Noor - The South Asian Magazine

A pleasant smile and an enthusiastic aura greeted us from across the screen. Kshitij is seated at his store in Delhi with a rack of his designs brightening the space with color and the charm of fine craft. The label ‘ Kshitij Jalori Ajmer’ almost speaks for itself giving credits to the roots of the designer. He spent the first 18 years of his life wrapped around the green hills of Ajmer soaking in all the learnings of art and craft from school. Art has always been a great influence in his work. Jalori holds pride in the fact that he brings out

art in the textiles he creates. 20 years ago when Indian fashion was still largely centred around the idea of bridal and festive wear Kshitij found the absence of brands that cater to other niches and hence started developing a keen interest and desire to fill in these gaps. Destiny led to Khsitij taking up textile designs in National Institute of fashion technology, Delhi which changed the course of his career helping him discover the unlimited potentials in the field.

The brand follows a made from scratch approach to fashion. With

a textile designer as the founder the brand develops its own designs for the weave, the print and the embellishments. Once the fabric is ready comes in the garment construction.

India holds pride in his textile heritage and close interactions with artisan communities opened doors for the designer in many ways. Today Kshitij works closely with the Bananarasi (silk fabrics with opulent embroidery in gold and silver ), zardosi ( and hand marodi work. The nature of hand crafted textiles and imperfections

like the knots of yarn creating raises on the fabric is what actually adds a one of a kind dimension to it. If you look at luxury products the craftsmanship and labor hours that go into making a hand done piece brings out the best in it.

outfits this vision runs along the lines of seeing these ornate fabrics across runways and streets. That is handmade fabrics meet modern silhouettes.

Life comes to a full circle. Two years ago when Jalori was visiting New York with his wife he came across a store in Soho where he developed a deep desire to sell his garments. He strongly manifested the idea and with the relentless help of a friend, many hectic days and sleepless nights later the brand was successful in putting out his collection during NYFW 2022.

As a final note to all aspiring designers Kshitij says that the fashion world is certainly glamorous in front of the camera but there is much more beyond it. It’s a creative process that never halts itself. Keep looking for inspiration and take breaks to freshen your mind. Work hard, go beyond what’s expected and chase the dream.

The Craft culture of the country has a wide scope. With his brand he wants to utilize the potential of handmade fabrics by not limiting its use to special occasion wear. By integrating them in your everyday

Whilst talking about success and making it in the fashion industry Kshitij says, “If the product is in place and if you truly believe in what you are making, the rest everything follows to fall in place”

Interviewed by: Vibha Arvind (FBM,FIT’23)

Written bIllustration by: Vishwa Joshi (TD, FIT’23)

Image credits: KSHITIJ JALORI https://www.kshitijja lori.com/en-us

“If the product is in place and if you truly believe in what you are making, the rest follows to fall in place”

Written by: Kriti Nagar (CD,FIT’23)

Layouts by: Aastha Rawat (FBM,FIT’23)

Images by: Vidhi Sarin (AMC, FIT’23)

New York is not just a city, it is an emotion. To anybody who moves to ‘The Big Apple’, an adrenaline rush with excitement and jitters of nervousness combined, is the most familiar feeling – we will never forget the day we stepped into this concrete jungle with all our expectations, dreams and hopes. But what to expect, will it be just like we imagined or this journey would be full of surprises – we asked the board members of ICS for a bite on ‘What it takes to survive in NYC’.

“New York City is the one place that will gracefully welcome any one with open arms but also put you through your worst night mares—it’s all worth it for the character development! All you need is a good oatmilk chai latte and a nice pair of heels to take you through anything this city throws at you.”

Aditi Pardeshi Vice President

“It can be overwhelming to wit ness the dynamism of fashion in NYC- be it in the variety of de signs or staggering scale of busi ness. New trends come and go every week, but I choose to wear my Indian handloom tunics and stoles, carry an Ikat or Mogra printed bag with a little Kajal in my eyes everyday, simply because I realise that one doesn’t have to change to fit in. And that’s one of the many beauties of the city.”

