April 2016 | Vol 1
OUTLOOK SPLURGE APRIL 2016 VOL 1
SPRING is in THE AIR Haute Holiday Wear
Waltzing in
VIENNA
Fashion’s Boy Wonder
NICOLA FORMICHETTI
SPLURGE EDIT
cool Playing it
Editor-in-Chief Krishna Prasad Executive Director Indranil Roy Associate Publisher Vidya Menon
S
ummer’s almost set in, and here we are, looking for yet another reason to dress up. While things have never been more louche for the guys – think grandfather cuts and collars, wide-leg pants and a higher waist, and no one did it better than our very own Suket Dhir, who walked away with this year’s prestigious International Woolmark Prize, just as Yves Saint Laurent did many Suket Dhir decades ago, with a collection inspired by an idyllic childhood in Punjab with his own grandfather. We all know that fashion is like generations, it’s cyclical, and never stops. Sometimes you’re inspired by the past, and sometimes you yearn for the future. Our parents’ hearts are definitely in the happy ‘60s and ‘70s of their youth, and when you see pictures of them in wide-rimmed spectacles and geometric prints, standing next to their Spitfire, it makes you smile. This season, fashion-wise, Riviera chic is huge, and hearkens a return to the days of the bandeau-wearing Diana Rigg in On her Majesty’s Secret Service or the Pucci-clad Sophia Loren in La Dolce Vita. The early ‘60s were a time of ‘a leave it till tomorrow’, carefree insouciance, when the world had yet to witness any major cultural revolutions and economic crises. And to the future, we raise a toast to the ingenuity and vision of a force such as the boyish Nicola Formichetti, creative director of Diesel, who’s shown the world that sometimes fashion, just like generations, can look to the future as well. Stay style-forward. Stay happy.
Executive Editor Priya Kumari Rana Managing Editor Riddhima Seal BUSINESS OFFICE Vice Presidents Johnson D Silva, Shishir Saxena National Head Kabir Khattar Brand Head Shrutika Dewan Deputy General Manager (Marketing) Jyoti Ahuja CIRCULATION National Head Anindya Banerjee Assistant General Manager G Ramesh (South) Vinod Kumar (North) PRODUCTION Assistant General Manager Shashank Dixit Senior Manager Shekhar Pandey Deputy Manager Ganesh Shah Assistant Manager Gaurav Shrivas ACCOUNTS Senior Manager Diwan Singh Bisht
- Priya Kumari Rana, Executive Editor HEAD OFFICE AB-10 Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi 110029, India Tel: 011-33505500 Fax: 011-26191420 Email: outlook@outlookindia.com
CONTRIBUTORS
OTHER OFFICES Mumbai Tel: 022-33545000 Fax: 022-33545100 Kolkata Tel: 033-33545400 Fax: 033-24650145 Chennai Tel: 044-33506300 Fax: 044-33506327 Bengaluru Tel: 080-45236100; 45236105
UMESH JIVNANI
SIDHARTH SHAROTRI
MITA KAPUR
This prolific writer started his career in 1995, and has written for the top Mumbai (and now Delhi) publications. He is often seen at fashion weeks around the year.
He has a slightly unnatural obsession for cars and bikes. He writes for the Deccan Chronicle and Asian Age on “motoring related nonsense”, as he puts it.
She’s founded Siyahi, a literary consultancy, and produces literary festivals and events. Mita has authored The F-Word, a food book and memoir.
6 | Outlook Splurge | April 2016
OLYA MILENTIS & JAF JAFRI Olya is a fashion photographer with a poetic approach. Jaf has successful advertising and editorial shoots to his credit.
GUL GARG This former stylist with Harper’s Bazaar and Grazia, has carved a niche in the world of styling – editorials, print, or TV. She loves to keep her style au courant.
Printed and published by Indranil Roy on behalf of Outlook Publishing (India) Pvt Ltd. Printed at IPP Limited. C4-C11, Phase II, Noida and published from AB-10 Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi 110029
Cover & Layout design @alarinks
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CONTENTS April 2016 COVETABLES
14 | A Parade of Hits You’re sure to turn heads with these haute heels, ingenious wristwatches, and sleek clutches.
SPLURGE WATCH
36
22 | The Many Pleasures Check in to the Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley, take a ride on the all-new BMW mini convertible, and enjoy a meal at the Indian Accent in New York City.
HERITAGE
14
28 | India-Inspired With ‘traditional’ the new buzzword, the Indian ethos in fashion is what’s in vogue right now. Splurge takes a look.
COVER STORY
46
30 | Spring in my Step This season marks a return to the days where sophisticated tailoring meets a carefree spirit. Colour is back, prints continue to rule, even as denim and lace make an elegant appearance.
FASHION
36 | Haute this Summer Splurge rounds up the best trends of the season — an expert-guide to what you should (or not) be wearing this summer. ON THE COVER
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On Mr India Puneet Beniwal: Shirt, Hackett; Jacket, Salvatore Ferragamo; Pants, Salvatore Ferragamo; Shoes, Christian Louboutin; Sunglasses, Ray Ban; Watch, Seiko. On model Sonali Barthwal: Top, shorts, jacket, Dior; Sandals, Christian Louboutin; Bag, Fendi; Scarf, Shingora; Rings, Swarovski. Suitcase, Keith Haring from Samsonite. Location courtesy Vivanta by Taj Surajkund.
40 | Cutting-Edge Designs The artistic director of Italian fashion brand Diesel, Nicola Formichetti, engages in an exclusive chat with Splurge, about breaking fashion rules and rebooting the iconic Italian denim brand.
44 | The Accidental Designer Splurge meets the winner of the prestigious Woolmark prize, Suket Dhir, to learn about his passion for organic, sustainable fashion.
46 | Parisian Honour Ace designer Manish Arora, who’s just received France’s Légion d’Honneur award, talks to Splurge about experimenting with 3D embroidery, and gives a sneak peek into his next Parisian show.
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April 2016
CONTENTS
50
68
HIGH SPIRITS
58 | Master Blender World mixology expert, Claire Smith-Warner of Moët Hennessy, reveals the ‘naturalness’ campaign of her luxury vodka brand, Belvedere.
54
WANDERLUST
62 | Vineyard Stories We catch up with Sula founder and CEO, Rajeev Sawant, at India’s most famous wine, food, and music festival that is Sulafest.
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64 | History Comes Alive We take you on a cultural and gastronomical tour of Austria’s historically rich and visually engaging capital city, Vienna.
BEAUTY
49 | Cause for Charity Actress Neha Dhupia reveals her beauty musthaves and her association with Kiehl’s Gives, supporting the Teach for India Foundation.
56
50 | The Next Big Step
WHEELS
Splurge follows Miss Malini, India’s bestknown blogger, over a day, and learns about her immense future plans.
68 | Designed to Thrill We throw light on the newly launched sportscar in Manhattan, the power-packed Jaguar F Type SVR, which comes with a host of features to thrill.
WATCHES
54 | Polo Watch
JEWELLERY
66 | Ode to Asian One of New York’s top eateries, Spice Market, is an ode to Asian street food by Michelin-star Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. We pay a visit.
LIFESTYLE
Splurge speaks to Swiss watchmaker JaegerLeCoultre’s Marc de Panafieu, on his maiden visit to India about the Swiss brand’s connection with polo, and India.
GOURMET
TÊTE-À-TÊTE
58
70| Flying Solo We catch up with British aviator Tracey Curtis-Taylor, in the Capital, halfway through her solo flight from UK to Australia, in an open 1942 bi-plane.
56 | All That Shines
PARTING SHOT
Federica Imperiali, the head of new product development at Forevermark’s Milan office, tells us about working with the world’s finest diamonds, and India-specific designs.
72 | Back in Action
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Pop princess of the ‘90s, Britney Spears, is flaunting a leaner figure, and is back with a new single.
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COVETABLES
The Hit
List
This summer, take a walk on the style side, with these stunning baubles, brilliant timepieces, classy clutches, colourful pumps, and heavenly fumes, that are part of this season’s must-haves.
HOUR of Grace
ENCUFFED
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Artistry
ewellery designer Poonam Soni launched her Exotic Cuffs collection, incorporating miniature canvases by Nawaz Modi Singhania.Each cuff is accompanied by a ring, earrings, or a delicate sautoir. Price on request.
THREE ROW Collier
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emfields has partnered with Danish design house Georg Jensen in a collection that includes the Grosvenor Pendant with nine cabochon emeralds set in 18 kt yellow gold. Price on request.
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rom Breguet’s Tradition collection comes the new self-winding Tradition Dame 7038 model, especially for women who have a penchant for prestigious watchmaking. This 37 mm timepiece has an 18 kt white gold case, and a bezel set with 68 brilliantly cut diamonds. There’s a central barrel, plus a balance-wheel and intermediate wheels forming an arc stretching from 4 to 8 o’clock. It’s a self-winding movement, numbered and signed Breguet. The crown is set with a watch movement jewel, while the dial is in Tahitian mother-of-pearl; the strap is leather. It’s water-resistant to 30 m. Price on request.
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TRUNK Call
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ravel in style in your own personalized trunk, courtesy of Gurkha. This New York-based company allows you to pick your own stripe colours and trim. All handmade in Florence, Italy. Price: $19,500 (wardrobe trunk); $55,000 (eight-piece set)
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COVETABLES
PUNK PINK
FLOWER
POWER
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or the night, step out in these neon electric pink Rivierina pumps by Christian Louboutin that usher in ‘80s glam. Exquisite in its simplicity, the 85 mm closed-toe d’Orsay raises the profile of any ensemble. Price: `52,000.
hese flowery, colourful sandals are perfect for a day-time summer do. These flirtatious and whimsical Ha Why Luna ankle-strap sandals by Christian Louboutin are a collector’s item. They feature a crystal- and pearl-embellished, laser-cut leather floral appliqué that contrasts beautifully with the 120 mm electric roccia python heel. Price on request.
A THOUSAND
AND ONE NIGHTS
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he House of Hayari, Paris, launches its New Oud fragrance, that is a blend of the East and the West, inspired from Sheherezade’s A Thousand and One Nights tale, with a woody aroma by perfumer Cécile Zarokian. Price: `16, 875.
THE RETURN OF THE DRAGON
C
ould this be the world’s most expensive pen? At one million dollars, it may well be. The ‘Ultimate Centennial Dragon’ pen by Montegrappa is in solid 18 kt gold, with a total of 20 carats of baguette-cut diamonds, coloured diamonds, rubies, and pearls. Limited to 100 pieces, the buyer of this pen will be given a VIP tour by a member of the Aquila family, and lunch with F1 driver Jean Alesi. Price: $1,000,000.
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SPIRIT OF Rebellion
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rimal, powerful, and provocative, Audemars Piguet unveils Diamond Fury, a Haute Joaillerie masterpiece bristling with attitude and a rebellious spirit. It has a carapace of gems with a shield of brilliant-cut diamonds, and a secret panel unclips to reveal the dial underneath. Price on request.
BORN IN THE USA
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his acrylic clutch by fashion editor-turned designer Stephanie Phan is a dual-sided, hand-painted couture purse, with a spraypainted American flag on one side, and a fashionably worded ‘Sorry I’m Late; I didn’t Want to Come’ on the other side, with the lettering in silver leaf. The allclear Lucite clutch is limited to 10 editions. Price on request.
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COVETABLES
OFFICER INSPIRATION
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his made in Italy bag by Burberry, inspired by a small officer bag from the Burberry Heritage Archive, has a regimental belt detail with a polished gold metal buckle referencing the trench coat, whose design harks back to the 1920s and 1950s. Price on request.
KARL’S CASE
F SUNFLOWER SOPHISTRY
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anhattan-based jeweller Alex Soldier uses pavé settings to create pieces of jewellery that are more like objets d’art. He’s inspired by flora and fauna, especially flowers and snails. He is known to create each piece himself. We love the Sunflower ring, shown here. Price on request.
BLACK
LATTICE
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uede makes a grand entrance for summer, in these cut-out boots with a backzip closure by Burberry. The shoes are constructed in a sporty mesh cage with gold cording trim. The sole is technical and leather for comfort. Price on request.
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endi’s done it again. The iconic Italian maison has added to its fun Karlito collection, with this flat pouch in black elite calfskin, with studs, leather, and fur inlay. There’s a zipped closure on two sides, gusseted interiors, and two side pockets. The metalware is in palladium. Price on request.
SCENT OF A MAN
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ust in by Burberry: the Mr Burberry men’s fragrance inspired by the maison’s iconic black trench coat and by London! This scent captures the essence of London, a city of contrasts and contradictions. It was conceived by creative director Christopher Bailey who worked with renowned parfumier Francis Kurkdjian. Its top notes are grapefruit, tarragon, and cardamom. This collection includes a grooming line and accessories. Price: `7,250 (150 ml, EDT).
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COVETABLES
GRAPHIC GLARES
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tripes rule, and none better than these sunglasses by the house of Dior, which are a graphic interpretation of a classic shape, to demonstrate this. A brand-new launch for Summer 2016, the Dior Split is all about femininity and sensitivity, purity of lines, and technical precision. The rounded metal frame prolonged by the ultra-thin temples contrasts with the audacious line created by the metal inserts. Price: `41,000.
