Tricks of the Trade: Backstage at Delhi Fashion Week 2012 - Part 2

Payal Jain, Delhi Fashion Week 2012

Payal Jain, Delhi Fashion Week 2012

Payal Jain, Delhi Fashion Week 2012

Rohit Bal, Delhi Fashion Week 2012

Rohit Bal, Delhi Fashion Week 2012

Rohit Bal, Delhi Fashion Week 2012

Tarun Tahiliani, Delhi Fashion Week 2012

Tarun Tahiliani, Delhi Fashion Week 2012

Tarun Tahiliani, Delhi Fashion Week 2012

Tarun Tahiliani, Delhi Fashion Week 2012

JJ Valaya, Delhi Fashion Week 2012

 JJ Valaya, Delhi Fashion Week 2012

Tricks of the Trade: Backstage at Delhi Fashion Week 2012 - Part 1

 Charu Parashar, Delhi Fashion Week 2012.

 Charu Parashar, Delhi Fashion Week 2012.

 Kavita Bhartia, Delhi Fashion Week 2012.

 Kavita Bhartia, Delhi Fashion Week 2012.

 Kallol Dutta, Delhi Fashion Week 2012.

Kallol Dutta, Delhi Fashion Week 2012. 

Kallol Dutta, Delhi Fashion Week 2012.

Sunday Afternoon Pretty: Inviting Neckline

Marchesa, Spring 2013 via District Weddings

tgif!

Fun!  via Shaadi Fever via G+H Photography

I attempted a "This and That" post this week, and here's a new one from the staff over at Wedluxe, whose gorgeous series in the same vein inspired me.

Coveting this anarkali, what do you think?

After covering Bridal Couture Week 2012 and numerous other shows as a desktop spectator, I'm beginning to wonder what it's like to be there.  Maybe I would find it as funny and dry as this reporter did.

Somebody's MARRIEEEED! Fellow blogger and photographer/stylist extraordinaire, got married, here's the awesome wedding video. Now that is how to have a party.

Talking of beaded borders, I like the dupatta of this bride's lengha.  Check out her transformation at Lakme's Bridal Salon.

I am on a new health kick, for the seventy bajillionth time, maybe this brown rice recipe will help.

Congratulations to Designwali on her new gig over at MasalaMommas. Plus, you are planning your wedding, but your marriage doesn't need to wait, consider some "marriage-planning".

Trendspotting: At Pantene Bridal Couture Week 2012

Kiran/Beaded Borders on Dupatta
Several designers, notably Tabassum Mughal, showed pieces with Kiran (that shiny gold fringe), totally vintage.  My mother had that on her walima clothes! Also, does anyone know what those round beads are called?  They are making a comeback, seen on the catwalk as a border on the dupattas, it also works nicely as embelishment on the corners of non-bridal dupattas and on necklines, sleeve closures, etcetera.

Tabassum Mughal via Kamran Naqvi Photography

Tabassum Mughal via Kamran Naqvi Photography

Makeup - Bronzed Beauties
This year's show featured a de-emphasis on the eyes, with fewer designers showing trends like heavy cat-eyes or smokey eye.  Instead, the skin was the thing, with a lot of designers using elements like heavy highlighting, bronzing, gold and tan makeup paired with nude lips to create dramatic, sundrenched beauties.

Carat by Zaheer Abbas via Kamran Naqvi Photography

Argentum by Nadia Chhotani via Ahmed W. Khan Photography

Colours - Pretty in Pastel

Still catering to the modern bride's request for softer palettes, but moving away from watercolour shades, designers are experimenting with pastels for a more vibrant, springtime feel.

Bunto Kazmi via Kamran Naqvi Photography

Nomi Ansari via Kamran Naqvi Photography

Jewellery - The Naath, Chaand Tika and the Half Matha Pathi

Dramatic, beaded pieces, with a twist on the old styles, and for those who love the off-centre look, trendsetters have set the tone for the runway, where designers showcased the half matha in several shows.

Sonar Jewellery via Kapray Shapray via Sonar Jewellery Facebook

Argentum by Nadia Chhotani via Ahmed W Khan Photography

 All images via respective watermark and copyright owners, including Ahmed W. Khan Photography, Kamran Naqvi Photography, Photography by Shami, and Dody's photography. To see complete shows from the event, click here

This Dress, That Detail: Nomi Ansari 2012 and Pastel with Chevron Pattern Cake

Trying out something different on the blog.  Matching Fashion with wedding details.  How long this lasts will be an indicator of how good I think I am. First up is a Nomi Ansari creation paired with a whimsical chevron design cake.  Another picture of the dress here.

Nomi Ansari, Spring Summer 2012 via Ahmed W. Khan Photography and Chevron Cake via Belle The Magazine via Leah Aldous

Designer Bride: Anita Dongre Spring/Summer 2012

Vendor Love: Anita Dongre Store Launch in Mumbai

Anita Dongre launched her flagship Bridal store on High Street Phoenix in Mumbai this month, with a reception featuring stars and starlets to mark the occassion.  The store itself is a thoughtfully articulated vision of how Anita sees brides and grooms to-be experiencing the bridal trousseau shopping process. 

Decorated with jaali inspired by the lattice work of Jaipur, and laid with marigold yellow carpet throughout, the main attraction, without a doubt, are the clothes, which are suspended dramatically in the main reception area and line the walls in  colour blocked sections.  The multilevel boutique also features a gentleman's lounge upstairs, where grooms can browse Ms. Dongre's menswear range in a slightly more masculine setting.

All images courtesy of Anita Dongre on Facebook

Worth Noting: Paklinks Wedding Forum and the "Guppans"

Paklinks Wedding Forum
So, chances are, you already know this place, and there's an even greater chance that you are here because of this place.  And if you are, then you will probably agree with me that Paklinks Wedding Forum is an amazing place for bridal inspiration, tips, tricks, ranting, reviewing, and just generally "gupping" about anything related to South Asian weddings.  If you haven't already, I definitely recommend you peruse through this forum for ideas and consider contributing.  What makes this forum amazing is the "guppans", who work hard helping brides-to-be make big and small decisions about their wedding.  I occasionally post on a board there, so look out for me, and go check it out yourselves, especially the very popular Bridal Pics board, which features pictures of hundreds of real brides.

Tricks of the Trade: Fresh, Dewy Skin for that Bridal Glow from Marchesa at Bridal Market 2013

via Wedding Bells

For dewy skin at the Marchesa Bridal Collection Spring 2013, makeup artist Laura Mercier has a formula.  She starts by mixing equal parts moisturizer to an illuminating primer.  I will probably try the Smashbox Photofinish sample I got at the Original Wedding Soiree in the swag bag with any of my bajillion moisturizers that I need to finish. Next, she applied concealer to areas of redness and dark circles and over that, she smoothed on foundation using a damp sponge. That's the dewy part.  To contrast the dewiness of the cheekbones, she powdered the t-zone.  I will probably use my Laura Mercier Smooth Focus Pressed Setting Powder to try this out.

p.s.  this technique will work better on skin that is on the dryer end of the spectrum than on oily skin, where it might slide off.

Designer Bride: Rouge by Faraz Manan with Karishma Kapoor

If you liked the result of Sonam Kapoor's collaboration with Pakistani Lawn designer Firdous (click here to see it, if you haven't already, it's very pretty), here's another one Bollywood/Pakistani Designer combination for you, this time featuring Karishma Kapoor as the spokesmodel for Rouge by Faraz Manan.

all images via Faraz Manan on Facebook