Back in action

After the slow start this year, it’s a relief to see the fashion industry returning to normal. Umesh Jivnani tells more.

After the slow start this year, it’s a relief to see the fashion industry returning to normal. In Mumbai, the fashion frat has to choose between three luxe events this evening. First is the official launch of jeweller Varuna D Jani’s flagship store organised by Chhaya Momaya.

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It will be a solitaire-studded affair with Jani showcasing her Heirloom Collection to the city’s elite.

Then there is the first Manzoni FHM style Icons of the Year Awards party where Bollywood’s Vikram Phadnis is holding a men’s only fashion extravaganza.

Clashing with them is Arjun Khanna’s all-male fashion show for Gitanjali where actor Irrfan Khan is expected to walk the finale.

The three-day Gitanjali Style Fest which took off yesterday features nine designers including Wendell Rodricks, Ritu Beri, Rohit Bal, Falguni and Shane Peacock, Nandita Mahtani, Krishna Mehta, Arjun Khanna, Rocky S and Vikram Phadnis.

Showbiz personalities Arjun Rampal, Katrina Kaif, Celina Jaitly, Harman Baweja, Amrita Rao, Sonali Kulkarni, Neha Dhupia, Neetu Chandra, Raima Sen and Sameera Reddy are the showstoppers. Here’s a prelude to the fashion weeks and a good start to the show season.

All’s fair
Its ironic how much importance is given to our Fashion Weeks where hardly any business is transacted and how the fashion media totally ignores Indian Garment Fairs where millions of dollars change hands.

This month, two of the country’s largest garment fairs — the India International Garment Fair (IIGF) & India Fashion Forum (IIF) — are being held in Delhi and Mumbai respectively. I am currently at the 42nd IIGF which started yesterday in the capital for four days.

The scale of the event is overwhelming.

Next week, I am all set to take part in the IFF (January 27-28) which is being chaired by Raymond’s Gautam
Singhania. Themed Fashion 2009: Get the Power!, the forum will see over 200 thought leaders and global honchos devising strategies to add energy to the fashion and garment industries.

Rock and role
Three of Indian fashion’s ‘it’ girls — Yanaa, Meghna Reddy and Ramona Narang — have found new horizons.
After her split with Aftab Shivdasani, Yana has shifted focus from modelling to singing and recently gave her first live performance at Riyaaz Amlani’s Il Terrazzo. She put up a good show, belting out songs from her album I Believe In Love. She has taken her new career damn seriously and it shows.

Meanwhile the petite Meghna Reddy has found her Mr Right. The former VJ-model recently tied the knot to her boyfriend, Greek real estate developer Ari Mionis in Athens. Sisters Sameera and Sushma dressed traditionally along with the saree-clad Meghna for the nuptials. The setting was an ethnic tent set in an open lawn where close friends and family enjoyed Greek food over Bollywood music.

As for the gorgeous Ramona Narang, she’s due anytime with her first child and has planned to come down from Delhi
to Mumbai for her delivery since she wants to be ‘home’.

I’ve always found Ramona stylishly sexy and a spirited Mumbai girl. Surely, she’ll be one hell-of-a-momma with an equally stunning designer-clad baby.