Forget jet black and classic white. The wives of the world’s most powerful women are being seen in another hue — one that was earlier probably just a shade that belonged to flowers and candy canes. From Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle to Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, wife of French prez Brigitte Macron to US First Lady Melania Trump, they’re wearing a light, delicate shade of pink. Called ‘passenger seat pink’, this is what they’re sporting on official engagements and well, it’s more than just for its pretty visual value. As per a report, the shade is said to be their way to appear subtle and demure in front of their famous spouses. A magazine has even called ‘passenger seat pink’, a ‘preference for the feminine hue may act as a subtle assurance that traditional power dynamics are still in place’.

WHEN THEY WORE IT


The colour is about being official and making a statement, yet doing so while taking a step back. In all the public instances concerning royalty and politicos thus far, the light hue was worn in the presence of the male partner during an important event or in circumstance. It was meant to make presence felt, albeit an understated one. Here’s when politicos and royals wore it...

Topping the list is Meghan Markle, who has worn the hue thrice since she took on official duties as the Duchess of Sussex, after her wedding. Meghan chose a pale blush dress for a Buckingham Palace Garden Party, she was seen in a similar hued designer dress for her first Trooping the Colour post her honeymoon and donned a pretty pink dress last week for the Queen’s Young Leaders Awards Ceremony.

Queen Rania of Jordan was dressed in the shade of pink last week, when she and husband King Abdullah II of Jordan paid an official visit to Washington.

US First Lady Melania Trump also chose a similar pink to welcome the Jordanian royals to the White House. The pictures of the two ladies opting to have worn pale pink, went viral instantly.

Earlier in May this year, Brigitte Macron, wife of French president Emmanuel Macron, wore a coat in the shade with her denims as she posed with her famous husband during the country’s Music Day at the Elysee Palace in Paris.

LOVE THE SHADE? HERE ARE 5 WAYS TO POWER DRESS IN THE LOOK

1) Go with a suit: Hillary Clinton is one of the best examples of this. She rocked a pantsuit through her election run-up and it’s regarded as one of the most formal fashion fads of late. Pick up a pale pink pantsuit.

Wear it with a neutral shade shirt and your pumps.

2) Shirt: Wear a blush pink shirt under a waistcoat or just on its own with plain or plaid pants or a pencil skirt. The best part is, it works with every skin tone.

3) Jewellery: Opt for a single string of pink pearls over your white shirt or blouse. You can also have a pink baubled bracelet to go with the look.

4) Shoes and bag: Heels or pumps in light pink work well with greys and whites. Team it with a simple, compact bag to match.

5) Keep the look minimal: Remember, this is a low-key hue so keep the make-up to a minimum. Use just a pale blush and eyeliner with a touch of gloss. Bright lipsticks are a no-no for sure.

Socks have their own personality and style statement. They can be matched with not just different kinds of footwear, but also with various outfits, say experts. So, how does matching socks work? This is how...


MAXI DRESSES AND SOCKS:


Maxi dresses exemplify comfort. A nice long sombre dress matched with a pair of nude shoes and bright socks can be your balancing feature for the day.

SOCKS AND PALAZZO PANTS:

Palazzos can be paired with anything and almost everything. Socks share similar feels. Coupling a dark coloured patterned palazzo with light pastel socks and shoes is a good idea.

SOCK WITH SEMI-FORMALS

Formals no longer mean a three-piece suit. It is important for the attire to give out a professional vibe, and allow you to be comfortable. Because at most places, monotones are still considered formal, add a quirky pair of socks to give it a tinge of vibrancy.

SOCKS AND BRIDAL WEAR

This combination of quirky customised socks with a wedding gown can actually break the monotone.

SOCKS THAT CLASH

It’s fun to take a sock that clashes slightly — wearing pink socks with red shoes for instance, or the bright blues, which are sort of having a moment, are great matched with brown sandals.

GLITTER SOCKS FOR SUMMER

Absolutely perfect for warm summer days when you want to spice up your look. They are best worn with high heels.

