is a throwback to the old days of simpler, and functional designs, that can be worn by all, without tags, boundaries, or stereotypes. An inspiration, that is meant to further inspire people to dress out of the lines and be the epitome of inclusivity.
In frame: Rudradaman Singh Photographed by: Paridhi
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In frame: Rudradaman Singh Photographed by: Paridhi
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Ever since Jaden Smith rocked a Louis Vuitton skirt back in 2016, the fashion world has been on a roll with some of the designers making binary-busting bona fides. A few in the game are trying, but their tokenism towards inclusivity with their gender-bending debuts can be seen through. Anurag Dubey, 27, a Delhi based Stylist says, “If it was really not left to the people who make the products, and who gain the business, it could just be something that you found at your place from your grandma. It doesn’t have to be there lying in a section of the market labelled as, ‘Gender-Fluid Fashion’ for you to go and pick it up and be like, “Hey! I can wear gender-neutral today.”
Rudradaman Singh, 23, an artist based in Delhi, with a fancy for bold dressing, geeky glasses and shoe collecting says, “I think, to gender, someone means to add identifiers to them. So in general to me, gender fluidity, or the lack of gender would indicate, someone who doesn’t attempt to be identifying or isn’t walking around declaring who they are. It’s allowing people to operate without a box.”
G
ender-fluid fashion is also often confused with what is called, gender-neutral, androgynous, or unisex fashion. Quoting The Vogue, in an article published on August 11, 2019, titled “There’s More At Stake Even though fast-fashion brands like H&M With Fashion’s Gender-Fluid Movement and Zara are still waiting for a cosmic Than You Realise” by the writer, Wren intervention to hop on the bandwagon, Sanders who cleared the confusion Stake some homegrown Indian With Fashion’s Genderbrands have been -Fluid Movement Than extremely successful, and You Realise” by the creative with their take on writer, Wren Sanders who the subject. cleared the confusion as It doesn’t have to be “Where the latter aims Anaam is a rapidly there lying in a section of to disrupt established growing fashion label by norms through dull, the market labelled as, Sumiran, who is also an often billowing garments ‘Gender-Fluid Fashion’ alumni, and now guest meant to transcend suits faculty at Pearl Academy, and skirts, the former for you to go and pick New Delhi. Anaam is strives toward the same it up and be like, “Hey! I known as a “grey sheep” goal by disentangling can wear gender-neutral because it diverges from the normative the mainstream black and association between today.” white fashion, aka ‘skirts and women’ and masculine and feminine ‘suits and men’.” bigotry. It breaks away from rigid barriers, prescribed norms and is in every aspect, Rudradaman Singh, added, “I feel like a brand that has a soul of its own. everybody should be able to wear skirts, without it being a mark of anything in Sumiran describes his personal style as particular. I think wearing nail paint non-binary. You know how ‘walk it like I shouldn’t identify you as any certain kind talk it’ can be so inspiring? He expressed, of person. I’m surprised that it hasn’t been “Whenever I dress up, or whenever I go embraced already is what I mean to say.” out, it’s more about how I feel, and not Aye! We all want all kinds of freedom, and about what I wanna portray as. So if I feel in recent years, dressing to feel good, feminine, or soft, etc. It’s more about the express and be comfortable, without feelings.” judgement has taken the spotlight under the ‘essentials’. If the UN registers it as one of the human rights guidelines, it wouldn’t The fashion cycle has been on a roll since be a shocker. centuries, so it may be too soon, or even
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In frame: Sumiran Kabir Sharma, Founder at Anaam
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dubious, to assume that this new wave of acceptance and openness towards ‘Gender-fluid fashion’ is here to stay. Sumiran Sharma, affirmed, “I think it’s here to stay because we’re moving into a more inclusive world. Wherein it’s about the inclusivity of any kind, of colour, of gender, of sexuality, so I believe it’s here to stay.” Amen to that! Important changes like the movement ‘Black Lives Matter’ 2020, an aggressive shift towards the importance of mental health, recognition of people’s rights in Syria, growing changes in lifestyle in the wake of climatic changes, and the awareness along with celebrations of Pride Parade, gives us the hopes that the ‘Gender-fluid fashion’ maybe our new bestie. The genre also has so much potential for bringing out new, and artistic creations, it’s almost as exciting as getting a new playbook as a child. With hopes that you will take this conversation to the next level by involving more people in such discussions. Gradually but eventually, let the world see you for all you are inside, through your clothes on the outside. Stay fashionable, stay beautiful.
CONSCIOUS AND CREATIVE LABELS FOR THE WIN
“
-ANURAG DUBEY, STYLIST -NECO STUDIO BY NEELABH KUMAR -POOCHKI TABLE - A RESTAURANT PLUS A CLOTHING LINE,
In frame: Anurag Dubey
They experiment with animal rights, gender neutrality, and utilitarian-wear, and with a very artistic view on clothing.
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In frame: Anurag Dubey
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Left: Earrings: Iguana, INR 4750 Shirt: The Pigment Edit, INR 1500 Hat: Local Beach Store
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ith the economy drowning, local brands help us stay afloat. The pandemic has led to many big names to throw down their shutters and as the imports/exports get affected due to restrictions, our local brands seem to have crawled into the void left by the global disruption. These small brands are helping in making a large impact on our economy. Consumers are consciously leaning towards ‘Being Indian, Buying Indian’. The post-pandemic shopping seems to dwell on words like; ‘locally sourced’, ‘homegrown’ and ‘swadeshi’. “This is a movement we not only should support because it’s cool now, but because it was always the right thing to do,” says Aliya Rao, 20, a political science student. Shopping local means buying into the story of the product. “Every hand-made product tells a story of its origin, it tells you about the generations of the craftsmen that have worked on perfecting the craft and giving us a piece of their heritage,” says Shivangi Chadha, owner of Delhi based hand-made jutti brand ‘Happy Feet’.
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Image Credits: Sohaya Gill
SWADESHI: THE RISE OF LOCAL The pandemic helps reignite the Swadeshi sentiment. SOHAYA GILL
Chadha works with artisans in Punjab, she gives them modern designs that they collaborate with their traditional art. Her shoes range from Rs.2000-3000. While shopping local, we need to keep in mind a few factors i.e. research the brand and product, be careful of cultural appropriation, and make sure it carries the ‘Made in India’ tag. “While shopping from large international retailers or even while shopping abroad, I always found clothes that had tags which led back to the origin of the product to either my country or [my country’s] neighbours. This factor always
image Credits: Sohaya Gill
Image Credits: Sohaya Gill Right: Shirt: THERE Denim Shirt, INR: 3000, Earrings: Nicobar, INR 5000, White Weave Bag: Jasbir Gill bags, Price on request. Necklaces: Joker and Witch INR 1300
annoyed me, because if I was buying something made by my countrymen I would rather buy it from the craftsmen directly, than give my money to a large company with zero ethics,” says Devika Verma, 19, student of Delhi University. Verma also spoke about how we need to make sure that everyone in the supply chain is getting their due. Supporting local is about an aggregated gain and it starts at grassroots level. Iguana is a Delhi based brand that creates hand embroidered jewellery pieces. Each piece is embroidered by karigars, using heritage techniques, backed with clay and hand painted.
“It is a piece of our “(he)art’” like Swasti Parekh, the founder of ‘Iguana’ likes to put it. These pieces of wearable art inspired by nature, bring together our heritage and contemporary design, they cost anywhere between Rs. 1,800-12,000. The designer was motivated to do something for craftsmen who have been sidelined and the crafts that are dying. Parekh says, “I believe in old-school crafts. Quality craftsmen are shutting shops. Fine and intricate embroidery is getting lost. We need to preserve that by approaching the crafts in a new way. I think we are just trying to breathe new life into dying arena.” When consumers shop locally, they don’t just help the brand grow, but they also promote ethical practices, boost the indigenous economy and help the native creativity flourish. “We totally believe in sourcing local, zero waste is more about circular economy. Most of our materials are sourced locally, 80% of our products are made in India, by local artisans. Our eco-friendly pens are made in Kasna Jail, by the prisoners, the seeds are put in by rural women in Uttar Pradesh. Our metal straws are made in Jalandhar, our incense sticks are made in Amritsar. We believe, that sourcing local is very important.” Says Vidhur Mayor, the founder of Gurgaon based zerowaste lifestyle store ‘For Earth’s Sake’.
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Image Credits: Sohaya Gill
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Especially with the boycott of Chinese products and the ban on most of Chinese sites in India. Recently, the current scenario has led to people buying products where their trust lies. Consumers are leaning more towards brands that offer them the sentiment of trust and value, increasing the sales of local brands; whether it is produce, garments or even raw materials. Buying local helps sustain and revive heritage arts that have seen a decline in the last few years. “Our cabin fever is nothing compared to the hardships faced by our vendors and artisans—the tailors, embroiderers, and other labourers whose work has dried up and left them and their families, many of whom remain far away in rural parts of the country, without needed income, food, and other essentials. This has been the biggest struggle for us,” says Ankita Bansal, co-founder of ‘THERE’, a Delhi based denim brand.
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Though we had to initially shut shop, and worked remotely our brand has seen a rise in sales during this period like never before”
Maintaining relationships with local craftsmen and vendors is extremely important to her brand. ‘THERE’ offers a variety of denim garments that are versatile and edgy. “Though we had to initially shut shop, and worked remotely our brand has seen a rise in sales during this period like never before, it is extremely motivating and helps us sustain ourselves as a small brand,” adds Bansal. As the fashion industry finds itself in a moment of radical change, a shift that has only been accelerated by the pandemic, more and more of us are rethinking our wardrobes and our approach to consumption. Though people are slowly shifting base to buying local, we have a long way to go until we’re a 100% swadeshi.
CHALLENGES AND OBSTACLES:
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DEEPA THOMAS. FOUNDER OF THE PIGMENT EDIT “We often get questions from our clients saying, ’I can get this cheaper at Zara’. The fact that we are exclusive and don’t make 200 million of the same style, thus not wasting but rather using someone else’s waste to turn around our products issometimes the message that is not delivered.”
CUSTOMER BASE “We have people who are still in college who really want to invest their money andwe have senior citizens who are regulars at the store to buy their daily need bulk products from us. Since we are very accessibly priced we have a wide range of customers.” says Vidhur, ‘For Earth’s Sake’.
@iguana_by_swastiparekh New Delhi
Illustration by: Nandini Mittal
LET’S UPCYCLE From re-using old T-shirts to creating beautiful tote bags, upcycling can never go out of fashion!
NANDINI MITTAL
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e’ve all heard the old adage: One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. However, when you’re sifting through local sales and thrift shops, it can sometimes be difficult to find the diamond in the rough. After all which pieces are treasure and which are ‘trash’- entirely depends on how creative you’re willing to get. While, most of us would be having stuff around the house that no longer serves any purpose,
yet we face trouble disposing it off, Either it’s “still OK,” or “might come handy” or holds some sentimental value to it. 2020 is a year where sustainability should be at the front of mind, which means there’s no better time to turn your unwanted items into functional DIY’s. That’s why we’ve rounded up four eco-fashion enthusiasts to talk about their recommended versions of upcycling ideas that will show you just how many possibilities are
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are there. Upcycling’ is the new recycling and it’s not just about re-wearing your preloved pieces but it’s more of breathing new life into them through deconstruction. From DIY masks to functional accessories for all your knick-knacks, these simple upcycling ideas and trash-to-treasure crafts prove that old goods can be transformed into new pieces with just a tiny bit of work.
Picture Courtsey: Riya Rokhade
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Besides serving intent, these repurposed items will also add this lovely touch of creativity and coziness to your shelves, that you’ll never want to get rid off! Also, it keeps in mind the aspect of conserving the fragile ecosystem by saving it from unnecessary trash. So if you want to go green, repurposing should be one of your goals.
RIYA ROKHADE, 23 FASHION & LIFESTYLE BLOGGER
CLOTH TOTE BAG Materials:
Sari/fabric with a border; scissors; T-shirt/ thick fabric; sewing machine/stitching supplies.
Steps: 1. The border can be cut and used as the handle, and for the top of the bag. 2. Use the thicker material, like the T-shirt, as a second layer on the inside. 3. Stitch the sides and bottom to create a bag-like shape. Add handles, If you don’t have a sewing machine, simple stitching could be implemented, employing a thicker or doubles/tripled thread. Any type of stitch will work as long as it holds and is reversed inward (so that it looks neat on the outside). 4. Fabric in different colours can be used to create diverse shapes and sizes. A little pocket can be created on the bag using a printed piece of cloth.
