Think of a plush five star banquet, high-end brands and an eclectic theme based decor : that’s Funky Fish for you. After the first two editions of Enchanted Garden and Dream Catcher, this year’s theme was “Patakha Pop”. The brands were a mix of apparel, jewellery, footwear, skincare and sweet treats.
What made this couture event unique was the fact that most of these brands had options for customisation like personalised footwear, chocolates, soaps and food hampers. Also loved that they tried to make it a holistic experience by adding a stall from Tarot Tales. Some of the participating brands were Outhouse Jewellery, September Spring, Weave In India etc.
“Jhalak” : A Hindi word which means ‘glimpse’, and a glimpse into lifestyle and societal trends is what I get at these expos. This one was held in the plush banquet of hotel Holiday Inn, Jaipur. With the festive season coming up, it was the perfect place to shop for ethnic outfits, jewellery, accessories, shoes and a lot more.
These exhibitions with their colourful textiles, beautiful ornaments and quirky accessories give you a chance to witness the real India that comes alive in her streets. There were shoes with Ajrakh and Kalamkari prints, Meenakari done on fabric jewellery, Phulkari embroidered bags and so many traditional crafts conceived in a contemporary manner.
Exploring India is incomplete without food and this is where these expos should work on. Jaipur has so many traditional delicacies to offer, adding them would make it an amazing experience.
Another expo in the pink city, but with a very elaborate and eclectic decor. Shopping is such a great experience amidst such vibrant spaces and with so many unique things to choose from. It was an amalgamation of apparel ranging from gotta patti to block prints, embellished footwear and quirky juttis, handbags and ornamented clutches, mobile covers, semiprecious jewellery and even some organic cosmetics.
Enjoy the pictures :
We have a separate category for all the expos that happen in Jaipur, here’s the link . Do follow us on Facebook and on Instagram.
Aspiration was one of the first lifestyle expos that we covered for the blog. The decor was vibrant and there were a lot of stalls selling some amazing apparel and accessories. I could not resist the temptation and did buy some chic accessories. This year’s expo had an even elaborate decor and a wide variety of participating shops, though most of the stuff was all about the bling with ornamentation and embellishments. Since there is no wedding that i have been invited to in near future, i did not buy anything thankfully 😉
Funky Fish was our very first blogpost on the trend of pop up couture. It is a tad different from regular handicrafts and lifestyle expos. These events are not about promoting regional crafts or artisans, but primarily have designer/high-end labels showcasing their collection to people of a particular city.
Also, it is a pertinent medium for brands which only have an online presence as customers get to understand and feel the vibe of their products. “Enchanted Garden” was the theme of the previous edition of Funky Fish held at Hotel Hilton, Jaipur. This time the theme was “Dreamcatcher” , here are the pictures :
It is very gratifying to cover the new edition of an expo, which you have covered before. It’s like a journey that you have completed as an experience collector and nothing can be more rewarding. As the name suggests, Lagan Mandap is all about the glitz and glamour of wedding shopping. Here’s the link to the previous edition of this blogpost . This time the exhibition was held on a much larger scale with lots of participating stores and beautiful fresh flowers based decor.
One could find everything needed in a wedding under one roof. There were a plethora of semi-precious jewellery stalls, embellished clutches, sarees, Indo-western gowns, lehengas, footwear and a lot more. Also they had some very eclectic gift wrapping and packing stuff, which is a very important part of wedding preparations.
Being a blogger, I have had the privilege of covering so many wedding and lifestyle expos. Apart from the collection showcased by the participating brands, one thing that really stands out in any such event is the decor. It makes shopping feel like an artistic experience, renders luxury unintimidating and big-brand browsing feels refreshingly fun. Hidden Treasures was one such expo which was held at the  Diggi Palace, Jaipur. The whole outdoor area was done up with white paper lamps, artificial flowers and soft lighting, giving the place a very graceful and dainty vibe.
The exhibition had clothing, shoes, bags, precious & semi-precious jewelry, lifestyle accessories & artifacts, paintings & furniture, organic products & more from all across the nation and overseas. I don’t know which i like best : wearing jewelry or photographing jewelry 🙂 . There was also a live band and some cafes to enjoy in the beautiful settings, making this lifestyle show a perfect experience for all.
Continuing with our wedding season series, here are certain pictures from another wedding expo – Lagan Mandap held at the SMS convention centre, Jaipur.
The summer season is here and so is the wedding season, the latter calls for endless shopping trips to prep for various events like mehandi, sangeet, wedding, reception etc. A wedding exhibition/fair gives you the option of having everything under one roof. There are numerous boutiques/labels, which take part in these events to showcase their collection. It is also the perfect place to shop for accessories like clutches, footwear, hair adornments, jewelry due to the sheer variety and competitive pricing.