A MEADOW IN BLOOM
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orthy of a true lady, this iconic bag from Dior is carried in the hand, completing the look that epitomizes Parisian class. First created in 1994, the Lady Dior was made to be instantly recognizable. This summer, pick up yours enveloped in the pretty pastel flowers of the season. Price: `2,30,000.
LONGING FOR ELEGANCE
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GOLDEN GRASP
his sleek, oval timepiece instantly creates a mood for the feminine. In what is a flashback to the original era of elegance, Longines has launched its Symphonette collection of watches for women who like to stand out, especially in the evening. We loved the rose gold case of this model, set with 56 diamonds and quartz movements. It comes with a slim alligator strap. Price: `78,000 onwards.
MAHARAJA
MINAUDIÈRE
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eminiscent of a precious pillow or embroidered cushion, the Maharadja Piloutin by Christian Louboutin adds Indiainspired bling to your wardrobe. Its miniature zip-around body with a charm zipper pull, is lined with soft beads. From the designer’s personal collection, no two Maharadjas are the same. Price: `1,05,000.
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ior presents its latest handbag for the summer: Diorever. Born as the marriage between the traditional know-how of leather ateliers, and today’s modern, urban woman, this handbag is timeless. With its architectural lines, reversible flap, and a metallic clasp, it can also be carried cross-body, in a hip, contemporary way. In three sizes and many colours, we love the Gold Metallic one. Price: `2,70,000.
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SPLURGE WATCH Explore the magnificent Wolgan Valley landscape
WOVEN
BAUBLES
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ome May, and it’s time to indulge yourself in the ultra-luxury conservation-based resort Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley, a 2.5 hour drive from Sydney, and located within the World Heritage Blue Mountains region. From 6 May to 8 May, the R.M Williams Weekend there offers a stay in a Heritage Villa, horse riding, a degustation dinner, and R.M. Williams boots. n
s a tribute to its 125-year journey, Bengaluru-based heritage jewellery brand Ganjam has unveiled Tasrika (meaning ‘weaving’ in Sanskrit), an aspirational line for the independent woman of today. The collection is neo-classic in its styling and has an element of hand-weaving, along with superior-quality diamonds. Tasrika introduces stacking, with rings and pendants, in yellow, white, and pink gold. All prices on request. n
BATMAN TO THE NINES
THE ART OF TRAVEL
AUSTRALIAN GETAWAY
C I
n the epic saga knows as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Bruce Wayne came out tops, sartorially. In the film, Bruce’s character, played by Oscar-winner Ben Affleck, is dressed head to toe in Gucci, with an exclusive madeto-measure wardrobe created in a contemporary style by costume designer Michael Wilkinson. n
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ACCENT ON FLAVOUR
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ew York City, take a bow. Award-winning New Delhi restaurant from Old World Hospitality, headed by Chef Manish Mehrotra, opens next to the Le Parker Meridien Hotel. The contemporary menu by Chef Manish marries global techniques and ingredients with Indian flavours. n
uggage brand Samsonite has embraced the iconic designs of world-renowned artist Keith Haring to create a colourful range of travel accessories. Samsonite pays tribute to this ‘80s artist, with its graffiti-print strolleys, bag tags, and luggage strap. The US Air Travel lock is TSA-approved. There's also a travel pillow. `15,000 onwards. n
MOTHER’S DAY
P The look by Gucci is completed by sunglasses and tie pins
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amper your mama this May at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore, with the new Bed for Mum offer available over the weekend of 7-8 May, with a night’s stay in the City Suite, a floral bouquet for your mother, and up to four sets of delectable breakfasts served in room. Children can delight mums by learning how to create pancakes at Melt Cafe, with help from the chef. SGD 1,500 a night. n
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SPLURGE WATCH
IMMORTAL JOAN
Experience Mini’s free spirit with the new Convertible
Joan’s treasures include a silver water bowl for her dog Spike
THE JOYS OF A
CONVERTIBLE
O
n a pristine, south Goa beach, BMW India created some open-air excitement, with the launch of the all-new Mini Convertible. The new Mini takes its original Mini genes, and combines this with a new fully electrical soft top, perfect for those days exploring the countryside, the beach, or just weekend city driving. The new Mini boasts of more space, choice of upholstery, and generous luggage room. “It’s a spontaneous way of savouring Mini driving fun,” says Philipp von Sahr, president, BMW Group. `34,90,000. n
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hristie’s proudly announces the auction of an exquisite assortment of personal pieces from comedienne Joan Rivers’s Manhattan penthouse. The live auction is June 22; online auction is June 16-23 in New York. There will be paintings, fine furniture, Fabergé pieces, costumes made by Bob Mackie, and jewels by Cartier, and Van Cleef & Arpels. n
ASIAN TREASURES
T Pale jade vase, Qianlong period, $1,025,000
the outstanding Asian art auctions at Bonham’s during Asia Week New York achieved an impressive tally of $8.7 million, via its tightly curated sales from private collections. Among the top lots were a 17th century thangka of the School of Choying Dorje for $389,000, and a bodhisattva from 16th century Nepal for $365,000 (with premium). n
HOLLYWOOD HIGH JINKS
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pread across 10 acres of land, and sitting in Uttorda Beach in south Goa, the 115-room Planet Hollywood Resort offers breathtaking views of the Arabian Sea, and landscaped gardens, along with Landscaped vistas meet the eye resto-lounge Fame and Planet Dailies. Fame offers delicious Japanese and Thai fare, while Planet Dailies has East Asian and international fare – with lots of salads, gourmet sandwiches, and local curries. To relax, there’s the Pink Room Salon and Spa for body and beauty treatments. It’s the perfect place for a beachy, pre-honeymoon escape. n
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RETURN OF THE LADYBIRD
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he daringly avant-garde Ladybird by Blancpain was the world’s smallest watch for women back in 1956, when jewelled pieces and tiny dials were in vogue. It also had the world’s smallest movement. This year, Blancpain pays homage to its pretty Ladybird, with a new automatic 6150 caliber that is 15.7 mm in diametre. The bezel is set with 32 diamonds, and the strap is alligator leather. The 60-piece limited edition was launched at Baselworld for its 60th birthday. n
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SPLURGE WATCH
DIVA LIKE D
All-star cast: Bollywood actors walk the ramp in unison during a Diva’ni show a few seasons ago
iva’ni has launched its Summer Resort 2016 ‘Fairytails’ collection, which is dipped in the happy hues of romance: rose quartz, serene blues, playful marigold, and lime. Resham, gota, zari, crystals, sequins, and brocade reflect the luxurious craftsmanship of each gown and lehenga. “Dragonfly motifs run through this collection,” says Sanya Dhir, creative director, Diva’ni. n
EGGING ON
TOURBILLON
elhi’s got a new art gallery! The Egg Art Studio promotes young and upcoming artists from the Indian subcontinent and the world, acting as an incubator (hence the word ‘egg’), for artists, such as Hojat Ajmani from Iran (shown), Yogesh Mahida (Baroda), and Ritu Kamath (Delhi). n
T
D
FRAMED IN BLACK Kate Winslet at this year’s Oscar’s in Los Angeles
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ate Winslet wore those black frames on Oscar’s night, and set off a new craze. At the 88th Annual Academy Awards, the Oscar-winner wore square-shaped, thick-rimmed Salvatore Ferragamo optical frames (SF2737), that represent the sophistication of this brand. A wood-effect pattern adorns the temples. In grey, brown, and blue. n
TRIBUTE
o celebrate the 85th anniversary of the Reverso, Jaeger-LeCoultre has launched the Reverso Tribute Gyrotourbillon, that is a testimony of the Swiss brand’s Métiers Rares watchmaking skills. With its openwork black dial, and equipped with the manually wound Calibre 179, the Gyrotourbillon rotates via an external driving mechanism, appearing to float in mid-air, with an external rotation in one minute, and an internal one in 12.6 seconds. The front of the Reverso has a white dial with blued steel Dauphine-type hands, and a day/night indicator at 11 o’clock. The case’s curves follow the wrist’s shape. Limited to 75 pieces. n
The Over Water Pool Suites have their own 15 m infinity pool
ALL THINGS CRUNCHY
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hocolate brand All Things comes together with designer brand Péro, in a common love of all things handcrafted. All Things Checkered is a rich, Belgian chocolate gride with a lemon marmalade and poppy seed centre, full of texture,and bringing back childhood memories of lemon popsicles. The collab translates weaves into tasty chocolate grids. `200 for 60 gm. n
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AZURE EXPERIENCE
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evel in the luxury of underwater beauty at the Anantara Dhigu Maldives, that has just launched its over water suites. Set across 20,000 square metres of tropical paradise, surrounded by blue lagoons, the Anantara Dhighu has 110 deluxe villas, and suites on a secluded island in the South Male Atoll. Each 132 m suite has floor-to-ceiling windows, and one can take a dip directly into the azure waters from the wooden deck. n
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HERITAGE
Inspiration
INDIA
Manish Malhotra’s Spring Summer 2016 campaign
With fashion weeks and designer retail collections leaning heavily on traditional textiles and crafts, the resurgence of the ‘Indian’ ethos is what’s haute now. Umesh Jivnani gets an insider’s view of this trend.
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ake In India’ has been Indian fashion’s biggest design trend over the past few years. Going back to tradition and textiles, local crafts and arts have become most relevant, differentiating Indian fashion from the rest of the world. At this time, apparel in the Indian retail market is said to be valued at over $40 billion and expected to double in the next decade; this is sure to do wonders for indigenous artisans, regional textiles, and age-old crafts and techniques. Also, with online retail sales that are pegged to overtake $35 billion by 2020 with over 250 million online shoppers, sales of Indian ready-to-wear are only going to flourish. Decades ago, Ritu Kumar started and built her successful fashion empire with this same design mantra and continues to produce locally inspired fashion till date. But the late ’90s saw most Indian fashion
28 | Outlook Splurge | April 2016
move towards a Western sensibility. This trend continued and reigned till very recently, until a new organic home grown sensibility seeped in. Sunil Sethi, president of the FDCI agrees, “Indian designers realized they could not match international high street brands using a similar Western sensibility. They had to inject a valueadd to differentiate themselves, and hence the local flavour in their collections. Designers like Péro, Rahul Mishra, and Manish Arora have done so well internationally because their collections have always had a modern Indian ethos. Today, India is back in fashion and this look is here to stay.” Designers across the board have been bitten by this indigenous bug. Manish Malhotra’s effortless transformation from Bollywood’s favourite designer to becoming one
Rahul Mishra AW’16
The grand finale of Amazon India Fashion Week AW’16 where nine designers presented made in India textiles
of Indian fashion’s most successful retail brands in the past 25 years has seen him shift loyalties from sequins and chiffons to Mijwan and Banaras. “I have enjoyed getting work done in Kashmir and supporting Shabana Azmi’s NGO in Mijwan in the last few years. In 2016, I wanted to grow and innovate in design and expand the horizons of creativity in my work. My label ventured into handloom and textiles. The phenomenal response to my current Regal Threads handloom textile collection has made me more enthusiastic.” Indian fashion’s current poster boy Rahul Mishra’s design sensibility has always taken birth in rural India. Despite winning the coveted International Woolmark Prize, Mishra continues to design his detailed collections the same way. “I believe that a unique design voice comes out of a unique interpretation of craft. What we do is to apply age-old crafts in a modern context to create a synergy between the past and the future,” he says. “Today, we have over 20 million people engaged in the craft and handmade sector. To me, it’s a mutually beneficial situation, for the brand as well as the craft villages that are involved in our design process. I may sell at Colette in Paris, but my creations are produced in rural India. This season, to my surprise, my label’s Bandhini range is the hot favourite among all the leading retailers around the world. This is a growing sign of acceptance and appreciation of Indian craftsmanship. I always think of the three Es when I begin to create a collection: environment, employment, and empowerment, That’s the way to be socially and environmentally responsible.” Lakmé Fashion Week launched the Indian Textile Day Initiative in 2012 and since, it has become one of the most prominent features of the week. Saket Dhankar, IMG, is gung-ho about this development. “At LFW, we launched the Indian Textile Day Initiative four years ago, and since then, we’ve been looking at innovative ways to showcase the exciting work being done by Indian labels with Indian
Looks from the ‘India Modern’ campaign
crafts and textiles. It’s a whole new movement for a more youthful, modern aesthetic that connects with the new-age consumer. We are look for labels that have a genuine story and outlook in terms of their sustainability and passion for working with textiles. We see a new generation of designers on the horizon every year passionate about working with Indian crafts and textiles. Every Year, Our Gen Next and Stage One programmes discover 3-4 new designers in this field.” Another major player in Indian fashion is Anita Dongre. Her label Grassroot is a tribute to India’s handcrafted traditions. The label celebrates India’s crafts and weaves by providing a contemporary and sustainable platform for the artisans, and helps create livelihoods by partnering with a network of trusted NGOs. “Alhough I launched Grassroots eight years ago, it’s only recently that this is my main area of interest. I feel luxury should definitely be sustainable,” she says. With the path ahead looking greener than ever in Indian fashion, it looks bright for traditional crafts people, as local and international retail is looking for a modern Indian sensibility with a traditional twist. n
Rahul Mishra AW’16
April 2016 | Outlook Splurge | 29
COVER STORY FASHION
Spring
interlude This Spring, fall in love with sorbet Mediterranean hues, and revel in the insouciance born of serene summers spent in the Italian Riviera. It’s a return to the glamour days of weightless tailoring, luxurious blends, and Sophia Loren-inspired dresses and flares. Colour is back, in kaleidoscopic and geometric patterns, as denim and lace make an elegant appearance. Welcome to coastline style.
