ELEGANCE – Aroma Of Life

Pop Up Couture : Funky Fish 3rd Edition

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.

Enjoy the pictures :

Love For The Handwoven ❤️

When you buy something made by a person, there is something special and you do feel it. The consciousness with which a thing is made is often more important than the things itself. Handmade things are so aesthetically pleasing and even the imperfections in them add charm. I never leave a chance to attend any of these expos as it is a sheer delight to witness the rich handcrafted art forms of India.

Look at the beauty of these stitches : whether it is the vivid Phulkari or the intricate Kantha or the graceful Chikankaari, It feels like the colours, fabric, thread and myriad patterns are weaving a story. And each story is unique because a different storyteller weaves it. Enjoy the pictures :

Phulkari

Kantha Work

Chikankaari

Chanderi

Wedding & Lifestyle Exhibition : Jhalak

“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.

Here are the pictures :

Wedding & Lifestyle Exhibition : Urge

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.

Decor : Gulmohar Lane 2

If you haven’t read the first part of this blogpost, quickly head to this link . Gulmohar Lane website is like a decor journal in itself, there’s a dedicated video explaining the genesis of each of their collection and even a visualisation of their furniture in different kinds of spaces. There’s even more stuff like lots of ideas on home decor, furniture care and thousands of pictures to take inspiration from.

Gulmohar Lane furniture in Veere Di Wedding.

I absolutely love the way in which they have taken inspiration for their multifarious collections. Whether it is the Udaipur armchair or the Samode pond cushions or the Persian garden print, there’s a vivid evocation of the place in the designs.

Adorning Parineeti Chopra’s home in Mumbai.

The best part has to be their bespoke feature wherein you can choose a fabric online and a sample swatch is sent for you to witness and understand the feel of it. This is life made really easy, choosing furniture and fabric of your choice sitting in the comfort of your home.

(Please Note : All images taken from Gulmohar Lane’s website)

Wedding & Lifestyle Exhibition : Aspiration 2nd Edition

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 😉

Here are the pictures :

Decor : Gulmohar Lane 1

It was while doing our Homes of the stars post that i came to know about Gulmohar Lane, a bespoke furniture label based in Jaipur. They have designed a lot of stuff for Parineeti Chopra’s home in Mumbai, which came as a big surprise as most star homes and their objects are completely opposite of anything unostentatious. So this was followed by some research about the brand’s ethos and then finally a wonderful interaction with the couple who owns this amazing brand.

Shweta Mewara and Saurabh Ailawadi, both NIFT graduates who worked with some of the leading brands in the fields of design, interiors, retail and brand management. During these job years they switched cities very frequently, every time styling a new space and turning it into their abode. This is when they realised the glaring gap between the demand and supply of simple, elegant and affordable furniture especially the one which is customised as per demand.

So the idea of Gulmohar Lane was born, with the aim of creating furniture that is comfortable, high on quality and adds beauty to a home. When I met the couple, the brand felt like a mirror image of their personalities : easy-breezy and quaintly charming. The duo is very clear on what they do not what to sell, you would not find any synthetic upholstery and only natural fabrics are used. Same rules apply to the wood being used. It’s amazing to come across brands which are conscious about their ecological impact.

Here are pictures from our visit to their store in Jaipur :

(All pictures were clicked during our visit to the Gulmohar Lane Store in Jaipur)

In the second part of this blogpost, we will be giving you a glimpse into some of their different collections of furniture and upholstery. Stay Tuned. 😊😊

Wedding & Lifestyle Exhibition : Lagan Mandap 2nd Edition

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.

Enjoy the pictures :

Lagan Mandap : Wedding Exhibition

Continuing with our wedding season series, here are certain pictures from another wedding expo – Lagan Mandap held at the SMS convention centre, Jaipur.

Handloom Expo : Silk India Silk

Here we are with another expo, Silk India Silk, which was held at the lawns of Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur. Despite having attended so many exhibitions, I always get an adrenaline rush before going to one. It has the power to transport you to the dreamy world of Moroccan souks and bazaars. Collect the things you love, that are authentic to you, and your house becomes your story.

The feel of handwoven fabric. The texture. The weft and the warp. The intricacy of design. The symmetry and also the idiosyncrasies of handmade. The centuries old craft traditions that are reverently passed on from one generation of artisans to the next. The story behind each gorgeous yard of a saree. The wonder at the skill, the passion and the sheer hard work that goes into create something so beautiful.

Oh, the love for handwoven Indian textiles, you and I – we know what that feelslike! . Here are the pictures-

And because we love our textiles so much, we should do what we can to save them ❤️❤️

Silk India : 2017

Saree is one such attire which can flatter any one irrespective of their body type, skin tone or any other physical attributes. We have already done a blogpost on our unconditional love for sarees, not just as a dress but as a part of family heirloom which is passed on through generations. If there is a special occasion and you are in doubt regarding what to wear, adorn a saree and it will never fail you.

When it comes to timeless- classics, silk sarees rule the roost. Their sheen never fades away, whatever be the trend. The fabric of pure silk sarees remains the same over years and the times gone by add value to its vintage charm. Getting married into the army has increased my love for sarees exponentially and I can’t wait to have my own eclectic collection of the six yards. Silk sarees are our best friends because even if you are going to wear a particular saree again after 5 years, you would not be considered outdated as silk is evergreen 😍

“Silk India Expo” is held every year at the Birla Auditorium in Jaipur and one can find silk of almost every kind being exhibited. Whether it is Kanjeevaram from Tamil Nadu, Banarasi from Uttar Pradesh, Chanderi from Madhya Pradesh, Paithani from Maharashtra, Jamdani from Bengal, Kosa from Chattisgarh, Eri from Meghalaya, Tussar from Bihar, Muga from Assam – You name it and they have it.

Hoping the pictures were a treat for your eyes ❤️❤️

OOTD With Global Desi

Global Desi – The name aptly represents the contemporary Indian woman, whose style is a unique amalgamation of tradition and ultramodern. The brand offers an eclectic mix of Kurtis, dresses, palazzos, skirts, tunics etc which are made by combining the Indian techniques of block printing, dying, embroidery with some chic silhouettes.

They work closely with traditional artisans to create exquisite ensembles and gorgeous handcrafted jewellery – paying homage to the supreme craftsmanship of India. The brand stands for a simple, beautiful thought – fashion is for everyone, everyone has a fashion.

Independence Day : Celebrations

India is the cradle of human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grandmother of tradition. Our most valuable and most artistic materials in the history of mankind is treasured up in India only.

India is not just a place, not just a country of people. It is the celestial music, and inside that music anybody from any corner of the globe can find the real significance of life. My gratitude to those heroes of past who gave us the freedom and to those who are guarding our freedom.

Let’s rejoice in happiness and indulge in celebration, saluting the ones who made it possible, who made India stand high and mighty, let’s make them our inspiration.

This is how we celebrated the spirit of freedom –