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The Magical Indian Carpet
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A fusion affair Don’t
change to fit the fashion, change the fashion to fit you. Whoever said that was echoing the radical change in contemporary bridal attire. For there is lot of mojo to what fashion designers are doing to deck you on your most precious day, literally—the day, when you become ‘we’ from being a ‘me’. “Today the trend is more about unique styling and less about bling!’’ says Mumbai-based designer Shouger Merchant Doshi of Zanaaya Designs. Unwilling to shun the thrill attached to the traditional wedding glamour, girls today are looking for something different from the way their elder sisters or mothers dressed on their wedding day. They want to have all the fun, and are opting for a fusion look! In short, it means they are trying to create harmony by combining the best of Indian traditional attire with the West’s attitude of functionality, when it comes to fashion. Gone are days when wedding guests would have been stopped in their tracks on seeing the bride walking down in ivory white, ebony black or blue mermaid-cut lehenga topped by sweetheart neck corset and a sheer dupatta! “Today’s bride is very pragmatic. She wants to look simple and has already made plans as to what to do with her bridal outfit later, rather than keeping it in the attic. She desires to be glamorous, beautiful and traditional, yet not overly embellished,’’ explains Kolkata-based designer Kiran Uttam Ghosh. `Functional’ is the key word of the 21st century bride. Buying a bright red sari costing Rs 1 lakh plus with heavy zari border and pallu or a crystal-sequined studded zari embroidered ghagra-choli is the most unpractical buying option for a would-be bride, given the fact that it may become a just a one-time dressing affair. Except on one’s own wedding day, where else can you wear such high glam clothes and that too in shocking red bridal attire? Today’s thinking bride is opting for contemporary designing, cuts, quirky patterns and silhouettes. Basically, fusion fashion is the trend. The primary thought is to look like a million bucks, make a statement of elegance without appearing out of sync. True followers of Coco Chanel who said: “Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.” And helping them in their ambition are design czars like J. J.Valaya, Manish Malhotra, Tarun Tahiliani, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, the duo of Shane and Falguni and others who otherwise also make ornate and traditional bridal dresses. Mumbai-based designer duo Kapil and Mmonika define a fusion bridal attire as: “It is a light-weight lehenga in gown style. Today’s bride feels it’s very trendy with the combination of Indian and Western wear. Indian weddings ceremony is a whole night affair, so young brides prefer to wear something which is classy, different but not very heavy like the wedding lehengas of the yore.” One can’t attribute a designer who initiated this trend of what we term as fusion bridal wear but in all probability it is the young girl’s penchant to look slim on her special day which has prompted designers to come up with new cuts, styles, colours to suit the new-age bride. Till a couple of years back, brides either used to opt for crash diet or join the gym to get that ‘it’ look but as at it became too much of a hard work they opted for the next best thing — go for slim-fitting dresses. And the trend for fusion bridal attire was ushered in. Fusion is unfettering. It sets you free. Says Heena Malhotra, designer with Chhabra 555, “Fusion wear liberates a bride to stay away from the problem of carrying heavy weight lehengas and jewellery.” The options are limitless. The hottest, eye-popping bridal fusion fashion trends include lehengas with jacket-style blouses; Anarkalis with modern embellishments and trail; angrakhas with volume; gararas and shararas with contemporary cuts; jackets, suits with cluttoes or pants and bright pre-pleated sarees with unconventional glamorous blouses. The benefits of these attires are that these are less complicated and trendy than the traditional bridal attires. Depending on the events, like sangeet, mehendi, hen’s or bacheloratte party, reception, and of course, the actual wedding ceremony, brides are seen dressed in suits, kurtis with asymmetrical cuts, etc. Floor-length hemlines and high-low hemlines (usually short in front and dipping behind) will continue to be the clear favourites. Deep backnecks with front-patterned necklines and embroidered full sleeves in sheer fabric will be trendy. It’s going to be a combination of creative embellishments and good use of drapes with an Indo-Western look. Gone are days when the fabric prevailing on wedding attire was only Benarasi brocades or heavy zari-silks. Today, one gets to see lot of net, georgette, lycra, chiffons, jersey, velvets, brocades, and of course, silks taking centre stage in a trousseau. Lot has changed in the colours palette also. The usual red, burgundy, maroon, yellow, orange are jostling with ochre yellow, rich olive green, tangerine tango, emerald green, citron yellow, berry pink, dull tiffany, blue cantaloupe brown, marigold, avocado green and others. Ghosh forecasts, “Colours like tomato or blood red offset by sapphire, indigo and gold, jewel tones with metallic hues like silver, copper and blond as accents are this season’s picks.” Conceding the takeover by fusion, Malhotra opines, “Traditional sarees and lehengas will not be eliminated completely from the range of bridal attire but yes the ones who believe in East meets West concept will surely give a break to conventional clothing and opt for fusion looks.”