photographed by JAF JAFRI & OLYA MILENTIS OF J&M IMAGE STUDIO styled by GUL GARG makeup and hair by SHAAN KHAN models PUNEET BENIWAL & SONALI BARTHWAL (INEGA) location courtesy VIVANTA BY TAJ SURAJKUND cars courtesy MASERATI INDIA & BMW INDIA
March arm in arm into the new season, in sharp suits and zigzag prints. On her: Jumpsuit: Missoni Bag: Dior Cuff: Swarovski Sunglasses: Versace Pumps: Model’s own On him: Jacket and pants: Dior Homme Shirt: Paul Smith Shoes: Christian Louboutin Watch: Piaget Car: Maserati Ghibli in Blu Emozione
Easy breezy Mediterranean hues takes one back to the Amalfi coast. Dress: Missoni Sunglasses: Dior Shoes: Fendi
Kaleidoscope sweaters and colourblock prints usher a new era of cool. Jumper: Salvatore Ferragamo Pants: Salvatore Ferragamo Shoes: Dior Homme Car: Maserati Ghibli in Blu Emozione
Boxy jackets in rainbow colours and cut-outs evoke a tough-girl chic, while teal and luxe blends bring out a masculine nonchalance. On her: Dress: Fendi Jacket: Fendi Bracelet: Swarovski Sunglasses: Fendi On him: Shirt, jacket, and pants: Canali Shoes: Christian Louboutin Watch: Piaget Hat: Hackett Car: BMW Z4 sDrive 35i
Keep those emotions in check with a languid lace coat for summer. On her: Trench: Burberry Watch: Piaget Earrings: Swarovski On him: Shirt: Corneliani Jacket: Canali
FASHION
TREND REPORT
Lessons in
style
Trending this summer... Splurge gives you a lowdown on all things fashion that should (or not) be making its way into this season’s holiday wardrobe. text by Riddhima Seal
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e are living in a unique style era, presented with an opportunity to mix utility, comfort, and personal taste into an everyday look. While the internet has opened up a world of style possibilities, making runway trends work for you might not always be all that easy. We did the job for you: scanned the runways for those summer trends that could easily translate into holiday wear. What we came up with: a unique blend of functionality, comfort and style, for both, men and women.
FUSION FASHION The ‘genderless fusion’ approach with a seamless blend of the masculine and the feminine has been dominating the international Spring Summer runways. At Vivienne Westwood’s SS’16 runway, men rocked sheer crop tops. Similarly, the Valentino and Louis Vuitton shows saw them in bomber jackets with flora and fauna prints; lace and crochet shirts dominated the Gucci show, Marc Jacobs created hammered cream velvet
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slacks, while the Prada runway saw an array of micro shorts and exaggerated sleeves. Closer home, Bollywood frontman Ranveer Singh, has been seen sporting the man skirt on more occasions than one, only to prove fusion in menswear is here to stay. “Fusion fashion will dominate the menswear segment in the season to come. New suits make an entry this season, which apart from the regular suit pants, also come with bermuda shorts,” says Salesh Grover, Business Head, OSL Luxury Collections Pvt Ltd, Corneliani.
Gucci Spring Summer 2016 Campaign. Photographed in Berlin by Glen Luchford; Creative director Alessandro Michele; Art director Christopher Simmonds.
“Menswear this season is all about experimenting: from overalls and bombers to ’50s-inspired shirts. For us, SS’16 witnesses a fine balance between rock chic and urban glam.” - Deval Shah, Business Head, Reliance Brands Ltd
ATHLETIC EDGE Energetic, inspring, and lightweight – international lines are being dominated by elevated sportswear stitched together with lightweight fabric allowing it to be carried into the boardroom with panache. For instance, Calvin Klein Collection men’s creative director, Italo Zucchelli’s SS’16 menswear collection was pervaded by an industrial spirit, as traditional sportswear pieces were updated with Velcro attachments – pockets, straps, and waistbands – that could be interchanged or removed for added dimension. Similarly, the Z Zegna SS’16 line is a creative encounter between sophisticated urban tailoring harmoniously colliding with the Wall Street and the exhilarating energy of the kite surf world.
SORBET SUMMER The relaxed simplicity of powdery-hued suits is undoubtedly on trend, so it is no surprise that the summer jacket appears to be one of 2016’s
quintessential summer staple, featuring profoundly in Milan and London street style looks. “Intense colours will be given a miss; rather, delicately powdery, suspended in the atmosphere of a desert sunset will gain prominence. Periwinkle sky blue, sandy beige, and the palest stone grey are lit up by a sunshine red, as some of the sought-after tones of the new spring summer season this year,” says Grover. Tailor these sorbet blazers to suit a modern silhouette and style with printed pocket squares, keeping things simple.
ORIENTAL MEDLEY Oriental seemed to be the buzzword on the runways of the West, as was evident in the Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, and Louis Vuitton shows. With pyjama trousers, silk shirts and even full suits full of Eastern elements such as dragons, animals, and flowers, the shout-out to China was obvious. And if China ruled the
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FASHION
TREND REPORT
roost, Japan wasn’t too far behind. The Evisu Clan Spring Summer 2016, available at The Collective, pays tribute to Japanese heritage through Samurai-influenced silhouettes and bold graphics.
Powdery summer hues dominate the colour palette of the Hackett London Spring Summer Line
“The dominant trend this summer is the strong use of colour variations for men. For instance, the new summer collection by Stefano Ricci reflects a personal ‘theory of colour’ which is in line with the vital imagination of the maison.” Jackie Manglani, President, Stefano Ricci India
Magnificent shades of Tuscan nature and the elegant colours of the pictorial art of Florence inspire the new Stefano Ricci Summer Collection
COLOUR MATTERS The brighter, the better — seems to be the mantra so far as men’s bottomwear is concerned. According to Jackie Manglani, President, Stefano Ricci, India, “The dominant trend this summer is the strong use of new colour variations for men. The magnificent shades of Tuscan nature and the elegant colours of the pictorial art of Florence are what today inspire the new summer collection by designer Stefano Ricci: a personal ‘theory of colour’ which is in line with the vital imagination of the maison.” On the other hand, design houses like Prada, Gucci, and Tommy Hilfiger, have brought back short shorts in a range of colours and prints. Particularly great for summer, interpret this trend with more tailored styles in an array of subtle, darker colours or with simple button-down shirts.
HAT-TRICK No longer just the preserve of sportsmen, caps and hats have been all over the catwalks this season, as seen in the shows of Paul Smith, Salvatore Ferragamo, and the SS’16 Stefano Ricci Campaign. This new breed of hats is made from luxurious materials like leather, suede, and exotic skins, and is intended to be worn just as easily with your suit as with your denims.
SKIRTING THE TREND One of summer’s most wearable trends, skirts for women are back in focus like never before. While soft pleated skirts in varying lengths, that just graze the calf or ankle had a field run on
“Fusion fashion will dominate the menswear segment in the season to come. New suits make an entry this season, which apart from the regular suit pants, also come with bermuda shorts.” Salesh Grover, Business Head, OSL Luxury Collections Pvt Ltd, Corneliani
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From left: Bermuda suits from Corneliani are proof that fushion fashion for men is here to stay; the Z Zegna SS’16 line is a seamless mix of sophisticated tailoring and carefree spirit
the Gucci runways, back home, the runways are full with high-waisted skirts in varying lengths. “The best part is that these skirts flatter the figure and cover flaws effortlessly. For instance, if you have a wider lower body, a floor-length, high-waist skirt could be your go-to attire as it hides flaws easily,” says designer Nishka Lulla.
SHEER BEAUTY Less is definitely more for women this season with long dresses of the ‘90s and slip dresses in sheer fabrics back in fashion, as was evident in the runways at Pucci and Saint Laurent. On the
Tropical prints dominate the Tommy Hilfiger SS’16 line, highlighting a mix of leisure and fun
“This season’s fashion is bent heavily towards tropical prints, reflecting a beautiful mix of leisure and fun.” Shailesh Chaturvedi, CEO, Tommy Hilfiger India
other hand, almost half a collection of Christian Dior was dedicated to misty organzas and foamy chiffons. The trick to wearing this trend right: A simple, nude bra or a discreet slip. Keep accessories clean – a structured bag and nude shoes; let your legs do all the talking.
TROPICAL EXTRAVAGANZA According to Shailesh Chaturvedi, President and CEO, Tommy Hilfiger India, “While prints have been around for some time, this season’s fashion is bent heavily towards tropical prints reflecting a beautiful mix of leisure and fun.” This was evident in the Tommy Hilfiger SS’16 runways where tropical-print pyjama suits, stripy leather mini dresses, crochet string tops worn with faded baggy jeans, and patchwork circle skirts jostled for attention with updated Hilfiger preppy classics. On the other hand, Emilio Pucci’s Massimo Giorgetti sent out a collection made for an “urban mermaid” complete with 3D textiles featuring netting and fish. Bags adorned with fringes also tied into the free-spirited vibe. From our preceding fashion story – a visual representation of the ‘in’ trends of the season – now you know how to wear them, and what to pair them with, now that summer’s out. n
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FASHION
Nicola’s brave
NEW WORLD In a Splurge exclusive, Nicola Formichetti of Diesel speaks to us about breaking fashion rules, styling Lady Gaga, “rebooting” the iconic Italian denim brand, and staying ahead of the social media game by finding a new, universal language of communication. text by Priya Kumari Rana
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e’s become something of an icon in today’s hyper-fluid, highly mutable world of high fashion. The artistic director of Italian fashion brand Diesel, who was once Lady Gaga’s stylist, helping her create her most eye-popping looks, such as the infamous ‘meat dress’ she wore at the 2010 MTV Music Awards, Nicola Formichetti is now a millennial wunderkind, very much in tune to the heartbeat of the ‘It’ generation, digitally on the same wavelength as his target audience. Nicola knows what the world wants; he knows how important it is
Nicola Formichetti favours denims above all; for work, play, and parties
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Diesel’s new Madison Avenue store in New York is a new retail concept inspired by apartment living
to stay relevant, du jour, and on trend with the whims and fancies of changing tastes. He’s constantly communicating new ideas, and creating new campaigns, that ensure that Diesel, and his own name, stay fashion forward. The part-Japanese, part-Italian 38-year old Nicola grew up in Japan, attending an international school in Tokyo. “I knew I wanted to work in the fashion industry because my mum was really into fashion with a sense of style that always inspired me,” says Nicola, although he admits, that like all young people, he didn’t know what direction his career would take. So he began studying architecture in London, but rebelliously quit as he wanted to experience the London night-life scene. Side by side, he also started working at hip Soho store Pineal Eye, where he did “everything from windows to creative direction”, by his own admission. And that is where the team from Dazed and Confused magazine found him. London and its vibrant fashion scene became the perfect petri dish for his creativity. “The city’s cool magazines and club scenes were the perfect place for me to build new connections,” says Nicola. Magazine pages came alive in the night scene, and vice versa. “Clubs and nightlife have influenced what I am doing now, and who I am. It’s all about different people being together and enjoying music, culture, and having fun.” He feels that his lack of formal training in fashion helped him try out new techniques and instill a sense of fearlessness. “But when I look back, I like to tell children today to go back to school, because not only do you learn interesting techniques, but about yourselves as well.”
And working with Lady Gaga, before joining Thierry Mugler and then Uniqlo, totally transformed his career. “She is creative and spontaneous – I love that about her,” says Nicola. “I took the idea of pop culture, turning it upside down.” He says he relished putting something arty and merging it with fashion, such as for the meat dress and the egg cocoon (in 2011), which he calls “very classic, typical red carpet looks”. No doubt it left audiences agape, and hit the right notes. Today, after three years at the creative helm of Diesel, a brand known for its cutting-edge denim fashion, Nicola dreams of making it the “coolest of the biggest brands on this planet”. “I want to make Diesel more inclusive for every customer who walks in,” he says, adding that exploring new techniques and pushing the
“Lady Gaga is fun and spontaneous, and that is what I love about her. I took the idea of pop culture and turned it upside down. The meat dress and egg cocoon were classic red carpet looks.”
Diesel’s Spring Summer 2016 collection
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FASHION Diesel’s military style, quirky Spring Summer 2016 campaign
Nicola with Renzo Rosso and Andrea Rosso
The retail “reboot” is a smooth transition from Diesel’s earlier days, all the while modernizing it. “I’m ready for the next chapter,” he says.