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My earlier brush with upcycling was seeing my grandmother upcycle things all the time. For them, it has always been a way of life, and that is something i grew up with too. I began with upcycling my dad’s shirt into a crop top for myself, and the journey has been on ever since. I would recommend that people buy from local artisans and re-purpose old objects to infuse new life into them.The older generations have always passed down and repurposed old items. Today, with high disposable incomes and influx of mass-produced brands, we are shifting to consumerism. We must instead shift from a wasteful mindset to clean and mindful living. Sustainability is no longer a choice but necessity.
Picture Courtsey: Jahanvi Gupta
JAHANVI GUPTA,20 DESIGN INTERN AT BUTTON MASALA
BUTTON MASALA CLUTCH Material required:
A simple/ plain pouch, fabric, scissors, buttons, rubber bands/ elastic bands, something to make holes in the pouch. Steps: 1. Cut 3 to 4 inches of the fabric in square pieces, as per the requirement to make flowers. 2. Put button in the middle of the square piece on the right side, hold it, and then tie the rubberband over it to secure or fix it properly. After that keep making as many number of flowers as you want to customise for the pouch. 3. Make holes in the pouch so as to insert those flowers into it. Holes should be made accurately with proper distance, alignment and proportion as per the chosen design for the pouch and must be smaller in size than of the size of the buttons. This is to make sure buttons are inserted with correct amount of space, and are not loose enough to come out from their respective holes. 4. After making flowers and holes, the last and final step is to insert those flowers in the holes, filling all the space of the pouch with the fabric flowers.Thus, creating your own beautiful, soft and stylish sustainable clutch.
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We live in a plastic era. The first step towards a sustainable lifestyle is acknowledging the truth about one’s lifestyle. Start with small baby steps. Look for wornouts in your own house, and revamp them into something useful.
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ASHIMA GOEL,21 FASHION DESIGNING STUDENT
M A S K S Material required:
7” x 14” outer layer fabric, 7” x 14” inner layer fabric, 14” pieces of thin elastic,, scissors, marker, needle and thread, pins, iron.
Steps: 1. Cut up the pattern pieces, and fold the right sides of your outer fabric, so that the two short ends match. 2. Pin the pattern in the top right corner of the fold ed fabric, and pin it in place, making sure both the layers of fabric pins through. 3. Cut the pattern piece around, ensuring both layers of fabric are cut through. Then, unpin and set aside the pattern object. 4. Repeat with the pieces of lining fabric. Take the outer fabric bits, and fit the right sides together. Pin along the curved edge of the pieces, making sure both layers of fabric is pinned through. Re peat with the bits of cloth on the cover. 5. Using a 1/4* seam allowance, stitch the outer and lining fabric bits around the pinned (curved) edge of both. 6. Now use an iron to open the pieces and press the seam open. After that place the outer and inner layers together, pull all the way around the mask’s top and see if the top layer is placed at the top of the inner layer. Then, sew all the way down the side of the mask, leaving a 1 1/2 “gap to turn the bottom of the mask. 7. Now put the mask on. Thread the two pieces of elastic on each side of the mask, into the two elastic pockets. Double knot the elastic end to finish to make the elastic length comfortable.
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As a budding designer, I feel an ethical obligation within myself to re-purpose things, as the fashion industry is the secondlargest polluter in the world today. I got into mindfulness, when i was in my mid-teens, and it slowly started filtering into all aspects of my lifefrom experimenting on my old wornouts to recycling old stuff lying around my house. I’ve always been very fond of crafts and DIY’ing things. I mainly buy things from a fair rather than a mall. The story behind handmade products has always excited me.
Picture Courtsey: Ashima Goel
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JAHNAVI SHRIVASTAVA,21 FASHION ENTHUSIAST
TIE DYE STOLE NATURAL INGREDIENTS FOR COLOURS TO USE IN TIE DYE’S: 1. Tea, Coffee- Brown 2. Berries, Roses, Beets- Red and Pink 3. Indigo, Elderberries, Blueberries, Purple Grapes- Blue 4. Spinach, Peppermint Leaves, Lilacs, Gass Peach Leaves- Green
Materials:
100% Cotton Tshirt/Fabric/old stole; rubber bands , marker, soda ash/salt; warm water; natural dye colours; container
Steps: 1. Soak the T-shirt in a sink filled-up with water, until its damp completely. 2. Boil water (a gallon) on the gas meanwhile, Then pour the colour (whichever you like) with a pinch of salt in a container and add the hot water directly. 3. Take the cloth, and to form a pattern, use coins, pencil, or any items to give it a pattern. After se lecting, place it in between the cloth and then wrap it entirely with a few rubber bands. 4. Now, dip the cloth inside the hot container and leave it for 10-15 mins. 5. After 10-15 mins, take out the cloth and remove the rubber bands to see the stained pattern. 6. Now let the stain dry completely for a day or two. The stole is ready to use.
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For me, it is the oldest trick in the book, and still the most fun. I dont get the idea of buying new clothes or T-shirts, especially when you can freely experiment and customise them yourself with natural hues in your home. “I’m not an expert at tie-dye, but can tell how there isn’t really a way to do tie-dye wrong- you just have to not do all the colours at once on top, and you’re good to go! All it takes is a cloth and your favourite colours. Love how its just fun, easy and trendy all at the same time.”
Picture Courtsey: Jahnavi Shrivastava
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www.buna.com
LESS IS THE NEW MORE Slow fashion: is it really a game changer? ISHITA SANGHI
D
oes this sound familiar? We buy a piece of clothing, we wear it a few times, get bored of it or realise it’s not “in” anymore and throw it in the garbage, just because of how cheap and affordable it was. This is the core issue in making the fast fashion merry-goround continue. So, it can be said fast fashion is a carousel of new designs, colours and styles which is creating an addiction. Well, the biggest question is will, this crisis trigger the psychology of fashion for consumers and the industry’s obsession with speed and novelty leaving the fast fashion coming to an end? Until now the “Make it and they will buy it.” Mantra has worked pretty well for the fashion industry. “The accessibility and ease of getting new clothing styles, every two weeks comes at a hefty price for the planet but now the global coronavirus pandemic has brought sustainability to the fore. As an immediate threat to everyone’s health, it demonstrates how fragile we are as human beings and how our future health and happiness depend on a healthy environment” says, Noor Gogia, 23, a
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Delhi-based fashion and lifestyle blogger. Slow fashion may be this industry’s next evolution. Brands like Everlane, Allbirds, Reformation, and People Tree, have opted for sustainable business practices that are almost, entirely contrary to fast fashion’s approach. Rather than a rolling cycle of new designs, many of them have deliberately chosen to limit the collections, they’ll launch each year. In general, these companies promote nontoxic, biodegradable materials and policies that promote sustainability over convenience. Coming out of the crisis, things are likely to get worse before they get better. “Consumers are going to spend less for the foreseeable future. They are going to be far more selective with a mindset toward quality, value and sustainability. They will be concerned about where fashion comes from, that it is ethically manufactured, and that it is as good as it can be for the environment” says Suren Chowdhary, 27, founder of brand Indeloom based in Hyderabad. Millennial and Gen Z consumers don’t necessarily want magazines to tell them what to buy anymore — their online communities are full of tastemakers, and this is where emerging sustainable brands actually have a leg up. They’ve got social media. They don’t have to wait for a write-up in Vogue to get their content to their consumers, and for the consumer to create their own content in turn. “The biggest challenge my team has faced till now, is to sell the products online and also how do we make it more marketable, though this crisis has proved to work better for us, as we are able to sell a good amount of our products online, and customers are willing to
SUREN CHOWDHARY, 27 Consumers are going to spend less for the forseeable future. They are going to be more selective
Left: Shirt: Organic Crew; INR 1200 Trouser: Organic Crew, INR 3400 Right: Shirt: Forty Red Bangles; INR 22OO Pants: There; INR 3000
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Picture Courtsey: Ishita Sanghi
to invest their hard-earned money into something which is valuable and will last forever� says Suren. Cheap prices make people believe it bring about savings for them. This may appear true in the short term, with a narrow focus and looking just at the money in the wallets, but all of us, as global citizens, will ultimately end up paying the external cost, the true cost for the EWOKE INDIA OCTOBER 2020
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Picture Courtsey: Ishita Sanghi In frame: Sanya Shingari
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for the unsustainable consumption and production of cheap clothing. People’s perceptions have also changed, as they used to relate sustainability with khadi but many brands coming up have made it cle Sar with their collections that it could be trendy and peppy too. “I feel social media helps shape the market, with what we post about, and the companies we’re choosing to support and why. I started with the hashtag #LocalSoch on my Instagram page, so that brands who are not recognized well, could get support from the audience. Well, this strategy has worked out well as people are seeing the value of ethical fashion and appreciating it also,” says Mehar Kaur, 21, fashion blogger from Delhi. On the other hand, the losers will be brands that have been slow to realize how important sustainability, environmental, and social responsibility are to their current and future customers. “COVID-19 has come as a serious wakeup call, and change is the only way for us to sustain and survive. I could see the change as consumers are leaning away from just buying, to seeking investment in cases as brand loyalty across industries is shifting” says Neha Kabra, 29, Owner of label Maati based in Udaipur. Brands market themselves as ethical, but if they aren’t sharing things like the sources of the materials they use, and how the cost of their items correlate to the cost of labor, and other sustainable practices, can they truly be considered sustainable? More and more brands (like H&M and Zara) start to publicly throw their support behind sustainable practices, consumers will have to keep an eye out for greenwashing — which, in fashion, usually involves creating a recycling program or
Photo Credits: Ishita Sanghi
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I made a revolution in my lifestyle to adapt to a mindset of longevity, clothes which could be mended and be worn in different ways.“ line of clothes with “eco” or “sustainable” in the name, as a means of assuaging the consumer’s guilt, and keeping public relations in check. It’s a marketing strategy that raises question of whether, it’s truly sustainable asking people to bring back clothes, only to buy more. Brands are giving shoppers more options to recycle clothes in-store, often in return for rewards or money off. “I have got immense support during this pandemic, be it from consumers or celebrities as it could be seen, that people are shifting to a better lifestyle where they need a healthy environment, also modern consumers are savvy and they know the difference between a genuine initiative and a marketing gimmick” says Neha. Slow fashion means slow lifestyle, a lifestyle where people accept, embrace and cherish a life of less meat, public transport, no flying and a smaller wardrobe. This would surely take commitment, stamina and patience. It means people vote for those, who pledge to change the structures of the economy as a driver for real change. People may have to boycott brands, places and destinations, they hold dear. “I used to shop a lot from fast fashion brands like Zara, H&M but during this lockdown, I made a revolution in my lifestyle to adapt to a mindset of longevity, clothes which could be mended and be worn in different ways. I feel buying a dress which could be used in multipurpose ways is way better, as it could be styled in many ways which in turn saves the planet too” says Noor. For long the movement to make the industry shift to slow fashion has been ongoing but the
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outbreak of COVID-19 has made sure that the industry adopts it as a whole, and not just in parts. People should become conscious of the needs of our planet, and understand the difference between need and greed. They need to be mindful of what they buy, how much they use and discard, and the amounts that go into the landfills.
ALL YOU NEED IS LESS
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SUREN CHOWDHARY, OWNER OF BRAND INDELOOM The keywords that will be relevant in post-COVID times are authenticity, responsibility and compassion. As responsible brands it will be good for us, to press the reset button and adopt business practices that will keep our environment and our customers safe.