When Herman Rodrigues was asked which language he’d consider his mother tongue, he wondered if mother tongue should stand in for “ancestral language,” which in his case would be Marathi, or the language one grew up speaking. Rodrigues settled on the latter definition, and he’s “pretty sure” that was what he told data collectors who visited his home before the 2011census.


Rodrigues, 67, is part of a microscopic but growing minority in India, who listed English as their mother tongue in the last census. Forty-one per cent of these individuals, who number 2,59,678 across India, are concentrated in Maharashtra, which logged 1,06,656 native English speakers. The overall figure has risen by 14.6% since 2001 (see box).

Anahita Subedar, editor of Parsi Times, estimates that about 80% of Mumbai-based Parsis read only the English section of her newspaper and just 5-8% of their correspondence with readers is in the community’s mother tongue, Gujarati. “The number of Parsis who can read and write Gujarati has dwindled,” adds Subedar, pointing out that just four of the paper’s 24 pages are in Gujarati and those are targeted at readers who are 70-plus or based in Gujarat.


‘40% of East Indians now more fluent in English than Marathi’

An East Indian from Bandra, Herman Rodrigues grew up speaking English at home — his parents also considered it their first language though his maternal grandmother was fluent in English, Marathi and Portuguese. His father even published a local rag ‘Varsity’, which borrowed heavily from English classics, and rewarded any child who could crack a clue in The Times of India’s crossword puzzle with the “princely sum” of four annas. All voracious readers, Rodrigues and his four siblings read Enid Blyton and Billy Bunter before graduating to William Faulkner’s novels and T S Eliot’s poetry, and they listened to audio recordings of Shakespeare’s plays from the British Council library. And when he became a parent, Rodrigues introduced his children to Roald Dahl, Shel Silverstein and Gerald Durrell.

Rodrigues attended St Stanislaus High School with his brothers. His sisters were enrolled in St Joseph’s Convent School. He learnt Hindi and Marathi in school but has only a basic knowledge of both languages. “I can count the number of Hindi and Marathi movies I’ve watched on one hand,” he says, “because I can’t grasp the nuances.”

Rodrigues’s fluency in English isn’t a rarity in the East Indian community, especially in Bandra. “About 40% of East Indians are now more fluent in English than Marathi,” says Alphi D’souza, managing trustee of Mobai Gaothan Panchayat (MGP) . He insists, though, that the tide is changing as MGP is making efforts to promote Marathi among East Indians. Though the census isn’t complete, D’souza estimates the number of East Indians in the state is three lakh.

Vernon Fernandes (62) and his wife Cynthia have been staying in Pune for 40 years but hail from Goa. “My father and grandfather spoke Konkani, but I hardly know it and speak English at home. We consider it our mother tongue and have passed it on to my daughter and grandson,” says Vernon. Their daughter, Sharon, who went to St Anne’s School, had English listed as mother tongue in her school records, and she plans to do the same for her son. Similarly, Alten Lobo (65), who’s familiar with Konkani, put English as mother tongue when the census survey was conducted at his Pune house, though his relatives in Goa put Konkani.

However, many individuals differentiate between first language and mother tongue. Simin Patel, a Parsi who grew up in Mumbai and studied at Oxford, spoke Gujarati as a child but forgot it once she started going to school. Today, she can understand Gujarati but struggles to express herself. Yet, she’d still put it down as her mother tongue but not her “every day tongue”.

Some scholars insist the figures may be survey errors caused by people mixing up their mother tongue with their preferred language. Anjali Radkar, a faculty member at the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, explains that Pune is an IT hub that attracts professionals from other states who prefer English. “People in this group tend to have inter-state marriages and hence the spoken language is English. But despite this, the English mother-tongue data shouldn’t see a spike,” she says. “There is a chance respondents misunderstood the question as most preferred language.”