Denim looks from Diesel’s Spring Summer 2016 collection
boundaries in denim, is what he’s striving for. An example of Diesel’s innovations and the avantgarde vision of founder Renzo Rosso, is its brand new store on Madison Avenue in New York City, that is designed to look like spaces within a house. “We worked with Masamichi Katayama and his architectural firm Wonderwall to create a new retail concept that is human-sized. Each ‘room’ has its own ambience,” says Nicola. “Renzo approaches fashion in new ways, and knows what’s happening in the world; I am very similar.” He says that Diesel’s retail “reboot” is meant to create a smooth transition from what happened before at Diesel (when it was the biggest brand of the ‘90s), and he’s used its amazing history to modernize it. “It took us two years to reboot, and now I’m ready for the next chapter of Diesel’s history,” he says. Of the brand created in 1978, he says that he’s only “simplified things and focused his collection on iconic products like leather, military, outerwear, and denim”. And as for Diesel’s Spring Summer 2016 campaign, that focuses on being digitally “always turned on”, a tongue-in-cheek reference to some of their racier campaigns in the past, Nicola says, “It was amazing working with Santiago and Mauricio (the Mexican-born photographer duo),” says Nicola of the shots featuring scantily clad models like Joe Jonas in their underwear. “We’ve also changed the way fashion campaigns are shot, because we started with video and then did the pictures. Rules are meant to be broken, so I say, break all of them.” He admits that the concept is to play around, and even be silly at times, as it’s important to have a sense of humour. “We’ve created and used our custom-made Diesel emojis because that is the new universal language of communication, and it’s fun.” The campaign has appeared on dating apps, because that is where
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people are. “It was logical, since people are meeting and creating relationships online,” says Nicola. “With Diesel, I always want to be on the pulse of what’s happening at the moment, and what’s relevant.” As a creative director, he always wants to talk about gender, body type, race/ colour, because that is what Diesel is all about. Nicola’s two tools to live by vis-à-vis Diesel are Snapchat and Instagram (“Perfect to live stream and give personal insights”), but he maintains that it’s important not to be “controlled” by the social media, and always have your own ideas, and use what you need to communicate ideas. Known for discovering new celebutantes for Diesel such as black model Winnie Harlowe, Doug Abraham, and funky rapper Candy Ken, he says, “Just look around you. Look at social media and just be curious.” He’s recently launched Diesel’s new online magazine D:Code. Nicola also launched his own Nicopanda line of fashion products in 2011, which are where Hello Kitty meets new-age punk. He’s inspired in part by his obsession for Asian pop culture, not only Japanese, but Chinese and Korean as well. The designer who meditates every day does so as he needs “the stillness of mind in (his) busy life, and a time when (he doesn’t) think, that is rare and very nice”. Nicola has never been to India, but says he would love to visit. “Diesel and India are similar in terms of aesthetics and love of fun and colours,” he says. “Our Indian team always comes up with the most out-of-the-box ideas! I also feel Indian people really get the fun side of Diesel, so it makes India a natural place for us to be in.” n
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FASHION
A STAR is Born
Suket Dhir with his models after showing his winning collection in Florence this year for Woolmark
Overnight, he’s a name to reckon with. With the Woolmark prize under his belt, his organic menswear line graces stores from Milan to Tokyo. Splurge meets Suket Dhir, and discovers what ‘longevity’means to him, fashion-wise.
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e is fashion’s newest whiz kid, after walking off with the coveted Woolmark Prize this January in Florence, a competition of serious magnitude, with past winners including icons like Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld. With an eminent jury comprising of designers like Haider Ackermann and über fashion writer Suzy Menkes, and competition whittled down from 60 entries to the final six on D Day, Suket Dhir’s loose, organic, Merino wool menswear collection has won him $70,000, instant fame, and the chance to retail at Woolmark partner stores around the world, from New York City to Tokyo. He’s only the second Indian to win the prize (Rahul Mishra bagged it in 2014 for his womenswear collection). “It’s too
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surreal,” says Suket from his LadoSarai, New Delhi office. “I’m loving every bit, but still trying to wrap my head around what happened.” For a designer who prides himself on sustainable, organic, wearable fashion, the chance to work first-hand with his weavers in Pochampalli, Telangana, and create a special weave out of Merino wool, as part of the brief, was too good to pass up. But the road to Woolmark was strewn with many a pebble. “I had visualized my entire collection in the eight-month run-up to the competition, and our preparation was amazing, although I got very little time to stitch it (he only got 15 days!),” says the fashionably bearded Suket. “A day before the competition, everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong – with
The chance to work with his weavers in Pochampalli, Telangana, and create a special weave out of Merino wool, as part of the brief, was too good to pass up for Suket Dhir.
problems at every stage – but not on the final day.” Even while contemplating participation in the contest and dreaming up his concept, Suket was nervous – that nothing was coming to his head. “So I went to my mentor (Asha Bakshi, former Dean, NIFT), and asked her for help as I was stuck. I doubted my own capabilities, and wondered if I should even be applying,” says Suket. As they sat in Delhi’s Lodhi Gardens, she asked him pertinent questions on what was going on in Suket’s mind. He thought of his one-year-old son, and went back in time to his own childhood. “I remembered how my grandfather had taken the neighbourhood children, my cousins, and I during the summer holidays to our mango orchards in Punjab,” he says, “And suddenly the palette and motifs you see in the collection came through – from the guava trees, the bright green parrots, the ombre blues from the skies and acqua waters, and the mustard fields.” He remembers his grandfather carrying an umbrella against the sun, and this is reflected in handblock prints on the side and lining of the collection. He’s also taken the popular ikat and given it an ombre striped detail, using up to a dozen colours. “It was difficult, as the ikat weavers have never used Merino wool before,” he says. He also tie-dyed the yarn to make this unique ikat. The wool used by Suket is the ‘cool wool’, developed specially by Raymond for him, taking nine months to weave, and he’s probably one of the first Indian designers to use this wool to create such fine, sheer, breathable, lightweight clothes. Today, he’s busy with the production of his collection, with orders pouring in from international buyers like David Jones (Australia), Isetan Mitsukoshi (Japan), and Saks Avenue (New York), retail partners of Woolmark. With the term ‘sustainable’ gaining fervor among the
Suket Dhir wins the Woolmark Prize; His collection harked back to his childhood in Punjab, in bright blues and earthy tones from the landscape
cognoscenti, Suket feels that this is a misused term, since for him, working with natural fibres is about quality and longevity. “I like to make products that will remain relevant for longer, that have been made by happy workers,” he says. His tailoring unit in Lado Sarai employs around seven tailors, and while his weaving unit is in Telangana and Burdwan in Bengal, his craftsmen who do the kasuti embroidery sit in Dharwad, Karnataka, and his block-printing takes place in Sanghaner, in Jaipur. Suket has already begun work on his next collection that involves more ikat, which is an extension of the current line, a capsule of six outfits, where he will do a lineup of 45-50 ensembles with new weaving techniques, and a knitwear line, in Merino, some blended with cotton and silk. He’ll focus on menswear (“It’s popular among women, albeit in extra small sizes.”), and hopes that if Amazon Indian Fashion Week continues with the menswear shows as they did at the Autumn Winter 2016 showing last month, he’s in. “I would love to be part of that,” he says. While his Woolmark collection is priced from $450 to $3,000 internationally, his India collection costs `3,000 (shirts and kurtas); `8,200 (jackets); `38,000 (bandhgalas), all the way up to `2 lakh. His next big thing for India is festivewear. “I like to work with longevity, so we’ve made things that you can wear the day after your wedding. It can look formal, or you can go clubbing in it,” he says. n
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FASHION
An Indian in Paris India’s most famous export to France, Manish Arora, has just won his adopted country’s highest honour. He tells Splurge about experimenting with 3D embroidery, and gives a tiny peek into his next Parisian show.
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hat does it mean to be bestowed with the Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur from the Ambassador of France? It’s the highest honour one can ever get, and I am only 43. I feel great, and fortunate to be the first one in the fashion industry in this country, to be recognized at such a high level. This is like the Padma Bhushan of France. It makes me feel good, more responsible, and super thrilled. Have you got French citizenship yet? It’s funny, I can still get it any time I want, but I haven’t had time to do all the paperwork. I would like to, for many other reasons besides work. I am gay, and I want the option to get married. Did you see Anoushka Shankar wearing Manish Arora at this year’s Grammys? I missed it, as I was flying in from Mumbai…It’s my second outfit for Anoushka for the Grammy awards. I have had M.I.A. wearing my clothes for the Grammys, when she was pregnant, as well as Katy Perry. But to have an Indian who is nominated, and is presenting, wear an Indian designer, this has to be a first. Who is the ideal Manish Arora woman? Anyone who is strong, confident, knows herself, loves to stand out in the crowd, and is not shy. While showing for Spring Summer 2016 at the
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Manish Arora
RTW show in Paris, you went a little softer, a bit on the banjara side... The theme was disco gypsy with an Indian touch; there were scarves, taking inspiration from the ‘70s – so I was like, how would it be if a gypsy had to go to Studio 54? The butterfly motif is also from the ‘70s, the paisley print as well – but if you look closely at the paisley, it is made up of memories of my childhood – lava lamps, walkmans, disco balls. My work is deeper than what you see. What was the doll that models were carrying? That was Bunnyla. She is an extension of me. She is well dressed, and crazy. But if you open her clothes, she is wearing a bra; and she has a cigarette, a condom, a carrot, and some cash, all printed. It’s a bag, so you can put your iphone and your money in it. After innovations like laser cuts, what is next? I want to go with 3D printing; I want to catch up with time and technology. I show internationally, so I have to be at par with them. Our Indian advantage is that we have craftsmanship, which I can do better than everyone else. I will marry technology and craftsmanship. We may even see 3D printed embroidery. What’s the surprise for Fall Winter 2016? Let’s say I love David Lynch.Twin Peaks… but with a new twist, in 2017.
“I want to go with 3D printing, and catch up with technology. I show internationally, so I have to be at par with them. Our Indian advantage is that we have craftsmanship, which I can do better than everyone else.”
Clockwise from top left: Manish Arora’s last couture collection drew inspiration from his travels to Istanbul, China, Africa, Thailand, and Bali; His latest SS’16 collection was all about the ‘disco gypsy’; Manish is conferred the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur by H.E. The Ambassador of France, François Richier in New Delhi; Another look from his SS’16 showing in Paris, with banjara skirts and sequinned jackets; Manish is known for his fantastic headgear.
Where are your clothes manufactured? We only use different countries for what they are good at. So we do our printing in Holland, knitwear in Italy, embroideries in India. Our fabrics are from Japan and Italy, so it’s mixed. For my crochet socks for example, I know East Europeans are the best, so we did ours in Lithuania.Our leather is laser-cut in Italy. Synthetics and vinyl are cut in India. Finally, the clothes are put together in Noida. What are your new markets, worldwide? My biggest market is China, which not many people know, and includes two-tier cities like Chengdu. Of course India is on my mind, so I have my Indian brand, but Manish Arora Paris focuses on China, Middle East, Europe. I find East Europe very exciting – countries like Ukraine, Kazakhstan – the emerging markets. What are three must-have items by Manish Arora in one’s closet? A Manish Arora printed T-shirt for the day; an embroidered piece for the evening, as I can do this better than most others; and an accessory, a Bunnyla or a Skull bag, since a special one-off idea is also important.
Your favourite haunt in Paris? Right across my apartment was where the Paris attacks took place. I was on the street that day, so it made a big impact on me. So my next show will be in my hood, at Le Comptoir Général, which is my fave bar, and a huge place. n
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Bochic earrings
FASHION
Two’s a CHARM
Splurge meets Insta-celeb Russian couple Murad and Natalia, who’ve made us follow them around the world. They recently came together with New York jewellery brand Bochic to brighten up their look even more.
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hat began as one photo on their first trip to Barcelona, became in four years, a sensational Instagram account with 3.9 million followers documenting the exotic, glamorous travails of a blonde woman leading her man around the world. Murad Osmann and Natalia Zakharova, the Instagram couple who’ve made the hashtag #followmeto as famous as their brilliant, crisply edited Instagram photos, were in India to launch their special jewellery collaboration with New Yorkbased brand Bochic, on online shopping portal, RockNShop.com. Moscow-based photographer Murad and his journalist girlfriend (they have since married) never planned to be instafamous. “It was an accident,” says Murad. “We took one photo, then 15, and we continued to take pictures for a year and a half, before they became popular.” That was 2012, and within four months, he had half a million followers, as the posts went viral on Reddit before ending up as a Daily Mail story. Each photo, that shows a beautifully attired Natalia lead Murad by the hand, is taken in Egypt, London, Bali, Granada, France, and now India. “We Murad and Natalia in Jaipur
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Murad Osmann and Natalia Zakharova in India
love a lot of cities here,” says Murad. “We went to the Taj Mahal, Varanasi, Udaipur, Jaipur, and Delhi.” The photos are not only descriptive in terms of location, but also in terms of the local dress that Natalia sports. They asked followers to send them suggestions for designers, and then got in touch with them, using their outfits for the photos. For the jewellery, they teamed up with New York brand Bochic – that has Hollywood stars like Angelina Jolie, Sandra Bullock, Uma Thurman, Halle Berry, Jennifer Aniston among their adherents – with the baubles available in India online, on Priya Sachdev’s fashion site, RockNShop. com. “We design for the bohemian woman like Natalia, who travels to these exotic plalces,” says David Aaron Joseph, founder of Bochic. With Murad and Natalia, he set off on the Le Tour de Bochic. The jewellery Natalia wears is 18kt gold, with diamonds, semi-precious stones, jade, resin, leather, and turquoise. As for Murad and Natalia, they’re off to yet another dream destination. n
A Bochic ring
A Bochic cuff
A Bochic ring
BEAUTY
beauty Thought for
Every child in India could become an astronaut, a scientist, an artist, or a change-maker to build a strong India. With this belief, actor Neha Dhupia collaborates with Kiehl’s, to support the Teach For India foundation. Splurge gets the details Text by Riddhima Seal
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here are too many pre-conceived notions when it comes to beauty. What is the meaning of beauty according to you? True beauty comes from within – it’s the reflection of our inner happiness and how we work towards it. All women are unique and beautiful, but the way Indian women balance modern and traditional aesthetics is incredible. What kind of a beauty regime do you follow? I keep my skin clean by cleansing, toning, and moisturizing on a regular basis. I use baby oil for removing make-up as it nourishes my skin at the same time. I prefer to use organic and natural products. I apply multani mitti, honey, and lemon together on my face – this mix acts as an excellent exfoliator. I also consume a good amount of water which helps my skin stay healthy and hydrated. It’s usually just a good sunscreen and lip balm for me, and nothing else. For my hair, I swear by the Kiehl’s Olive and Fruit Hair Pack. I apply that for an hour, put a shower cap on to let the product completely soak in, and then rinse it off. I also oil my hair once a week at least. With the constant drying and styling, your hair needs some TLC. So, once a month, I take a deep conditioning treatment and a hair spa treatment for some serious hair rejuvenation. Are you a believer in beauty trends or would you prefer to stick to proven, trusty classics? Having healthy skin is the most important beauty rule for me. It’s important to rejuvenate the skin, and the use of an eyecream twice a day is a must for me. I try to balance between classic home remedies as well as effective products. With the Kiehl’s association, you join the global likes of Julianne Moore, Brad Pitt, Pharell Williams, Scissor Sisters and Jeff Koons. What prompted you to take this up?