NOOR GOGIA, FASHION AND LIFESTYLE BLOGGER Re-wear anxiety is an extremely major problem in promoting fast fashion. To get into slow fashion you can start by wearing your clothes multiple times, shopping ethically to reduce consumption. Revive, reinvent, remake and recycle (4R’s) could be followed to lead a healthy lifestyle.
www.labelapril.com
LARGE COVER-UP Unravelling the size expansion challenge SOHAYA GILL
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hile body positivity campaigns are more visible than ever, attractive clothes in the ‘plus-sized’ department are still rare. In a world that idolises the “perfect” hourglass body, that wears a size no bigger than 6, being anything larger seems to be a sin. While brands are trying their hands at “inclusivity”, the designs seem to concentrate on one factor only, instead of increasing the size ranges, brands seem to increase the amount of coverage they put into their plus-sized collections. “I have been a plus sized girl for the longest time, clothing brands like Zara, Pantaloons & H&M are not plus size friendly. And the plus sized stores
“For very long I wore baggy dark coloured plain clothes, which didn’t flatter my body or my personality, rather were just a way to hide my fat”
have really sad clothing. It is not about fashion but covering up the fat and the curves,” says Andrea Pinto, a plus size model and blogger from Vadodra, Gujarat. For a long time brands have been oblivious to the needs of plus sized customers. Plus sized customers are looked upon as a spectrum that does not need the latest trends in their wardrobes and anyone above a size 14 should cover-up their curves and fat. The plus sized
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sections in straight sized stores are usually filled with rather boring, plain, baggy clothes which flatter no body type, advocating the idea of covering up a larger body. “Growing up I was always told, ‘don’t wear stripes’, ‘don’t wear large prints’, ‘shorter clothes don’t suit you’. For very long I wore baggy dark coloured plain clothes, which didn’t flatter my body or my personality, rather were just a way to hide my fat,” says Saloni Sharma, 21, Student of Delhi University. “There was a time where I walked into a store and couldn’t find a size above 8 or 10, brands are realising the problem and attempting to make a change,” says Sharma. It would be wrong to say that brands do not
cater to this spectrum at all, but the lack of creativity is evident. After years of ignoring customers bigger than a size 12 or 14, brands are finally opening up to the idea of expanding their collections. “Brands coming out with plus sized collections is great because it gives us more options to buy from. But majority of the brands do not have great designs. They produce plain Jane collections that are very depressing. So, we are not left with many
Illustration by: Sohaya Gill
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says Prachi Parate, Make up artist & plus sized model, Pune, Maharashtra. Inclusion is more than just selling clothes in bigger sizes. It is offering quality clothing to shoppers in a variety of styles, showcasing women of all shapes and sizes as models. The fashion industry hesitates to include plus sizes in their collections because, it idolises the skinny bodies. “More than half the women in our country can not fit into most of the clothing,” says Kashish Garg, 26, Delhi based artist. While the Indian brands are still in the process of expanding their size ranges, the consumers rely on international brands to shop for their needs. “I have had a good experience with Masaba and ASOS, they are the best [options] in the market and make amazing clothes,” says Parate. Though ASOS is a popular choice, they have done their fair share of damage in the advertising department. In a post on their Instagram page, they labelled an average sized woman in their clothing as a plus- sized woman only because she was above size 8. Another “inclusive” brand in the market is Fenty, while they claim to be inclusive of all shades, shapes and sizes; their lingerie collection featured a strappy, structured bra for sizes up till large, while their sizes above “large” were unappealing and water downed versions of the original advertising i.e. the idea of “covering-up larger bodies.”
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“More than half the women in our country can not fit into most of the clothing” Our Indian designers are not free from similar controversies, with designer ‘Falguni Peacock’ stating in an interview, that plus-sized brides should lose a couple of pounds or opt for higher necklines and longer blouses. “Plus size is not considered sexy in India. People come up to you and have the audacity to tell you to lose weight. When we talk about clothing for plus size women it is just so they could cover up. We have always been told by pop culture that being slim and thin is sexy or beautiful,” says Pinto. While brands climb the ladder of inclusivity, even if it is by including the ‘smallest’ of the plus-sized models in their campaigns, radical inclusion is a long road that we hope the industry achieves. Inclusivity is the hallmark of the 21st century, creating collections that cater to everyone will help brands in surviving as women settle into their bodies.
Illustration by: Sohaya Gill
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In frame: Paridhi Dress: Ipzaki Corset Belt: Repose EWOKE INDIA OCTOBER 2020 74 Folk Bag: Pants
T HRIFT S H I F T Bringing back the old. SOHAYA GILL
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oming from a culture where every festivity starts with buying ‘new clothes’, India’s shift from retail to re-commerce has been slow but applaudable. In a society where your ‘hand-me downs’ go to your younger siblings, the house help or get turned into rags, the concept of “thrifting” was relatively unheard of. Wearing second-hand clothing or rather paying someone for used clothes is a huge stigma in our country. Thrifting in the west has been prevalent for a long time, although thrift stores were stigmatised and labeled as a place for people with humbler backgrounds but after the recession of 2009, it became a popular choice for people of all social strata. There has a been a wave of online thrift stores in India in the last few years. With the pandemic chewing down the economy, a lot of people are shifting to re-commerce. Most consumers are the younger generation who want to fiind something unique and help end the vicious
cycle of retail fast fashion. “While I was in college, I had tried my hand out at thrifting in the States, When I came back to India I wasn’t aware of any thrift stores and thought that the thrift culture didn’t exist here. I couldn’t have been more wrong. From what I’ve seen, thrifting in India is online but mostly through accounts on Instagram who beautifully curate a wide variety of clothes,” says Chaitali Verma, 22, Mumbai, Graphic Design graduate. A lot of people confuse thrifting with shopping from markets like ‘Sarojini Nagar’ & ‘Janpath’, though thrifting is defined as, “The act of shopping at a thrift store, garage sale, or flea market where you’ll find gently used items at discounted prices,” according to ‘definitions.net’ Flea markets like ‘Janpath’ and ‘Sarojini’ sell fast fashion surplus and rejects in most of their kiosks, while you may find certain stalls that sell lightly used clothes, they can not be used as the prime example of the thrifting culture in India.
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“Thrifting celebrates the reusing of pre-owned items and a new love for vintage material goods,” says Ruchita Sharma, 20, a student of Delhi University. ‘Ipza Ki’, which translates to “my grandmother’s store/house” in Naga, is an online thrift store on Instagram which focuses on vintage finds, working out of New Delhi and their hometown in the state of Nagaland. “I grew up thrifting! My store is only focused on secondhand clothes because I always loved the idea of hunting cool unique pieces in a pile of clothes. Second-hand shopping growing up meant girl’s day out with my friends & siblings,” says Vilina, the founder of Ipza Ki. Her journey of starting a thrift store began when she realised the amount of water that goes into making jeans every year. She understood that if she can source clothes that look good and sell them to someone for cheaper than what they would get in fast fashion, while also making them feel good about wearing them and eventually making them a part of the green cycle; she would help prolong the life of the clothes while ensuring that they don’t end up in landfills. “Surprisingly the pandemic has suddenly boomed the rise of thrift stores and the store has been doing quite well! It is quite nice to see people finally coming to terms with wearing second hand clothes,” says Vilina. ‘The Salvage Story’ is an online sustainable store run by Afifah Siddique on Instagram. Afifah found rejected clothes and salvaged them to create ‘The Salvage Story’- a thrift store based out of Delhi, for vintage, bohoinspired, hipster clothes. “I was in the market with my mother and a man was selling winter coats at low rates, a woman turned to him and asked if he was selling second-hand coats, in a very demeaning manner. I said to my mother ‘socho, if she finds out what I do for a living?’” says Afifah, when asked about the stigmas of second hand clothing. She quit her job to work on her thrift store full-time, over the period of 3 years, she has laid her hands on some amazing finds, including an original ‘Chanel’ blazer.
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In frame: Paridhi Dress: Ipzaki Corset Belt: Repose Bag: Folk Pants
In frame: Paridhi White Shirt: Dad’s Closet Corset Belt: Repose Bandeau: Thrift Ruben
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In frame: Paridhi Dress: ITailored Treasure Boots: Folk Pants
“My business started during this pandemic. multiple clothes that I hadn’t worn in the I think if the pandemic wouldn’t have longest and were too good to be thrown happened, I would have never started my away. I put them on ‘Stage3 Market own thrift-store,” says Saloni Khogta, the Place’, it helped me earn some pocket founder of ‘Tailored Treasures’ an online money and found a home for my clothes,” thrift store which she runs from her homesays Anisha Sharma, 19, Student of Delhi town Vadodra, Gujarat. Saloni was inspired University. by the stores on Instagram and started her Thrifting is becoming a popular choice store with a few items from her own closet for many reasons; not only is it good for the that didn’t fit her well but could be loved environment and the pocket but, it also and used by other people. Introducing the help us find one of a kind items. From luxury idea to her friends and family was tough designer pieces to vintage finds, thrift because they were skeptical about buying stores are the real gems of the garment and selling second-hand clothes but industry. These pre-loved items help curate unique wardrobes for the consumers. “The everyone soon came around. Customers have shown concerns about part about it is that, there is the hygiene of the products, almost no chance that you specially keeping in mind would get a duplicate of 90% the current scenario, but of the items you purchase Khogta makes sure to wash which adds to the bonus, I see that thrifting in and sanitise all products sometimes you would get before shipping them and India is becoming a Ralph Lauren Shirt for 100 the customers sanitise the bucks!”, says Vilina, of Ipza Ki. quite large as many products when they receive An important part to thrift pages are them. remember about shopping “I see that thrifting in India coming up [on social second-hand is that, it is all is becoming quite large media sites] and it is luck of draw, it may take you as many thrift pages are a while to find something for becoming a trend in coming up [on social media yourself because these stores India.” sites] and it is becoming sell out very fast, it adds to a trend in India.”, says Ati the experience. With the easy Chang the founder of ‘Thrift accessibility of fast fashion, we tend to Rhapsody’ an Instagram based thrift store. form a toxic meaningless relationship with Chang is one of the many emerging thrift buying new clothes every season. With store entrepreneurs that have started their thrifting on the other hand, you get to businesses during the lockdown. Though form a healthy relationship with your wallet for now, the store is a part time venture for and the garments, each garment has a her, she does see it becoming a full-time story to tell, from the small loose thread job after she finishes her degree. that dangles from the seam to the little 2020 has seen a large rise in online thrift mending that was done by the previous stores. ‘Stage 3’, a designer rental service owner, there is something warm and has started a sub-division ‘Stage 3 Market familiar about the concept of pre-loved. Place’, which gives a platform to people The pre-loved industry is a great step who want to buy and sell their pre-loved towards the slow fashion industry. Every clothes online. “While the lockdown I finally second-hand item we purchase means got down to doing the thing I dread the and one less new product is being most, I cleaned my closet. I came across
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produced and one less item ending up in a landfill. This is important to factor in because production of clothing is expensive and has grave effects on the environment. With the world going through a ‘re-set’ thrift e-stores seem to be the future of shopping. Though the future seems hazy for now, these preowned clothing stores seem to have found a nice place for themselves.
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Most e-thrift stores are centred around women’s clothing, here is a list of Instagram stores for our male readers to explore: • Paradise Thrift • Mumbai Thrifts • Bygone Echoes Men • Eli Thrift Shop • Candour Oak
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e’ve all been home-bound for months now. The only reason that’s risk worthy for going out is either a grocery run or to work. But why dress-up for 15-20 mins of a grocery run, right?
LOUNGING THR OUGH THE DAY Work-from-home trend alerts! By: PARIDHI
The comfort, and habit of staying indoors in our jammies, is so comfortably addictive that it is transformed the fashion rules. People across the globe have found new ways of styling to make our most worn clothes; loungewear, an appropriate and comfortable attire for tasks like grocery-runs, in-office work, zoom meetings, or mundane and leisurely activities. Fast fashion brands like H&M, Forever 21, and Marks and Spencers have also picked up quick on these trends flowing in from the Western brands like Skims, COSI, Adore Couture, and We Wore What. Influencers with millions of followers like Danielle Bernstein, Lisandra Silva, Kylie Jenner, Komal Panday are a few names, among many to post these new OOTD’s with a lot of accessories and some quarantine glam. A few visual boards to summarise these trends, and to trend-update our fall wardrobe :
Image Courtsey: Forever 21
Image Courtsey: Marks & Spencers
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@amiramoona
@lauralabee
@aime_bakewell
@priyanca_t
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@weworewhat
@weworewhat
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WORK FROM HOME
For the virtual meeting, quick office hours, comfy working, and boss babe aesthetics.
@weworewhat
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@weworewhat
@priyanca_t
@weworewhat
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@lisandrasilva
@ashleighuynh
NETFLIX AND CHILL
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For staying comfy at home, your self-care time, new hobbies, and leisurely activities. @moknowsclothes_
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NEED A BREATHER
For grocery runs, coffee-breaks, workout sessions, or post workout glow.