Vibha Arvind PR Manager

“It is tough moving to a big city like NYC but it does get better with time. Be it walking on the streets feeling like the main character or watching dogs play in the parks, you will find little things that make you happy. “

Rachel Liza Raphy Editor

“NYC to me is about people holding out elevator doors for strangers, sandwich shop ladies remembering our picks and petting strangers dogs every time you stop across streets - finding a community amongst people who are completely un related. The awe of skyscrapers will fade away in a week, the charm of brown stone apartments will last a bit longer, but sooner or later you realize that it was never about Times Square or Central Park – the only thing you take back and cherish in your heart will be the spirit of New Yorkers, the spirit of New York.

Vishwa Joshi

In frame :

Aashna Shah (FBM,FIT’26)

Thea Dhanki (FBM,FIT’26)

Rochelle Lobo (FD,FIT’23)

Shreya Yadav (FBM,FIT’26)

Styling and layouts by : Rachel Liza Raphy (CD,FIT’23)

THE GIRL NEXT DOOR

Reviving festive clothes and fusing them to your power dressing. Mirror worked crop top with a blazer , wide leg jeans and sneakers.

Statement blouse

Try something unexpected with your Indian classics.A traditional Ajarkh printed skirt worn as a strapless midi dress paired with a turtle neck and jumkas. Prints for the win

Ditch the pants and dress it up. Kalamkari print short kurti worn as a dress with a Khadhi jacket, winter boots and a statement silver choker

Kurti Dress

Indian fabrics on modern trends. Ajarakh printed waist belt to add some desi flavour to an all black outfi and a kundan choker with pearls to tie it all together.

Subtle hints

Color: A Concept of Culture

Written by: Vishwa Joshi (TSD,FIT’23) Image credits: Vidhi Sarin (AMC, FIT’23) Layouts by:Rachel Liza Raphy

Color, in its most literal sense, actually colors the way we see the world. Being students of an art and design school, it is highly unlikely that any of us are foreign to how color drives human emotions. Color has meaning, we have all acknowledged that, but color can be an international topic of debate, intertwined with eurocentrism and corporate culture, comes as a bit of a surprise. Chromophobia is this debate that has been taking steadfast strides in the media.

To quote the words of Kriti Mehta, a 26-year-old who owns a South Asian boutique in Auckland, New Zealand, ‘A google search for “classy aesthetic” leads to mostly neutrals as results — especially in the last few decades.’ Color disappearing from the world soon became a heated topic of conversation with ‘The Rise of the Neutrals’ or ‘Beige Era’ getting linked to minimalism being perpetrated as an aesthetic that is easy to mass produce by major corporate players.

But is this merely a cancel culture’s reaction to minimalism or is there an authentic argument being made here after all?

Henry Ford is believed to have said ‘“A customer may have a car in any color he desires, so long as its black.” which can be perceived as his aversion to anything but black despite of consumer demand but it has also been argued that this decision was purely economic – all Model T Fords were painted black because he wanted to produce most number of automobiles in the least amount of time. Black paint, at the time was the least expensive and dried the fastest, allowing Ford to produce a car in about 90 minutes.

And we might argue that this itself stands proof to how the capitalist way of living of the West has been instrumental in decolourising the world but one must look into the deeper question of where this affinity to neutrals comes from? Is it because it wants to nominalize anything and everything that other cultures of the world have adopted and stereotype it as ‘kitsch’– this might be what social media tells us but I would argue otherwise.

“When it comes to regional color schemes, colors are driven by three factors: architecture, nature and the people who enrich the culture,” says Lauren Makk, a designer on The Learning Channel’s Trading Spaces. “That trilogy really drives the way that colors and our lifestyles come together.”

Colour evokes emotions based on the subconscious data in our brains based previous associations and perceptions of anything and everything that we have seen around us in our lifetime. For examples, silver is often equated to the moon and

gold to the sun – there is no system or rule on which these associations are based – they just feel right. Then we build on metaphors of how gold is pure and undisputed, just like the ever-bright sun but silver corrodes to black, something similar to the waxing and waning of the moon.