Fashion for one and all
Lakmé Fashion Week and fashion forward apparel brand, aLL — The Plus Size Store, hosted their plus size model auditions at St Regis, Mumbai, yesterday. Twenty nine chosen winners (19 women and 10 men) will walk for the third edition of India’s plus size fashion show at the upcoming edition of Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2018.

Over 300 participants from across the country came in for the auditions. The winners were selected by the esteemed panel of judges — actress Zareen Khan, fashion designer Narendra Kumar, fashion choreographer Lubna Adam, Hetal Kotak, CEO, aLL — The Plus Size Store and Jaspreet Chandok, Vice President and Head of Fashion, IMG Reliance — after three competitive rounds.


aLL — The Plus Store has collaborated with ace designer Narendra Kumar who will be designing ‘aLL Primero’ collection for the brand’s Autumn Winter 18’ collection. The line will be showcased at the upcoming fashion week and will be available in stores at the same time. The collection promises to be chic, classy and stylish and will cater to the needs of its plus size customers. “We are dazzled by such a heart-warming response to the auditions. With such a fabulous turnout this year, we expect our third runway show to be bigger than last year. We are always looking at bringing fresh and trendy collection for our customers,” said Hetal Kotak. Talking about the show, Zareen said, “I am very happy to see that we had a great turnout. The show is an excellent initiative in bridging the gap between fashion and plus size consumers. aLL’s motto of ‘Fashion is for one and all’ is something I believe in. Having fought for body positivity all my life, I was excited to be a part of the jury which promotes body positivity and fashion.”

Adding to this Narendra Kumar said, “It has always been a pleasure to be associated with Lakmé Fashion Week. Judging this event was quite overwhelming because of the contestants’ confidence, perseverance and spirit.”

Jaspreet Chandok summed it up by saying, “Lakmé Fashion Week has always stood for inclusivity in fashion, and the plus size show that we do each season is a testament to our belief that fashion is for everyone and not just for a specific set of people. We want to grow this movement as the years go by.”

Follow #aLLplusLFW for further updates

DID YOU KNOW ?


According to research, high heels for women originated in the 16th century after Catherine de Medici, an Italian noblewoman, who was short in stature, wanted to impress the future King Henry when she arrived in France to marry him. In the same century, Persian horseback warriors also started wearing high heels but more out of necessity than fashion. The extended heel was developed for riding, to keep the rider’s foot from slipping out of the stirrups. It also helped to hold the rider steady when standing up in the stirrups and shooting arrows. Years later, Roger-Henri Vivier is credited with re-popularising the stiletto heel in the 1950s.

June is observed as the Pride Month the world over and people are celebrating it in different ways. While fashionistas are donning vibrant ensembles, make-up lovers are expressing their support for the LGBTQ movement by flaunting vibrant make-up. There are a lot of ways to celebrate it. Here are a few tips to help you turn heads wherever you go!



Rainbow lids: You can fit all the colours of the rainbow on your eyelids and sparkle wherever you go.

Glitter brows: Glitter eyebrows are always a big hit among those who love colours. If you’re not ready to use all the colours of the rainbow, try one or two shades to begin with, which will look comparatively more subtle.

Colourful lips: Using candy and metallic colours, you can make horizontal or vertical stripes. But make sure you don’t smack your lips together. That might ruin and smear the design. Alternatively, if you don’t want to create any stripes, opt for fuschia red or pink lipstick that can also do the trick.

Pastel liner: Don’t want to go all bling? There are pastel rainbow liners available in the market. And you can wear this look for just about any occasion.

4 Fashion hacks to stay on top of your style game during monsoon
It gets difficult to look great all day long when it starts to pour incessantly. We’ve compiled a list of what to wear to look your usual pretty self during monsoon



For some, the term monsoon is gloom personified and the fact that it is a season dominated by incessant rains and little sunlight makes things even worse. In such weather conditions, it gets difficult to even step out of the house without getting drenched. For those who must step out though, here is a list of clothes you must wear to keep it stylish during this season.