@weworewhat
@priyanca_t
@vendela
@lauralabee
@kyliejenner
@ldaniellemachuka
@emilyrosdahl
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DELHI | GURGAON | CHENNAI | MUMBAI
www.nicobar.com
EWOKE
ART ARTISTIC FASHION AT HOME CONCERTS EXPRESSING THROUGH ART FACE AS A CANVAS
ILLUSTRATION BY SOHAYA GILL
A R T
ATTACK Stop and follow these fun, empowering illustrators on Instagram. ISHITA SANGHI
by Gaurav Thakur @artby_gt
If we could use only one word to describe Gaurav’s work, it would be modern-day glossy. Yes, that’s two words, but look at those images.
by Manal Mirza @manal_mirza_
To mock ‘Fair & Lovely’s big reveal, a sincere attempt by Manal to raise awareness about the glorified naming of products that results in little to no actual change; and stand against the idea of colourism.
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by Vasupradha @avocadraww
To mock ‘Fair & Lovely’s big reveal, a sincere attempt by Manal to raise awareness about the glorified naming of products that results in little to no actual change; and stand against the idea of colourism.
by Payal Popli
@ppopliart
An illustrator and a graphic designer based in Delhi, Payal pours her heritage and experiences into her drawings. The result is a mixture of cool, colourful and bold women, impossible to forget.
by Diya Soni @ilyustrate
This Delhi-based illustrator is not holding back – putting politics and women’s issues at the centre of her work, she surprises and entertains us scroll after scroll.
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Art Artrageous: Tailor-Made Galleries Taking art off your walls & putting it on your bodies. SOHAYA GILL
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ndependent artists have been dipping their brushes in the pot of fashion, creating unique eye-catching pieces of apparel that are art as well as fashion. ‘Art-Wear’ is an attempt to take art from the walls and put it into our everyday lives. From jackets, t-shirts, shoes and even saris; artists are creating unique art versions of our closet staples. Making it wearable expands the conversation around it, wearable art has also led to a more accessible approach to the industry, making it more affordable and practical. Historically, fashion has rarely been elevated to the same level as fine or performing arts. Though the two have a fine line between them, mixing art with fashion creates a unique niche that brings the two worlds together. “Paneni was started with simple idea that art is not just for the walls, but something you can wear every day!”, says Sanskriti Sharma, cofounder ‘Paneni’. Paneni is anart-wear brand started by three partners; an artist with over 20 years of experience, a business school graduate and an essential partner who ties the company together. “We look for anything that could be a blank canvas for us to paint and for you to wear”, says Sharma.
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They essentially create beautiful floral painted saris and pop cultural inspired denim jackets. “To us, art-wear means a piece to match a mood and for it to always be hand-crafted and hand painted with love”. Paneni’s hand painted saris make them stand out amongst the Indian art-wear brands. “Wearing a piece of art on myself helps me express my inner self better.”, says Arushi Agarwal, 24, Delhi based graphic designer. Art-wear has created a different stage for artists which appeals better to the young generation than a banana duct taped to a canvas.
Anything from ‘spray painted’ words on the backs of jackets to a ‘splatter of paint’ on a pair of pants or intricate designs on shoes is considered art. “Having my shoes painted and personalised is almost like getting a tattoo, but for my shoes.”, says Neil Kapoor, 21, Delhi.
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Photo Courtsey : Shoes Your Daddy
To us, art-wear means a piece to match a mood and for it to always be hand-crafted and hand painted with love”
Art-wear is a unique concept that ‘Valkyre’ dwells on, bringing together fashion and art with their breath-taking hand painted denim and leather jackets. Valkyre works with local artists in Mumbai, creating masterpieces that are a unique statement. “Our number one priority is to see what the customer wants; we want to give the customer the power to choose what they want.”, says Arindam Bora, founder and owner of Valkyre, Mumbai. Valkyre’s pieces are a mix of pop culture references of the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s & 90’s and famous artists & their paintings. Arindam’s life in Columbia is the main inspiration behind the brand’s products and even the name. “We at Valkyre are, coming out with a new tech platform where, you can customise your jackets and t shirts via your phones and get your products within a week.”, says Bora. What began as a side project became a full-time job for Sugandha Tyagi, the founder and owner of ‘Shoe’s your Daddy’. “I started painting my own sneakers because I never found nice shoes in my size. Soon, I started getting requests from friends and colleagues who wanted me to paint their shoes.”, says Tyagi. What makes Sugandha’s project so unique is the variety of designs and themes she offers i.e. from pop culture references to replicas of famous artists. Sugandha focusses on adding minute details to her work, creating small masterpieces for your everyday life.
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“When I told my father, I want to design and paint shoes, he said, ‘Now you want to become a mochi?’, It was difficult for me to explain to him what I wanted to do”, says Tyagi. She has now expanded her shoe empire to denim jackets, coffee tables and bar stools. Wearable art gives people a chance to own beautiful art, that is usable and can be consumed in everyday life. It gives people the chance to actually utilise their art, rather than just display it on their walls, it is almost like a walking museum. It’s an expression of their inner self, reflected in their clothing. The message doesn’t change, it’s just the destinations that expand.
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Plagiarism & Road Blocks For someone selling on a social media platform, plagiarism is a huge problem. Its no different for ‘Paneni’, “A couple of our designs have been picked up by other people and displayed on their website, as their own. But we realise that there will always be a knock off of a product and accept it.”
Creativity While A Pandemic “This is not a time to sulk, its not the time to be negative. We have been under lockdown for more than 5 months now, this should have been the most productive time of your life time. At Valkyre we have come together with the best of the best to come up with new designs and products.” says, Arindham Bora, of Valkyre. Photo Courtsey: Paneni
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Picture credits: Anupam Dhonchak
THE SHOW GOES ON(LINE) ON (LINE) Live music is now more intimate than ever, thanks to social media.
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By NANDINI MITTAL
he pandemic may have brought the global economy to a standstill, but it has failed to dampen the spirits of the common man. In these troubled times, music seems to be the only relief. On April 10, Anupam Dhonchak, sat in his Delhi apartment in his pajamas, with a guitar across his lap and his head cocked quizzically to the side, staring into his phone’s camera. “I’ve never done this before,” the 23 year-old singer-songwriter said, strumming his Danelectro. “How are you guys? Is this, like, a normal angle? Is this good? Can you hear me?” And with that, Dhonchak embarked upon what has become practically a rite of passage for musicians living through the global coronavirus pandemic: the shaky first livestream. Nearly 1,000 fans watched his 30-minute performance on Youdley India’s Instagram, for free. “I’ve never played a show to 1,000 people before , but it’s hard to feel like that’s happening when you’re alone in your house and there isn’t
crowd response,” Dhonchak said during a phone interview in mid Sepetember. “You’re like, ‘I feel like an idiot. I’m just playing in my house, talking to myself.’ It’s very weird.”
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It’s a weirdness artists and fans have become intimately familiar with. Since the concert industry shut down in mid-March, the livestream has become ubiquitous. Diplo performed from his dimly lit living room floor. John Legend took requests on Instagram Live in his bathrobe. Keith Urban played in his warehouse with his wife, Nicole Kidman, dancing in and out of the frame. “This has been a fantastic way to highlight local talent, bring us a little closer together during these arguably ridiculous times, and, hopefully, along the way, we entertain a few people, because let’s face it as musicians that’s
Image Courtsey: Anas Khan
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Artists can help people simply by being who they are and doing what they do. Artists inspire, artists help heal. Artists give people a moment to forget about the bad, and remember the good
what we want to do. Right?” says Anas Khan, 21, an emerging independent artist on YouTube, based in Noida. Khan also talks about how quarantine and conducting live sessions has helped him to work on himself and evolve as an artist. “Artists can help people simply by being who they are and doing what they do. Artists inspire, artists help heal. Artists give people a moment to forget about the bad, and remember the good,” added Anas. The reason many artists stick to Instagram, says Anas, is because that’s where the majority of them have the highest follower. “Most of my audience, is on Instagram, the minute I do something on Facebook, the traction is 10 percent to that. But on Instagram the engagement is always high,” states Khan. In isolation, music feels more necessary than usual. Fans know that, and musicians know that. Which is why many artists in quarantine are finding other ways to perform “live,” via platforms like Instagram and YouTube, and rallying around hashtags like #TogetherAtHome.
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Image Courtsey: Anas Khan
QUARANTINE CONCERTS The pandemic has incited an explosion in livestreamed mini-concerts and DJ sets, hosted by artists on their social media feeds and often announced at the drop of a hat. Though they’re not quite like seeing a show in person, these “quarantine concerts” are playing a fascinating role in keeping arts alive while public life is on lockdown. Each live show is unique and unfiltered, revealing a side of artists that many fans don’t get opportunity to see up close. And like viewers, artists are looking ways to stay hopeful. Through these at-home shows, they’ve found a perfect opportunity to blend performance with an uplifitng experience that puts everyone tuning in just a little more at ease with their situation.
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#FIGHTYME WITH AVRIL LAVIGNE When: 24 October, 7AM (ID/ TH STANDARD TIME) LIVE IN THE INTERNET WITH GLASS ANIMALS When: 15 October, 9 PM THE VERVE PIPE When: 10 October, 8 PM GiGi’s Playhouse with Marlow Rosado When: 27 September, 9 PM
www.culturepeople.com
RECREATIONAL AND THERAPEUTIC A R T All we need are some colours to paint away, tthe grey skies of lockdown in a pandemic? PARIDHI
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ockdown 2020 has been hard on all of us and in India, we’ve done quite a few things together as a nation to keep the hopes up, even if some of it may sound obnoxious now. From hollering and beating our utensils together at 5 pm, for making some noise for our soldiers in white coats, to a full-blown intentional blackout, so we could light Diyas and Candles instead and show our solidarity. Given all the due credit to the doctors, engineers, lawyers, and other job profiles that have been the highlight of what a child must aspire to be by the older generations. But can you guess which job profile is helping us through the gravest of times when we’re locked inside our houses? If the answer isn’t clear enough, let’s focus on the title again. Colours are really all that we need to add to these gloomy days and feel a little better by not letting the uncertainty of today wash our sanity away. Abhimanyu Krishna, 23 years-old, UserExperience Designer based in Noida, Delhi NCR says, “Lockdown has been tough on almost everyone. The inspiration for my artworks during the past 6-7 months has
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been the mental health and illnesses. It’s a topic that has been used quite a lot I agree, but that being said not many have abstracted the entire range of emotions and personified it using audio-visual aids. That is what I have been up to.” When a virus forces the entire world to put a pause on a life that runs faster than a Hennesey twin-turbo V8, it can push so many of us over the edge. Another artist, Kshitij Punia, 25 years-old, User-Experience designer based in Jaipur, shared his dilemma between home-bound bliss and home-bound frustration that a lot of might relate to, “As COVID took over people were forced to share resources, stay inside their homes, and bond with loved ones. Soon the experience began to get slightly counterproductive and emotionally challenging. As personal boundaries got invaded, fresh bonds forged and we reconnected with homely matters, I realised that the complex emotions generated from these newfound emotions need to find an outlet. Hence I created abstract art pieces as frequently as I could, exploring my emotions, connecting them with colours, textures, shapes, and art styles.”
‘Chaos’ by Abhimanyu Krishna
‘Anxiety’ by Abhimanyu Krishna
‘Depression’ by Abhimanyu Krishna
‘Hopeful’ by Ayushi Goel
Elinor Ulman, adjunct professor emeritus of art therapy at George Washington University once said, “Art is the meeting ground of the world inside and the world outside.” When the world outside is going through a haphazard, people are losing loved ones, and facing many more uncountable emotional and financial turbulences, while also growing out of what we know as a ‘normal life,’ the emotions tend to be raw and savage. There are different outlets to try and manage or tame these emotions, but since the days are all grey, leaning towards some colours to chase the blues away sounds like an idea that fits about right. Most of the interviewees, without a doubt, agree to the process being relaxing, meditative, calming, self-explorative, and to sum it all up in one word, they also called it ’therapeutic.’
Vrinda Kaushik, 21 years-old, Accessory Designer from Delhi, exclaimed, “The process, without a second thought!”, and shared her observations, “You see people think painting is just about picking up the brush and making something pretty well, in fact, it is something much more. Sitting alone and painting, you have nothing distracting you from going into deep self-realisation. With every stroke of paint, you overcome the fear of ruining the painting, and every colour you choose shows the state of your mind, and what you create on a blank canvas, like your life, is completely up to you. The final outcome is for the world to see, but what went into that painting is a very personal thing for an artist.” Analytically, the lockdown has been bittersweet for the artists. Some call it a ‘blessing’ for they found the time, to execute the ideas
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‘Hidden feelings’ by Ayushi Goel
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A page from visual diary of Ayushi Goel’s art journal.