And it is not just nature that drives these associations, culture and heritage creates an equal or more significant impact as well. The epitome of classical western aesthetic had been the pristine white sculptures of Greeks and Romans, since centuries and it was only in the midnineteenth century that researchers discovered that classical buildings and statues were usually brightly painted. The discovery came as a shock, but the western mindset had already been conditioned to associate a high standard of classical beauty with white.

Influential people in Western history have also reinforced this choice from time and again. Wedding dresses in the west, surprisingly, used to be blue, pink or any colour the bride chooses until 1840, when Queen Victoria choose to wear a white court dress at her wedding with Prince Albert. Since then, till date – other than a few exceptions, white has become the staple in Western weddings. South-east Asia has always had an affinity to colour, it is a part of our culture and our history – be it Chinese red, Indian yellow or Bangladeshi green. We have embraced our choices and so has the West. Debating colour is not going to resolve consumerism, nor is it going to affect discrimination in any manner.

By micro-analysing everything and focusing on issues that do not hold any significance, what we should rather be embracing all the diversity that exists around us, acknowledge that technology has given us an opportunity to connect with varying perspectives, rather than using the same technology to create boundaries, why not use it to amalgamate

all that cultures around the world have to offer, and add value to what we create. Design or art, has a voice, a voice that is heard long after the artist is gone – and what we choose to speak will determine how the coming generations will remember us.

it comes to regional color schemes, colors are driven by three factors: architecture, nature and the people who enrich the culture,”

-Lauren Makk

“When

I am, as a person, forever learning -I know what I know but I am much more open with what I do -I learn from my community of fashion -my mother was a designer, had a flourishing ready-to-wear business in childrenswear, back in India. Growing up in the background of design, I was constantly exposed to the business -you see when your parents are creatives and entrepreneurs, you listen to stories of making toiles at the dinner table. It is almost in the ether of how you grow up.

Growing up in India, embroidery is an inseparable part of you wears as well as your juices.

I always think broader than what I have, I am ever learning, ever growing as a creative individual and I think the day you stop that is the day you don’t evolve.

Even back in the day, when I went to Lady Shriram college to study business, I was bored out of my mind - every girl there just wanted to get married.

It was during that time, that I started interning with Rohit Khosla (renowned as the Karl Lagerfeld of India –we luckily knew him through family connections). For the first 2 years of my college life, I was interning there and through him I saw design. My first exposure to fashion was at the tender age of 19-20 when he held his first show in New Delhi, I witnessed

western designers come and show their wears in India and that is when I decided to apply to the Fashion Institute of Technology.

At FIT, I wanted to study fashion design -it was an interesting major but I switched to textiles, which is also when I met Sachin and he was cut from a similar fabric as me- his mother had a pretty flourishing business as well.

But we did not want to have our own fashion house first, we thought ‘Let us learn from the Big 5 that we love and admire, understand how they servethe mass so well.’ But it was not easy – we were too overqualified for jobs and had all sorts of roadblock and barriers like young students with no guidance, mentors or placements – there wasn’t a space for anybody quite like us in a way but we were determined kids - Sachin started working with a smaller designer and I eventually got an internship at DuPont.

We didn’t really understand the western appetite much until we started living and immersing ourselves in the culture, we realized how the west differs from the east. This was a lot of self-determination from our part - finding our own place as cross-cultured designers. Finding a connect in the industry is toughbut it is up to that young kid to find their space as to where they want to serve. We really had to do this on our own – connecting through a set of family friends, we worked with fantastic karigars from Calcutta who are masters in threadwork and ladies

from the north who are very good with beadwork – it was a craft that we could and did translate into high design. During then, we were introduced to Oscar, who was a big player in those days, I don’t know what he saw in us -I think he saw what we still have today, a fire in our bellies -somebody who loves the trade, knows textile, knows design –kids who can actually work with the big design house and reach out to collaborators in terms of textiles, surface embroidery -the understanding of a trade palette of a new culture. He gave us a free hand –we would come up with new concepts and he would be like ‘Let’s meet tomorrow, let’s see what u can do’.

