An Ode To Prashant Goyal’s Heritage India Fashions
APRIL
2022
India ₹ 200.00 UK/Europe € 6.00 USA/Canada $ 5.00
A MAGNA PUBLICATION
S t yle
Fearless & Fab • Katrina Kaif, Mouni Roy & Shibani Dandekar
Fashion & Bridal
Tour De Force
• Sukhmani & Jaskaran’s Dream Wedding
Sass & Passion • Ranjana Gupta’s Art & Soul connection • Dr Kabra’s ‘skin’tillating secrets revealed
Style
Alia Bhatt’s Bridal Best & Myriad Moods
Manish Malhotra’s Eclectic DIFFUSE line Khubsuurat.com’s pretty ‘n’ plus sized
Masaba Gupta’s Tryst With ‘Emily In Paris’ Gaurav Gupta’s Fashion Tour
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Cover Story: Alia Dazzles ................................................................................................. 06 Many Looks Of Alia: Awesome April Bride - Meet Mrs Alia Bhatt Kapoor! ................ 16 Fearless Brides: The Bold & The Beautiful Brides ........................................................ 20 Wedding Bells: Sukhmani & Jaskaran’s Dream Wedding ............................................. 25 Art Corner: Ranjana’s Art to Soul connection ................................................................ 32 Style Stepper: Nidhhi Agerwal ........................................................................................ 38 Fashion Forward: Manish Malhotra’s Diffuse ............................................................... 42 A Salute to Heritage India Fashions: Prashant Goyal ................................................ 50 Going Global: Masaba Gupta in Emily In Paris .............................................................. 58 Pretty ‘n’ Plus Sized: Khubsuurat.com .......................................................................... 62 Designer’s Corner: Gaurav Gupta ................................................................................. 68 Retro Magic: Swatee Singh .............................................................................................. 76 ‘Skin’tillating: Dr Kabra’s Vitiligo Free secrets for brides revealed ............................. 82 STARDUST is published monthly by the proprietors MAGNA PUBLISHING CO. LTD., Magna House, 100/E Old Prabhadevi Road. Mumbai - 400025, India. Tel No: 91-22-67091234. Editorial texts and illustrations are the copyright of the publishers of this magazine. No one may reproduce any material before permission is obtained in writing. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai (India) only 2020 Copyright Magna Publishing Co Ltd. Volume No 2 (No. 1) Please address all your advertising, subscriptions and trade enquiries for to: Magna Publishing Inc, 125 Central Park North, PH4, New York NY 10026. T: 212-725-7833 F: 212-889-3250 E: stardustmagazine@aol.com
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COVER STORY
! s e l z z a D a i l A
Dressed in a bespoke, Rimple & Harpreet White Couture Saree, Alia Bhatt made heads turn at the Berlin Film Festival. In fact, both Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Alia Bhatt wore Rimple & Harpreet for the screening of Gangubai Kathawadi.
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Alia of course dazzled. Making an appearance in a pristine white saree from Rimple & Harpreet, Alia Bhatt looked gorgeous at the screening of Gangubai Kathiawadi at the Berlin Film Festival.
Outfit: @rimpleandharpreet Jewellery: @abfjewels Styled by: @stylebyami 7
Designed For Alia For this special appearance, designer duo Rimple & Harpreet envisioned Alia Bhatt in a pristine ivory silk chiffon saree, keeping the thematic essence of Gangubai in mind as well as creating a look that was a modern classic. Alia is a powerhouse of talent; one of the most stunning actresses of her generation and it was an outand-out joy for the label to design this very special saree for her.
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The Perfect Look It took many man hours and a team of master karigars to complete the saree which features delicate handcrafted embroideries referenced from archival Edwardian and French Lace Shawls. The embroideries were rendered using jaali-work, shadow embroidery, silk floss threads, mother of pearl paillettes, hand-cut sequins and imported pearls of varying sizes. The scalloped palla was finished off with a hand-knotted silk dori macramé fringe. The look was complemented with a handcrafted minaudière and a plush lamé-pashmina shawl with pearl-work borders to ward off the Berlin chill.
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Designed For Him For Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Rimple & Harpreet decided to stay true to his inherent understated elegance and came up with a tonal black sherwani that features an all over tessellated texture derived from sacred geometry. It was paired with a classic ivory kurta and pants. “It was an absolute pleasure to design for Mr Bhansali & Alia Bhatt for the screening of Gangubai Kathiawadi at Berlin film festival. Though we regularly style celebrities on red carpet and movies, this was special because the entire ensemble for Alia has been created exclusively for the screening, keeping her personal style & comfort in consideration. A full team of skilled karigars worked day and night to create the saree in record time.” Says Rimple Narula of Rimple & Harpreet Rimple & Harpreet Narula are one of India’s top wedding couture designer labels who, in a span of years, have captured the imagination of millennial brides with their dreamlike couture replete with intricate craftsmanship. The label excels in creating outfits that are luxurious, has a touch of traditional Indian craftsmanship and gives brides a unique style to carry.
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Having completed two decades in the industry, today Rimple and Harpreet Narula are one of the most sought after designers in the bridal couture sector and no wonder brides all around the world love wearing their label on their wedding day. The designers received international recognition and acclaim for the regal costumes they designed for Bollywood blockbuster ‘Padmaavat’.