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I usually create what I have in my mind, it might be a human figure or a random doodle.” that have been on a merry-go-round in their heads for quite some time or to learn new skills that weren’t explored before. And others struggled with the lack of motivation or inspiration to create something new. However, every road leads to finding an escape or heaven in creating an artwork that brings our demons or angels, to the real world from the hidden corners of our imaginations.
Ria Jain, Art student, based in Gujrat, started journaling during the lockdown to have a reminiscence of the time, something she’d like to treasure with her. About her journal she says, “I usually create what I have in my mind, it might be a human figure or a random doodle, but mostly I love to concentrate more on portraits because sometimes I feel, I do make portraits of people I haven’t met. The eyes, the lips, I don’t even know if they exist in real life, but I just go creating randomly. I’d love it if some portraits turn out to be real people in that I get to meet in life!” Isn’t it wonderful how some colours splashed across can speak so much more than words can, sometimes?
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Mandala by Ria Jain
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Creating that mix of colours or aligning a few strokes of your pencil to give life to something beautiful can be a struggle, for we forget that beauty is subjective. We also may overlook the value of the ‘behind the scenes’, or process of making an art piece and, might also overwork ourselves due to the fear or pressure of bringing out only the best. With so much to think and ponder over before someone even starts to pick up that
paintbrush or pen, the artists gladly shared their tips for a beginner to welcome everyone trying to learn and grow through the medium of art. Take away the only thing that matters at the end of the day from this long read, it’s that creating is a process of learning through our mistakes, just like in life as well. So keep growing and kudos to learning!
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BEGINNERS WAY TO GO:
• Don’t ever restrict yourself to things that you know. Keep exploring uncharted waters. Explore for the sake of exploring and see if you can find a new tool that you might be able to use. ( Abhimanyu, UX designer ) • Figure out what moves you in this world then try to abstract that expression or topic in the form of shapes and colours. Starting small helps in learning more about yourself along with learning the art. In the end, staying true to your ideas and believing in them is what lays a great foundation in art. ( Kshitij, UX Designer ) • -I’ll say give your best, it’s your imagination and your soul that’s speaking to you, snuggle up with a cup of hot chai, sit in peace and make something, you are allowed to be somebody different, so it’s always good to try something new, but yes don’t copy art, make something of your own, take inspiration, but in this fast Instagram world, be true to yourself and don’t cheat. ( Vrinda Kaushik, Accesorry Designer ) • It’s your work, you do you and don’t think about what others might think because if you do that you won’t be able to find your own style, and wil create only what others want to see. ( Ria Jain, Artist )
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FACE: THE NEW CANVAS Who says you have to confine yourself to a gleaming lip, a pretty eye, and a little glitter? Here are four makeup enthusisasts who believes in creating magic by treating their faces as glorious canvases.
by Nandini Mittal
VIDHI GOYAL
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MAKE-UP ARTIST
The definition of art is the application or expression of human imagination and skill, and that’s everything that make-up is. I see my face as a blank canvas and the application of my make-up is like painting a beautiful picture- even if it’ll last for one day.”
Image Courtsey: Vidhi Goyal
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AYUSHI SINGH
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FASHION ENTHUSIAST
I always thought that I’m not an artist / creative person but as I am growing, so is my love for makeup. I am my own canvas trying to discover all the different types of artistry on my face . Specially since the lockdown started, I don’t know how but I always ended up doing makeup because it made me really happy. Listening to music , doing my makeup without any hurry seemed the only ‘Therapy’ for me.”
Image Courtsey: Ayushi Singh
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Image Courtsey: Aditi Aarya
ADITI AARYA
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MAKE-UP ENTHUSIAST
I think makeup has affected me in a positive way, it allows me to do multitude of things with it, like changing my appearance and expressing myself. I feel it’s just a cool way to change your look without any drastic alteration to yourself on an everyday basis.”
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ILMA MALIK
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MAKE-UP ARTIST
I didn’t figure it out that early in my life that what profession i want to go in like most students do around standard 10 or 11, but one thing i was sure about was that i’m gonna end up in an artistry related field. I’m glad i discovered the gift of this artform that god had put into my hands and my soul. As of what inspires me really is what comes to my heart, i want to express it through art.”
Image Courtsey: Ilma Malik
www.nappadori.com +91 93115 04695
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SELF-CARE
STAYING FIT THERAPY GOES DIGITAL BEAUT Y FOR ALL THE NEW HAIR TREND
ILLUSTRATION BY SOHAYA GILL
www.bareanatomy.in 97-111 70970
WORK AND WORKOUT CLOCK From Rihana’s ‘work’ to Tyga’s ‘bored in the house’, working it. T e x t b y : P A RIDH I
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ity life is known for the daily hustle-bustle and the night lights. We got our due break from it, due to coronavirus, or so it seemed. The whole world had come to a halt, three months into the year 2020. Especially in these bustling cities, life had suddenly hit the pause button. In India, everyone stocked up on their groceries, and went into their homes following an emergency lockdown. Most of us treated it like a small vacation, because who could predict the unforeseen catastrophe, that this virus was about to unleash? We found different ways to cope with the newfound abundance of time, but most roads taken lead to the need for fitness and health. Some of us bingewatched shows, and movies resulting in an owl’s sleep cycle due. Our screentime spree, accompanied by mnching, over-eating, or even stress eating had to backfire soon enough. Tanya Yadav, 20-year-old, BA student based in Delhi, who is also a fitness enthusiast says, “Before this pandemic, I preferred going to the gym, where I used to spend 2 hours, 5 days a week. It took me time to manage my routine because exercises have to be scheduled almost at the same time every day. But I assume that every one of us was sleeping all day, and awake all night, which also affected our eating habits.”
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In frame: Paridhi Shot by: Tanisha Agarwal
Some of us indulged ourselves in pursuing our hobbies, new interests and activities, or projects, that had been piling up in our ‘procrastinate’ file. However, fitness seems like a luxury that most people seem to afford only during the lockdown, due to hectic work schedules, and social life in pre-covid times. Himanshu Gulia, 22-year-old, Business Graduate, based in Delhi says, “The freedom of working out at any time of the day, even if I wake up late on some days, has made it convenient for me to finally work out during COVID. Before lockdown, waking up late meant no time for a workout, and rushing to get to work/college.”
Slowly, a dreading feeling started to surround this pandemic, due to the uncertainty of the future, the daily loss of lives, and the monotonous sedentary lifestyle, bound under the same roof, and four walls of the modern box-like apartments. Naveen Kumar, 29-year-old, a training partner with Cultfit, New Delhi, which is an online and offline fitness centre shared, “Once the lockdown got extended, there was a fear that gripped all over me. Everyone, and all the companies, started to shift to work-from-home. This was the time, I decided to switch to start onlinetraining, instead of waiting for gyms to open back up.”
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In frame: Paridhi Shot by: Tanisha Agarwal
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It finally dawned on us that Coronavirus is going to act like the guest from a Bollywood movie released in 2010, called ‘Atithi, Tum Kab Jaoge,’ which became the source of a lot of mental health issues. Aakriti Harjai, 20-year-old, Fashion Design student from New Delhi, commented on how working out also helps in dealing with anxiety and stress, she said, “It’s the best way to escape from everything you are dealing with in life. Relaxing your brain, while your body gets fit, what else would you possibly want?” As people buckled up to make the most of this time, within the home-bound limitations, exercise and the physical movement, went from being fancy, or a hobby, to a necessity. Tanya added, “So when I realised that lockdown is going to last longer than expected, I ordered important equipment that could be used in many variations while working out. For the last month, I have also been involved in Yoga, as I was thinking about working on my flexibility for a long time.” Instagram sensations like Kusha Kapila, Komal Pandey, Dolly Singh, started working out, shared their tedious process, followed by impressive results while working with online trainers. Before we realised, ‘Online training’ was not only trending but also an imperative talk of the hour. However, Mr Naveen said, “COVID has definitely affected the clientele by a huge margin. Initially, when online training started there were a few members only, almost none.” It’s only fair to conclude that the new, ‘stay at home’ lifestyle came with the due disadvantages. Overeating due to stress, that caused lethargy, and weight gain, back pain due to bad posture, because of the increased screen-time, and lack of motivation are few of the most common issues that people had to face during the lockdown. Naveen explained, “But after a couple of months,
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As soon as you start, i believe you’re halfway there.”
members started to show up. There are many reasons for members showing up, but one of the most common of them is to maintain, or to lose some weight, that they’ve put on during the quarantine period.” ‘Video calling’ was considered a blessing for people, who were either managing long-distance relationships, or conducting meetings with overseas clients. It’s now the world’s wizard. Even so, it has certain limitations, Naveen expresses, “The most challenging thing during online training is to make a member satisfied. Without going in too much depth about the mechanisms, and technicalities, it’s hard to teach different movements, and correct postures through a video-call.” Ravtej Singh, 21-year-old, freelance personal trainer, residing in Delhi, also noted the lack of ‘gym environment’. He says, “Before COVID in my gym, I had people to work out, and socialise with, which would motivate me further to work harder. But now, I had to find some internal motivation and workout all by myself which can be challenging at times.” Himanshu expressed, “Some of the challenges I came across while working out at home are the lack of equipment, and sometimes, the lack of proper direction which a trainer in a gym can provide. But I think the benefits outweigh
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to hit the gym used to be the hardest part of it all for me.” A wise man once said, ‘Something is better than nothing’ which is a similar feeling that motivates people to work out at home.
cheerleader by keeping sticky notes with cheers ready, admiring your hard work in the mirror every day, and keep trying new things. If a day ever comes, when you find yourself searching for motivation, you know where to look.
Aakriti seemed to have hacked the best motivation for us, so be your own
Get, Sweat, Go!
TIPS FOR BEGINNERS AT HOME
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Himanshu Gulia, Business Graduate I have only one advice, that is to just start working out because, as soon as you start, I believe you’re halfway there. Also, cardio is where beginners should start and it can be easily done without much equipment.
Tanya Yadav, Fitness Enthusiast One could fill a bag with books to do upper body workout. Start with pushups, planks, burpees, and other body weight exercises, because they are immensely effective. Don’t let the lack of equipment limit become a hindrance, or an excuse.
Aakriti Harjai, Fashion Design Student Take out 1 hour, play some bomb music to hype you up, and just start jumping. Working out doesn’t mean lifting weights. If you like dancing, skipping, yoga, badminton, etc or anything else, it will do.
Ravtej Singh, Freelance Personal Trainer Do not track your fitness goals by how much you weigh, focus on improving your performance and learning new skills. I can guarantee you, that way, you will feel more motivated, and will eventually nail your goals.
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I ll us tration b:y : Par id hi
YOUR PSYCH IS JUST A CLICK AWAY! AWAY! Mental Health Workers: The Invisible Heroes of COVID-19 ISHITA SANGHI
In frame: Ishita Sanghi Picture Courtsey: Akshita Mehrotra
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M
ental health is quite often stigmatized, only associated with very extreme cases or the “crazy” mental institutions as portrayed on television but thanks to COVID-19, as it has suddenly elevated telepsychiatry—the use of audioand video-conferencing for psychotherapy and medication management. We are currently seeing unprecedented levels of stress due to current events, resulting in a heightened need for mental health care. “Due to pandemic our mental health is jeopardized. The building trauma, anxiety, stress has increased, as a result, my practice has had an influx of new patients.” says Prabhleen Kaur, 26, a psychologist based in Delhi. Her work is doubled due to this pandemic also, she feels the taboo of going to a therapist is overcoming as people is seeing it as a need for themselves as many of them are severely affected due to these current situations. “One difference is that I can no longer see the whole body; the face takes up the whole screen. Also, I feel there is more privacy as people may find it easier to share personal or uncomfortable details about themselves online instead of face to
face.” she says. Besides this, she feels people who are not comfortable with technology may feel less comfortable with or more anxious about virtual treatment. Among the innumerable tragedies that have emerged from this pandemic, there are a few bright spots, and in this view, the leap of telepsychology into mainstream use is definitely one of them. ”From the provider perspective, the flexibility of practicing telemental health fits so well into my life and allows me to better meet my patient needs. I’m not at a point in my ife where I am required to go to an office at 8:30 in the evening, but I will happily go to my home office, lock the door and see a patient at that time.” Says Kaur. Telepsychiatry lowers the practical barriers to entry as well. What’s more convenient than picking up the phone for a 15- or 30-minute video call? “I feel virtual therapy is a great option when a person does not want to leave home or cannot or should not, as in the case of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s cheaper than in-person therapy though there are technological limitations: Slow networks, low quality video, and chat delays which can make therapy more difficult.” Says Richa Arora, 21, a makeup-artist based in New-Delhi.