I guess in a way, we were lucky we were big city kids of a modern progressive India who started catering to the sensibilities of the western designers here.

Back in 1998 we had just started business with Oscar and 2 or 3 firms, Sachin was lucky to work with house of Valentino, and that was the time they were talking about bringing back this bag called the Fendi baguette. So, we had left our swatches there with them and left because we weren’t expecting our response but our friend who was their calls us that they selected our swatches. So, this was all before google translate -and we are getting instructions in Italian over our factor sheet.

It was chaotic, we are calling our friend in Rome to break it down for us to understand it but that did not work out. A few months later, I see those beautiful embroideries with a lady called Carrie Bradshaw, our embroideries –so basically, they couldn’t get a hold of us so they found another vendor to rip it off–all because we didn’t have a proper connection in Rome (laughs). But the business grew and as you grow up with the business, working with these big houses over the years, you also grow up as an individual and develop your own point of viewthat is how we started Sachin and Babi.

It is the translation of the craft and ethos onto new documents – by going to museums, learning more of different cultures, adapting and conglomerating that into the craft – that is where our strength lies. Fashion, to us, is a little removed from art – it is when people wear it, enjoy it and live in it. If you want to have a legitimate business, you

have got to understand who you customer is –who you are serving, why do they need your product, who is actually living in these clothes that you create. To make it big in any design field, you must know your market.

In that way I believe, the pandemic enriched us. You see, businesses were always done in the so-called norm -as a fashion designer there are things you must do - department store, previews, fashion shows –but then we had the opportunity to step back. We put our ear to the ground and saw where the customer is today –that was the learning from the pandemic.

We began looking intelligently within our data, to find where our customer is and now, we have more successes that we had before. One must not just work in their own philosophy, in order to cater to the market, you must listen to the market and when that began happening to our brand, we had such joy because were connecting with people. It was a lot of learning -Was it fun? NO! It was scary as hell but we are back in the flow of things now.

Understanding the headspace of the karigars and the managers, translating that sensibility and emotions to the products that will be sold in the other half of the world, it is just that kind of an undertaking.

Written by: Vishwa Joshi (TSD,FIT’23)

Image credits: sachinandbabi.com

Layouts by: Prachee Shah (CD, FIT’23)

Fashion is brilliant but is somebody buying it, is somebody using it, living in it, is she getting married in it – this is what we constantly as ourselves

Kanchipuram

Written by:Rajagopal Raghunath (CD, FIT’23)

Layouts by: Vibha Arvind (FBM, FIT’23)

Image credits: Megana Karkada Suresh (NIFT, chennai )

The temple town of Kanchipuram nestles next to the Palar river in south India. The fortified center of the town greets you with the fragrance of sandalwood and the melodious sounds of the temple bells. I visited the town during the magical time of monsoon. I immersed myself in architectural beauty and serene spirituality. As I took a stroll next to the largest temple in the settlement dedicated to Lord Vishnu, I stumbled upon the houses and stores of several weavers working on traditional looms creating stunning Kanchipuram silk sarees. Each place I visited was a storehouse of rich gold and silk garments known as sarees stacked upon racks of shelves and cupboards, each with a different color and pattern.

Sarees are the indigenous clothing of Indian women. Six yards of silk fabric draped to make a garment. Kanchipuram silk sarees in particular, are known for their rich gold borders, authentic designs, and dense fabric in contrast colors; a custom that is over 150 years of age is absolutely hand woven from processed silk yarn and Zari - a silver silk string covered in gold tone. Kanchipuram sarees are prestigious for their excellence and nobility. The saree, when worn or gifted, is inherently connected with fortune. My grandmother boasts a closet of hundred-plus sarees woven out of pure gold yarn and silk.