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Awesome April Bride
– Meet Mrs Alia Bhatt Kapoor! Everybody is talking about Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor’s marriage. Indeed, Alia sure made a beautiful bride and her look in pure ivory was ethereal. We put together several stunning bridal looks of Alia that showcase the perfect bridal look. Alia looks fab in a Mohey ensemble. Mohey - India’s leading celebration wear brand have added fresh styles to the wedding collection and curated a list of bridal fashion trends of 2022 for this wedding season. The brand ambassador for Mohey is Alia Bhatt. Hair by @flavienheldt Make up by @puneetbsaini Managed by @vaishalib2907 @grish1234 Assisted by @gaurvivdesai @charulata1 Photography by @rahuljhangiani 16
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Alia wears a blush pink lehenga, handpicked for its design-signature, which spins a yarn of ethereal grace! From the house of Manyavar, Mohey is designed to define women’s wedding wear. Indeed, Alia looks stunning as her look blends trends with traditions and the fabric, hues, cut, stitch, embellishments, attention to little details, and other facts set it apart.
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Mesmerising Alia Bhatt in Sawan Gandhi’s luminous gold sequin saree.
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FEARLESS BRIDES
e h t d n a d l The Bo s e d i r B l u f i Beaut
They are fearless, independent and spirited. Meet Bollywood brides Katrina Kaif, Mouni Roy and Shibani Dandekar who have broken stereotype to wed the man of their dreams their way, in their style.
Katrina Kaif got married to her secret beau Vicky Kaushal in a high powered wedding ceremony in Rajasthan. Her bridal style was independent yet traditional. Engagement: Katrina paid tribute to her British heritage by wearing a beautiful vintage-inspired couture sari with a trailing veil by Sabyasachi. It had a silhouette like an English wedding gown. The pastel tulle sari had intricate hand-cut English flowers embroidered and semi-precious gems and crystals on it. It was paired with a statement uncut diamond choker detailed with opals and pale Russian emeralds, with matching earrings from Sabyasachi Heritage Jewellery. 20
Wedding: Katrina went traditional in a classic Sabyasachi red bridal lehenga in handwoven matka silk with fine tilla work and embroidered revival zardozi borders in velvet. Her veil was handmade kiran. The dupatta was draped in the typical Sabyasachi single-dupatta drape with one part tied to her wrist and the other over her head. The lehenga was paired with bespoke bridal jewellery of uncut diamonds in 22k gold with hand-strung pearls from Sabyasachi Heritage Jewellery. Kat embellished it with a mathapatti, nath and jhumkis. She wore customised kaleere by Mrunalini Chandra with coins dangling from them like charms. Anaita Shroff Adajania styled the bespoke kaliras with customized messages from the bride herself. Each bangle carried 6-7 messenger dove details and the charms and coins had messages from Katrina. She also wore smaller dangling kaleeras and chuda by Raabta by Rahul. 21
Mouni Roy married her longtime beau Suraj Nambiar in Goa. The couple celebrated their roots by having two wedding ceremonies - a Malayali wedding in the morning followed by a Bengali one late evening. Her style was independent and typically Mouni. For her South Indian wedding, Mouni wore an exquisite white silk saree with a red and golden border embellished by an array of heavy temple jewellery. Her necklace featured a festoon of Lord Ganesha and completed her look with a kamar bandh and a gajraadorned braid.
The trad Bengali bridal look had Mouni in a quintessential red lehenga with heavy gold embroideries and an elaborate border. She had a double dupatta with one of them neatly set on her head as a veil - the border of her veil was embroidered with ‘Aayushmati’. A glorious ensemble of polki and emerald jewellery completed her look.
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Shibani Dandekar tied the knot with the maverick Farhan Akhtar at Javed Akhtar’s home Sukoon. Her beautiful mermaid style red gown was simply stunning. The theme was boho from the rustic yet chic decor to the floral accessories on the bride herself.
A duo of white and pink roses draped with mogra in the side-parted hair and a yellow, orange and pink tinted flower bangle tied the brides’ vibrant look together.
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WEDDING BELLS
s ’ n a r a k s a J Sukhmani & g n i d d e W m Drea It was a fairy tale like love story which culminated into a stunningly beautiful dream wedding. Meet the gorgeous Sukhmani and the handsome Jaskaran whose wedding has created quite a buzz. We caught up with the effervescent Sukhmani and found out details about the beautiful #JaSukh wedding that has caused such a furore in New York City. Indeed, it was the wedding of the year!