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TELEHEALTH: PART OF THE FUTURE?
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Prabhleen Kaur,26, a Psychologist based in NewDelhi
Source: Shutterstock
She is been taking therapy for a month now as she was really stressed about her future. “I feel much better after taking sessions, it has literally helped me a lot though in beginning it was hard to form a trusting relationship with therapist over a videocall but eventually everything worked out.” She adds. The sessions usually go on for 45-60 minutes, which charges between Rs 500-1000 for each session of online therapy on phone, chat and video. Looking beyond the pandemic, it is clear that a portion of the patients will be better suited for visits at home than others. “We will continue using telehealth on a case by case basis, as it provides great flexibility for the practice.” Says Kaur. Patients and providers might decide together who would benefit from in-person vs. virtual. And this could be an important step towards more personalized and satisfying treatment. Hopefully, a silver-lining here that continues after the pandemic is that the stigma around seeking mental health care is reduced, and people can seek help when they need it.
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“Almost all of my patients tell me that they like the current arrangement. They enjoy the time they save driving to the office and back. They can return to their lives as quickly as they wish after our session ends. They feel secure in their home, as they speak of painful matters.” At the end of the day, telepsychiatry is the future of the field. Our society is increasingly reliant on technologies to augment all aspects of human experience, and healthcare should be no exception.
Agrima Mehta, 20, Psychology student “Though telehealth emerged as a mainstream practice through unfortunate circumstances, the long- lasting changes are positive for both patients and their doctors. As we learn to adjust to a postpandemic world, know that many of your doctors— including fertility specialists and therapists—are only a video call away.”
In frame: Ishita Sanghi
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pahadilocal.in
Illustration by Ishita Sanghi
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BEAU BEAUTY Wearing makeup doesn’t make a man less ‘Manly’
ISHITA SANGHI
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akeup is often regarded as a feminine indulgence; however existing research disproves such an accusation. Men have been wearing make up for millennia. Historically, it was worn by men in power and was also considered as a status symbol. It wasn’t until the mid-1800’s that makeup became associated specifically with females and by the 20th Century makeup was definitely considered to be a female-only product. Makeup is a choice and it most certainly is not gender-specific. And while we are at it, let’s get one thing clear. Makeup isn’t necessarily a tool to hide the insecurities and flaws. It could be a form of self-expression or an artwork or simply something that makes you feel confident. It is the era of selfies, video calls and photo-based social media, therefore, wanting to look good is no longer confined to special occasions. In fact, men, women, young and old, all are equal to this momentum of social banter and consequently the beauty industry in India is growing in scope and breadth. We live in interesting times. Never before in mankind’s history have the fashion and beauty trends changed so much and so fast. People are more prosperous than ever before and there has been an exponential growth in consumer and consumption culture in all fields.
“It’s crazy to think that in today’s society we are still posing this question, is it gay for men to wear makeup?” Well, for me it’s an absolute no” says Aaron Arjun Koul, 24, a Delhi-based content creator. “I love makeup and I love the way it makes me feel more powerful, sexy and masculine.” says Aaron, who incorporates products such as foundations, BB (beauty balm) creams and lip tints into his daily routine to accentuate his favourite features. Beauty is always seen as a feminine trait in the society. From modern history, it can be seen that men have always been seen as the ambassador of roughness in society. However, in recent times the emergence of fashionconscious men can be seen, who are slowly occupying a handsome position in society. Is the perception about the construction of masculinity shifting from the so-called idealized masculinity? “There is definitely still a stigma around men’s make-up, but I think it’s becoming more normal now, a lot more of my friends are wearing it, both gay and straight. However, industry had to dedicate effort to overcoming “engrained, though stereotypical, thinking that ‘real men don’t….” a way of thinking that restricted access of beauty products to one gender” says Aaron. “Also, I feel there is no silver bullet for beauty brands targeting male shoppers. Brands are lagging behind as
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Illustration by Ishita Sanghi
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they are not able to project their ideologies straight. They need to take a multi-pronged approach through product development, marketing campaigns and social media outreach which in turn will make males feel confident about the beauty purchases and choices they make” he adds. Companies have to develop specialised products for men’s specific hair and skin needs concerns; adopt marketing strategy to make beauty gender-less and accessible to men; and employ social media to create awareness among both men and women that it is healthy to take care of your hair and skin needs and everyone has the right to look their best. “Men suffer equally with women around low body confidence as many strive to attain a standard of ‘attractiveness,’ Painting my nails has allowed me to express myself a bit more in a way that I’ve always kind of wanted to” says Pritish Rawat,20, fashion enthusiast from Delhi. Beauty is entirely a mental construct, not a scientific phenomenon. As they say “beauty lies in the eyes of beholder”. People are moving towards a culture of bigtent beauty. One in which everyone is welcome. Everyone is beautiful. Who can we thank? YouTube beauty vloggers (Shakti Singh Yadav) alongside influencers like (Sidharth Batra, Ankush Bahuguna) have helped knock down some of the rigidity around gender performance, making it much more socially acceptable to dip a toe into the manicured market of beauty and wellness.
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It’s crazy to think that in today’s society we are still posing this question, is it gay for men to wear makeup?
“ I think masculinity is all about feeling confident, all about being your best self and feeling comfortable with who you are. I just love wearing makeup especially the eyeliner as I feel it lights up my hooded eyes. Creativity is also one of the greatest tools of rebellion and resistance, another reason I love makeup. Don’t let people dictate which products you can use and which you can’t. It’s your face, your makeup, do what you want. At the end of the day, I feel like it’s just an art and there’s no boundary in art” says Pritish. Men’s makeup is a growing industry and the idea of men wearing makeup isn’t new. Mainstream visibility for those men, however, is. “Makeup for grooms is becoming a bigger and bigger part of the wedding industry. I have encountered so many grooms who want to get their makeup done so that their wedding pictures could turn out amazing also they have also started feeling that they deserve this day to look good and feel really confident” says Simran Punchhi,21, a Delhi-based makeup artist. It’s no secret that men in power— politicians, actors, business leaders— often rely on makeup artists to look their best, particularly in front of the camera.
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FAD OR FUTURE?
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PRITISH RAWAT, 20, FASHION ENTHUSIAST
Illustration by Ishita Sanghi
“Many of my clients goes experimental with their looks. Some of them want to get kajal done to keep the focus on their eyes while others love the highlighter as it makes them more glowing. Indian men are rapidly jumping onto this trend, shedding all inhibitions and embracing something that was, till a couple of years ago, considered too feminine or even taboo. Makeup for men is here to stay, so let’s not kid ourselves by not acknowledging this trend” says Simran. The normalising of makeup among males has therefore marked a significant shift in the overall narrative of men’s grooming, thereby also blurring the gender-specific roles that have been dictated to us over centuries. Also, the point here isn’t that men should wear makeup. Just as it should be acceptable for women to choose not to wear makeup, so it should be for men to choose otherwise. Neither choice should be seen as less or more “feminine” because makeup knows no gender (nor sexual orientation).
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“In the future, I believe that most makeup will be nonbinary. In 10 years, I think a majority of people will have disassociated makeup with women — creating the feeling of inclusivity for both genders. For the immediate future success of the industry, there needs to be a clear distinction between the two in order to overcome the stereotype.”
SIMRAN PUNCHHI,21 MAKEUP ARTIST “Seeing more men experiment with appearance using make-up would be a sign we’re expanding the idea of ‘what it means to be a man.’ Visibility of men in make-up is a key in driving wider acceptance. To make it not necessarily the norm, not the dominant trend, but common at the very least. The more people see men in make-up, the more confidence other men will have to run with it themselves and not feel like they’re taking some great leap of faith. Slowly but surely we’r inching towards a time where men can do whatever the hell they like with blusher and bronzer.”
www.beautykubes.in
CHOP!
THE LOCKDOWN PARTY
Tales of Rapunzel wanting to go buzz by PARIDHI
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n India, there has been an unsaid, and usually needless to mention, longterm relationship going on between girls and their long hair since centuries. It’s oddly usual to look at a girl, and tag her as a ‘tomboy’ for not fancying those long luscious hair, rather than to imagine other possibilities like chemo, alopecia, or difference of choices. The horror on peoples face when a girl wants to go bald or have short hair is hysterical. So what made even the daddy’s princesses go berserk during this Quarantine? The last time everyone got the ‘haircut fever’ was back in 2012, when Miley Cyrus fancied a pixie, with a newfound personality, to shed away the ‘Hannah Montana’ good-girly-girl image. Turns out the lockdown is no different. People going into their zones of self-discovery, self-conflict and self-love is like a tug of war in our brains. Eventually, we saw all the Rapunzels on Instagram, freeing themselves of this long term relationship, while shedding the weight that they had been carrying around tucked safely in those hair locks. We asked a few of these
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In frame: Vasundhara Panghal Styled & Shot by: Paridhi
girls who joined the haircut uproar 2020, to share their experience. Damini Sharma, 23-year-old, Fashion Styling and Image Design Graduate, based in New Delhi shared, “This is something that I have had in my bucket list for quite some time. As a kid, I have always been inspired by things that are not usual to the eye for society.
Naaz 23-yearold logictics officer in Indian Air Force confessed, “I’ve been wanting short hair cut since years! I couldn’t get them cut before, because my mom never let me. I like experimenting with the way I look, since I still haven’t found my aesthetic, experimenting around with things keeps me going.”
Things that I was asked or told, not to do. Things that sometimes, caused meaningless fear in my mind. I am still fed with those fears, and I can feel the scare. So whenever I get an opportunity, to do what I want to do, and to explore myself, ( after giving it a proper thought ) I grab it.”
So is this just a trend, a rebellion, or an expression of something deeper about our personalities?
Instagram and Youtube were almost flooded, with pictures of girls taking a trimmer, or a pair of scissors through their usually long, or mid-length hair. Captions like, ‘Welcome to the quarantine party,’ or ‘I lost 1 kg, now that I cut the weight off my shoulders,’ made the highlight among some other cool ones. Flight t Lieutenant
Damini added, “I need to explore more about myself, to be able to fully embrace myself. Not just dig into my mind space, but also through my physique. I need to walk through the stages of who I am, my limits, my strengths, my faiths, my religion, and my destiny.” Self-exploration has been one of the most talked-about topics during the lockdown since the alone-time not only came as a shock but in abundance, the retrospection scale is shooting off the roof.
In frame: Vasundhara Panghal Styled & Shot by: Paridhi
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In frame: Naaz Styled & Shot by: Paridhi
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Brooding about various topics, especially as a follow-up of the BLM movement, many of us questioned the beauty standards of our society. It was the first time in history that ‘Fair and lovely’ felt pressured enough to change their name to ’Glow and lovely’ ( Potato, potato ). Not big enough, but this may be a revolution that allows young girls to feel beautiful regardless of their skin colour or the length of their hair. Damini resonated and said, “Another thing that motivated me was letting go. Why are people so attacged to something so meaningless as hair? How can can the length of a woman’s hair define how beautiful she is? And why do I need to keep long hair? Why do I need to show the shallow minds, my beauty according to their understanding of it? I am beautiful, have been, and will always remain so.” The conversation that starts with beauty, leads to self-love for many. The constant notions of beauty according to the industry, subjects so many of us into critiquing every inch of our body, and more often than not, we tend to hate more parts of it, instead of finding love and acceptance. 2020 may not be all vain and sad, if it allows for all these beautiful realisation and changes, right? Vasundhara Panghal, 20-year-old, Political Science student based in Bangalore, found self-love through her new hair-cut, “I had been insecure about my curly frizzy hair, ever since I was a kid. It was never smooth enough, or straight enough, or long enough, and hence always made me feel like I am not good enough. I wanted to get rid of any expectations from others and remind myself, that I don’t exist to please other people or to fit into the societal standards. I wanted to feel more like myself, and do what I wanted to do.