The colors you adorn on the saree have so much more beyond its visual appeal. The history of colors that is seen in the Kanchipuram saree is carved out of a lifelong fascination with South India’s traditions and social norms. Araku, is a distinctive color lying between red and maroon, is unique to Kanchipuram and an absolute favorite choice for the bridal saree. Green is fondly known as the ‘color of life,’ and it

comes alive in various shades on the lustrous Kanchipuram silks. Blue is the color of infinity and a representation of vastness. Lord Vishnu is represented in a dark shade of blue which characterizes most of His incarnations — the color of the sky and the ocean on which he reclines. Yellow as a color is strongly entrenched into the culture and mentality in India. The combination of black with different tones in a smaller amount is viewed as a protection against enmity and destruction.

Temple motifs, stripes, checks, and floral buttas are some of the authentic designs that are woven into these sarees. Kanchipuram sarees usually have wide and contrasting borders. The motifs and designs on the sarees are inspired by the sculptures and scriptures of temples surrounding the district. Other common motifs on walls were inspired by natural elements like leaves, birds and animals. The intricacy of patterns, the richness of colors and purity of the zari define the value of the saree.

There is so much attention to detail and fine craftsmanship that goes into making these. Unlike machinemade fabrics these textiles can take over months to complete. The process begins with dyeing silk and letting it rest for a few days to dry. The colorful bundle is warped and spun on the spinning wheel. The hand spun yarn is woven on looms using shuttles that weave the warp and weft threads of the silk together. The traditional Indian saree is no longer limited to silk and handwoven textiles. Georgettes, satin, lace, and even velvet have taken over this 6 yard drape business. Even with advancements like these, Kanchipuram just like many other Indian weaves, has reserved its spot as the finest and most elite choice for special occasions like weddings.

A Computer-aided design process is capable of achieving photorealism on Kanchipuram sarees. Designers are experimenting with pastel colors and new motifs. The textile, which was once commonly used for only drapes, is now used in other styles of garments like gowns, pantsuits, lehengas etc as well

FASHION SCAPES A living wage

Written by: Vishwa Joshi (TSD,FIT’23)

Documentary Recommendation

In 2013, when the Rana Plaza collapsed in Bangladesh, it drove Andrew Morgan to travel to 13 countries and examine the lives of low-wage workers in the garment industry who were the victims of the tragedy. This project came into being as one of the finest fashion documentaries the industry has ever seen, which is till date being widely broadcasted in fashion schools around the globe – it is the documentary all of us have been told to watch, to understand the environmental, social and psychological impact of the industry whose future lies in our hands –without even mentioning its name, I think the name must have already popped in your head – ‘The True Cost’

Released at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015, it sent shockwaves throughout the industry and an era of awareness began, post which ‘sustainability’ became the new buzzwords. An array of new ‘ecofriendly’ labels came to life, ‘recycle’ became the new mantra, thrift store

culture boomed like never before and greenwashing was the route fast fashion brands took to escape from the mass backlash. But after all this, has anything changed at the grassroot level after all?

On the 8th anniversary of the infamous incident, Morgan once again, came together with Livia Firth, co-founder and creative director of Eco-Age – to form a short film that is a spiritual sequel of the same. ‘FASHIONSCAPES: A Living Wage’ is shorter but it hits precisely – the point made across remains the same – Who pays the true cost of the cheap clothes we buy? – its predecessor examined it from consumerism, mass media, disease, pollution and even global capitalism, A Living Wage is more specific and strives to focus on a single point – the people. It is hardhitting and moving at the same time, watching how next to nothing has change even after more than half a decade of awareness – the concluding lines are particularly brilliant it this is a must watch,

Interviewed by: Vibha Arvind (FBM,FIT’23) and Raisa Rafique (FBM,FIT’23)

Written by: Aditi Pardeshi (FBM, FIT’23)

Layouts by: Aastha Rawat ((FBM, FIT’23)

The Taste of a Modern India

New York City is often described as a melting pot of cultures from all around the world. Queens– the World’s borough– is home to a wide variety of cuisines from the best halal street carts to the most top-notch traditional Slovak restaurants. Brooklyn– the new “Manhat tan”-- has its own array of trendy eateries.