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Sukhmani, you’ve had such a beautiful wedding, and you looked absolutely beautiful, could you tell us about your love story? How did you and Jaskaran meet? Once upon a time... at a rooftop in NYC, I met my husband-to-be. It was a winter cold evening, a day after a snow storm. The air was crisp with snowflakes still blessing us from the sky and the ground was covered with mountains of snow. So, I got into the elevator, all nervous but calm and hungry (as usual), to have dinner with a man who was persistent, charming, sweet but non clingy, stylish but not a showoff, smart but not cunning and most importantly, Indian not only American. My heart was beating furiously and it does so each time I retrace back to the first time our lives intertwined. I have a photogenic memory of the dark gray fitted sweater, boots and furry warm Canada Goose jacket. We ate. We cracked ‘knock knock’ jokes (mine were better). We shared secrets. We discussed dream jobs. We laughed. We stayed till the restaurant closed. We were an instant click. Fast forward: My father, mother, sister, brother and pet dog Angel… all said ‘We Do’ to Jaskaran. After receiving their blessings, the masterminds came up with pulling off the most top-secret magical surprise proposal. Not one soul outside of the two families knew, including relatives and closest of friends. It was as if I was in a movie. There were violinists playing “our song” Eastside & red roses creating a path towards the beautifully decorated gazebo that had lights and red heart balloons wrapped around it. My heart was being so fast (I think it may have even skipped a beat) and my mind was in total shock. I was surrounded by all my best friends and family and close friends. Immediately after I said ‘I Do’, there was another surprise and my always desire, to have fireworks …played! It was absolutely perfect. Just like JasKaran and his soul. I couldn’t wait for my perfectly balanced life with him. I used to wake up every day excited and blessed to count down days till my fairytale wedding with my Prince! 27
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You had a dream wedding, how did you decide on the theme? Thank you. Each event had a different theme. I wanted my wedding to be a blend of our Indian traditions while mixing in the Spainish theme as we were set to be married at the Ritz Carlton in Barcelona but due to Covid opted for an intimate New York ceremony. At the Bridal Shower: I wore a Blue American dress for it was a Greek Theme My Sangeet: I wore a vibrant Floral blend of Indian and western wear Haldi: It was patalvi with parandis (punjabi shalwar) for my haldi ceremony My mehndi: Of course, it was a sari. My beautiful wedding: The theme was Shades of Green for the Wedding Ceremony. Which designers have you used? It was Sabyasachi for my wedding lehenga and Nazarana Boutique USA based designer for my sangeet. https://nazranaanj.com For Jaskaran Jharna custom design for all the events. 30
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F A RT CORNER
Ranjana’s Art To Soul Connection She is a brilliant lawyer but beyond that, her creativity has winged beyond boundaries. Her vibrant art celebrates life with myriads of splashes of colors that practically jump out of the canvas, while her soothing spiritual motifs – many of which are peppered creatively with the rudraksha, Sanskrit shlokas or Indian scriptures like Om, the perfect balm to the troubled soul. Meet the striking Dubaibased Ranjana Gupta who has scaled creative heights with her stunning art, extremely beautiful jewellery designs and her many ingenious pursuits. Read on as this charming free-spirited creative soul talks about her art, creative designs and more…
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Ranjana, you were working as a litigating lawyer in India and then moved into the corporate world in Dubai… and you are an amazing artist and are into jewelry designing too - two diversely opposite sides – almost like two poles apart, but you have bridged the gap, could you tell us a bit about your journey from being a hard-core lawyer to corporate honcho to being an artist? All of us are multi-faceted and have various skills. When we look into ourselves, we discover talents and interest that we never knew existed. Being a Lawyer is the logical and practical side of me, and creating art is a spiritual side. My legal and corporate background helps me to read people and learn about the various issues that arise in the journey of life. It has taught me how to negotiate and handle problems internally as well as externally. Creativity is guided by the spiritual self, and helps me internalize and express emotions in different ways and forms. Being in the Lawyer attire life is practical and black and white. Being Creative is the peaceful and spiritual side. They both coexist in all of us. Tell us about your bond with art? Since my childhood, my most favorite festival has been Holi – The Festival of Colors. I used to love the way colors were thrown in the air and the various hues it would create. We would paint each other and I loved seeing the colors blend. That time I had no idea that I have a creative instinct in me till I got married and came to Dubai. I could not afford a designer then to do up my house… and there started my creative journey. I challenged myself and tried recycling items in my house and started to create pieces for decoration, painted the walls and used bricks and sand to create rustic corners around the house. I learnt then that I enjoyed that space of mine where there was peace, excitement and a connect that was blissful. Art became my spiritual form of expression. Whether it is painting, jewellery pieces or giving a new look to the existing antique furniture, till date I myself do the interiors of my house and hence my house is my Soul reflection. 34
You’ve used several mediums in your craft – from sand and stone to remarkable Sanskrit shlokas, tell us about this? I have grown up seeing my parents doing their daily prayers and chanting Sanskrit Shlokas and without any doubt, I owe this to them. Resulting I have a spiritual side in me and hence, the fascination with Sanskrit shlokas. The very sound and the vibration from the chanting of Mantras / Shlokas fills me up with energy that is positive and powerful. Since I feel I am incomplete without the chants, I started incorporating these Mantras / Shlokas in my paintings as well. Your use of color is striking, in fact, your paintings are a myriad of wonderful hues, tell us about this? I love colors as they have the power to convey moods and feelings. It plays an important role in our lives and how
we respond to surroundings. I feel that it also plays a huge role in human interaction. Hues help to convey across messages that are underlined. Just like our life, some characters are prominent and some are hidden. We need to look deep inside to discover our true colors. Red is a powerful color and invokes strength, emotion and power. Orange is known to provoke energy, enthusiasm, excitement and spirituality. This universe is full of vibrancy and positivity. I am a part of this universe and am naturally attracted to these colors, as vibrancy is my personality. Before you start a painting, what goes in your mind; is there anything special that you do before you start your paintings? I start visualizing before I start to paint. It’s a world within those projects itself through the mind. I believe that I get into this beautiful zone of excitement and a peaceful frame of mind. I believe that there is always a spiritual power that guides me and helps me recreate my imagination on the canvas.
You have not had any formal training; do you think this is an advantage or a disadvantage? I have a lot of respect and admiration for all the artists who create absolutely stunning pieces of art that are masterpieces. The advantages are so many of being a trained artist as they know the techniques and the skill to create such realistic paintings. I did not train as I feel that I like to experiment and play around with my own imagination. It’s fascinating for me to try and recreate my imagination on the canvas. As with every canvas, I learn and discover a new element of myself. So I do not follow any rules and am guided by my Instinct only. Painting for me is learning and discovering myself, with the spirit being my only guide. You also design some stunning jewelry, tell us about this? I love antique silver jewelry. So sometimes I buy these pieces, and then there are times when an idea strikes. I try designing it and get it made by putting together pendants, beads, rudraksha, colored stones etc. That’s when “A One of a Kind Unique Piece” is created. 35
This is something which is made with lots of passion for the love of strong women. I feel jewellery always adds more grace, beauty and it enhances the essence of our persona and completes the look.