Besides
contemporarising appearances, with little imagination and without decreasing the glam quotient, fusion bridal attire can be used after nuptials also. Earlier, because of heavy fabric and embellishments these garments were used only once in the lifetime. But today with skyrocketing inflation, such clothes are becoming impractical. As designer Kiran Uttam Ghosh says, “The wedding attire hasn’t changed.. the needs of today’s bride have.” And hence change in the styling of bridal wear. The variations are short choli with skirt-style bottom with contrast dupatta, long upper with pant-style bottom with heavy dupatta, which later can be used in different combos. The wedding choli can be teamed with monochrome saree for evening parties or even an office get-together; the long jacket style top could be paired over jeans or other plain pants or churidars. The wedding ghagra can be paired with plain choli and a plain net or sheer dupatta for any festive occasion which will make the ghagra appear great without the glamour of the wedding dress. Even in the jewellery section, designers are offering fusions by making jewellery in convertibles — a necklace can be separated and used as a choker, as a bracelet, a pendant , and of course, as a necklace! A cuff can be used as a tiara also. Different parts of danglers too can be dismantled and used to adorn ears on different occasions. So future dressing is going to be fusion!
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The Magical Indian Carpet The Indian carpet is a rags-to-riches story. Earlier known as a poor man’s mattress, it has now become a prized commodity in foreign markets. Just a decade and a half ago, most Indian carpet makers were inspired by Persian designs. But the American trade embargo on Iran changed all that and Indian craftsmen, seizing the opportunity have started creating carpets and rugs that are far superior in quality and the demand is leapfrogging. So much so that today many Persian carpet makers are finding it difficult to match Indian design techniques and are simply replicating them. It is the case of the pupil upstaging the teacher. The carpet is a gift from Mughal rulers to Indian craftsmen. Its history dates back to the 16th century when Emperor Akbar brought weavers from Persia and set up a royal workshop in his palace. Carpet weaving has come a long way since the Mughal era. Apart from Kashmir, the trade has spread to other important centres like Amritsar and Ludhiana in Punjab, Mirzapur, Bhadoi, Agra and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Bikaner, Jaipur and Ajmer in Rajasthan and Kullu, Kinnaur and Chamba in Himachal Pradesh. The carpets of Warangal and Elluru and the famous pile carpets made at Pondicherry, too, are exported widely. However, one of the biggest carpet belts is the Mirzapur Bhadohi region in Uttar Pradesh that employs 22 lakh craftsmen in its 100 per cent export-oriented factories, which accounts for about 75 per cent of the Rs 4,400 crore total carpet exports from India. With Indian carpets occupying such a pride of place, it is not surprising that these have made ideal gifts for visiting kings and dignitaries. Some years ago, during their visit to India, former US President Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea were so impressed with Indian carpets that they went to a leading outlet where the two spent almost an hour admiring the intricate craftmanships. It was a difficult choice as both father and daughter seemed to fall in love with every carpet shown to them. In the end, with some help from his entourage and carpet experts, the choice fell on three designs for silk carpets which were then specially woven for him.