Neha Dhupia at the launch of Kiehl’s Gives in Mumbai
I choose a brand basis the match in synergy and ideologies. To commemorate the fifth anniversary of Kiehl’s Limited Edition project in India, the brand partnered with Teach For India and got me to establish ‘Kiehl’s Gives’, through which it will retail a special edition of the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream, and 100 percent net proceeds will go to Teach For India to educate underprivileged children across the country. So, we got the kids to create something unique for the packaging, and they painted butterflies. Until now, the proceeds have gone towards educating 20 kids for two years across the country. From the very beginning, I wanted to collaborate with Kiehl’s and Teach For India because they share my passion for bringing quality education to underprivileged children. n
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LIFESTYLE
What
Malini Did Next
Splurge meets the indefatigable Miss Malini, arguably India’s most famous celebrity blogger, follows her through her hectic schedule, and learns about her plans to take over the next big social media wave.
Malini Agarwal is an inveterate user of Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook
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hat do I have in common with one of India’s biggest social media mavens, fashion blogueuse, and B-town insider? Well, we’re both diplobrats who grew up all over the world, with hilarious encounters with people who knew nothing about India. “Someone asked me, you’re Indian, Do you ride an elephant to school?” says Malini Agarwal, founder of website MissMalini. com that chronicles the styles and lives of Bollywood stars, besides helming a mini social media empire of her own. “I replied, no,” she continues. “But that would be so cool, I thought to myself. The perception of what people internationally have of us, that we all sing Jai Ho, and nobody speaks English, is because of what they see on the Discovery Channel and films like Slumdog Millionaire. There is nothing and no one who represents the young millennial.” And that is exactly what Malini, whose Facebook page has just crossed a million fans, and whose Twitter account has more than 778,000 followers, plans to do next, namely, become the Indian Pop Sugar
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“What people internationally think of us, is because of films like Slumdog Millionaire. There is no one who represents the young millennial.” says Malini, whose Facebook page has a million fans. She wants to become the Indian Pop Sugar Oprah.
equivalent of an Oprah, conquering newer social media platforms. Before I delve into her hectic daily schedule, where she meets a Bollywood star a day, I ask her about how she started off. “When I first came to Mumbai to visit a friend, I fell in love with the neon lights and taxicabs,” she says. “It was super safe. And I love the energy.” Energetic people are drawn to energy sources, one is told, and it is not hard to imagine that the lively, mile-a-minute Malini was once a backup dancer for six years for Indipop stars like Sukhbir, Anamika, and Shibani Kashyap. After a stint with MTV India, she became a radio jockey. “I was on Twitter, having a conversation with Imran Khan,” she said. “He said he’d love to host my radio show live, on a Friday night from 9pm until midnight.” He came to the studio, and that’s how we kicked off the idea of having Bollywood celebs come into my radio show.” Her blog, started in 2008, combined her videos from her studio with her online diary, and that is how MissMalini.com was born.
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2. Hair and make-up at home and start my day with work calls/ checking my email.
09:45
3. Usually the hubby makes me a delicious cup of coffee on his way to work! #Winning 2
10:30
4. Spent the rest of the morning with Sidharth Malhotra at a press conference, where he was announced as the tourism ambassador for New Zealand
12:00 5. Globe Studios for a recording with Nadir Khan for all India Shoppers Stop in-store radio that we’ve been hosting together for years! I use my drive time to post Instagram pix, check Twitter and catch up with Team MissMalini on our Viber public chat, follow us chats.viber. com/missmalini!
08:30
1. Personal trainer and yoga at home
Malini recalls a couple of chuckle-worthy episodes with actors, when Shah Rukh Khan taught her husband Nowshad the smooth ‘Raj move’ so that he could win Malini over after a quarrel, and when Abhishek Bachchan upon meeting Malini for the first time, exclaimed, “Gosh, I thought you were a cartoon!” referring to her anime, which is also her brand logo. How does she keep up with the immediacy craze of social media today? “I live by FOMO – Fear of Missing Out – and as I’m talking to you, I’m writing the caption for my Instagram post!” she laughs. “I genuinely live in the real world as much as the digital world.” There are now other platforms she wants to conquer – voice Twitter, such as Anchor, that lets you broadcast short audio clips, Periscope, Snapchat, Facebook Video, and hangouts on Facebook. “There are lots of domains; YouTube will be huge, and we will be everywhere,” she says of her hard-working team. Malini, who has stylist Marvin D’Souza to help her with her various outfits as she hops from one event to another and loves to push her out of her comfort zone, calls her personal style “sporty but comfortable”. “Sushmita Sen once said that beauty is about confidence,” she says, “And I try to live by that”. She’s currently loving her skinny jeans by H&M, high-top sneakers by Aldo that go with dresses and pants, and a crop top by Falguni and Shane Peacock. For this digital media darling who’s at the top of her professional career, there is more. “We have TV shows in the offing; I’m writing books. I want to push the boundaries. We’re raising money now, and after I am gone, I want to leave a legacy brand that has as much clout as a Pepsi or a Nike, brands that were built from scratch.” And knowing Miss Malini, she just might do that.n
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13:30 6. Meetings at the office and catch up time with the team. Sometimes we like to #dubsmash
16:30
7. I head for the L’Oréal Press Conference where they’re launching a new lipstick and catch up with Katrina Kaif! #GirlLove
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18:00
8. Head upstairs to the Asilo rooftop for a sundowner drink (or 7) with friends! Pause to take in the breathtaking view (and of course Instagram it!)
21:00 The night is
young and so are we; next stop PDT! Let loose to some epic old-school hip-hop till closing time; rinse and repeat all over again! Because #YOLO and #FOMO. #NoRestForTheWicked #tothemoon! xoxo.
April 2016 | Outlook Splurge | 51
time
Limited
Taking a step forward from the highly successful Tag Heuer Connected, the Swiss luxury watchmaker has now unveiled an exclusive collection of watch faces designed by 11 ambassadors for the Connected line.
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hen the Tag Heuer Connected was launched in November 2015, it was described as a marriage of Watch Valley and Silicon Valley, by JeanClaude Biver, CEO of Tag Heuer and president of the LVMH Group’s Watches Division, introducing this forward-looking device from a traditional watch company. Since then, it has come to easily be the best AndroidWear device yet, in the world of smartwatches. For the memo, the TAG Heuer Connected watch is engineered with Intel Inside and powered by Android Wear. At 46 mm in diameter, the design of the TAG Heuer
From top: Tag Heuer Connected Watch Cristiano Ronaldo; Tag Heuer Connected Watch Face David Guetta; Tag Heuer Connected Giancarlo Stanton (right)
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From left: Tag Heuer Connected uses the newly launched Bundesliga app to show match scores; Tag Heuer Connected Watch Kei Nishikri; More facets of the Tag Heuer Connected using the Bundesliga app showing timer and scores
Connected is primarily that of a true chronograph, with a case and lugs made from grade 2 titanium, a contemporary material ensuring the watch is lighter and more resistant to impacts than a traditional material such as steel or gold. Completed by a textured black rubber strap (six other colours – red, blue, white, orange, green, and yellow – are available, sold separately) with a deploying buckle made of grade 2 titanium as well, it has all the elegance, characteristics, and level of finish expected from a fine wristwatch. The Swiss luxury watchmaker has now gone a step ahead and unveiled an exclusive collection of watch faces
Tag Heuer Connected Watch Kei Nishikori
co-designed by 11 prestigious ambassadors for the “TAG Heuer Connected” watch. Cristiano Ronaldo (Football), David Guetta and the Nervo Sisters (Music), Tom Brady (American Football), Kei Nishikori (Tennis), Giancarlo Stanton (Baseball), Jeremy Lin (Basketball), Jessica Korda (Golf), G.E.M. (Music) and Kai Lenny (Surf); all of them wanted to be involved in the adventure and the success is the “TAG Heuer Connected” watch. So, they were all seeing taking a pencil and – together with Biver, designed a watch face which is not only personalized and exclusive, but also contains cues to their individual universe. As a result, 11 original watch face designs developed exclusively for the “TAG Heuer Connected “ watch are now available on the exclusive TAG Heuer Connected app. For instance, Giancarlo Stanton’s custom watch face also bears his name, in signature form at the base of the display, and underneath a large number 27 that dominates the display. The grey, black, and white colour scheme is very cool, and looked great on the Carrera Connected. On the other hand, Tom Brady, has opted for a simple face with a large number 12 and smaller 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, and 9 o’clock indicators, plus a single red, white, and dark blue strip running down the right-hand side of the face. The price is set at $1500, €1,350 and £1,100.Of course, the three digital watch dials (the chronograph dial, the 3-hand dial and the GMT dial), all of which display the date and which feature the immediately recognizable design codes of TAG Heuer’s Carrera collection, including hands, index, counters, date window and minute track remain available on the TAG Heuer Connected at every moment. n
April 2016 | Outlook Splurge | 53
WATCHES
Jaeger-LeCoultre at British Polo Day, Jodhpur
The watch that is Polo 2016 marks the 85th anniversary of the Reverso by Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre. Splurge speaks to the brand’s Marc de Panafieu, on his visit to the Capital, as he tells us about the connection between polo, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and India.
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he year was 1931, and British Army officers in colonial India, fed up of having their watches damaged by swinging mallets during polo matches, asked Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre to come up to the challenge and design a timepiece that would allow them to tell time on the field, yet was able to resist breakage during the game. And thus was born the Reverso, with a dual face – a metal plate to protect it during play that would flip around whenever one wanted to tell the time. “The Reverso is an important member of the Jaeger-LeCoultre family,” says the elegant Marc de Panafieu, regional head, Jaeger-LeCoultre. “And this year we celebrate its 85th anniversary in style.” Besides the festivities planned this year by the Le Sentier-based Swiss
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brand, things had already kicked off at the Palermo Open in Buenos Aires, as well as at British Polo Day in Jodhpur at the end of last year. The relationship between polo and India has been natural, “organic” in Marc’s words. “Here in India, people are aware of what the brand stands for, our values, heritage, and craftsmanship,” he says. India, with its long history of luxury, and maharajas commissioning fabulous pieces to European maisons and watchmakers, is no stranger to Jaeger-LeCoultre, even before the polo connection. “If you visit our manufacture and look at our historical pieces, a lot of these were owned by the maharajas,” says Marc. Some of the pieces are very old, and find their way back to the brand via astute employees who look out for them at
Argentine polo player Eduardo Novillo Astrada wearing the JaegerLeCoultre Grande Reverso Ultra Thin Duoface
A designer working on the Reverso Tribute Gyrotourbillon
Custom-made engraving on a JaegerLeCoultre Reverso Classic watch The manufacture sits in the Vallée de Joux, in the village of Le Sentier, Switzerland
“Indian aristocrats would personalize their Reversos with a portrait of their wife or an image of their palace. This would be enamelled onto the watch, which, mind you, is a very difficult technique,” says Marc.