I believe your favorite is the Rudraksha which you have used in many of your designs, tell us about this? Yes, Rudraksha is my favorite as I love and Worship Shiva - The Omnipresent. Rudraksha as we know means Tears of Shiva. The name “Rudra” is one of the 1008 names of the Hindu Deity Shiva and the word “Aksha” means tears in Sanskrit. 36
The color, the rustiness and the very look of it creates an attraction within me. I started using Rudraksha Beads in Silver Jewelry as I wanted to wear it all the time because it adds positivity, protection, guard, vibrancy and peace within me. Through your legal outfit in India ‘Ground Reality Consulting’ you continue to offer legal consulting handling corporate, family and civil related cases - how do you find the time? I feel when there is passion and inclination, one will always find time. I work very closely with my partner and the team in Delhi (India) and guess it is because of them, we are able to do the work in sync. You are also an integral part of your husband Ajay’s international procurement & logistics business. How do you find the time to do all this and more? We all have 24 hours in a day and once you have learnt the art of managing your hours for family and work, it then works on an auto mode.
You are also venturing into a food-related business. What are your plans for this? I have come a long way right from the concept, drawing board, recipe, tasting by the food connoisseurs, branding etc. If all goes as planned, we should be launching it soon - I guess there is a right time for everything.
I think you are wonderfully multifaceted, what are the other things that get all passionate beside art? Apart from being passionate about cooking, I love music, travelling, reading, adventure, sports, yoga, jogging etc. How do you balance your artistic side, corporate and lawyer side, as well as the businesswoman side? I truly believe that there are so many more successful and highly accoladed women out there, who I admire and I get inspired. I am still trying to make a place for myself and have a long way to go. I guess being a lawyer and being creative comes naturally to me and they coexist, so I don’t feel like I am balancing anything – that’s me and my different hues. How do you balance your personal and professional life? My husband is my guide and my biggest critique. He is a great support who has always encouraged and supported me with all my whims and ideas. My daughter has never been too demanding and has always encouraged me to achieve my dreams. Hence all works well in sync.
If our readers want to buy your paintings or jewellery, where can they contact you? All the art pieces that I create can be bought through my e-commerce website www. ministryofcolors.online 37
STYLE STEPPER
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The gorgeous Niddhi Agerwal debuted opposite Bollywood’s hottest hunk Tiger Shroff in the film ‘Munna Michael’. Currently, as the Brand Ambassador of Morpheus Brandy by Radico Khaitan, the super stylish Niddhi was in Mumbai and we caught up with her to dissect her style quotient.
What is your favourite style statement? Personally, I feel that a style statement should reflect You! It is important to dress according to one’s personality and enhance oneself. Trends are temporary, but your style defines your personality. So, wearing one’s attitude with any clothes and accessories will make you own it as your style. So, whatever makes me comfortable and confident, I feel that becomes my style statement. You are here for a particular brand. What made you collaborate with them? Yes, I am currently here for a photoshoot for Morpheus Brandy from the house of RadicoKhaitan. Morpheus has been a brand that strives to be unique, especially with its tagline ‘Dare To Dream’. This has been my mantra of life too and I have always believed and dared to dream big and achieving the goals. So, I feel the collaboration with Morpheus has been a perfect synergy.
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“ Personally, I feel that a style
statement should reflect You!
You have such a great complexion and hair. Tell us about your skin and hair routine? I completely believe in natural remedies for a long-term goodness of skin. Apart from keeping my skin moisturised externally, I feel it is more important to keep in moisturised internally and dollops of Ghee does the trick. It not just keeps my gut healthy, it also helps my skin glow. So, yes a lot of intake of Ghee in my diet is the key. As far as my hair is concerned, I feel I am blessed to have got my mom’s genes. She has beautiful hair and I am glad to have inherited that from her. What would we find in your handbag right now? Chocolates, lipstick, lip balm, an ID card and that’s about it. The one thing you’ll always definitely find in my bag is chocolates. I love dark chocolate because it is healthier and helps me to keep a balance of my sweet intake.
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What are your favourite makeup items? Mascara, I love it! For a girl I think mascara is important as it enhances the beauty of eyes and it’s my ‘go to’ make up item. What is the fashion statement you would like to make? As I mentioned earlier, being confident in one’s skin is the most important aspect. For my style statement, I believe anything from clothes to accessories if I feel confident and comfortable, I am able to exude the same. Whether it is business suit or night clothes or gown or anything Indian, if I am comfortable, it will look stylish. It is important for one to know your body and carry if off well. Don’t wear something you are not comfortable in, irrespective of any trend.