Versatile designs The modern Indian carpets and rugs being produced in the country are seeing a surge of interest. According to industry sources, the reason for this is that the quality of handmade and machine-made Indian carpets has improved considerably. Experts say that for sheer versatility of design and excellence of workmanship, Indian carpet weavers can be counted among the best in the world. Besides, the Indian wool is of high quality. The quality of a carpet is judged from the number of knots it has per unit area. The mid-range in India now is between 120 and 320 knots a square inch. Fine silk carpets have between 400 and 500 knots a square inch. But rare museum variety in small sizes made in silk have a far higher knot count. While the quality of a carpet depends on the number of knots a square inch, there is also the quality of wool to be considered. Connoisseurs say that if there are doubts about the knots, these must be cleared immediately. The supplier should be asked to count the knots, preferably in two or three parts of the carpet. Carpets are manufactured in many sizes but the most preferred ones are four feet by six feet, three feet by five feet and two feet by three feet in India. In European countries, where people prefer wall-to-wall carpeting, the size is 9 feet by12 feet and 9 feet by 6 feet.
Silk splendour Like wool, silk carpets, too, are in great demand. The price of a silk carpet varies on factors like the quality of silk, number of knots, detailing, colouring and skill of craftsman. The price range for 3 feet by 5 feet carpet is usually between Rs 20,000 and Rs 3 lakh. The price of a woollen carpet will be half than that of silk, or even lesser. Says Iqbal Mehmood Khan, a Kashmiri carpet dealer who has set up shop in Delhi, “When you buy a carpet, make sure the back is sturdy and evenly woven. Also check the design at the back of the carpet. The border lines should not be crooked.” He adds that a buyer must also be able to distinguish between genuine faults and inevitable variations that are bound to occur in any handmade design. If the design is repeated, it must be checked. The binding should be strong and well-finished and the fringe should be clean, not torn. But more than craftsmanship, one should know how to distinguish between real and fake when buying a silk carpet. Artificial silk shines more. Unfortunately, for the layman, the other shortcomings can be discovered only later. In real silk carpets, the colours stay good for decades. A quality silk carpet will look better after long use as its colours become more subdued and mellow. But experts say, carpet buying is as much an art as carpet weaving, and a good customer can almost see the magic hands of a weaver in the carpet he is buying.
Tips to keep the carpet clean
* Remove stain by smearing lemon juice over a carpet. *
Never soak carpet in water as it will damage the lustre. *
Avoid walking over the carpet with shoes, it damages the fabric. *
Don’t expose carpet directly to sun. This will dull the sheen. *
The fur of pets sticks on a carpet. Don’t let them sit on it. *
Never broom a carpet. Dry clean the carpet once in a year. *
For cleaning at home, put detergent on wet cloth and scrub it over the carpet. Then scrub gently with a dry cloth.
Made by the ancient pot-dying technique, this hand-spun Antiquities Rug offered on www.overstock.com is made of premium wool with a lustre wash finish and a cotton canvas backing for a soft silky feel. The luxurious oriental rug has an olive green background and displays stunning panel
colours. Price: Rs 40,000
This rug exudes an old-world charm with a touch of contemporary flair. A part of the Destiny collection of leading American carpet manufacturer Rizzy Rugs, the rich colour palette of the rug will complement any traditional or modern interior. The hand-twisted wool fibres give the rug a great textural
quality. Price: Rs 11,400
This traditional hand-tufted wool rug is made of hard-twisted wool by leading Indian carpet designer Rizwan Ansari at his expansive factory in Bhadohi. These rugs are today known the world over for their intricate floral patterns and meticulous embroidery by traditional Indian artisans. Price: Rs 12,000
This transitional paisley rug is available on www.ruglots.com and has been handmade in India. It is a sophisticated and fashion forward rug with an old-world charm that is combined with modern design aesthetic. The thick pile is plush and gives the rug a substantial and luxurious textural quality. Price: Rs 60,000
Agra is known for its round rugs that have elegant traditional designs and beautiful transitional motifs. The hand-hooked construction makes these rugs very sturdy and outdoor-friendly. Made of 100 per cent polypropylene, this olive green ivory and red rug on sale at www.overstock.com is an exquisite piece. Price: Rs 39,600
This attractive 12 feet by 10 feet Indian Palace Rug with high quality wool and an intricate pattern truly has royal bearings. On offer at www.rugfirm.com, the woollen rug has a strong influence of the Persian design with the warp and weft is in cotton. Palace rugs are in great demand because of their fine workmanship. Price: Rs 1.60 lakh