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Why are people so attached to something so meaningless as hair? How can the length of a woman’s hair define how beautiful she is?” So I did.” For her, shaving her head serves as a reminder that self-love is something that comes from within, regardless of what your hair or your body looks like. It makes her feel like she is more than what she looks like, on the outside. While detangling the stigma around short hair might take generations, the benefits of sporting a look in short hair can be very enticing. The feedback from all these young, confident and ambitious girls, about how their newly cut short-hair style makes them feel, might even convince you into getting one for yourself. Damini, who has always had waist-length long hair, gave herself a buzz cut for the first time ever and said that she loves it. Vasundhara, who has had shoulder-length hair for as long as she could remember, went bald and expressed, “I feel amazing! It has helped me love, and accept myself more. Also, it is super convenient.” Naaz, who has always had really long, and sumptuous curls also shared her experience after giving herself a buzzcut also feels amazing, light-headed. She said, “I don’t really have to worry about my hair anymore like I used to. All the tedious efforts of oiling, combing, getting them styled, took hours, but those days are past me. Plus, I have curly hair, so it takes double the time to even do the smallest of things with it. Now, it just peacefully exists, like me.”
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Illustration by Paridhi
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So ladies, what are the rest of you really waiting for? If you’re dubious about how your family and friends are going to react to it, based on popular opinions, be assured that, sooner or later, they’ll come around. What matters when going for an unconventionally shortlength hair, is that you are able to feel
good through it, and own it. Societies approval as an excuse, won’t cut it as a good reason in 2020, because we’re taking back the power we’ve placed in their approval for generations. Pick up those scissors, so you don’t have to whip your hair back and forth!
WELCOMING YOU ONTO THE ‘LOCKDOWN PARTY’
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DAMINI, 23, FASHION STYLIST, NEW DELHI That it is just hair. It will grow back. Go ahead and do what you want. Let go of fears. And I promise that it will only take you one step closer to being a complete badass. VASUNDHARA PANGHAL, 20, PURSUING LLB, BANGALORE DO IT! What better time than a pandemic to realise the value of life and how lives can change in a jiffy. You don’t want to wait for some other day or week or month or year, because you don’t know what the future holds. Express yourself in whatever way you feel is best. If you’re afraid of what people might think, the one’s who really matter will come around. There is something about seeing people comfortable with themselves that makes the people around them too, comfortable in their own bodies. Be that person to someone else! NAAZ, 23 YEAR-OLD, LOGISTICS OFFICER, IAF Get it done, would be the best thing ever. Plus this the time where you can experiment with your looks, alone, at home, no one to see. Experiment as much as you can.
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EWOKE
LIFESTYLE MEET THE GREEN WARRIORS FOOD FROM HOME INCREASED SCREEN TIME NEW ERA OF LOVE THE NEW LIFEST YLE
ILLUSTRATION BY SOHAYA GILL
Picture Courtsey: @ourecofriendlylife
MEET THE G R E E N WARRIORS From making their own toothpaste to foraging locally for edible plants, meet the conscientious green warriors, who are learning to cut the amount of rubbish they throw out. Here’s how they do it.
NANDINI MITTAL
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o green is not merely a slogan nowadays, it is a definitive way of living for some. Whilst, people across the globe mark and celebrate World Environmental Day once in a year, these diligent green warriors are trying to make this an everyday affair.
Their efforts are ongoing and steady! Instead of simply bookmarking one day to ponder over how we can go green, they are actually making concrete changes on the ground, as a part of their everyday activities. Here’s how you can join the movement.
LOOKING FOR GREEN ALTERNATIVES Jaineesha Chawla, 36, a homemaker, based in Pune,
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says “I have been composting wet waste for over five years now, and at the same time trying to reduce the dry waste we generate.” Ditching convenience, she makes it a point to collect takeaway orders in steel tiffins and buys eatables lose. She also makes a bio-enzyme to clean utensils and clothes out of citrus fruits. Thereby, the wet waste generated is composed of bins and used as manure for her kitchen garden. When she started, she says she did a little audit around the house to see how many cleaning products they were using and the result was staggering. “We are led to believe that we need a different product for every single thing we clean, but actually you can clean nearly everything effectively
Picture Courtsey: @ourecofriendlylife
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This in turn has led to a boom in organic farming, and now, many folks are switching to organic kitchen gardening in their lawns or balconies to ensure that their food is free from chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides.
MOVING TO A ZERO-WASTE LIFESTYLE
Image Courtsey: @ourecofriendlylife
with bicarbonate of soda, vinegar, lemons, and a simple soap”, she added. Quoting, The Hindu, in an article published on 21st July 2020, “Reiterating that there is no better time to take up composting, waste management expert, N.S. Ramakanth in his interview with the newspaper stated that the waste workers are most susceptible to become carriers. By taking up home composting, the risk posed to both citizens and the workers can be minimized. “One doesn’t even need any equipment to start composting. Just an old bucket with some holes and a lid will do,” he added. Eco-consciousness among people has been certainly on the rise, especially when it comes to making informed choices about the food they consume.
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Pooja Dhillon, 45, based in Delhi, who works in a start-up, EcoRight, which aims to create awareness and conscientious facilitation for a conscious lifestyle, is trying her best to switch to a zerowaste lifestyle. Dhillon shares, “I am trying to live a low-waste lifestyle. I have been composting wet waste for a year now, and have hardly bought any inorganic vegetables since the pandemic started. “I grow my own fully organic vegetables like peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, and potatoes! Instead of dumping the veggie leftovers, I try to compost it with a handful of cocopeat and dry leaves, and add some turmeric to reduce the odor, and trust me it works wonders,” she added. Pooja further mentions how she has switched onto more nature’s offerings like coconut oil and honey to moisturize her skin, and ‘amla, reetha, and shikakai’ for making her own organic shampoo, she procures it from an e-commerce website called Attar Ayurveda, which helps her in eliminating tubes and creams from her shopping list.
In an interview with TOI, Rita Deshmukh, co-founder of SoilMate, says “As we upend our lives to curb the coronavirus, we can’t lose sight of the longer game here-our global climate crisis,” Rita further states it’s the only crucial time that we need to think of everything in our power to both “bend the curve” on coronavirus and our climate change crisis, or we might as well start preparing for the next pandemic. “Because in a warmer world, extreme weather events, vector-borne diseases, pandemics will be even more likely,” she concludes.
Image Courtsey: @ourecofriendlylife
REDUCE SINGLE-USE PLASTICS Amrita Pal, 34 years old, a homemaker, based in Pune, believes in recycling and living a minimalistic life. “I try to bring in as little as possible, only buying what I need and secondhand wherever feasible, which tends to avoid packaging.” She further mentions how she finds joy in opting for more sustainable alternatives like using the bamboo toothbrushes, organic soaps, purchasing organic milk in plastic recyclable bottles, using bio-degradable menstrual pads, and organic shampoo bars in paper wrapping. “At home, there’s hardly anything in the bin, just occasional bits of nonrecyclable plastics, usually from gifts from well-meaning people,” she adds.
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Illustration by: Nandini Mittal
Joe and Francis, homemakers, based in Italy, who were quite drawn to environmental issues up from the start, begun with their own blog as an initiative on Instagram @ourecofriendlylife, to create awareness among the people, and now has been leading with successfully 21.5k followers on it, who choose to live sustainably and organically.
soda with coconut and peppermint oil. It is very different, but it works.” says Joe. From introducing small changes to protecting the environment in the long haul, you don’t generally require a superhero with a cape to rescue our planet! All it takes is a little effort to put a spoke in the wheel that’s taking us to the brink of extinction . The Covid-19 has certainly inculcated some newfound good habits in people and the community. It is, therefore, the best time to hold onto it and follow home composting as well. This will help the fight against pandemic as well as the long term problem of pollution.
“I don’t miss the things that I have given up. It is not about loss, it is about what you gain. I derive real satisfaction from not throwing things away and I have gained skills by learning to make things myself. I hated toothpaste tubes going to landfills, so I started making my own toothpaste by mixing bicarbonate of
EASY WAYS TO RECYCLE:
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Reuse Plastic Water Bottles Plastic water bottles are the worst enemy one can have indoors. People often dispose of plastic bottles irresponsibly after use and thus harm the environment. With a little use of creativity, plastic bottles can come to good use. For instance, you can cut off the bottom halves of the plastic bottles and plant seedlings in them.
Reuse Your Home Delivered Newspaper Instead of stocking up your old newspapers, you can use them as a packing paper to wrap up your fragile items or gifts. You can also use a newspaper as a cleaning aid by mixing water and a splash of white vinegar to clean your window stains, effortlessly.
Replace Singe-use Plastic Items A plastic item can take up to 1000 years to decompose. Start by replacing your plastic toothbrushes with biodegradable toothbrushes, plastic-stemmed cotton buds with biodegradable paper stemmed cotton buds and plastic straws with reusable biodegradable bamboo straws.
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HOME CHEFS TO THE RESCUE Image Courtsey: Sohaya Gill
COVID-19: Rise of local master chefs. ISHITA SANGHI
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very crisis brings an opportunity. With restaurants shut, it has made room for home cooks to venture into the home delivery business. The pandemic has inspired many to explore their inherent talents, passions and interests, which they may have otherwise accepted as a routine. Today, the exhausting job demands and busy schedules have made cooking an extravagance. As a result, online food ordering has become a prevalent trend among millennials.
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Even though the takeout food satiates their hunger, people continue to crave for homecooked food. Thanks to this craving, home chefs have gained a vital chance to make money with the launch of an online meal delivery venture. Being a home chef is a growing business opportunity, catering to the millennials’ need for ‘Ghar ka khana.’ Variety and innovation have always been key parts of Home Chef. “Being a home chef is itself empowering. One could have total control over inventing something new in the
Image Courtsey: Dark Secrets
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In frame: Sivgun Kaur
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have total control over inventing something new in the kitchen. For those who are not eager to work under someone, all you need is to grab the chef’s hat and startup. So, the old saying fits here perfectly – my kitchen, my rules!” says Sivgun Kaur,23, based in Delhi. “However, running a food business of any kind during lockdown can present some challenges, such as limited ingredients, manpower and resources. The lack of availability of all ingredients had made that a little difficult. I stick to dishes which don’t need a lot of ingredients other than essential products. I learned not to over complicate dishes or ingredients, pick the best products that are in season, treat them correctly and cook them with respect” she explains. “I am a one man army, from preparing the food to packaging, I do it all by myself. I request all my customers to place their order by Saturday evening for Sunday’s delivery” she adds. The lockdown has changed people’s relationship with their kitchens. Some entered it for the first time, determined to learn the basics; others baked banana bread to stave off their anxiety. Some grew to love the kitchen, while others began to detest theirs.
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kitchen, trying new recipes and recreating old favourites. I would find joy in setting up a mini feast for my family. Compliments from friends, virtual ones, encouragement from family inspired me to develop my brand” says Deepika Vij, 43, founder of Dark Secrets based in New Friends Colony. “I floated the idea on a residents’ WhatsApp group, I was flooded with orders. What has encouraged me is that there have been repeated orders,” she adds. It is either her driver who does the deliveries, or she uses delivery service apps like Dunzo. “People were looking for options other than restaurant food. They wanted homemade food that came from a place that they could trust and that they knew was clean and hygienic” she adds.
Running a food business of any kind can present some challenges, such as limited ingredients, manpower and resources.”
Traditional food or Indian cuisine is always loved by Indians. Therefore, there is a higher growth potential of the homecooked chefs and portals offering homecooked food and menus. Also, people are becoming more health-conscious during the pandemic, hence just cooking is not enough; one has to add nutritional values with some innovative ideas like bringing a desi menu with a health tadka. “I have always had a passion for cooking. During the lockdown, my family’s constant demand for more variety motivated me to document my cooking experiments in the kitchen. I found myself seeking solace in my
People tend to trust home chefs more than restaurants as they are familiar with those in the neighbourhood and it is home-cooked food. “We assure people that we have no movement of staff in our house, and it’s just us cooking. It raises the trust factor and they choose us over restaurants” says Deepika. The lockdown, however, accelerated the process of converting her passion into profession. The menu is the main contributor to the victory of any food business. The menu
should look attractive, elaborate with a diverse variety of cuisines for the customers but with the same quality of service and location. Many players add food additives and colour additives to make look attractive and thrilling to their customers. But that is not true as experience is also something which matters in cooking and home-cooked chefs only give importance to the taste, unlike restaurants who gives importance in various other elements like ambience, visual appeal, texture consistency etc in the designing of the menu.