1931 Jaeger-LeCoultre Ladies’ Reverso
auctions. Then there are Reversos with metal plate engravings, and enamelling, that once belonged to wealthy Indian aristocrats. “They would personalize the Reverso with a portrait of their wife, or an image of a palace,” he says. For those not in the know, enamelling looks simple enough, like a painting. “It’s a very difficult technique,” he continues. “You put a layer of paint, heat it, and put on another layer.” There are up to eight stages, and it’s done in-house. “When we say we are a manufacture, it’s because everything is done inhouse. We have more than 180 skills at Le Sentier.” It’s a heritage that has been passed on from one generation to another, over the course of 180 years of the brand’s existence. “Our most complicated watch, the Grande Sonnerie, takes a full time watchmaker one month to create the caliber, and up to nine months to assemble,” says Marc. And the value of a Jaeger-LeCoultre goes far beyond gem settings or enamelling or engraving (although the brand makes haute joaillerie lines such as the Rendezvous line for women). “There is an inherent value to the timepiece,” says Marc, pointing to the Reverso Duetto Stainless Steel he is wearing. “So if a watch collector sees it, this one’s a classic, an icon.” Such is the pull of the JaegerLeCoultre name, that in most cases, brand friends have approached them, and not the other way around. “With Eduardo Novillo Astrada (one of the world’s highest goal polo player, an Argentine), it’s a natural connection of friendship, and he’s probably used the timepiece for what it was initially designed for,” says Marc. In fact, each brand friend has their own story. The granddaughter of iconic silent comedian Charlie Chaplin, Carmen, had once brought into the Swiss manufacture a Jaeger-LeCoultre belonging to her grandfather (as he had made Switzerland his home, he was gifted this watch by the Swiss government), for servicing. Someone noticed the connection, and a new brand friend was made. Closer home, Saif Ali Khan is also a brand friend, with his father the late Nawab of Pataudi owning a Reverso upon which the actor engraved his family’s royal emblem. When the brand’s founder Antoine LeCoultre made a pocket watch with the thinnest movement back in 1883, it was a revolution. Today, the brand has several firsts to its credit, including the world’s smallest caliber, the Caliber 101, for miniature ladies’ watches (the Queen wore one for her coronation). Over the years, they’ve developed 1,200 calibres, and patented 400 inventions. “We never stop,” says Marc. Last year, they unveiled the Geophysic and True Seconds, their latest patents, and launched the Rendezvous for women, with a Tourbillon. So complete is their obsession for craft, Marc says, that, ”Our watchmakers even decorate pieces that can’t be seen, and they’re only visible once you open the watch to look inside it.” n
April 2016 | Outlook Splurge | 55
JEWELLERY
Forever THINE
We meet the head of new product development at Forevermark, Federica Imperiali, in India for the first time ever, as she tells us about collections past and present, and designing for the Oscar’s red carpet.
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ederica Imperiali is every bit as raffinée as the diamond jewellery pieces she conceptualizes. In India for her first visit, the head of new product development at Forevermark’s Milan office, tells us about working with the world’s finest diamonds, the special jewellery lines launched by the marque and what they symbolize, and how Indian jewellers and diamantaires are partnering with Forevermark to create stunning, wearable pieces for the Indian woman. Federica, an economics graduate, found her way into Forevermark after corporate stints that included KPMG and JWT. “Our entire team has grown up together for the last seven years,” she says. “And our aesthetic sense has evolved.” So evolved is it, in fact, that as designers using some of the most unique and meaningful diamonds in the world, they have to keep thousands of consumers in sight, and understand which is the best design that can capture different facets of those consumers. “Millemoi is inspired by the self-portrait,” says Federica. “So you can be a mother, a friend, a
“The newest collection for India is inspired by the peacock, a powerful Indian motif, reinterpreted in a “modern and unexpected way”, says Federica. “It will be perfect for the Indian market with its collection of earrings, pendants, and cuffs.”
sister, a working woman, but in the end, you are always yourself.” The concentric circles in this design represents a personality or strength. Then you have Encordia, which at its heart has the diamond, in a representation of a bond. “The diamond is the real seal of the knot,” says Federica. “It’s based on the infinity knot.” Cornerstones, another simple yet standout design, looks like a simple solitaire, but each prong represents a “key value that upholds a relationship”. And symbolically it’s the diamond that defines the relationship, the love that keeps a couple together. Federica works closely with her team of five designers, scoping out new trends, new materials, and understand the message they need to focus on. “The idea that a designer has at the beginning may be completely different from what we come up with at the end,” she says. Plus, there are engineering and technical details to be dealt with, such as the exact size and placement of the prongs holding the diamond. Forevermark works with local suppliers in Valencia, close to Milan, an important jewellery
Left and below: Earrings, and ring from Forevermark’s Arabelle collection by Joyallukas India Limited.
Federica Imperiali
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Forevermark and Bibhu Mohapatra for AW’16, by Mehta & Sons The Capricci nose pin collection
district. A collection may take a year and a half to produce, or it could be as short a time as four months. Trends are also created a year in advance. In 2015, Forevermark came up with new lines, such as Extravagant Reality, Intergalactic Future, and Forgotten Stories. The former is about time’s continuous evolution, while Forgotten Stories is “inspired by the past, when you open your grandmother’s old box and find old memories. These are contextualized and modernized in our settings”, says Federica. In India, Forevermark introduced the successful Capricci (‘moody’ in Italian) nose pin range, that comes with three diamonds – a nose pin, two stud earrings, a gold bracelet, and seven interchangeable ‘jackets’, for each day of the week. “The idea is that everyday you feel different, so we give you the option to express that. Whatever you are feeling that day, you can use a jacket behind the three-prong diamond nose pin,” says Federica. So the sun is joy, the moon is for dreamers, the butterfly for freedom, the star for success, and the bolt for strength. The brand has already crossed 1,000 pieces sold, at `60,000 for the set. Their newest collection for India, is Arabelle, and is available in India at Joyallukas India Limited, with around 22 pieces (a Forevermark collection normally has around 15-26 pieces). The Arabelle is inspired by the peacock, a powerful Indian motif, but reinterpreted in a “modern and unexpected way”. “It will be perfect for the Indian market,” says Federica. The collection comprises earcuffs, earrings, pendants, and rings. Forevermark also designs for the biggest red carpet event on earth, the Oscars. “When we started designing our red carpet pieces, we didn’t know who would end up wearing them,” says Federica. “We analyse trends and end up with a design that fits red carpet requirements.” The
Cluster feather earrings, with pear-shaped, baguette, and pavé diamonds set in white gold, from the ‘Spread your Wings’ Trends Forecast for 2016
Butterfly long necklaces, with pear and marquise shaped diamonds set in a prong setting with round diamond tennis lines in white gold, part of the ‘Spread your Wings’ Trends Forecast for 2016
Bracelet of pear, marquise, and round-cut diamonds set in a prong setting, with black enamel finishing, from the ‘Glow and Grow’ Trends Forecast for 2016
brand has a special suite where they showcase pieces pre-Oscars, for stylists to match with gowns for the stars. “We’ve had Uma Thurman in a Millemoi bracelet and Liz Hurley in Encordia,” says Federica. “We’ve also had Kate Winslet, Michelle Obama and Claire Danes wear Forevermark designs.” The brand shares their latest designs with their partners, keeping in mind those that will work for India, and Indian brides. “We go to movie releases, fashion weeks, fashion parties, look at visual merchandizing, and see where are the big trends and the common areas for each trend. For 2016, the trend forecast is just out, with a focus on the ‘Spread your Wings’ collection for the angelic bride, and the ‘Glow and Grow’ line for refined tastes, In India, 165 retail outlets are part of Forevermark India’s authorized network, where it showcases its yearly trends. “We provide the technical tools, and so the manufacturer can produce them,” says Federica. “So it’s designed in Milan, and made in India. We check the prototype.” And now, we look forward to seeing Forevermark’s new collections by designers Bibhu Mohapatra and Sabyasachi on Indian shores. n
April 2016 | Outlook Splurge | 57
HIGH SPIRITS
The first lady of
Vodka
We meet world mixology expert, Claire SmithWarner of Moët Hennessy, who tells us about the new ‘naturalness’ campaign of her luxury vodka brand Belvedere, and Indiainspired cocktails. text by Priya Kumari Rana
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Claire Smith-Warner is one of the world’s authorities in vodka and mixology, having appeared on various television shows
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he’s the master blender and chief mixologist at the helm of the world’s most luxurious vodka, Belvedere, made in Poland from a 100 percent rye grain, and owned by the LVMH Group. Claire SmithWarner, global head of spirits education at Moët Hennessy, calls London her home, but on any given week, is most likely jetting between the brand’s headquarters in New York, the distillery in the Polish town of Zyrardow, and various parts of the world, imparting her vast knowledge of the spirit to bartenders around the world. She’s also made guest appearances on the Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, The Today Show, and CONAN, in the United States. She’s something of a celebrity, but she’s passionate about the job she’s been doing for 13 years. In fact, today, as we meet her at the ITC Maurya in New Delhi, where she’s landed after the launch of Belvedere’s latest Spritz collection of cocktails that embodies the brand’s new ‘Be Natural’ manifesto, she’s just conducted a masterclass for 50 bartenders with Sri Lankanorigin, London-based ‘International Bartender of the Year, 2015’ Ryan Chetiyawardana, with whom she’s worked on the new naturalness campaign. “I love coming here,” says Claire of her India trip, “Because there is such a focus on natural ingredients here.” She points to the use of spices, and the use of great local ingredients, that are typical of this region, and that have blended beautifully with Belvedere’s campaign. In fact,
A bottle of Belvedere against the backdrop of the Warsaw Palace in its native country of Poland
“We are passionate about sustainability, and natural ingredients.We have developed two refreshing cocktails just for India, using tulsi, and elaichi and lemon.”
in addition to the 12 cocktails that are a part of Belevedere’s Spritz collection, Rohan Jelkie, brand ambassador for Moët Hennessy has developed two cocktails that are just for India, using elaichi and lemon, and tulsi. “They’re beautiful cocktails, and very refreshing,” says Claire. How did this campaign, this approach to naturalness develop? “Both Ryan and I are passionate about sustainability, and getting the most out of natural ingredients,” says Claire. “So over the last three years, I’ve been trying to focus on reducing the amount of sugar we use in our cocktails, using fresh ingredients to flavour the vodka.” Realizing there was more to this topic than just creating a few cocktails, she’s spearheaded a
Belvedere Spritz Signature Cocktail 45 ml of Belvedere Pure Vodka 15 ml of Martini Bianco 2 slices of fresh grapefruit 1 sprig of thyme Build in a spritz/white wine glass Fill with ice Top with equal parts sparkling water and Ryan Chetiyawardana won Best Bartender for 2014, and works with Claire to develop innovative Belvedere cocktails
tonic water.
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HIGH SPIRITS complete communications platform to focus on the quality of the prized product, the vodka itself. The brand has introduced a ‘Relearn Natural’ manifesto, with 10 statements, from respecting its Polish roots (supported by the 2013 Polish Geographical Apellation which protects over 700 years of traditional Polish vodka-making techniques), to keeping it simple and not adding sugar or additives, to sourcing local ingredients, and supporting agricultural partners like the local farmers for the grain. It is this very purity that makes it a favourite among the world’s leading hotels, and is often the pouring house vodka for many a restaurant and bar. Created in 1993 in Poland after the fall of communism, Belvedere has fast become the cachet of cool, with partnerships such as the James Bond franchise for last year’s Spectre, where it was the official vodka for the iconic spy’s ‘shaken not stirred’ martini.
The Polmos Zyrardow distillery in Poland, where Belvedere is made, respecting the Polish Geographical Apellation
The brand has introduced a manifesto with 10 statements, from respecting its Polish roots, to not adding sugar or additives, to sourcing local ingredients supporting farmers.
BELVEDERE TULSI SPRITZ 45 ml Belvedere Pure Vodka 15 ml Martini Rosso Sprig of tulsi (holy basil) 2 slices of orange Build in spritz/white wine glass Fill with ice and top with sparkling water and tonic water.
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For Claire, the history, heritage, and purity of the world’s most luxurious vodka, are what count
And distilled from 100 percent rye grain, the white and blue Belvedere is not flavoured. But since 2009, Claire has been creating naturally infused flavours using only fresh ingredients, such as Belvedere Black Raspberry, Belvedere Lemon Tea, and Belvedere Mango Passion, made to complement its natural flavours, that are Citrus and Pink Grapefruit. “Again, we use lemons and limes from a tree, not a lab,” says Claire. “Almost 98 percent of the world’s flavours are synthetically made, often with a lot of sugar.” And it’s this very nature she’s bringing into the bar, with a little help from Ryan. “Ryan’s techniques involve flash infusion,” says Claire, “Using a soda siphon and nitrous oxide, he creates a vacuum, with small microbubbles, where fresh ingredients have been put into this great solution – Belvedere.” This ingenious process drives the flavour from the ingredients straight into the vodka. The 31-year-old Ryan owns two bars, White Lyan in East London, and Dandelyan on the South Bank, on the Thames, near the Tate Modern. White Lyan won ‘Best New Bar in the World’ in 2014; Dandelyan has gathered several accolades too. He wants to continue working with Claire, collaborating with chefs for food/vodka pairings, and also for events such as fashion weeks. “We did a collaboration with a designer who was doing fashion inspired by natural dye, so we created drinks to match these, looking at nature for colours and flavour.” And what makes Belvedere the world’s most luxurious vodka, I ask Claire? “The history heritage, expertise, and the best ingredients, the the quality, and the care we take in producing our vodka. You should be able to enjoy a well-made spirit in any way, and that’s the true test of a luxury vodka.” n
HOME DÉCOR
The Social
Kitchen
From left: Worktop heights are matched to the individual, with practical pull-outs; Intelligent Hettich kitchens, such as this one, are designed by the brand’s in-house experts
With kitchens fast occupying centrestage in the modern home, Anil Goel, managing director, Hettich India, tells us the key factors to keep in mind while creating an intelligent, socially relevant kitchen.
