Fashion Designer – Ritu Kumar
Ritu Kumar is one of India’s foremost designers, who have developed a unique style of their own, reflecting the ancient traditions of Indian craftsmanship in a contemporary fashion. With a background of art history and musicology, which has enriched her horizons, Ritu Kumar’s understanding of ancient designs and the innovative use of traditional crafts has created a new classicism. Ritu holds the status of a revivalist in the Indian fashion industry, which has successfully bridged the gap between traditionalism and modernity.
Ritu, who began her work with four hand-block printers and two tables, in a small village near Calcutta thirty years ago, was the first woman to introduce the ’boutique’ culture in India under the brand name ‘Ritu’. Today she has twelve outlets in all major cities in India. Ritu Kumar’s boutiques feature a multifaceted showcase encompassing the very best of Indian design, with specially produced range of high fashion garments and accessories using silk, leather and cotton.
Ritu Kumar’s range of western and Indian apparel is all about traditions and individual talent, and women across the continents can easily identify with her vision of design.
Ritu has gone a long way to redefining the term ‘fashion’ in the Indian context. Most importantly, she has demonstrated that handmade products can be as profitable as and even more glamorous than that of machine, and that Indian fashion is more than capable of holding on it’s own in the international arena of haute couture. Her couture is readily recognizable by its classicism, beauty and finesse. Her design philosophy is based on the premise that everything founded on good aesthetic, cuts across all borders-be they geographical, cultural or otherwise. This very aesthetic is the factor central to the Indian handwriting which underlies her creations. As the world truly becomes a global village, more and more of the elements that make up modern culture are taking on rich hues and ethnic tones. Pluralism is the mantra, while tastes are fast becoming eclectic, be it in music, arts, food or fashion. Within fashion, Indian techniques have increasingly commanded a premium for their creativity, style and finish. The Indian influence on contemporary wear is unmistakable.
In sync with these evolving trends, in April 2002, Ritu Kumar launched her new sub brand, ‘LABEL’. This is a reflection of modern and global trends that shape our lives today. ‘LABEL’ cater today’s woman, who is increasingly independent, discerning and global. It is a modern offering, focusing on the cut, color, drape and feel of the garment. This brand has a universal appeal aimed at today’s mobile lifestyle. It is fashionable, affordable and like all Ritu Kumar products, it is of the highest quality.
Author: Rupali Singh
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Fashion Comes Home to the White House – Creating Your Own Fashion Legacy
There is an enormous buzz around our nation, and even perhaps around the world, about what Michelle Obama will wear to the inauguration today. It’s an amazing piece of a historic event – the role that FASHION will play – and rightfully so. The endless newsreels playing for the last few weeks have been looking back at past first ladies and the styles and colors of their inaugural ensembles. And, of course, in this case, there are two little girls to “ooh and ahh” over as well. What a day to be a dress maker!
By now, if you were up early, you saw Michelle Obama leave her (very) temporary residence in a golden yellow brocade dress with a matching long jacket and long silk scarf – smiling and waving to news crews as she entered St. John’s Church in Washington DC with her husband – the 44th president of our country. It felt like every news channel you turned to did a critique of her outfit – how it seemed to match the color of the church – that it was a “happy” color and embraced Mrs. Obama’s joie de vivre when it comes to fashion. That it was classic, and yet still her own. (Who can forget the amount of commentary about her daring black and red ensemble on the night of the election?)
I, for one, love the acknowledgment that the media is giving to fashion today. For those of us in the clothing industry – from fabric designers, to boutique owners, to seamstresses and tailors and factory workers – well, this is a really great day for us. We are center stage all day today – and we know it!
But truthfully, we know something that everyone else might NOT know. We are center stage EVERY day – and it’s not just for the big occasions. (Okay, we don’t all have an inaugural ball to go to, but we all have those once-in-a-lifetime events – like weddings and proms – where we have that “perfect” dress that gets a million photographs.) Rather, it’s the smaller occasions where WE know that we literally make or break people. It’s the first date with the best looking guy in the office. (And it’s the dinner where you meet his parents.) It’s every single day that you go to work. What we do matters. It really matters. We are literally the thread that ties us all together, from generation to generation.
Clothing isn’t just something to buy, wear, and toss away. Be sure to save those special pieces to hand down to your daughters and nieces. Fashion has a way of coming around again and again (can you say skinny jeans?). And what doesn’t come around becomes great stuff for school plays and Halloweens (poodle skirts and white leisure suits, anybody?). For plus size women, there’s also the tremendous honor of having some great fashion in the right size when the young women in your life are struggling – both financially and with their identities. Even plus size women like Oprah Winfrey have shared that finding the right dress in her size has driven her to tears on the MOST special occasions, like the Emmy’s.