EMBRACE TROUSERS, SKIRTS, SHORTS AND DRESSES


While long and flowy trousers tend to get dirty during the monsoon, a wellfitted and sharply stitched trouser that ends right at the ankle will be of great help. Also, formal skirts (mid-length pencil skirts) are idle for this season since they tend to look uber stylish and keep dirt from sticking to your clothes. You could also opt for vibrant shorts and dresses. While we love our denims, keep them for non-rainy days since they take forever to dry.

AVOID DULL COLOURS, LET BRIGHT HUES LIFT YOUR MOOD

Wearing dull hues like grey, white and black during the weather is probably not a good idea. While white is difficult to manage during this season, grey and other dull colours dampen your mood and spirit even further. Incorporate a lot of bright colours to your wardrobe — yellow, pink, red, purple and even orange. The gloominess of the world outside can be handled when there is a rush of refreshing colours in your life. Go all out!

TAKE OUT SOME OF YOUR WINTER GARMENTS

After days of non-stop rain, even the hottest of places tend to get slightly chilly. Why not get some of your fancy jackets out from the back of your closet and wear them on your next date night or other outings? Not only do they protect you from the weather, they also add a dash of glamour to your otherwise simple outfit.

FOOTWEAR PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE

Pretty ballerinas, sneakers and canvas shoes get ruined in no time. During monsoon, stick to wearing rubber sandals and flip-flops. Other options that you might want to consider are gumboots and rubber boots. However, the only downside to wearing these boots is that they make you feel extremely hot after some time. Any form of footwear that isn’t slippery and has a good grip is ideal for this weather. Don’t hesitate to splurge on some colourful footwear.




OTHER ESSENTIALS ONE MUST REMEMBER
It is criminal not to carry an umbrella in this season. And instead of the simple, boring one you carry every season, why not invest in an umbrella with some quirky prints? Alternatively, you could also splurge on a cool raincoat in a vibrant colour.

A hair dryer battles frizziness and dampness without causing breakage and brittle hair.

Carry a spare set of clothes (in a waterproof bag) to change into should you get wet.

Keep a towel and extra shoes in your office drawer in case you get soaked in a downpour.

Mumbai monsoon often means wading in dirty ankle/ waist deep water. Keeping in mind all the water borne diseases that plague the city this season, keep a first aid kit handy and wash your feet thoroughly once you get indoors.

Counselling Skills Part Of New Initiative


The Zoroastrian initiative ‘Jiyo Parsi’ has taken a leaf out of Christianity’s book with its new ‘Jiyo Mobed’ programme that aims to make priests into community facilitators by enhancing their communication and leadership skills. “We were considering the Catholic example of priests as pastors or counsellors to the community and the first intermediary for any family problem like death or divorce,” explains Shernaz Cama, director of the UNESCO PARZOR Foundation that implements Jiyo Parsi on behalf of the government.

Keeping this goal in mind, Jiyo Parsi—a government funded initiative to increase the community’s population through medical fertility assistance and advocacy—organised two workshops last year for Parsi priests or ‘mobeds’ where they were taught counselling and interpersonal skills by psychiatrists. About 40 priests attended the first workshop in May, while the second in November had a crowd of 50 as priests’ wives and children were also invited. “A lot of mobeds complained that their sons don’t want to become priests because they are looked down upon,” says Cama. “That is why we wanted the children present to see the respect their parents should be getting.”


In recent years, fewer Parsis go to fire temples and many have started disrespecting priests because of their shabby clothes and lack of confidence, says Jiyo Parsi programme coordinator Katy Gandevia. Ervad Kaizad Karkaria, who went to Poddar College and attended both workshops, said that most Parsis wrongly assume that only those who aren’t educated or can’t prosper in another profession take up the priesthood. The workshop combated such stereotypes by inviting highly educated priests to talk about their calling. “It is high time that priests are given due respect but it is also important that priests train themselves to do more than just recite prayers,” says Cama. “They should also be able to give spiritual sustenance to their flock.”