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can be many things: modern or traditional, he rise of the kitchen as a social space A kitchen functional or homely, opulent or plain, but the over the last couple of years has been can be many common thread running through should be that nothing short of phenomenal. From things: modern of intelligence and good organization. According the kitchen’s status as a place limited to Goel, an intelligent kitchen is one that makes to cooking as a household chore and occupied or traditional, ergonomic sense and also suits your personal mostly by house help, it has come to be that functional or needs, and will essentially be based on the place which communicates how we live as homely, but following criteria. Firstly, make optimum use of much as how we cook. the available storage space and keep everything It is but natural that as kitchens evolve to the common within easy reach. This includes a worktop be more like lounge spaces, the technology too thread running height matched to the individual, just as it does continues to become more embedded with through should the clever use of storage space. Practical pullcustomized spaces created for the placement outs for wall and base units can work wonders. of appliances and cooktops that integrate be that of Secondly, cleverly organized cabinet seamlessly, allowing flexibility and functionality. intelligence interiors are a must, so that everything can be “There has been a change in the kitchen’s status. and good beautifully hidden away from the outsider’s While for some, it has become a makeshift eyes, but is still within easy reach. For instance, office, for others it is that place where parties organization. think wall units, full extension drawers, so you inevitably seem to congregate over a culinary need not crawl to see what’s inside. And lastly, feast. Naturally, there is a never-before rise in for convenience, it always helps to have cabinet doors that demand to get statement kitchens in the home that are a close by themselves with the slightest nudge when you are perfect blend of convenience, utility, and style. While there in that mad rush. For instance, the hinges from Hettich not is an array of designs on offer out there, at Hettich, we stress only reliably close the door from an angle of 35 degrees, but on the concept of creating intelligent kitchens,” says Anil also do so quietly and gently. Goel, managing director, Hettich India. With statement kitchens being the order of the day, Elaborating on the concept of intelligent kitchens, Goel these are some pointers that deserve to be bookmarked. n goes on to explain how a kitchen in a contemporary home
April 2016 | Outlook Splurge | 61
WANDERLUST
Beyond
Libation Verdant vineyards surround Beyond by Sula, offering a perfect weekend retreat
Chivas Brothers’ Royal Salute 21 Years Old, first created for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation.
We visit the hedonistic Sulafest, where India’s most famous wine, international music, and fine food flow like our conversation with Sula founder and CEO Rajeev Samant on what sparked this yearly ritual.
Soothing wooden interiors and Zen-like calm infuse Beyond by Sula
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very year, hordes of bohemian, Coachella-inspired Mumbaikars decend upon the verdant vineyards of Sula, in Nashik, to partake in the hedonistic, head-banging, hip-swaying music fest that is the Sulafest, held in the first week of February. In its ninth year now, this paen to music, food, fashion, and of course wine attracts around 12,000 visitors in the first week of February, with an atmosphere that was a combination of chic and electric, as we mingle in the stalls, check out local artisans selling trinkets, and wander through grape-stomping sessions and a lively atmosphere in the Hardy’s stall (which partners this year with Sula to bring imported South African and Australian wines to India). Gluttony comes out in full swing, as we visit the 30-odd food stalls that dotted the venue, with a choice of Chinese, Middle-Eastern, and Italian food, not to mention the restaurant founded by the late Chef Morgan Rainforth, Soleil by La Plage. Then there are ten David Kohler
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kinds of alcohol, from beer and whisky, to of course, wine. The stunning, open-air amphitheatre draws in an almost stampede-like crowd on the evening of the second day, when Sufi singer Kailash Kher belts out his renditions. International acts like Cat Empire from Australia and Success from France have the audience riveted, as does a special fashion show by Vero Moda on day one, with models strutting to hits by Anushka Manchanda. Sulafest is no ordinary music fest. “Everything is possible here,” says Rajeev Samant to me in his second floor office overlooking the vineyards, the perfect vantage point for the hubbub downstairs. “It’s interesting to watch the fashion from here.” He’s spotted some women in traditional Rajasthani garb, mingling with maxidress-wearing girls with flowers in their hair. The idea of creating this music, food, and drinking pilgrimage for young hipsters from the city, germinated in Rajeev’s mind as he was an undergraduate student
The Brut Tropicale
Clockwise from below left: Rajeev Samant of Sula; The enormous amphitheatre, home to various music acts; Healthy French fare at Soleil by La Plage, located at Sula
at Stanford University, Palo Alto, when he saw his first Grateful Dead concert. “We were at this beautiful open air Frost Amphitheatre on campus, and when the chords started wafting up, I said to myself, why can’t we do this in India?” he thought. When he returned to India, he took control of a 10-acre piece of land that his father (who was born in Nashik but had shifted to Mumbai) owned, and started his own business, which was organic foods in those early days in the 1990s. He soon realized that something about the climate made it formidable to grow table grapes. And then one of his California friends suggested, why not grow wine? So he went back to California, and worked under his mentor Kerry in Napa Valley. “He was happy to teach me the ropes, and is one of the country’s top winemakers,” says Rajeev. Rajeev also needed the grape bushes, which he set about importing from all over the world, such as the US, South Africa, Australia – Riesling from Alsace, Sauvignon Blanc from France. “We barely have 15 acres of vineyards here,” he says. “We import from 3,500 acres, who are growing the grapes, so the wider rural economy has really benefited.” One tour of the Sula vineyards, under the able guidance of young wine-maker Karan, and you will see the gleaming stainless steel vats, that are made in Nashik, and the Italian juice pressers. It’s got its award-winning wines (the Sauvignon Blanc alone picked up a silver medal in the UK more than 10 years ago), a brand-new sparkling, the Brut Tropicale, made in the méthode champenoise, and the delectable Brut Rosé, which is a sweet dessert wine. “Next year, we’ll sell a million cases,” says
The best time to visit Beyond by Sula is from December to March. Taking a sip of a late harvest Chenin Blanc from the Sky Villas, it’s easy to get mesmerized.
Rajeev of his 95 percent Indian market. “We sold 11 million bottles at the end of the financial year.” When the festivities get too raucous, one can retreat to the oasis-like, Zen-infused Beyond by Sula, a 35-bedroom retreat overlooking vineyards, a couple of kilometres from the Sulafest, where one can bike ride, walk to the nearby lake, snack at the Café Rose, and indulge in the Spa Touche. The best time to visit Beyond by Sula is from December to March. Taking a sip of a late harvest Chenin Blanc, in the luxurious, `55,000 a day Sky Villas (owned by Sula), and looking at the never-ending expanse of Nashik’s green plains, it’s easy to get mesmerized by the heady spirit of it all. n
April 2016 | Outlook Splurge | 63
WANDERLUST
In tune with
VIENNA
I
n Vienna, every past has its inexorable present. Nothing really goes away, everything stays….” says Peter Eickhoff, The city where Freud, Strauss, Mozart, Trotsky, and Klimtonce walked the streets, and sat in its cafes creating, thinking, Vienna has lots of once upon a time tales to offer and its many once-upon-a-times remain quietly alive. My introduction to the city comprises of cold blasts of wind, bare trees, and near-empty avenues. It’s February, and it’s cold. Walking down Ringstrasse towards the State Opera House, we pass the silently majestic bronze statue for Schwartzenberg, the military general who fought against Napoleon in the beginning of the 19th century. The Opera Hall was the first major
The Sea Grotto outside Vienna
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More than the birthplace of the blue Danube and the waltz, Austria’s capital city is steeped in history at every cobbled street turn. Mita Kapur takes us on a cultural and gastronomic tour of this extraordinary city.
The Hofburg Palace
building ordered by the Viennese State Fund to be built on Ringstrasse. Designed in the Neo-Renaissance style, its architects August Sicardsburg and Eduard Van der Nüllwere were criticized for having created a structure that looked like anything from an elephant digesting its food to a sunken treasure chest. It stands today as the pride of Vienna and is home to some of the most spectacular Opera and music concerts. The glamorous, popular Vienna Opera Ball takes place in the first week of February. This year, we walk the red carpet dotted by Austrian paparazzi straining over their cameras to catch Pamela Anderson and Brooke Shields who are attending the ball. The ball over, dressed in our finery, we step in to Trzesniewski, a sandwich, coffee, and beer parlour in existence since 1902, to sample traditional Viennese open sandwiches with different toppings – herring-onion, cucumber-egg, baconegg, with beer served in quaint mugs that looked like extended Turkish coffee mugs. The Sacher Café, very close to the Opera,is brimming with fine ladies and gentlemen. The proverbial tasting of the sacher cake with mélange coffee is done. We cross the Bräunerhof – notorious for being the rudest restaurant in Vienna, so we don’t go inside. The towering Neo-Gothic spires of St Stephen’s church catch the sun as the day climbs, glinting like mother of pearl. Built on the remains of a Pagan church and dating back to 1147 AD, the façade carries remnants of the Romanesque style. The
church’s shop has the stone of Koloman almost hidden in a corner, bearing the touch of many hands that have reached for it, for its famed healing power. Koloman was an Irish monk who was tortured and hanged from a tree in medieval times. His body didn’t decay, animals didn’t feed on him and word spread that it was miracle. He is now the patron saint of Vienna. We walk back to where Mozart died – this cobbled street remains untouched and we see it today the way “he saw it while he lived here”. The cold rainy evening drives us to Plachutta for a traditional Tafelspitz dinner. The hearty beef broth, with chunky vegetables is eaten first. Served along with potato rosti, chive sauce, horse radish and apple sauce, it’s a flavourful meal. After dinner we walk to the Greek Church built in the Neo-Byzantine style, and past the first brewery in Vienna, Griechen Beisel, where Mark Twain is known to have drunk himself silly. We then go along to Figlmueller, the narrowest street in Vienna which serves a Schnitzel larger than the serving plate and called ‘dining beyond the edge.’ Of Vienna’s many palaces that casually dot the streets, Palais Ferstel built in the Neo-Renaissance style stands out. But nothing can surpass the Schoenbrunn Palace and Museum with its stately regal buildings housing over 1,400 rooms. The imperial palace stocks over 300 years of Austrian history and shows how the Habsburgs lived, and created history. After three hours here, we settle down at Residenz Kaffee to cups of coffee with orange liqueur, and traditional Apfelstrudel. Back to the city centre, our next stop is the Hofburg Palace, the Sisi Museum and the stables. The Sisi Museum, dedicated to Empress Elisabeth, queen of Emperor Franz Josef, is where you lose yourself in the romantic history of this spunky queen. Next, we head to Café Central that has existed since 1876 and is perhaps the most grand of all Viennese coffee houses, with a piano. During the 19th century, the café had become a meeting place for
Clockwise from top left: The neo-gothic St Stephen’s Church; The stunning Schonbrunn Palace; The interiors of Gutruf Café; A statue of Lenin in the Café Central; The majestic Vienna State Opera, lit up at night; A statue of a saint in a town square.
We head to Café Central, that has existed since 1876, and is the grandest of all Viennese coffee houses, with a piano. During the 19th century, the cafe had become a meeting place for intellectuals like Sigmund Freud and Leon Trotsky.
intellectuals like Sigmund Freud, Leon Trotsky, and Arthur Schnitzler. Driving out of Vienna on our way to the Kalhenburgmountain, we go past the four arms of the Danube and a man made island. Our last stop is the Sea Grotto, an underground natural lake, formed after an explosion in 1912. A short boat ride on the clear blue lake, which is over 60 m underground, is surreal. Such are the eclectic pleasures of Austria. n
April 2016 | Outlook Splurge | 65
GASTRONOMY
A touch of
SPICE
Splurge visits one on New York’s hippest restaurants, where Asian street fare has been elevated to an art form by one of the world’s most famous chefs, JeanGeorges Vongerichten, whose love of detail comes through in every confection.
Left: The Ginger Fried Rice with the Golden Fried Egg, an authentic dish. Above: The Thailike interiors are by Jacques Garcia
I
t’s Alsace-born Michelin-star Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s ode to Asian street food, and is today one of New York City’s top eateries, located smack in the middle of the trendy Meatpacking district, barely a stone’s throw away from the new Whitney museum. Expansive (it occupies a street block, and boasts of 350 covers) and on two levels (there’s a novel, loungy, Thai temple-inspired bar area downstairs to slake the greatest of thirsts, its old Asia meets city chic is immediately refreshing as one enters from outside, with its dimmed lights, and quick, courteous staff. This is the Spice Market, borne of Chef Jean-Jacques’ love of street food, whether in Vietnam, Thailand, or India, and on a cold February New York day, offers a warm, sensory respite from the icy temperatures outside. Our coats safely checked in, we are immediately ushered into the sprawling, family-style dining area, where, it’s not even 1pm, and hipsters have started pouring in. Spice Market, which opened its doors in 2004, is still a favourite among New Yorkers, possibly because of the flavourful, packed menu that
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just screams innovation. Owned by an American company called Culinary Concepts but headed by Chef Jean-Georges, whose eponymous Three Michelin Star restaurant in Trump Hotel in Central park has won him critical acclaim, besides ABC Kitchen and ABC Cocina, that serve fresh, organic, and wholesome produce, Spice Market reflects the chef’s love of Asia. He’s also gone beyond his French roots. “The cuisine is an inspiration,” says Franck Maucort, general manager of Spice Market, “Jean-Georges travelled for a few months to South-East Asia and recuperated what he found on the street. He says it’s this food, with its mixture of spices, satés, chicken samosas, that remained typical and authentic. “For example, the fried rice we have is not Americanized,” he says. “It’s what you find in Asia, with the egg on top.” Even the décor looks as if Chef Jean-Georges went to Siam and brought it all back with him. “Everything was imported from Indonesia and Thailand,” says Franck. “They brought 16 containers, and it’s all original stuff. It’s not Disney. Even the floors are from Asia.” Well-known French architect and interior designer
The stark, with their black panels; Minimalist design meets no-fuss home-grown
The Lobster Vietnamese Spring Roll comes with a succulent sauce; Right: A delectable brunch spread at Spice Market
Jacques Garcia, who’s responsible for many a chic Parisian boutique hotel, was given the Spice Market project, so far the only restaurant he has designed. At night the dreamlike downstairs area is transformed by the beats of a DJ who plays every Friday and Saturday night, but Franck insists that this is not a club. Once settled on our tables overlooking the streets via gigantic windows, we are generously
What is wonderful is how the dishes keep coming, just as you would find in a busy Chinese restaurant. To top it off, the dessert is a melt-in-themouth Ovaltine Kulfi, with a caramelized banana, in chocolate sauce.