Indian cuisine is one of the most flavorful and vibrant cuisines. Aro matic spices in curries, soft and pillowy naans, and a rainbow of colors and fresh vegetables all come together to form the beautiful art of Indian cooking.

Let’s dip our spoon right into the top places you can visit to get a taste of our very own modern India.

Aditi Pardeshi (FBM, FIT’24) Layouts by: Anvi Mangalmurti (CD, FIT’23) Illustrations by:Vedha Chodhagam (FD, FIT’26)

Manhattan: Junoon $$$$

Looking for a place to splurge on Michelin-star food? Look no further than just a four-minute walk from the Flatiron building. Junoon offers a sophisticated and beautifully plated array of Indian food with an updated addition to classic Indian dishes. Choose from a variety of chaats as your appetizer, followed by vibrantly flavored meat and vegetable dishes. End your meal with a dessert reminiscent of your mother’s rice pud ding or take a lick at a sorbet tasting. With any combination, you are sure to find your meal not only Instagrammable but also worthy of a Michelin star.

Brooklyn: Eat Namkeen $$

Loved by everyone and heavily popular on social media, this recent opening of a twist on an American favorite with the flavorful zing of Indian culture is a stellar combination to have when you’re tired of eating plain old fried chicken. Think fried chicken but a hundred times better with mint chutney! Their loaded Dhamaka fries will have you ordering another plate right as you take the first bite! Their signature tikka sauce will have you licking your fingers but worry not, their restroom is fully decked out with Bollywood tunes and a disco ball for maximum enjoyment!

pankulf milktea

Long Island: Pyo Chai $$

Tikkavilla Sandwhich anddhamaka fries!!!

What do you get when you cross masala chai and boba? Absolute heaven! This small Indian bubble tea joint in Stewart Manor has the best selection of Indian drinks mixed with boba tea. Get a variety of drinks such as Kulfi Milk tea to Rooh Afza milk tea or stick to the basics with a refreshing mango green tea! Choose from a variety of toppings such as Brown Sugar Boba, basil seeds, mango popping jelly, lychee jelly, or a scoop of mango, malai, or falooda kulfi!

Chaat

Queens: Usha Foods $

Named one of the best places to get Indian street snacks, this long standing and family run fast food restaurant has held the heart of families all over Long Island, even the country! From their delicious chaats to freshly made mango lassi, Usha Foods can appetize any of your food-fanatic desires. They offer a deep selection from Punjabi food, to South Indian, and even Gujarati sweets.

As the people started coming in, all dressed in ethnic but contemporary attires, the excitement was building up for what is to come. With a classical Bharatanatyam perfor mance by Vidhatri,

we kick-started the evening followed by the crowd break ing into freestyle dancing. A flash-mob by members of ICS, dandiya, garba and a tik-tok reel, the crowd then dived into the delicious Indian thaali with gulab jamuns, something they had all craved for months. The international students services put up a stall and applied mehendi tatoos for the guests. The feeling of being close to home was completed with having mango lassi in the breezeway - let’s just admit it, lassi on the streets of NYC wearing our coats has a charm of its own.

Aastha, as she sips her mango lassi, after having stayed on her toes the entire evening, says with a smile “I wouldn’t lie, it was an absolute roller coaster - the last week especially, I had my own ups and downs but with people that I could rely on - we managed to pull it together. At the end of the day, when I look at these faces, it makes all of the effort worth it. Being able to bring people together and to make them feel at home in a foreign country, I am glad I was able to create this joy.”

As is customary, Indian Cultural Society hosts the annual cel ebration of Diwali Night at FashionInstitute of Technology. This year, under the able guidance of Professor Rajasekhar Vangapaty and support from Student Life, especially Jordan and International Student Services with enthusiastic Cultur al Fellows - Aastha Rawat, the president of ICS led the team in organizing the gala. Dubinsky Dining Hall was trans formed into a radiant clique with glittering lights and floral arrangements - coupled with Bollywood hits on roll with DJ Ahvik and Indian dinner thanks to .Honest, New York - the night was all set for a perfect Indian fest.