Besides sessions on self-care, parenting and substance abuse among the youth, the priests were also given a tutorial on the ‘Jiyo Parsi’ programme and encouraged to spread the message of having larger families. Parsiana, a community magazine, reported that Yusuf Matcheswalla, a Bohra professor of psychiatry at Grant Medical College, urged Parsi mobeds to play a greater role in getting youngsters hitched. “He reminded the audience that if a Bohri priest came across an unmarried man of 30, one could be sure that in a few days, a meeting would be arranged between the man’s family and that of a prospective bride,” reported Parsiana. This was followed by an hour-long session on communication skills by Kersi Chavda, American Psychiatric Association fellow, and a lecture on listening skills by Farrokh Jijina, the former assistant director of The Samaritans Helpline.

Cama says she only realized how much Christian pastors and Jewish rabbis interact with the youth when her son went to Trinity College, Cambridge, for his post-graduation. “The first person to reach out to him and all the other students was the chaplain,” says Cama. This was followed by regular invitations to participate in church brunches, donation drives and other community activities. “We need our priests to interact with the young rather than being ignored by them,” she adds. “In Iran, the priest is still very much a pastor and counsellor in the Zoroastrian community.”

STYLE MISTAKES THAT CAN MAKE YOU LOOK FAT

Unfortunately, style isn’t easy. It does require effort, focus on the fit, trial room exercises, choosing the right colour palettes and well, the right pieces that suit your body type. It’s difficult, we know. But take heart, it only sounds difficult. With just a few simple tips/tricks and some sartorial know hows, you’re bound to fare well with your uniform everyday. You only need to pay attention to what you choose. That said, a lot of us don’t have the perfect body to flaunt. Yet, if a guy is thin enough to wear almost anything, the least he can do is — not appear fat. Unless, of course, he’s hell-bent on succumbing to the listed pointers here. Men, take notes...


1 BAGGY PANTS


If you’re an oxygen-led human who lives on a planet called Earth, here’s a reminder — throw your baggy pants/ jeans out of the window. And definitely avoid wearing them in public. Why? One, because baggy pants make you look bigger than you really are. Two, they also make you look unnecessarily broader. And three, they just don’t flatter your body in any corner. While wearing slightly loose pants is alright, the really baggy pants do absolutely no justice to your look. Neither will they score you any brownie points with the women. Likewise, since anything skinny fits you like second skin, if your legs aren’t your best assets, we strongly suggest that you keep skinny jeans away in your closet. Slim fits are the best bet for most men because they sit just right on the hips and legs.

2 ANYTHING WITH HORIZONTAL STRIPES

Your eyes are easy — they look at a line from one end to the other. So, clearly, if there’s a horizontal line that moves from the left to the right, your eyes will move in the same direction (or maybe right to left). Result? You’ll appear broader. Why do that to yourself? Opt for vertically striped apparel instead. Vertical stripes look far better than their horizontal counterparts any day. However, rugby stripes are spiffy, so, if you’re wearing them anyway, proceed with caution.

3 ALWAYS TUCKING IN YOUR T-SHIRT

In most cases, doing this is a part of good (or professional) manners. However, it’s something that might be highlighting all your problem areas. Tucking your T-shirt into your jeans/ trousers will contour your stomach area, which is bound to glorify what’s odd around there. Don’t tell us we didn’t warn you.

4 AN ILL-FITTED SUIT

Whether you’re a corporate honcho or not, nothing should stop you from spending money on a well-fitted suit. If your sleeves are too long or trousers are representing the Niagara falls, visit a tailor and get it suitably altered to sit snugly on your frame. Don’t allow extra fabric on your suit to add any unnecessary bulk on you.


Baggy pants make you appear bigger than you are

5 WEARING TOO MANY COLOURS TOGETHER

Breaking your body up with tons of colours, will only bring focus on each and every part of your body. And in case there flaws in any given area, it’s almost like you’re bringing the spotlight to it. So, preferably wear just one or two colours all over, or tints/ shades of the same colour or best — stick to only dark colours.