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FASHION FORWARD
Ace Fashion designer Manish Malhotra presents “DIFFUSE’ – Bridge Line
Manish Malhotra introduces ‘DIFFUSE’ - an attainable and accessible line for the younger demographic. Indeed, Manish Malhotra’s first of forever - a new, conscious-priced line #FindYourCore makes a splash with prints. The patterns and colours run high on the spirit of summer, yet seasons out all year round, and the formal silhouettes join forces with youth-centric celebrations. 42
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Manish Malhotra avers: “You look the part without looking like everyone else. The line draws the curtains to just adhering to the invitations, dress how you want to be addressed. Be yourself!” 47
Fashion Core – what we can expect? The onset of spring screams colours and radiance in volumes; from vibrant, chic details to bold prints, there is something for everyone. As we head into the year, brimming full of anticipation, we’re looking at a season of gatherings in galore. More drama, merrier the experience. Contemporary silhouettes in sequins, tassels, beads, feathers, metallics, Swarovski favours Manish Malhotra’s maximalist glitz and glamour, giving occasion dressing a party-ready update. 48
Watch out; who knows, you might bump into Manish Malhotra’s Alter Ego while you find your core. 49
STYLE SHOW
A SALUTE TO HERITAGE INDIA FASHIONS
Prashant Goyal’s exquisite Heritage India Fashions has been the talk of the town. His stunning designs, vibrant colors, beautiful authentic fabrics and embroideries have made his clients fall in love with his amazing creations over and over again. Let’s catch up with the genius behind Heritage India Fashions and their beautiful ensembles – Prashant Goyal, who speaks about how he produces his awesome collections and more… 50
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What sparked your interest in fashion? I was influenced at an early age, surrounded by design elements, at my family run factory in Delhi, India where they manufactured many items including clothing. I was surrounded by many exotic colorful fabrics, embroidery, beads, jewels, rhinestones, which sparked my curiosity in design and fashion and were an integral part of my heritage.
What made you take fashion more seriously and make a career out of it? I wanted to use the best fabrics with cultural richness. I began to understand the materials and was able to explore new fabrics and charging fair prices. 52
Are you self-taught or did you study fashion design and why did you want to work as a fashion designer? Self-taught. I love designing and creating. I love to see the smile on our client’s faces. I love to see the culture and the trade continue as it has lost its place in Western fashion. The old artists are dying out. I want to bring this trade back to life and continue creating and inspiring the young designers. There is a lot of potential in handwork. Handmade is very “indemand” in the world. People want to buy handmade, not machine-made.
How has your work evolved since you began your own label? My designs have been featured on TV - House of Cards; Movies, Eat Pray Love, starring Julia Roberts and I have dressed and styled celebrities’ like Priyanka Chopra, Glen Close, Martha Stewart, Rachel Weisz, just to name a few; anything South Asian, more Moroccan & Indian styles. …What started as a passion, grew into an empire that I am so grateful to have. My team in India works very diligently at the factory to help make my visions come to life. 53
Could you give me a detailed breakdown of the steps in producing a collection? 1) Design Creation – Coming up with designs, style; what’s in fashion? What are the colors? Embellishments? What is the statement I want to make with this collection? I remember times in my travels that are very memorable, which has inspired me to create certain types of one-of-a-kind pieces. 2) Drawing the Idea – Freestyle or by use of a computer. 3) Material Selection – I pick out materials that are best suited for the collection. What season? Winter, Summer? Spring, Fall Collection? I take that into consideration. 3) Sewing – I send my drawings to my team to execute and bring my designs to fruition. I never like to rush. Each collection takes about 1 year to make. I like to tailor one-of-a kind and unique pieces. My collection needs to make a statement. I picture the look of the design on models and I’m very particular and selective in my designs. Where do you spot trends as you go along? I like to create my own trends. My mind creates unique designs from the many influences around me including, the people, cultures, colors, fabrics that I experience throughout life and in my travels. Could you give me examples from past experiences where you demonstrated business acumen? It is important to always be professional throughout life and interject humor along the way. You can’t be serious all the time and need to enjoy what you do. Always consider your customer and make them feel confident and happy in the fashions you create for them. This will go far in business. Have your pieces become more appealing to people as a result? Yes, definitely, as word spread this helped my business grow. 54
How do influences from outside of India find their way into your work? During my travels, I was inspired by the different cultures which influenced my designs. When I traveled to Austria, I was fascinated with the Swarovski Crystals, and incorporated them into my gowns. In Honolulu, HI, I was influenced by the intricate beading work on their traditional clothing. We are known for our quality, merchandise, and designs. Our clients wear our outfits and gave us outstanding reviews.
Describe a situation when you were under pressure in your design work and how you handled it? In 2019, I was asked to make 11 outfits for a themed display, for the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas, NV. In under 4 weeks, I was tasked to make a collection, under extreme pressure. This was a big client of ours. The designs were sent to my artists all over India to collect the fabrics and create these one-of-a-kind pieces. Push came to shove; I had the pieces shipped from India within 3.5 weeks - I was able to ship my collection to Vegas in a span of hours. They were able to display it on time and my design line was featured for two months. 55
Why did you choose a career as a Fashion Designer? It was in my blood. I grew up in a family-run clothing business in India and New York. We used raw cloth. I was fascinated with art, jewels, beads, embroidery, exotic and antique fabrics, and everything design related. Even though I went to business school, I followed my passion. I am so glad I chose this profession despite the many challenges I faced. It has shaped me into the designer I am today. What are your greatest strengths, and how will they help you as a Fashion Designer? My strengths are my wife, Ruchi. She inspires me. She is our Company stylist for clients and celebrities. She has a vision of fashion and art and is also creative in her on line of making handmade crochet designs for women.