This hand-tufted rug features a transitional design and derives its sheen from an ancient pot-dying technique. Available on www.ebay.com, it is made from hand-spun wool with a cotton canvas backing and displays rich shades of gold, red, burgundy and green. The fringeless borders give a clean, elegant look and feel. Price: Rs 18,000
This 8 feet by 10 feet Mashad Design carpet is manufactured by Obetee Carpets, one of India’s leading exporters based in Mirzapur. Mashad carpets are usually bright and beautifully coloured and literally give life to a dull room. Their colour schemes are decorative and in tones of red, orange or blue. Price: Rs 1.68 lakh
The Sarouk style rugs have been bestsellers for a long time. Sarouk rugs are made of blue and black weft thread in the inner rectangle and red colour mixed with ivory on the broad border. These rugs traditionally have a floral style design which emanated from the carpet-making town of Arak in Iran. Price: Rs 39,600
This eight-sided octagon Esfahan Persian rug measures three feet seven inches by two feet three inches. Esfahan has been one of the Iranian cities famous for hand-knotted Persian rugs. Made of wool with a foundation of silk, the carpet is on sale at www.persiancarpetwarehouse.com. Price: Rs 7.20 lakh
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PACESETTER An artist inspired by various ethnic forms, Suhasini believes in the liberating power of art Vibha Sharma Suhasini wants to set up her own online art store. She has also started creating art pieces from recycled things and displays them online. She wants to make more of handmade art pieces out of recycled material. She believes that for an art enthusiast, beauty lies in everything that one encounters in day-to-day life. She says, "Anything can be transformed into a piece of art." She further adds, "Art can convey all emotions of life. I like to depict happiness, harmony, peace and vibrancy through my work." Suhasini's work is her identity and every piece on which she puts her signature, speaks volumes of her passion, dedication and appreciation for various tribal art forms. Besides giving concrete shape to her creative ideas and thoughts, she is instrumental in igniting and sowing the seeds of creativity in young minds too. She works as a pre-primary teacher in one of the public schools in Bangalore. But she believes that her actual work defies all standard definitions of a pre-primary teacher. Her work there includes much more than just teaching children alphabet and numbers. She is grooming them to be creative in their thoughts and actions, and much more than that to be better and confident individuals. She strongly concurs with Scott Adams' thinking "Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes, art is knowing which ones to keep".
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TEE-TIME ON THE LAKE
Price of one night at the resort: Starting at Rs 28,200 per night ($470) DIAL 'M' FOR malt
Price: Rs 2.70 lakh per bottle ($4,500) BUCKLE UP WITH luxury
Price: Rs 50.04 lakh ($84,000) SWAN LAKE
Price: Rs 6.30 lakh ($10,500) Talking dogs
Price: From Rs 3,900 for 3 simple bark interpretations to Rs 72,000 for full bark recognition ($65 to $1,200) SUN 'N' SAND & SUNGLASSES
Price: Rs 39,900 ($665) HANG IN THERE
Price: Rs 30,000 ($500) SCENT OF A CLUTCH
Price: Rs 5.70 lakh (9,500) KEY TO MULTI-TASKING
Price: Rs 7,000 (£70)
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PACESETTER 
Though the customs and the rituals continue to remain the same; what has changed is the attire you wear to participate in them. Gone are the days when girls were dressed in beautiful, eye catching and gorgeous, yet unmanageable Benarasi-Kanjeevaram sarees, heavy zardozi-kundan embellished ghagra-cholis, richly embroidered and the voluminous salwar-kameez or gowns with long trails. Till about five years ago bridal attires were so heavy that by the time the rituals ended, the bride wilted carrying the burden of her clothes. 
ANTIQUITIES WOOL
RUG
DESTINY TRADITIONAL HAND-TUFTED
RUG
TRADITIONAL HAND-TUFTED WOOL
RUG
TRANSITIONAL PAISLEY
RUG
OLIVE GREEN ROUND AGRA
RUG
INDIAN PALACE
RUG
HANDMADE FLORA WOOL
RUG
OBETEE MASHAD
CARPET
SAROUK KASHMIR STYLE
RUG
ESFAHAN PERSIAN
RUG
At this golf resort, you'll be all at sea... quite literally. America’s Coeur d'Alene Resort in Idaho is a luxury hotel on the north shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene. The best thing about this hotel is the cool floating golf course in the middle of the lake. Once described as America’s most beautiful resort golf course by Golf Digest, its meticulously manicured fairways can be reached with a ride in a sleek mahogany boat. It is computer-operated and can move at any time in any random direction, so it is an ultimate challenge to hit the turf. The bad news is that it is open only for those who check in the Coeur d'Alene resort.