Shimmer is a wedding and lifestyle exhibition, which took place at the Birla Auditorium in Jaipur. There were some amazing stores selling all wedding related stuff. Here’s a look at the pictures from the exhibition –
I am an educator by profession but an artist in my fantasy life. There are so many handcraft traditions in India, that i fear one life will be too short to explore all of them. Even if i know i will not be able to explore all the paths, i want to be there! I love the idea that i still have so much to see and learn.
My love for Jaypore and its core philosophy is conspicuously displayed on the blog, it has been giving a platform to so many creative peeps to share their artwork with you. From the past few months, Jaypore has also started conducting expos in various cities of the country. We have already covered their first expo,which was held in Delhi and also a blogpost on what all i purchased from it.
It was Jaipur’s turn to get its share of Jaypore’s magic. The expo was held in the beautiful surroundings of the Narain Niwas Palace. It was such a delightful feeling to witness so many handwoven/handcrafted fabrics like – banarasi, brocade, tussar silk, organic cotton, kantha work, ikat, block prints and so much more. Apart from the fabrics/apparel, there were hand-printed clutches, embroidered bags, silver/tribal jewelry, organic skincare, home decor etc.
The aesthetics of the expo were very charmingly done against a lush green backdrop, here are the pictures-
I have got a severe vacation itch. Some quiet time in a far away land. Hope that happens soon 🙂Â
Pop up couture stores – A new trend that has emerged in the world of fashion  retailing. They bring together collections of numerous designers from across the country. The curators then showcase these collections in different venues. It gives a break from the monotony of shopping at stores and boutiques. It is like shopping at an eclectic Indian bazaar filled with contemporary fashion, art, food, music and more. Funky Fish is one such pop up couture organiser, which has conducted events in various cities all over the country. Each of these couture events has a different theme and decor is done in sync with the theme.
It was Jaipur’s turn this time to have its share of pop up fashion and the theme of the event was – Enchanted Garden. Aromaoflife  got a chance to visit this fashion souk, which was a blooming garden full of a curated range of clothing, accessories and home decor.
The event was held at Hotel Hilton,Jaipur. Here are the pictures-
OrganisersMy dress also resembled an enchanted garden 😂
Jaipur’s social calendar is jam-packed with numerous events like – literature festival, handicrafts expo, art and craft fairs, and a plethora of exhibitions spanning across various subjects. Aspiration is one such fashion & lifestyle exhibition held every year at the SMS Convention Centre  , which is a spacious and beautiful venue with a regal aura.
An exhibition is in many ways a series of conversations. Between the artist and viewer, curator and viewer, and between the works of art themselves. It clicks when an exhibition feels like it has answered some questions, and raised even more.
Entrance
This was the first time that I got a chance to attend Aspiration, and I didn’t have much idea about what to expect. But it truly was beyond expectations and I did get to see some really creative stuff. There were stalls selling tribal silver jewellery, hair accessories, pearl ornaments, quirky mojris and my most favourite thing- some absolutely chic bags.
Creative decor Pink themed decor in the Pink city 🙂
The only sad part is that they do not allow you to click pictures of the stalls, which I really wanted to. Nevertheless, I have created this post to apprise you about all the fun stuff I purchased.
Loved my shopping spree 🙂
 1. There was a stall selling an eclectic mix of hair accessories, which were studded with Swarovski crystals, pearls, beads and other semi precious stones. These were made by NIFT/NID students as part of their projects and one could clearly sense the handmade charm in them.
Handcrafted hair accessoriesÂ
2. This cute clutch-keychain will be a perfect adornment for all my handbags. It so aptly represents my obsession with bags 😉
Clutch-KeychainÂ
3. We have already done a blogpost  on the emerging trend of scarf jewellery  and how it creatively combines the functionality of a dupatta and a neckpiece. I bought two scarf neckpieces- blue and white, wanted one in black too but it was sold out.
4. Loved the peacock ornamented on the clutch. Beige colour and mirror work make this clutch a versatile piece which can be carried with a saree or even with a maxi dress.
5. Got these 2 handcrafted envelopes from a stall selling handmade gift-packing material. These were the last two pieces left, I decide to buy both as I am going to use one of them as an envelope-clutch 🙂
6. Last but not the least- This box clutch/sling bag with a refreshing print. I was planning to buy a box clutch from long and this was exactly what I was looking for. I can’t wait to use it 🙂
A crafters blessing- Fabric inspires me. Ribbon makes me smile. Spray paint is a necessity.
Hope you liked the things I bought, do try to visit Aspiration next year. And as usual, keep following us on Facebook and Instagram 🙂