Tell us about the Indian Bridal Couture Collection? The Indian Bridal Couture Collection was created to have women look glamorous Beautiful in our one of a kind statement pieces. We make our own trends as it is important to be unique in every design. Heritage India Fashions is a clothing brand that caters to all women and men that want to wear the best in Indian Fashion in New York. We pride ourselves in providing the best in designs, materials and elite customer service. 56
Models @genevieve.madison_ @lilykeefer_ @sergio_delavicci @quann_boyd @khanhammadnyc Actress / Producer @officialmicheelleeromano Photographers @bobschultzphotography @johnmartinproductions @traiforrester Makeup & Hair @jp_artcessoriesjp @nishavarmamakeup @zealmakeupstudio Heritage Stylist Ruchi Goyal @ruchigoyaldesigns Celebrity Designer Prashant Goyal @prashantcgoyal Clothing Fashion Brand Heritage India Fashions @heritageindiafashions
Heritage India Fashions , 131 Lexington Avenue, New York NY 10016 212.481.0325, 917.385.8796, 917.991.4856 www.heritageindiafashions.com info@heritageindiafashions.com
@heritageindiafashions @prashantcgoyal 57
GOING GLOBAL
Masaba Gupta goes global; her label takes center stage in the show Emily in Paris House of Masaba is tailor-made for the dynamic style needs across the globe. Known for its perfect amalgamation of traditional and contemporary values, the brand has a massive international appeal. 58
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Just recently, the second season of Emily in Paris saw Mindy Chen (played by Ashley Park) donning Masaba Gupta’s Red Tribal Mask Maxi Jacket. Emily in Paris boasts a huge fan following across the globe. And watching House of Masaba take center stage in the show’s styling is indeed a proud moment! Ashley Park paired the long red jacket with printed yoga pants. The bold black motifs on the shrug were the highlight of the ensemble! The actress kept her hair loose and opted for a casual vibe. 61
PRETTY ‘N’ PLUS SIZED!
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Khubsuurat.com for plus sized women is creating excitement for fashion conscious women of all sizes throughout the globe. Stardust caught up with the dynamic CEO of Utshob Group, the venture behind Utshob. com and Khubsuurat.com, Raihan Zaman who talks about his winning designs, his venture Utshob.com, Khubsuurat.com and more.
One of Bangladesh’s most prominent businessmen, Raihan Zaman is known to be the man with the Midas touch, for whatever he dabbles in, turns to gold. As CEO of the Utshob Group, which is one of the most prosperous conglomerates of Bangladesh, Mr Zaman has strategically placed the company right on top of the ladder. Currently, Utshob Group under Mr Zaman’s able leadership is operating in 45 countries, with its headquarters in New York, USA and a corporate office in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Bangladesh. He is the mastermind behind the fabulous Utshob.com - the first cross-border e-commerce of Bangladesh which has created magic in the e-commerce segment. The history of Utshob Group dates back to 2005 when Utshob.com was born. Now, the group is running 18 corporate units in nine countries and 10 corporate buildings. So what is the group known for? Utshob Group has been marketing high-end cosmetics, lifestyle and electronics consumers products, Business solutions, Pharmaceuticals, Agriculture business, IT solutions, Courier business, Creative Advertising solution and many more to B2C and B2B. Moreover, the group is performing its CSR activities through its own foundation – Utshob Foundation. Indeed their corporate strategy which emphasizes efficiency, convenience, innovation, and superior customer satisfaction, is par excellence. Indeed, Mr Zaman is known as one of the top businessman simply because he makes sure that customer satisfaction is top priority. Today his venture the very glamorous and stunning Khubsuurat.com caters for plus sized woman, a sector much neglected. Thanks to his foresight, women of all sizes and shapes can find the most well-designed, beautiful and stunning ensembles to look their very best. Kudos to the very charming and able Raihan Zaman who talks to Stardust about his winning ventures Utshob.com, Khubsuurat.com and more…
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Please give us some information about your background - your education/ experience before you started Utshob. com? I came to the United States to pursue my higher studies in 1993. I started gaining popularity after joining Hillside Honda in New York as a sales representative. Soon I became one of the most successful entrepreneurs. Riding on my previous reputation, I embarked on this project of utshob.com, one of the first platforms of Utshob Group. 64
Which year did you start utshob.com? The journey of Utshob.com started in the year 2005. Under the Utshob umbrella, what are the different businesses that you are involved in? We have 18 concerns running all under one umbrella of Utshob Group. We have a wide range of different businesses such as highend cosmetic and lifestyle products retailer, clothing retailer, business solutions,
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agriculture development, courier service, advertising agency, e-magazine, charitable foundation, and much more.
Which other countries do you have business operations other than USA and Bangladesh? Do you have branch offices in other countries? Utshob group is currently working in 45 countries and has its headquarters in New York, USA. It also has corporate offices in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Bangladesh.
What was the idea/vision behind starting Khubsuurat.com? The idea/vision behind our initiative was to provide all beautiful plus-sized ladies around the world with high-end and fashionable clothing crafted to fit them like a custom-tailored glove at reasonable prices that makes them feel exquisite, graceful and serene in their own skin. And we seek to bring the finesse of these ensembles into your personal wardrobe located in any corner of the world.
Please explain the concept of Khubsuurst. com? At Utshob Group, we are constantly finding new ways to solve the problems of people in different paths of life. We realized that there’s a gap in the clothing industry for plus- sized women. Therefore, we wanted to bridge this particular gap and provide them with beautiful traditional outfits tailored to perfection. Do you think there is not much choice for women in readymade traditional wear for plus and plus size women? In readymade traditional wear, there is a great disparity in terms of different body types. In most cases, they have only 2 or 3 basic dress sizes catered to fit all body types. Therefore, plus sized women suffer a great deal because they can never purchase their desired outfits due to the lack of the right size.