You will be more than the hero when you have that gorgeous plus size little black dress for someone’s special New Year’s Eve – or a beautiful plus size blouse to accent a great suit for that big interview. As plus size women, we KNOW how important it is to dress to impress and dress for success! Having those special wardrobe pieces to pass down is pretty wonderful.
I have visions of Michelle Obama’s daughters, one day in the far future, unwrapping beautiful dresses from some treasured garment bag wrapped carefully in tissue paper, and saying to their own daughters, “This is the dress your grandmother wore to meet the King of England, and this is what she wore when she met the President of France.” Our clothing is far more than what it seems; it’s part of our life story. So the next time you have a great dress that you adore, take a picture of yourself in it at the occasion and then, when you save that dress and wrap it carefully in tissue, throw the picture in the box too. We aren’t all “The First Lady” but we ARE all part of a very intimate history to be treasured as part of our own legacy.
Author: Stacy Montgomery
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Do you Look Good on the Dance Floor? Indie-rock Musicians Initiate a Revolution in Men’s Fashion
The clothes worn by musicians have always sent shockwaves through the fashion industry, helping to stimulate trends that have gone down in history. Today, things are no different. It’s no secret that guitar music has leapt into the charts of late, and that over the last few years, indie-rock groups have become a mainstay in the local media. In fact, music magazines like the NME have been flying off the shelves with the newfound popularity of these bands. However, just as their music has become increasingly ingrained in the mainstream, so too have their fashion trends. From Alex Kapranos, Franz Ferdinand’s front man, to Pete Doherty, indie music has hit the fashion industry hard in recent years – and to good effect.
The idea of popular music artists starting fashion trends is not an alien one; indeed, it is a phenomenon that has gripped our society for decades. During the 1960s in the heyday of The Beatles, many men would wear their hair long, inspired by the style of the Liverpudlian songsters. Similarly, in the 1980s, Michael Jackson’s legendary red zipper jacket – made famous in music videos for Beat It and Thriller – was all the rage, with both men and women donning the fashion item. These clothes helped spark the fashion sense of many generations, as people took inspiration from their favourite musicians in order to create their own look and define the fashion atmosphere of an era.
Today, a variety of modern musicians have helped engender new trends in men’s fashion. Modern rockers Kasabian for example, are featured in the 150th anniversary ad campaign for British fashion label, Burberry. Moreover, Pete Doherty’s relationship with British supermodel Kate Moss has made him a staple figure not just in the mainstream press but in the fashion world as well. Indie rave and electro acts, such as The Klaxons and Brazilian scenesters CSS, have also had a significant impact on musical fashion, with The Klaxon’s bright neon t-shirts and jeans engendering a new generation of cool.
Music and fashion have become so intertwined that the NME’s annual music awards have even incorporated the category of ‘Best Dressed Artist’ in their annual NME Awards Show, this year held on March 1st at Hammersmith Palais. The category is sponsored by Topman, a popular fashion retailer who continue to lead the way in men’s clothes and men’s fashion. Last year’s nominees included Pete Doherty, Alex Kapranos, The Killers’ Brandon Flowers, Liam Gallagher and the eventual winner, Ricky Wilson from the Kaiser Chiefs. The proliferation of indie-rock figures here clearly indicates the influence of such artists in the men’s fashion industry today – a trend which is sure to continue into the future.
Martin McAllister is an online freelance journalist. He lives in Scotland.
Ethical Fashion: What, Why and Why Now?
What is ethical fashion, why is it important, and why are we just hearing about it now? Well, to answer these questions we start with what is wrong with clothing production today. Most clothing available in stores today is produced in an unethical manner using sweatshop and/or child labour to ensure a larger profit margin. Manufacturers use unsustainable fabrics like non-organic cotton (dubbed as natural, it accounts for almost 25% of all pesticide use) and polyester (which is a petroleum by-product). They use conventional dying practices which release chlorine, chromium, and other pollutants into the environment posing a health risk to the farmers, assemblers and wearers (7 of the top 15 pesticides used on conventional US cotton crops are “possible” to “known” human carcinogens). The shift to ethical production practices in the clothing industry has been undeniably important for a long time making the market ripe for a positive change. Consumers are starting to demand better.
What is Ethical Fashion?