A Rohit Bal spread: Fashion, fame, love, drugs, and a ghagra
The designer skirts no question and gets up, close and personal and even admits to his Devdas-like romantic intensity


Rohit Bal’s pet words currently are “blessed” and “balance”, the latter also the name of his prêt label; He wears a customised emerald and gold ring from Padma Gems, sunglasses from Ray-Ban and shoes from Tod’s. He wears a silk quilted short sherwani with a tiered-panel crinkled skirt with gold detailing, both from his own collection

“Let us settle ourselves and work and wedge our feet downward through the mud and slush of opinion, and prejudice and tradition and delusion and appearance…till we come to a hard bottom and rocks in place, which we can call reality.”

Astute words by American poet and philosopher Henry David Thoreau, they may just describe the current state of mind of India’s most famous couturier, Rohit Bal.


Bal says that as the years wore on, he became uncomfortable with judgments drawn from his looks, skin colour and profession (Prabhat Shetty)
Cloaked in projections as a hedonistic celebrity who parties with boys, a designer allegedly on designer drugs, Bal, who is usually thin-skinned about personal questions, agrees to separate rumour from reality, opinion from fact.

Drawing a line between his mad passionate self in love and loss, his masti and diwanapan from his distaste for aggression, his intensity in intimacy from control, he argues against a monastic attitude as well as a narcissistic one. His pet words currently are “blessed” and “balance”, the latter also the name of his prêt label.

Admitting that he was always treated like a charmer from his growing up days in Kashmir long before he found fame in fashion, Bal says that as the years wore on, he became uncomfortable with judgments drawn from his looks, skin colour and profession. “People are excessively curious about me. I know they find me interesting and want to be with me. I may be glamorous but do I look like I am on drugs?” he asks incredulously. He emphasises that he is a recluse in the making, who barely eats at restaurants or watches movies in theatres.

I meet Bal a week before he opens the 10th edition of India Couture Week in Delhi with his collection – Shan-e-Khas – inspired from Indian garments in museums across the world. Contrary to his die-hard reputation of taking liberties with punctuality, Bal saunters into his menswear store in Defence Colony quite on time.

“I could have been a wild child. I am the youngest of seven siblings from two marriages of both my parents. But I’ve turned out to be the exact opposite.”
High time too for raw musings. Bal reminisces fondly about his “glorious childhood in Kashmir” but admits that he has no words for the angst that Kashmiriyat evokes in him today. He is 55, has been a leading designer for more than 25 years, has survived a heart attack and amidst his spectacular shows and awe-arousing (and prohibitively priced) couture, he now seeks quietude.

Bal’s tone is punctuated by spikes of easy laughter. “I am impulsive, instinctive, spontaneous and a really bad planner. I can’t even plan a holiday and I am not good with time but I manage to do a lot of diverse work,” says Bal as he sits back, in the shadow of carefully dimmed lamps ​for questions he has never answered...


Bal admits that he has no words for the angst that Kashmiriyat evokes in him today (Prabhat Shetty)
So much is said about your personal life, why don’t you clear the air if there are misconceptions?

I haven’t shielded anything or been secretive, but it is irrelevant to speak about one’s private life or to clarify judgments. That’s the moment you become the person that everyone knows. I want to run away from that. In the last few years I have started becoming withdrawn and reclusive.

Why do people find you so interesting?

Perhaps because I don’t drain people’s energies. I’ve been extremely sensitive to personal auras right from when I was a child. I let people be without any kind of pressure. I don’t judge. I could have been a wild child, a brat with all the attention I got, especially after my father passed away when I was 11. I was spoilt and protected as the youngest of seven siblings from two marriages of both my parents. But I turned out to be the exact opposite. I am caring, emotional, sensitive and gentle. Whether that gentility has something to do with a certain sexual orientation, I don’t know.