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How do your tailors take measurements for stitching? Our customers provide us with their desired measurements while ordering through the website. Later the measurements are provided to the tailor to get the best customized results. Where do you stand in terms of pricing? Is it more expensive as it is custom made? We have kept our pricing quite standard by keeping the current market in mind. The fact that our dresses are specially tailored to our customers choices does not affect our pricing policy. Even with our tailor service I would say that the prices of the dresses are reasonable and easily affordable.
What is the procedure and timeline once the customer places the order on Khubsuurat.com? The customer needs to place their order through our website. They can add their desired specifications for the dress through the website. After an order is placed the tailored dress will take 15 to 20 days to reach the customer. What choice do you have for selection of fabric? We provide our customers with a wide range of fabric to choose for that can be used for any occasion. The types of fabric we have available are georgette, cotton, net, art silk, velvet, chiffon, organza, masoori silk, chanderi and lawn.
How do you manage after sale? If the fitting is not correct, how do you rectify it? Usually there isn’t any chance of incorrect fitting as we take the measurements beforehand and customize it accordingly. However, if such occurrences do take place, the customer will be getting a fair return policy that aligns with our terms and conditions. Are all the dresses stitched locally in USA or some in Bangladesh too? We have our dresses manufacturing in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the USA. Do you intend to host a fashion show for Bangla/Indian traditional wear? We are not planning anything like a fashion show at the moment. But we are definitely open to the idea in the near future. 67
DESIGNERS CORNER
“I see a collective consciousness rising towards the environment, a rise in ethical fashion with less wastage and more conscious choices.” – Gaurav Gupta
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He is one of the most popular designers in India. His designs are aesthetic, tasteful and extremely creative. Meet one of India’s biggest and best designers Gaurav Gupta who talks about changing fashion trends post pandemic.
Gaurav, yours has been a long and successful journey in the fashion industry. How do you feel the fashion industry has evolved? The Fashion industry has evolved from conventional runway shows to festivals of fashion that celebrate positivity, inclusivity, and the rich cultural lineage with exuberant designs. With unique and thoughtprovoking concepts, the fashion industry is trying to bring the best and neverseen-before experiences to consumers.
These larger than life, yet meaningful experiences will help pave the way for more exploration, fashion, and style in the future. Definite names in the fashion industry, Blenders Pride Fashion Tour and FDCI have opened a world of avenues and created platforms for the young and budding talent across the nation. In fact, the platforms have remained dedicated to supporting India’s unique design flavours and aesthetic by collaborating with some of the best names in fashion, thereby standing with the Indian designer community in these challenging times. The post pandemic world made us realise the importance and potential of digitalization, hosting a virtual show was something that we had not imagined nor anticipated. The sense of magic that is created during a physical show was now replicated and reached out to millions digitally. 69
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Hosting the first-ever digital India Couture Week was a moment of pride for each one of us from the fashion fraternity. I see a collective consciousness rising towards the environment, a rise in ethical fashion with less wastage and more conscious choices. There’ll be real dialogue and understanding around sustainability. The Blenders Pride Fashion Tour ‘The Showcase’ will be one of the turning points as it will pave the way for such platforms to be the center stage for talent across diverse walks of life while upholding the philosophy of consuming better.
In the movies, we used to find people wearing the most outrageous clothes. How would you describe the way it has changed? Especially now with the OTT releases, the clothes seem to be more off the street. People have worn outrageous clothes in movies, but I think it has adapted in real life as well. People have started experimenting for parties, events etc and are wearing statement clothes as well. Even though OTT platforms have a more realistic approach to costume design and fashion in India, the interesting thing is that they are universal and Indian fashion is also influenced by global OTT platforms and global shows. For example,Game of Thrones was an amazing TV Series that affected how people saw costume design all together. OTT platforms have homogenised and globalised fashion simultaneously. 71
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With the pandemic, everything came to a standstill. How did you cope with it personally and professionally? Personally, the pandemic has been great since I got to take a break from a very busy life and reflect upon things that are important. It was great to connect- connect with nature, family and spending that extra time with myself and my family. Professionally it has been a journey, initially it was a struggle as I was scared about how I would retain my craftsmen, staff and workers. Somehow, we managed to do it and what is amazing
about the Indian couture industry is that it is resilient. I have figured that originality and creativity always works, and my team has been the most amazing team Were you a regular OTT consumer during the lockdown? Which all movies/series did you watch? Any discoveries you made in terms of actors or content? During the lockdown I downloaded this platform called MUBI which has all these interesting movies from Cannes and other Artistic films. I also saw some French 73
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animation films on it which was really cool. I discovered old classics and iconic movies on Netflix, last week I was watching The talented Mr. Ripley and recently, I saw the Tamil series Navarasa and I loved Siddharth Suryanarayan’s performance. I also really liked Tandav starring Saif Ali Khan and rewatched Schitt’s Creek. It’s really interesting to see renowned actors give gripping performances on OTT platforms like Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon in Big Little Lies.
Who according to you is the most stylish actor and actress in current times and why? In Bollywood I like Ayushman, I think he carries street style, experimental and progressive evening wear with equal nonchalance and Sonam Kapoor is a fashion icon and has elevated fashion itself. Internationally - Tilda Swinton and Timothee Chalamet are some of my favourites.
