Reality, Embellished

The Motherland is a study in stark contrasts.

It is often colourful.

Old Bollywood.

It is sometimes black and white.

I can get lost in the positive impact of the negative space in this image.

It is as rich in its poverty as it is in its wealth.

Stark-itecture.

It is well adorned in its history of embellishment.

Pomp and circumstance, exemplified.

It has always conversed with its lush past and argued with its glitzy future.

Where does one look first: at the flawless finger waves, the anticipated movement and imagined clink of those bangles, or within the soul of that child's eyes? There are so many gleaming gems captured here.

This surreality is exemplified in a new exhibit at Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum entitled, Embellished Reality: Indian Painted Photographs, which opens today.

The 60 works from the ROM’s own collection, dating from the 1860s to the Noughties, take what was a relatively new technology at their inception – photography – and blend it with an intricate tradition of painting.

The images depict notable figures, travelling through the markers that a well-lived life brings: marriage, coronation, pilgrimage, travel and status.

A royal couple from another era.

The enhancement of black and white photos with colour is not unique to India. What is unique, however, is the way in which paint was used in the embellishment of these photographs. Sometimes, it is hard to see the photograph through the paint that covers it. The ornamentation, the technique does not speak with an ordinary vocabulary. It speaks poetry.

Speaking to an intimate group prior to the exhibition’s opening, the ROM’s Curator of South Asian Visual Culture, Dr. Deepali Dewan explained that the paint was used to elevate the figure depicted within the photographs, to represent them as a higher being, beyond their reality.

These photographs were meant to embellish their worldly self, and make them other-worldly.

Lost in another world...

The exhibit runs through March, 2012. It will significantly enhance your own visual reality.

Drop by the South Asian gallery while you are there – the ROM has 6,000 South Asian artifacts, spanning  5,000 years – a portion of which can be found in the gallery.

All images courtesy of the Royal Ontario Museum.

Maharani Mode

It seems whenever I watch old films – Bolly or Holly – I look at the craftsmanship, the art and the heart of those clothes. Same goes, of course, for couture’s old masters. That level of love and effort isn’t visible in clothes anymore – or it’s rare to see.

In a world of mass consumption, mass production, pre-fabrication and machine made, machine stamped, machine stitched, it is not often that you see true artistry and passion in any collection these days. And when you do, you know it.

Such is the case with Sabyasachi Mukherjee. His Bridal Sutra collection that closed Lakme Fashion Week for FW09 back in April, was nothing short of majestic.

Sabyasachi FW09

Known as Sabyasachi, he has been one to watch on both sides of the Atlantic for a number of years. He was one of the first designers to use Indian fabrics in a modern way. There is an old-world charm and richness to his designs and a definite nod, not only to literature, but to Indian art masters including Raja Ravi Varma and a multitude of maharanis, both real and imaginary.

The velvet palloo on this saree reminds me...

...of Raja Ravi Varma's painting of Draupaudi Carrying Milk & Honey

Thinking of Gayatri Devi, and the life she must have led in her 90 years, I imagined all the fantastical things she must have worn to represent her role as Rajmata of Jaipur. Any of these pieces would have been perfect on her, especially this regal saree, something she always looked best in, in my opinion.

Sabyasachi's regal saree from a bygone era...

Gayatri Devi demonstrating the grace of a Maharani in a saree

[Click on the thumbnails to see the larger images.]

Chiffon churidaar with rich layers

Blouse with brocade detail on sleeve

Ravi Varma’s Raja and Rani

Layers of richness

Maharani Kailash Kumari of Patna with her Maharajah

Men still look princely in brocade

Maharani Jind Kaur

The perfect lainga at Sabyasachi

Voluminous in velvet

Yards of adornment

Sabyasachi FW09

The velvet palloo on this saree reminds me…

…of Raja Ravi Varma’s painting of Draupaudi Carrying Milk & Honey

Sabyasachi’s regal saree from a bygone era…

Gayatri Devi demonstrating the grace of a Maharani in a saree

My head is filled with reflections of old meets new, of slower times with more craftsmanship, artistry, passion. Perhaps I lived in those times in a different life. These musings and inspirations will release themselves slowly in posts to come. They are pieces, floating fantastically for now.

And isn’t fashion supposed to do that? Inspire us to be fantastical? To dream? Sabyasachi seems to know it to be true. As do I.

Sabyasachi images source. Ravi Varma image sources: Draupadi , Raja and Rani. Jind Kaur image source. Royal family of Patna image source. Gayatri Devi image source.