Is that also the feedback you get from lovers, because temperaments can be very different in intimacy?

Lovers and friends, yes. I don’t judge.

Given your looks, did a lot of men and women fall in love with you when you were young?

Men more than women! (laughs). But in Srinagar where I grew up there was a lot more interaction between men and boys. It is a conservative society and fairly male dominated. Obviously there were more boys than girls in my life.


Bal says that he loves and grieves intensely; Here the designer wears an embroidered cashmere cape over a white cotton shirt and gabardine breeches, sunglasses from Ray-Ban and shoes from Tod’s (Prabhat Shetty)
Was it difficult coming to terms with your sexuality?

Not at all, no trouble with family either as they were extremely progressive. I am not saying it was smooth as butter. But when I compare it to 95 per cent people around me, I had little challenge.

“I haven’t had many long-term intimate relationships. I’ve always wanted a balance between brawn and brain.”
Given your liberal upbringing and education, have your lovers been intellectually compatible?

I haven’t had many long-term intimate relationships. I haven’t really found someone. The person I loved the most has not been in any way similar to the way I am and I am not just talking about the socio economic aspect. When my friends ask: why do we see you with this kind of person, I try to explain that I have enough intellect to deal with in the day, at work. At home, I don’t want constant intellectual stimulation. I want balance between brawn and brain. Also, people assume that someone who is an author or an academic would be automatically intelligent. That’s a flawed idea. In our country the first standard of judging a person is whether they speak in English. But someone who speaks in a vernacular or local accent might be able to recite the Bhagwad Gita backwards. Once they know me better, people are taken aback that I am a backslapping, Hindi speaking guy. Love is simple for me. I don’t expect it to eat with a fork and knife.

Are you very intense in love and grief?

Oh my god, yes. I love very intensely and grieve intensely too. The saying: “It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all,” is for me a complete statement of life itself.

So are you Devdas-like intense?

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Yes, I might have been Devdas-like intense. When it is love, I cannot be in control. Love can’t know control, limits. It is boundless. Completely all engulfing. If you don’t give yourself completely, you are not in love. Grief is the same.

How do you feel about Kashmiriyat in the current socio-political situation?

I don’t want to talk about it. I delete the messages people send me about Kashmir. I can’t do this one.

Are you an atheist?

Agnostic, no, atheist, no, superstitious to an extent, yes, now that I am getting older. Religious, no, but I go to a temple every week. Fanatic, no, but I am a firm believer.


Contrary to popular belief Rohit has never resorted to any substance abuse and leads a healthy life; The two-button jacket with a copper broach is teamed with a shirt and indigo gabardine jodhpurs, sunglasses from Ray-Ban, shoes from Tod’s and a Breitling watch (Prabhat Shetty)
With all your philosophical balance, how do you explain your heart disease?

It is completely hereditary.

So do you look after yourself?

Yes. I exercise every day. I am health conscious. My diet is fabulous. I don’t smoke. When I tell people I have never done a line of cocaine in my entire life, they don’t believe me. People have assigned these parameters to me.

Where do these rumours about you partying with boys come from then –memes about Rohit Bal by day and Rohit Bal by night?

I have been there and done that. But my disco duck days are over. I go to a party, am surrounded by some people briefly, then I leave, but that photograph or anecdote sticks. When people meet me, they find me normal and are surprised, which means they expect the opposite. It’s such an irony.

What do you think about the current state of the fashion industry?

Our fashion fraternity is completely bastardised. Some people who have become designers, new designers, or even the relatively older crop, feel that fashion is about hobnobbing with the right kind of people; they make a mockery out of the profession. Today, anyone and everyone has become a designer. That’s sacrilege.

The next two questions were asked and answered via email after Bal’s show that opened India Couture Week 2017.

No one in the media critiques a Rohit Bal line, even when ideas of sameness pervade. Is it because of your persona or your power?

