CULTURE

GLITZ&GLAMOUR
PFMI participants share pearls of wisdom
Smriti Kak Ramachandran

CONTESTANTS of the Ponds Femina Miss India 2004 are expected to verbalise the virtues of womanhood. Speeches, which are supposedly straight from the heart and promises of performing their duties, are a predictable part of the beauty pageants. This year, while the contestants mingled with their lesser-favoured counterparts from Shiv Niketan in Mumbai apart from the usual rigmarole they also got to share Nisha Sharma’s pearls of wisdom.

The feisty girl who sent her groom packing off for seeking dowry had this to say, ‘the Indian woman today is well grounded, self-assured and confident. She takes pride in her individuality and thrives to achieve her goals, to be her best and stand up for what she believes is right.”

Straight from the horses mouth there!

Creating waves of passion in metal, stones

Nathumal’s are prescribing white gold and platinum jewellery with coloured stones and diamonds for the cool look this summer. Says Gautam Chadha, “for the summer, the gold is taken over by its fairer cousins, white gold and platinum.” Chadha is also hopeful that their coloured stones and diamonds will, “create waves of passion in metal and stones”.

The collection has the usual line of earrings, rings, pendants and bracelets. The designs have been crafted keeping in mind the western influence in clothes and accessories. Chadha adds: “International fashions have deeply influenced our dress sense, our make up sense and our very essence, so jewellery too has taken on new nuances.”

Meanwhile Aastha, a jewellery designing company has come up with an offer, which allows customers “transparency, information and self-analysis” and also helps them decide, “how to purchase and what purchase”. Started by Ashok Jain, Aastha lets customers choose and pay for the jeweller that suits both the tastes and the pocket.

Nail Studio at Basant Lok

Suchita Pillai, Nethra Raghuraman, Ananya Dutt and Anupama Verma at the launch of VLCC Nail Studio.

This one is not for the nail-biting variety. However, for the ones who spend hours filing and painting those long, long nails, VLCC has announced a celebration at its Nail Studio in Basant Lok.

The studio offers services including paraffin pedicures, salt scrubs manicures, X-Press manicures. And the exciting part is the nail extensions, acrylic nails, nail designs, nail piercing, tattoos and nail accessories like fibreglass tips. The studio will also, “provide occasion specific nail art for weddings, parties and gatherings”. The designs apart the studio will also offer nutritional guidance” for maintaining healthy nails.

Italian jewellery house

Bvlgari, the contemporary Italian jewellery house, has opened its first store in the city. The news spells cheer for the few who like boast of a designer piece in their treasure chest.

Located in the Oberoi Hotel, the store, apart from housing jewellery and watches, also offers accessories including silk scarves, ties and handbags. Founded in Rome in 1884, Bvlgari’s patrons include the world’s rich and famous.

Designs for women of all ages

For the summer Natalia has put out a casual line, which talks of “fresh colours, pretty prints and flirty styles”. In cotton, cambric and viols, the designs are for the, “women of all ages who enjoy being conspicuous and young”. Part of the collection are printed capris, crop pants in colours of orange coral, curacao blue and soft mint. Natalia has also introduced a special finish ‘Aromatic Finish’ to impart “durable aroma that last up to 15 washes”. The finish it was added also lends a high degree of softness to the fabrics.

An emotion to be experienced

Inferno’s latest in the lingerie section includes a range that is innovative and classy. 

We were told, “Inferno’s effort’s reflect the desire to make lingerie not simply an item of clothing, but an emotion to be experienced.”

In various cuts and designs the lingerie is available in different fabrics including chiffon, georgette and silk. One is also allowed to make changes to suit personal needs and fancy.

While the colour range is endless, fancy trims like a satin bow, laces and frills are also relied upon for achieving new look.

Original freshness

Simmering summers also mean sweat. And sweat in turn means upturned noses. To help you smell good Oriflame have launched their latest product ‘Believe for women’. A fragrance that combines jasmine and rose with sensual woods, it is being marketed as a must have for women “who believe in themselves”.

Meanwhile for the men, there is Azzaro’s ‘Visit’- a fragrance will abate your visits to the washroom to check your body odour. The spray is, “an original freshness with mesmerising, exotic and woody heart notes sensuality with a musky base”, claim the makers. They add, “the fragrance opens with an aura of spice freshness of cardamom, nutmeg and pink pepper”.

Dupatta tera sat rang da!

They have held a special place in the wardrobe for years and have rejuvenated themselves too. 

From plains ones to embroidered extravagance, from the lace and sequin variety to the silks with prints, duppattas have helped create a distinct style statement.

One place where the duppatta lovers can indulge themselves in is the Punjab Emporium, which has introduced a colourful range with the classic Phulkari.

These duppattas, which have been designed keeping in mind the latest fashion dictates are available in crepe, chiffon and even synthetic. 

Jewellery show bedazzles one and all

A model displaying a unique multi-coloured antique range in gold and diamond to celebrate the launch of 'Carat Couture' by Manish & Nikhil at a fashion show in the Capital. — Tribune Photo Mukesh Aggarwal

Enchanting, dazzling, bewitching! These are only a few adjectives that can best used to describe the gorgeous display of jewellery designed by Manish and Nikhil at their fashion show at Olive in Mehrauli on Friday evening.

The occasion also marked the launch of Manish and Nikhil’s designer jewellery boutique called ‘Carat Couture’. The 25-minute show was choreographed by Rashmi Virmani, where well-known models like Poonam Nath, Sampada Inamdar, Sunalika, Sapna Kumar, Sishti Srivastava flaunted jewellery designers Manish and Nikhil’s latest range of jewellery titled - Antique Desires, Bedazzled and Bridal Glory.

In what can be called a soothing floral ambience, model-compere Mehr Bhasin announced that the first sequence of the show was all about ‘Bedazzled’- Manish and Nikhil’s new collection inclined towards the needs of those women, who have a penchant for a western and contemporary look. Created in white gold-studded with cognac and white coloured diamonds, black pearls, amethysts, peridots, rubies and sapphires, it’s needless to say that this collection is meant for those who dare to be different. The designs are floral, but it’s the chunky look that is bound to appeal to those who crave to stand out in crowd.

While the audience cheered the contemporary chic of ‘Bedazzled’, they were tongue-tied with awe as the next two sequences unveiled the gorgeous ‘Antique Desires’ range by Manish and Nikhil. Created out of a breathtaking combination of multi-coloured stones and diamonds, this spectacular collection comes in a dull antique finish although designed in a contemporary fashion. TNS

A four-step treatment

While curls may be in, there are plenty who still crave for that silky straight mane. Schwarzkopf is offering them straight therapy. A four-step treatment, the therapy lasts for a god six months.

The first step being preparation and protection, the second being application and processing, followed by treatment and ironing. The therapy ends with fixing and finishing.

And offering to conceal, “limp hair” is Color Plus, an herbal shampoo, which promises, “long, black and lustrous hair”.

Wella too has launched its range of hair colours, ‘Romantic Inspirations’, the collection has 14 new shades. The four looks that Wella is promoting are the Romantic waves, Romantic fields, Romantic Reflections and Romantic Jewels.

Coming to skin, Himalaya drug company has launched the Nourishing Skin Cream that “revives, refreshes, rejuvenates the skin and provides all day nourishment” for all skin types. The cream is enriched with Aloe Vera, Indian Kino Tree, Winter Cherry and Indian Pennywort plant.

Nevada International’s Cream Bleach is a concoction of herbs and A.H.A chemical, for a glowing skin. The makers claim that the product does not cause burning sensation.