The Showcase is a very good initiative that Blenders Pride fashion Tour and FDCI is promoting. As a jury member, what would you be focusing on while making a selection? I am looking for an individual who will echo the vision for the platform and help us redefine the future of the fashion industry. The right attitude and confidence are integral when you need to seize the stage and this is something that I would look for in the contestants. I am expecting young designers to be proud of who they are, be original, to be able to express themselves and be inquisitive. I am expecting their individuality, passion and curiosity to show through their craft. Through the partnership with Blenders Pride Fashion Tour ‘The Showcase’, I want to support the path breakers who will dare to break the stereotypes and create designs that are unconventional and bold. Post pandemic, do you think there will be certain changes in the way fashion is perceived so far? How do you think the established designers, like yourself, will steer it towards better tomorrow? The post pandemic fashion will be more inclusive and accessible. With virtual fashion shows and films, the world of fashion has opened its door to the masses. There is going to be a multiplicity in trends. I see a splurge on maximalism when people come out of the pandemic. And on the other hand, there will be a wave of sustainability and minimalism. With sustainability and local for vocal being buzz words, the entire fashion community, including designers, influencers would have to steer the wheel and adapt thus doing their bit towards creating a better tomorrow. It is the burning need of the hour to work towards saving our planet which is in crisis. We need to treat the matter with utmost gravitas and take a step in ensuring that in our limited capacity, we contribute towards making the planet a better place. I have already started taking conscious steps to be sustainable. I am trying to reuse my excess and rescue carbon footprint. Even our garment covers are woven out of yarn that is made from plastic reclaimed from the ocean and landfills. 75
RETRO MAGIC
It’s retro time as designer Swatee Singh brings back the look ‘n feel of the rocking ‘70s through her LUNA’21 collection that takes you through the ‘70s trends all across Europe.
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Trend Stepper:
This collection is a clear display of how fashion for women during the ‘70s was varied and highly experimental. Popular styles included midi skirts, wide legged pants, voluminous sleeves, scarf collars etc.
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Suited ‘N’ Tailored: In the middle of the decade, women began to enter the workforce at a higher rate, which led to more tailored business styles. LUNA is a collection of timeless pieces, fit and flared midi and maxi dresses that bring amped up work appropriate clothing with stylized jumpsuits, sophisticated midi dresses, coordinates and also high-waisted widelegged pants.
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In the mid-late ‘70s, disco styles were ruling the fashion industry. Check out the metallic pieces in the collection for all those disco nights! Women also moved towards sequined shirts and high slit skirts and dresses. Swatee’s pieces are primarily designed combining metallic hues, deep colours, deep plunging necklines and statement patterns.
Let’s Party:
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Hue Right:
The collection colour card is highly representative of the colours that were preferred during the ‘70s - mahogany, moss green, midnight blue combined with the evergreen scarlet and black.
Available at: In Store & at www.swateesinghlabel.com
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SKIN’TILLATING
‘Skin’tillating Vitiligo Free Secrets for Brides Revealed Indeed, all you brides out there, the disease of Vitiligo need not scar your beautiful life. Internationally acclaimed expert Dr Mahendra Kabra, the founder of Kabra Foundation has a cure as he is on a mission to eradicate Viiligo “Vitiligo need not scar your beautiful,” says internationally acclaimed expert Dr Mahendra Kabra, the founder of Kabra Foundation, who is on a humanitarian mission to eradicate Vitiligo. It took a few years of homeopathy treatment of one of the most stressful, if not physically debilitating diseases in the world - Vitiligo to convert this doctor into a sanguine human. Having set up Kabra Foundation to treat and research Vitiligo, which affects at least one percent of the global population, Dr. Mahendra Kabra, is now on a humanitarian mission. What causes Vitiligo? Vitiligo is caused by the inactivity of the melanocytes, which produces the melanin pigment - lack of these pigments creates the white patch. It is a by-product of environmental and chemical pollution, increased ultra violet radiation from the sun (due to ozone depletion), genetic makeup. This auto immune disorder needs both medical and social attention. Allopathy has no precise handle of the disease: Admitting that allopathy does not have a precise handle of the cause of this disease, Dr. K. Srinivasa Murthy, Secretary, Bangalore (India) Dermatological Society, says, “If someone is curing the poor and rehabilitating them, it’s a noble effort. However, there have been many claims of cure and the true test lies in ensuring that the patches do not recur.” There is a definite cure: Dr Kabra reiterates that though in an allopathy dictionary, Vitiligo is characterized by unknown causes and cure, however, he avers, homeopathy in general - his treatment in particular - take the fundamental internal causes into consideration and with well selected homeopathic medicine, melanin can be produced in the system in its natural form. 82
Dr Kabra elaborates, “We treat our patients through oral and natural medication only with the assurance that if the disease recurs, we will treat them free. There are no external applications, no need to expose the affected skin to the sun or harmful UV lights, no hospitalization and no sideeffects, on the contrary there are many side benefits. Man for all cures! As the treatment takes care of the fundamental cause in the person’s system, it helps to control/cure other associated complaints like arthritis , hypo/ hypertension, acidity, constipation, asthma, eczema and thyroid disorders, and infertility in one’s body… indeed, it is proving good solace to such sufferers. Dr Kabra, incidentally, has been treating these patients since 1987 at six centers in the UK & 20 in India. Thousands of patients have benefited by his treatment. He has been awarded several times over for this scientific research, which also includes an international award.
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Before
After
• World Hom Congress Research Award Honoured • Natural ,Safe & Stable Therapy with Side Benefits • Lifetime recurrence treated free of charge !! • Clinically proven. • Just Oral Natural LM potency pills. • No external medication • No Sun or UV exposure • 40 years long experience of 100000 patients 84
Before
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For further information: Email: totalhealthguru@gmail.com www.drkabra.com. Freedom from Vitiligo at your door step. Teleconsultation is possible: WhatsApp +91-9823056749. Persons residing far away from centers need not travel. It’s enough to WhatsApp or email skin images and then make a video call to avail this opportunity. Medication can shipped.
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