Meet me on the Med, bring fabulous frills

We’ve seen black and white, we’ve seen big, bold colour and we’ve seen the long and lean and the inbetween. Spring has all the frills we could possibly hope for.

While not usually one for prints, I am suddenly feeling the frou frou…or maybe it’s the Mediterranean memory taking hold?

Portofino left a lasting impression. I can just see this DVF tunic billowing in the Med breezes along with the sails of the boats lined up awaiting the sea-set.

Gelato in hand, I understand – this is no ordinary journey. Will need something with more romance as we sail to Monte Carlo. Waved farewell to Marcello and Alessandro and Umberto and…

There is a new twist to the plot, thanks to Lacroix.

 

Dancing in diamonds (prints) awaits – with who else but the Prince? Such grace, your Grace.

Diamonds & McQueen - two best friends for every girl.

Adoringly adorned, we venture to Valencia, echoes of ancient Matadors lingering at Lacroix. No bull here – black and white swirls and curls, red ribbon hangs coyly – just the right touch of colour.

The sandy music of Malta beckons and we change our tunic once again, simplifying to Sabyasachi for the stroll.

The brocade border leads us to our next destination. Tunisia welcomes us with drama and energy. Etro’s paisley harem pants fit right in – and are silky enough to negotiate the souks.

 

Last night on the glistening seas – and McQueen’s golden goddess

takes us home…

 

…to Rome, where we return to our day-time self in a Sabyasachi shirt-dress.

And should we run into Yasmin Le Bon at the airport, we can swap stories about the Motherland and her stint for Vogue India over a cappuc!

All pics from Style.com.

Black and White is Golden

Black and white is bold this Spring, but who knew it was gold as well?

Love these delish baubles from Dries Van Noten. The rockin’ cuff softened with the romance of trailing ribbon, is screaming for some skinny jeans, a black, fitted bracelet sleeve t-shirt and a killer pair of simple black stilettos.

This clutch would be fantastic with a day shift dress in grey or leaf green, or a long skirted shirt dress à la Diane Lane in Under the Tuscan Sun when she is waiting for that lovely Italian man in the piazza – Marcello?  

Imagine the clutch tucked under her arm…

And this crazy, beautiful shirt would work with either a) faded, fitted and flared jeans + low key gold flat sandals, or b) a high-waisted floor length skirt with drape and fall that moves as you walk. I’d leave the buttons undone on the sleeves and casually flip the sleeves up. Simple hair, up. Done. Oh wait, since the sleeves are flipped up and the arms are bare, maybe add the spherical gold Bottega Veneta ring from a few seasons ago? Now, it’s done.

Or keep it fuss free in this Martin Grant pin-tucked column + gold string knot necklace. Not bad.

Embellished or not, it’s a golden opportunity to look sensational for Spring.

All fash photos from Style.com. Movie still source.

See our other posts on Spring: spice colours, maximum length dressing, black and white and more black and white.

Have an opinion on any of the fab looks featured in our posts? Post a comment and let’s talk fash!

Black and White Spring – Part 2

We know that things seem to be looking up for Spring, whether it’s intense spice shades, the easy breezy beauty of maximum length dressing or simply, black and white. The thing is – there is nothing simple about this season’s black-and-whites – they are all about romance!

Pretty Petals at Chanel SS09

Whether it’s the pretty flower-fall detail on a Chanel evening dress, or the sensuous folds and tucks of a waistline at Lanvin, black and white has lost its harder edge if only for a moment (see Karl’s lacier, racier, sex kitten in black from the same Chanel collection).

Nip/Tuck at Lanvin

The window-pane check at Dries Van Noten is  easier on the eye, in chiffon and a pliable clutch.

Van Noten's Past, Checkered?

David Dixon’s perfect fit, tailored shift is softened by the intricate necklace.

Dixon's Tailored Romantic SS09

No illusions here, this is city dressing, at its best.

There is so much of the 18th century lately – from the Victoriana necklace at Dixon, above and Karl’s collar detail – to his Mughal chestplates for Chanel.

Victoriana at Chanel SS09

Regal and Rajasthani at Chanel SS09

Very Jodhaa Akbar…minus the colour.

Jodhaa's necklace masterpiece.

Watch for more black and white (and gold!) in a an upcoming post…

All clothing images from Style.com except for David Dixon. Movie still from http://www.jodhaaakbar.com.