We all know Macallan is among the best Single Malts, but now the Scottish distillery is out to prove that it is the grand emperor of them all! Its latest release, the Macallan M takes things to a heady new level. The stunning bottle-cum-decanter of this limited-edition 'M' malt has been created by French designer Fabien Baron and crystal-maker Laliques. The spirit has a deep rosewood colour and is of 64-year vintage. No one doubts that this is real ambrosia but it is the bottle that will take your breath away.
It’s a buckle made with the precision of an intricate Swiss watch. Geneva-based designer Roland Iten has collaborated with iconic French automobile manufacturer Bugatti to design a unique mechanically performing belt buckle called the Calibre R22 Mk.I-22mm Bugatti Edition which rivals even the most complex watch movements. Limited to 44 units, the buckle uses exactly 100 handcrafted parts which are made of solid gold, stainless steel and titanium, with smoked sapphire crystals on the front offering a view of the internal mechanics. That the buckle costs more than any luxury car speaks of the exclusivity of Bugatti, the company that makes stuff for the uber rich. 
It’s art on glass. Legendary French glasswork company Lalique has come up with the beautifully crafted Swan Sculptures on an Oval Mirror Lake. The stunningly clear and frosted crystal centrepiece features a pair of frosted swans symbolising love and purity. These are standing on a mirror that has been etched to resemble rippling water. The two swans, one with its head up and the other with its head down, will make a powerful conversation piece in trendy drawing rooms.
Those who keep pet dogs have often wondered whether their furry friend is trying to tell them something when it barks. Though demands for food and outings are easily understood, there are times when it is frustratingly impossible to comprehend. A new start-up No More Woof is coming to the rescue of all harried dog owners. It has invented a device that translates animal thoughts into human language. Sensors in the gadget pick up EEG signals from the dog’s brain and will translate them into human thoughts based on pattern recognition. So next time, the dog barks you’ll know exactly what it is trying to tell you.
The beach lifestyle seems to have inspired Louis Vuitton’s eyewear for men. The limited edition Dave Sunglasses feature blue mirrored lenses, along with a metal mesh cord, and are available in two colours. The lenses hook up with a metal frame and lead to a fluorescent green or red cord that droops down the neck. The stylish sunglasses feature a Louis Vuitton logo on the hinges. When these are not being worn, these can rest easily on the chest like a necklace! 
Here’s a contemporary twist to yesteryears two-seater swing. The Double Cocoon by British company Hang-In-Out is a cut between a swing and a hammock and is perfect for two adults to stretch out and relax. Originally designed to be a part of the luxury spa at the Scarlet Hotel in London, the Double Cocoon has now been given a life of its own. You can hang it inside the house or use it as a treehouse out in the garden. The kids will love it, and so will the adults. In short, this Cocoon is a fun place to hang out! 
For some time now, perfume bottle-inspired clutches have been creating waves on the world ramps. First Lanvin and then Charlotte Olympia wowed high society ladies with their creatively designed ‘bottle’ totes. However, the new Chanel plexiglass clutch shaped like the iconic Numéro 5 bottle is a class apart. It is like a giant diamond on a lady’s hand beautified with interwoven chain link. It is fun and daring and an elegant accessory for that very special occasion. A must-have for any serious fashionista, this clutch is a true statement maker.
This keyboard is guaranteed to take multi-tasking to a new level. Computer accessories maker Kanex has launched a wireless bluetooth keyboard that can be shared between multiple devices. Just plug the wireless keyboard into a computer and any three other devices like the mobile, iPad and iPod via Bluetooth, switching between these at the touch of a button. So you can be working on your desktop, while taking notes on your iPad and sending SMS messages on your mobile phone. It also comes with an iPhone/iPad stand and will certainly make you an incredibly efficient person.