Top: The famous Ginger Margarita; Left: A wooden cage, that harbours lanterns, bric-a-brac scoured from Asian markets
plied with a refreshing Ginger Margarita, that has just the perfect amount of sour and sweet, served by mango-uniformed staff, some of whom are distinctly Asian. All dishes are served family style, with the plates put directly on the table for guests to help themselves. We nibble on the Poppadum with the Tomato Kasundi, and then dig into Spiced Chicken Samosas with Cilantro Yogurt, Cod with Malaysian Chilli Sauce and Thai Basil, Vegetarian Vietnamese Spring Rolls, and for the mains we have Roasted Seasonal Vegetables in Green Curry Sauce, Ginger Fried Rice with a Golden Fried Egg, and a delicious Steamed Red Snapper in Parsnip Galangal Purée. The Spicy Thai Slaw with Asian Pear is particulary tangy, and the Bibb Lettuce and Arugula Salad Sesame Dressing, Carrot and Radishes is colourful, zesty, and packed with healthy greens. What’s wonderful is how the dishes keep coming, just as you would find in a busy Chinese restaurant. And to top it all off, the dessert is a melt-in-the-mouth Ovaltine Kulfi, with a caramelized banana, smothered in spiced milk chocolate sauce. Another refreshing dessert we tried was the Thai Jewels, with Tropical Fruit and shaved coconut ice. Our stomachs groan as we conclude this fascinating Asian medley, in the heart of Chelsea. One wonders what will be next for this highly successful eatery. “We shall remain in this wave of contemporaneity,” says Franck. “Nothing has changed since the first day; we’ve remained true to our cuisine.” With an average bill for $65 a head, it’s a place for young and old, New Yorkers and out-of-towners. “We just had Hugh Jackman come in last month,” says Franck of the hordes of celebrities that are known to throng Spice Market. And why not, Asia remains the flavour of the season. n
April 2016 | Outlook Splurge | 67
WHEELS
PROWLER on the loose This is one agile feline. Sidharth Sharotri brings us some of the heart-stopping features of the Jaguar F Type SVR, newly launched in the Big Apple, a sportscar that is designed to thrill.
T
he last lingering glow of day was authoritatively stamped out by the rapidly falling night. The once majestic amber and violet sky transformed into a vast expanse of blackness over Manhattan. In a flash it appeared at the mouth of the tunnel, poised, quivering, straining against its electronic leash; waiting to be set free. Or at least that’s the guff they gave me. I was busy driving something else when Jaguar took a handful of journalists to New York, closed off a tunnel in Manhattan and let them loose in the most hardcore road-going car they’ve ever made – the F Type SVR. For the three of you who don’t know what the F Type is, think of it as a blend of violence, fighter-jets, Scarlet Johansson, machine guns Clockwise from top right: The F Type SVR has a Supercharged V8 engine; It can hit 0-100kph in 3.5 seconds; The Coupe SVR is capable of hitting speeds of up to 320kph; The interiors of this SVR convertible feature 14-way adjustable seats, 770 watt Meridian stereo, and an infotainment system using InControl apps.
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and rock and roll, all rolled up into an exquisite package by someone with exquisite taste. Oh, it’s a car as well. Like most luxury car manufacturers, Jaguar Land Rover have setup their own in-house Skunkworks which they call the Special Vehicle Operations. SVO has given us the Range Rover SV Autobiography, the absolute last word in luxury off-roading and the Range Rover SVR which is designed to brutally fast on any surface. They took a crack at the F Type in 2014 and came out with the race-bred Project 7. This was a lower, lighter, more powerful F Type and ultimately, a precursor to the car you see in these pages. So the F Type SVR has the same 567bhp 5.0 Supercharged V8 as the Project 7, albeit with more torque; 700Nm in total. It’s also 50 kilos lighter than the F Type R. Power is transmitted courtesy of the same ZF 8 speed automatic gearbox that most Jaguars use but this particular one has been tuned to minimize shift times even further. 0-100kph comes up in a scarcely believable 3.5 seconds owing to a retuned all-
SPEC SHEET Engine 5.0 Supercharged Direct Injection V8 Gearbox ZF 8 Speed Automatic Acceleration 0-100kph in 3.5 seconds Top Speed Coupe – 320kph / Convertible – 310kph Price in India `3 Crore Ex-Showrroom (estimated)
wheel-drive system and the Coupe SVR cracks the magical 200mph (320kph) barrier. The suspension’s been tweaked as well to make it more forgiving, more-day-to-day, and also to increase the grip around corners and during hard braking, which are now the responsibility of the optional Carbon Ceramic discs the size of Saturn’s rings. You can’t really do off-the-shelf parts for a car like this so SVO went to Pirelli, who developed a set of P Zero tyres especially for the SVR. Bespoke parts abound in the interior as
well. You get special 14-way adjustable SVR seats with ‘SVR’ on the headrest (obviously), an SVR steering wheel and sound from a 770 watt Meridian stereo made especially for the SVR. The new generation infotainment system gets InControl apps which lets you lock or unlock the doors, turn on the aircon, check your mileage and fuel level all from your phone or even your smartwatch. But none of this electronic whizzkiddery is of any use if it doesn’t add up to a sensation. The F Type SVR is a pure-play British sportscar that’s been (in the time-honoured tradition of Spinal Tap) dialled up to eleven. The fact that it has stepped into supercar territory is purely incidental. Its purpose still remains to blast through tunnels on a wall of ear-splitting noise at 2am while giving its occupants the kind of visceral adrenaline rush that no other car is capable of. And all this brings us neatly to the point I’ve been conveniently trying to skirt around all this time – if the lesser F Types are so proficient at thrilling, is there a point to this more powerful and more expensive SVR? Let me put it this way; have you ever wished your perfectly chilled beer was just a little colder? That your beautiful house was just a little bit bigger? With the SVR, you’ll at least sleep sound knowing that you had the most thrilling sportscar that money can buy. n
April 2016 | Outlook Splurge | 69
TÊTE À TÊTE
Bird in a bi-plane
We meet British aviator Tracey Curtis-Taylor in the Capital, halfway through her solo flight from UK to Australia in an open 1942 bi-plane, as she retraces the exact same historic flight of her hero Amy Johnson, completed in 1930.
Tracey Curtis-Taylor lands in Dubai in her 1942 Boeing Stearing bi-plane
S
he’s the perfect ‘aviatrix’ (also the title of a documentary film capturing her journey from Cape Town to Goodword, UK in 2013), a daredevil pilot who’s flown solo through thunderstorms and sunshine, in a 1942 open-cockpit bi-plane across continents. Brunette, tall, and attractive, the Stamford-born, Canada-raised Tracey Curtis-Taylor embodies the true spirit of aviation, much like her heroes Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic in 1932 and Amy Johnson, who flew solo from England to Australia in 1930, a feat that Tracey perfectly recreated in around 14 weeks flying 13,000 miles, through 23 countries, landing successfully on January 9 this year in Sydney to a tumultuous welcome. Exactly
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halfway, Tracey spent a day in Delhi at the Taj Mahal hotel (the Taj group hosted her from UAE, Oman, and India), capping her two weeks in India, with extra stopovers in Mumbai, Varanasi, Agra, and Kolkata, before flying out to Chittagong, Bangladesh, on to Myanmar, Singapore, Indonesia, and finally to Australia. On this day, she’s sitting at the Machan at the TajMahal hotel, immaculately dressed in a sari handpicked from the hotel boutique Khazana. Chef Arun Sundararaj has prepared dishes in honour of all the countries she’s visited, from the Middle East to New Zealand, and Cape Town to England. “They’ve even made my aeroplane model, in chocolate,” she says. “They put one in my room, but I can’t bear to eat my own aeroplane.” She smiles
as she tucks into a spicy tidbit from her plate. “Growing up in Canada, my father who was a journalist, was always interestd in aeroplanes and cars, and that interest rubbed off on me,” she says of her active, outdoorsy childhood with two sisters, going to air shows, camping in the mountains near Vancouver. The family moved back to England in 1972, and it was only when Tracey was 16 that she had her first flying lesson when she returned to Canada on a holiday. Then, as a working adult in New Zealand, she started taking flying lessons seriously. Tracey calls herself an amateur pilot, with only 1,500 flying hours. “I had this spiritual connection with Charles Lindbergh,” she says of the pioneer who flew in a single-seat Ryan monoplane from Long Island to Paris in 1927 at the age of 25, and became instantly famous. To fuel her obsession, Tracey acquired a second plane, currently in England, the monoplane PT-22, a Recruit built by TC Ryan. “It was Charles who electrified the world with this flight.” And all of a sudden, he had set off a craze, with women aviators in the lead. In the late 1920s, both Amelia Earhart and Amy Johnson took to the skies, became friends, and were lost in separate flying accidents above water. And strangely enough, it was Tracey’s own sense of adventure that pushed her to explore Africa. “I spent my whole life fascinated with Africa, which took me there in 1980 on my own, at age 19, returning overland all the way from Johanneburg to England, driving through a wet Congo, the Saharan desert, going east of Casablanca, up the Atlas mountains. In 2013, she returned to Africa with a Russian crew, and went back in her Boeing Stearing (the same one she flew from UK to Australia in), and retraced the path of her first chosen intrepid female aviator, Lady Mary Heath, who flew from South Africa to the UK in 1928. “I went through the Rift Valley, over breeding whales, over the Nile, it was like the film Out of Africa,” she says.
Tracey with a chef from Taj Mahal hotel, who recreated her plane in chocolate
In 2013, Tracey retraced her path back from Africa in her Boeing Stearing, as had done another intrepid aviator, Lady Mary Heath, who flew from South Africa to UK in 1928. “I went over the Rift Valley, just like Out of Africa,” she says.
A file photo of pionieering British aviator Amy Johnson
Tracey bids farewell as she sets off on her solo trip to Australia
And her latest flight, in honour of Amy Johnson, again in the Boeing Stearing, The Spirit of Artemis, has taken all the effort she has. “Getting sponsors has been so difficult,” she says. “The Taj has helped with p accommodation, and I was connected through Ratan Tata, who comes from aviation history himself. That’s why India is a big part of the tour.” The difference between Amy’s flight and hers is that Amy flew as the crow flies; Tracey flew in at specific entry points in various countries. “I took off from Farnborough, got through western France to Hungary, where my plane was restored for a week,” she says of her crew of three: a pilot for the chase plane, her cameraman, and Ewald Gritsch, her right-hand man. The crew carries fuel, spares, equipment, cameras, but she has an “empty front seat” where she’s taken along a Saudi Arabian princess and Prince Nikolaos of Greece. Along the way, she’s met with “terrifying” weather: “Coming out of Hungary to Romania was horrific,” says Tracey. “There was torrential rain, 30 knot winds; it was filthy dirty, everything dripping wet.” After this extraordinary flying feat, she’s ready to hit America next year, in a tribute flight to Boeing, on their centenary. “I’ll ship my plane to Seattle, take it to Vancouver, fly it over the Grand Canyon, and then fly across the US, just as Lindbergh did,” she says. “I’ll return to England by boat, probably on the Queen Mary.” That’s some trip. n
April 2016 | Outlook Splurge | 71
PARTING SHOT
Britney Spears
Oops She did it
AGAIN! Splurge looks at ‘90s pop princess Britney Spears whose leaner, meaner physique and a new single point to a shining, new resurgence.
I
t seems as though 34-year-old Britney Spears, the original pop princess, may just have found the fountain of youth. The mum of two recently snapped pictures of herself on vacation, and fans were agog as to just how flat her stomach really looked. In fact, she’s just posted a mirror selfie of herself in shorts, where the singer’s toned abs and legs are clearly visible. The Mississipi-born Grammy award-winning pop icon, author of such cult ‘90s albums as Baby One More Time and Oops, I did it again, and more recently Blackout, is slated to release her brand new single with star du jour Iggy Azalea, entitled Pretty Girls. A winner of numerous popular awards, such as Teen Choice Awards, and MTV Awards, remains perhaps America’s most endearing singer, whose personal life foibles (she’s been married twice) have only made her stronger, and leaner. She’s shown us that she’s real estate-savvy, as she’s recently purchased a $7.4 million Italian villa in Thousand Oaks, California, only to put it back on the market for $8.9 million. So whoever purchases it, will also own a piece of pop history. Britney recently posted a pic of herself with Oscar winner Leo DiCaprio, in a teaser of what could have been the hottest celeb pairing of the ‘90s . n
Britney Spears at a recent event in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Shutterstock
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