I’ve never considered myself powerful. My persona is who I am. If that spells power, then so be it. But it’s a power I’ve never used. And as far as critical reviews are concerned, it’s the same with every designer in India. For me, my work is my inner sanctum, it is sacrosanct and precious.

It is difficult to rationalise your yearning for reclusiveness when one sees the predictable Delhi society as your showstoppers. Hardly the choice of a recluse.

The society you mention happen to be very close friends of mine. These are real women who I’ve always considered beautiful and effortlessly stylish. The same goes for the guys. This is a completely different aspect of my life, when my life becomes a stage, where I become a showman. It is also a natural part of my character traits. I am a recluse in my personal life. I am me in both these situations.


Actor Arjun Rampal and Rohit have been rumoured to be lovers, but the latter says he’s like a brother to him
P.S. After the recorder is turned off, I succumb to predictable curiosity and ask Bal about Arjun Rampal. The rumour that they were lovers keeps coming back every season Rampal walks as his showstopper. “I laugh about it. Arjun does too. He is my brother. I love him,” says Bal.



MUMBAI STUDENT APURVA PANDEY HAS SCRAWLED UP A NEW DICTIONARY TO REDEFINE WOMEN
A for alluring, B for buxom, C for curvylicious -twenty-one year-old artist Apurva Pandey's body shaming dictionary redefines women and how! Drawing from her personal experiences, Apurva's project, `She Talks Buxom' highlights issues faced by Indian women on the `heavier side'. “I've been through a lot of body shaming as I weighed around 80 kilos when I was a teenager. I always wanted to lose weight, which I did when I moved out of home for further studies,“ she recounts. “I was told that I looked `prettier'. It made me think -does fat mean ugly?
The association of beauty with body weight has always been beyond my understanding,“ adds the artist.

A student of architecture, Apurva's hobby of sketching and drawing led to the birth of the project. Armed with markers and fashion magazines, she started drawing voluptuous women over ideal models' figures. “It was a travel pas time activity , where I ended up learning anatomy in the process,“ she says.

Giving details on how she started working on the project, the artist says, “I began with doodling. Then I started adding colours and fancy drapery -a swimsuit, to be precise. Later, I drew nudes and added more details. Since I belong to a typical Indian family , wearing short skirts and dresses was prohibited, as I wasn't thin. So, I took revenge and made sure that my women wore short dresses.“

And what's her folks' reaction to that?
“There is no artist in my family -only doctors and engineers. But my father has always been supportive of me.Even when he saw my sketches, which were mostly nudes, he was pretty chill about it. In fact, just a while ago, he bought me a canvas.My mom wasn't so okay with it initially -she was awkward -but has made peace with it,“ says Apurva.

During a talk to a bunch of students from Ramnarain Ruia College, the project connected in a big way with the young girls there. “The experience has been empowering and changed me as a person. I have stopped complaining about my body and am more comfortable in my skin,“ says Apurva, adding that even men have written to her about the proj ect. While she's pondering over the offer to come up with her own merchan dise, she also hopes that body shaming gets the attention it needs. “It's a sensitive topic.

But the current situation in India is so terrible that it's not even considered an issue as we h a v e many oth er problems that need to be addressed,“ she concurs.

With summer on in full swing, there's no better time to add some whites to your wardrobe. The colour is a staple for the season. For a dinner night, a lazy Sunday brunch or a fun day on a beach, a white dress is a versatile option for these outings. Designer Nandita Mahtani's new collection ‘White Wash' has been designed keeping this in mind. The collection incorporates easy breathable fabrics like cottons and cheesecloth which let your skin breathe in this scorching heat. “Whites being my favourite shade this season, I would recommend a feminine white dress to every woman in a style silhouette which is complimentary to her body. An off shoulder dress is great for a dinner night with minimal use of mirror work that adds the correct amount of bling to the outfit. Kaftan and flowy dresses are the kind of silhouettes which keeps one's look simple, yet chic and fresh for a beach or brunch look,” says Nandita. Head to the designer's store Ananya at Bandra for more such looks.



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