Ethical fashion is that which is produced using: fairly-paid and fairly-treated adult workers; sustainable fabrics and materials like organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, and reclaimed or recycled materials; low-impact fiber-reactive dyes or vegetable dyes; respect for a healthy environment and/or product for the farmer, the assembler, and the wearer of the clothing.
Why Ethical Fashion?
We are all responsible for how our own lifestyles affect the environment. Simple measures can be taken to achieve big changes by simply switching our buying patterns to include products made of low impact materials. Positive pressure on businesses who have yet to volutarily clean up their acts is very easily applied by simply choosing not to spend money on their products, and helping – little by little – to grow the businesses who have made an explicit commitment to responsible business practice.
Why Now?
The wonderful thing about the booming ethical fashion industry is the huge variety of designs, colours, cuts, fabrics and sizes now available. Long stigmatized as cousin to the burlap sack, the ethical offerings today are design-oriented. Designers with heart are creating beautiful, sexy, edgy, classic, current, imaginative, and, yes, flattering pieces – ethics will simply not be compromised and thankfully neither will the look and feel of their work. Reducing our footprint can be done without making any sacrifices.
One of the main driving forces of the ethical fashion boom is public awareness. Thanks to exposés on large manufacturers, the fact that sweatshop labour is used for the overwhelming majority of production can no longer be ignored. The power of boycotting has been demonstrated, as has the power of voting with our dollars to support good practice. Thanks to accessible work like “An Inconvenient Truth”, the lay person is no longer free to assuage their environmental guilt with the denial of the existence of climate change. Thanks to alternative medical practitioners, who deal with cause instead of just symptom, we’re learning that we can build health by surrounding ourselves with and consuming healthy things.
Consumers are growing weary of the quantity without quality mentality. Most designers with an ethical bent to their art, work in small batches, producing high quality goods with exceptional fabrics. Consumers are, in growing numbers, appreciating the right to vote with their dollars; and are exercising it to support expansion of the sustainable textile industry, small farmers and farm co-operatives. We’re all looking for ways to reduce our environmental impact, increase our social contribution, ease our consciences, hold on to some creature comforts, and continue celebrating art in all its forms.
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Nail Gels – The Latest Trend in Nail Fashion
Gone are the days when one’s face and clothes would account for the most important aspects of one’s personality. Today, your hands and nails play an equally important role in the building of your personality and overall appearance. Nails are an integral part of our body and not only the mirror of our lifestyle and health but are also our personality enhancers. Is it not true that whenever we shake hands with someone we check out the person’s nails and fingers? Beautiful and healthy nails augment your confidence and self esteem. Well kept hands always put you in a different league altogether and are sure shot head turners all the way.
Today nail gels have become increasingly popular with the youngsters and even the fashion conscious. Some of the benefits that they have over others are that they are odorless, thin, flexible, lightweight and natural.
UV nail gels make your hands look more beautiful and can get fixed on the natural nail bed easily resulting in a healthier, shinier and natural look. They are mainly nail enhancers made with compounds with gel like consistency. They can be applied directly to your original nail and can be cured within a span of 2-3 minutes under a UV light lamp.
Nail gels have become a rage and are being tried by one and all. They are exotic and exquisite and can be used by women from all walks of life. Gone are the days when nail accessories and nail beautification was for the rich and the famous. It now has a mass appeal and finds its popularity amongst youngsters as well. You can apply them on your natural nails and decorate them according to your preference and creative ideas. You can either paint them in vibrant colors or go for that exotic look by pasting Swarovski crystals.
One needs to be very careful while applying the gel on nails. You need to first apply one coat of primer on your nail post and apply the gel on your nail with a gel brush. After this you need to put your hands under a UV light for a couple of minutes till the gel dries completely. You need to repeat this process a couple of times for best results. If you want to remove the gel, all that you have to do is soak your nails in acetone and file the dissolved gel off every couple of minutes till it is completely removed.
These nail gels come in two forms – without light and light cured gels. They are created by a pre-chemical gel liquid mix that needs to be applied on the nails post and the nails need to be kept under a UV lamp for 2-3 minutes for the nails to get cured. The non UV gels do not need any light since they have an additional chemical activator in the form of gel that can be strayed on the nails.
Nail gels come in a variety of forms and can be used for any and every occasion. One can make a choice from metallic nail gels, pastel nail gels, neon color gels, summer color gels, pearly gels, glitter gels, etc for the look that they want to adorn.
So it is time to get ready to have that saucy and gorgeous look you have been yearning for without any pain and hassles and go ahead and give your nails a treat. Make sure you get your supplies from a reputed store as your nails deserve the best.
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