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Since home delivery of food was not available for a while, even when the services restarted, many were, and are still, apprehensive of ordering food from restaurants. So, in these times, of despair, we all turned to home chefs to make our lives a little easier. These home chefs have filled the gap left behind by restaurants and eateries. However, it’s never too late to realise that all the world is a kitchen and we are nothing but cooks.
HOME COOKS ARE HERE TO STAY
Image Courtsey: Pie It up
“The kitchen is your space to be creative and productive and for me, it is a tool to help you enjoy the process of cooking and reconnect with your loved ones over good food. If you can bond over the dinner table at the restaurant, why not have the same family time in your kitchen while cooking and eating together?” says Adab Kohli,25, chef at Capital Kitchen in Delhi. “Obviously restaurant trends suffered as restaurants were closed but it has given me and the majority of enthusiastic cooks, the time and energy to carry the trends into our homes and create our styles” he adds. “But while home cooking may be on the rise, it’s clear it isn’t sending people away from restaurants. Some people will become savvier with their cooking skills, but many do just want a night out,” says Adab. Change can be scary but often, this sense of fear can be translated into exciting opportunities. Now, more people are cooking, baking, shopping and connecting with ingredients.
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Chhavi Kapoor, 23, a food blogger based in New-Delhi. “Because of the pandemic I feel safer ordering from home chefs versus restaurants. In terms of taste there is an evident freshness and soul in the food, it's lighter and healthier. There is a personal touch. Several ventures plan to outlast the pandemic. Home chefs say they are successful and are here to stay.”
Deepika Vij, 43, founder of Dark Secrets based in New Friends Colony. “I feel India’s home-chef culture is here to stay. Home Chef’s ‘Customize It’ feature allows customers more flexibility by offering the option to swap, upgrade and double up on proteins, add protein to vegetarian meals, and choose how many servings of each recipe.”
ALL THE INSPIRATION YOU NEED
induspeople.in
sc reen
ADDICTION
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ocial media addiction, which has been an issue for a while now, particularly with kids, has escalated into an acute social malaise in the weeks spent in lockdown. The problem, as it has emerged, is not just limited to a specific age group — but the situation is getting out of hand for many. Fact is, that locked indoors for over a month now, most people have got hooked to screens for entertainment and communication with the outside world. Indeed, isolation would be a lot more difficult if we suddenly were not able to access the people, communities and resources we depend on to keep us whole. Even so, it is important to be mindful of the fact that the habits developed during the current lockdown may be all the more difficult to kick even once it is over.
Text and Photographed by ISHITA SANGHI
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SNACKING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
THE
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VIRTUAL
PRISON
SOCIAL OVERDOSE
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Letting validation sink under the skin.
Losing sanity over losing likes.
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Source: Shutterstock
LOVE IN THE TIMES OF COVID From falling in love to dating your partner, novel coronavirus has changed all normals, thanks to social distancing. Even modern love has switched to online mode.
Text by: Nandini Mittal
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W
ith the outbreak of Covid-19, as restrictions continue to be imposed across the country, singles around the world are craving to laugh, socialize, love, and build meaningful connections more than ever. They are looking for someone to shoulder their concerns with, from within the security of their four walls. Amid all the chaos, dating apps comes to the rescue, to help millennials find love online. The evolution of online dating has been a brisk one, from early matchmaking services in the 1990s to the swipe-based apps of today, where singles can speedily browse through their extended networks and select their potential matches within the blink of an eye, the dating culture has certainly changed! More than ever, people have instant access to thousands of possible matches with the mere swipe of a finger nowadays. For better or worse, this interaction
“dating from home” feature that lets matches frictionlessly set up video calls. It is also working to deploy “Date Ready”, which will allow users to mark their availability for these phone-to-phone flow has somehow redefined how a generation sessions. Previously, video chat features were of singles meet their mates. not embraced by the majority of Match Group While the user flow of a dating app is typically services, but now it plans to increase focus on targeted to culminate in a real-world interaction, them.” whereas the pandemic has left us all rattled up in Aakash Rao,24, who moved back to India in our homes. So how do these dating apps survive August and is now under lockdown with his in an age of social distancing? family, says, “I don’t want to talk to the same people over and over again, like roommates and family. Talking to someone new on the app Together, Apart helps to break the monotony of our repetitive According to a blog post published by DW on 5th lives” Of course, some changes have to be July 2020, Tinder has rolled up an announcement accommodated, “I like to meet new people for its users: “Social distancing doesn’t have to on e-coffee dates nowadays, through video mean disconnecting. We hope to be a place chats,” adds Rao. While Rao necessitates on for connection during this challenging time, but how crucial are video chats in this quarantine to it’s important to stress that now is lift his mood, Aditi Aarya, 25, based not the time to meet in real life with in Patna, who has been using Tinder your match. Please keep things for quite a while contends, “Still, here for now.” there’s a limit to video dates, it’s not “We’re social creatures, of course, the same as meeting people face“I think it’s we like to be surrounded by new to-face and finding the energy.” people, says Rishita Bharadwaj, 22, beautiful to see Aarya, who works in a corporate based in Noida, “While all of us are firm argues that the basis of video “what’s up” stuck in our homes, the only way calls has done no good to her, changing to out through this loneliness is digital instead, it has only defeated the media. I tend to seek comfort by purpose of meeting people in “How are you sharing meaningful bonds of fear person. “For me to continuously be feeling”, “how and hope during this time, especially interested in somebody, I need to are you doing” see them face-to-face.” with the people I don’t know,” adds Bharadwaj. Bharadwaj firmly and “I hope believes that these digital platforms Time to Talk you’re okay” are not only serving as a medium of ‘togetherness’ for people in these on my chat Now that people have more difficult stretches, but also is helping time to spare, with no constraints windows.” people to shoulder their worries of dressing up in the morning, distantly. commuting to work, or rushing for Anjali Dagar, 20, based in Delhi mentions, “I grocery or household chores, singles are think it’s beautiful to see “what’s up” changing welcoming ‘slow dating’. The concept ‘Slow to “How are you feeling”, “how are you doing” Dating’ thrives when people get to develop an and “I hope you’re okay” on my chat windows.” emotional connection with their partner before Quite evidently, people are holding hands the physical one. More than ever, individuals digitally to make sure everyone is playing safe. are reaching out to each other, by sharing their dinner and Netflix time or by playing online games to get to know each other well. Video Chats Are In According to a report published by Business During the pandemic, dating apps have also Insider, matches on OkCupid have increased rushed to accommodate users with in-app video by 10% worldwide since March 2020 – and features, to stand the worries of not meeting in conversations have increased by over 20%. Also, person. Quoting, an article published by TOI on in a recent Tinder report that studied data from 15th May 2020, “Hinge has already added a March to August 2020 stated, “Single Indians
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exchanged more messages and swiped right more during the lockdown than at the beginning in early March. While ‘Emotionally available’ beings can be seen baring themselves, looking for real connections in a cutoff world. Ramya Jaiswal, 20, student of DU, based in Agra, says, “Since, everything got shut, giving us more time with ourselves, I feel I’ve formed bonds over time, that I couldn’t have thought of forming earlier.” Even, in an interview with TOI, the VP Strategist at Bumble passed on a statement, “Be it spontaneous trivia evenings or sharing a glass of wine over a video call. Many of our users have given feedback that virtual dating is alowing them to create even stronger bonds during this time.”
Crossing Virtual Borders It’s easier now to think for a Virtual Date with someone in London while you’re in India. Tinder has come up with a new passport feature, which allows its users to temporarily change their locations so that people can connect across the borders. According to a report published by Business Insider on 27th May 2020,” India saw a 25% increase in the rate of ‘Passporting’ to other parts of the world.” “It’s comforting to see how people are coping up with these hard times across the world and being able to relate.” Says Anuj Dodia, 22, based in Noida. More than ever, Tinder has eventually become a way for people to share their experiences from different countries, discover comfort in strangers, get first-person accounts of how the pandemic has affected these countries, and perceive how people are coping with the isolation.
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Encounter a real-life dating experience with these dating apps. No wonder, you’ll feel that, ‘Virtual has become the new reality now!’ Therefore, winding up, there’s no recession in love through pandemic exists.
VIRTUAL MEET-UPS ON THE BOOM
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- Users are engaging three times more via video and voice calling on matrimonial sites like shaadi. com due to social distancing norms, according to a survey conducted by the matrimony site. - Also, 44% respondents, agreed that their first ideal video call meeting would be a heart-to-heart conversation about the things that truly matter, while 29% feel that a light chat over coffee is the best for a first virtual date, followed by watching a movie or a series together (11%), playing online games (10%), and chilling over dinner and drinks (7%) - Overall, the survey revealed that the process of looking for a life partner has not come to a halt, instead, Indians have evolved to prefer virtual meet-ups to physical ones.
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UNFILTERED LIFESTYLE
Pause, admist the negativity, the stress, the endless zoom meetings & the pandemic outside. While life seems to weigh you down. Pause. Remind yourself that you’re doing your best & that is all you can do. Pause. Allow yourself to stretch your muscles, pet your dog, watch your flowers bloom, bake something. Pause. Make a cup of coffee & enjoy the sunset. Paint something on a lazy afternoon or just tune out with a nap. Read the book you never got time for. Pause. You’re doing better than you think.
Text and Photographed by SOHAYA GILL
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10:30 am
Wo rk From Home Working from my bed in my sweats, with my favourite book and pet by my side.
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3:30 pm
me t ime Indulging in some skincare and painting scenes from the vacations I miss.
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5:45 pm
ea rthy Spending time with my plants and finishing the day with my book.
DEVIL’S CAKE Ingredients: • 2 cups all purpose flour • 2 cups sugar • 3/4 cup ditched cocoa • 2 teaspoons baking powder • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon coffee • 1 cup buttermilk • 1/2 cup butter • 2 large eggs • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract • 1/2 cup hot water
CRAVINGS Here are a few easy recipes to satisfy your sweet cravings. By SOHAYA GILL
Method: 1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and prepare an 8inch cake pan. Add 2-3 drops of white vinegar or lemon juice to full fat milk and let it curdle. 2. In a pan heat the butter and cocoa powder over medium heat until slight bubbles start to form. In a large mixing bowl mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and coffee powder. 3. Add the cocoa and butter mixture to the dry ingredients. Gradually fold in the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla extract. After everything is mixed well slowly add in the hot water. 4. Shift the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 35 minutes.
Image Courtsey: Rachel Goenka
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By SOHAYA GILL
@architlost
COFFEE PUDDING (recipe courtsey: Archit Agarwal) Ingredients: • 250 ml milk • 250 ml cream • 5 tbsp instant coffee • 5 tbsp sugar 200 gm Marie biscuits • 0.5 tsp salt • 30 ml rum/whiskey
Image Courtsey: Archit Agarwal
Method: 1. In a pan, heat milk, with 5 tbsp of coffee and 4 tbsp of sugar. Mix till everything dissolves. 2. In a bowl, mix cream and the remaining 1 tbsp of sugar. Add salt and your choice of liqueur and stir. 3. In a deep dish, start assembling by soaking the biscuits alternatively in both liquids and layering. Do a layer of coffee, then cream, then repeat. Let the biscuits soak in the coffee mixture till they get soft. Press the biscuits down, and pour the remaining coffee and cream over. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours. Top with your choice of chocolate.
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OCTOBER READING LIST Here is a list of four diverse books to help feed your soul for each week. by SOHAYA GILL
On the Bookshelf
THE BHUTTO DYNASTY: THE STRUGGLE FOR POWER IN PAKISTAN Owen Bennett Jones Drawing on original research and unpublished documents gathered over twenty years, Owen BennettJones explores the turbulent existence of this extraordinary family, including their volatile relationship with British colonialists, the Pakistani armed forces and the United States.
NIGHT OF THE RESTLESS SPIRITS Sarbpreet Singh Stories from 1984 By Sarbpreet Singh Through the tales of ordinary people caught in something bigger than themselves, Singh’s heart-rending collection of stories evokes the horrors and uncertainties of 1984.
THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB Richard Osman In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet up once a week to investigate unsolved murders. But when a brutal killing takes place on their very doorstep, the Thursday Murder Club find themselves in the middle of their first live case.
QUEEN OF EARTH Devika Rangachari The daughter of the powerful Somavashi king of ko SA LA, Prithvimahadevi’ s life is circumscribed by the rules that govern the existence of women of her royal family. She can only hope that she will marry a king whose power matches that of her ambitious father. The story of this ninth-century queen of Odisha by award-winning historical novelist de VI ka Rangachari will keep you riveted.
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