Searching For A Muse - Pravin Talan

Fashion photography is a mould in which many a photographers’ talent has gotten trapped, labeled, made predictable. No so for Pravin Talan. With his deep set eyes searching for an ever elusive muse, and his towering personality, you’d be forgiven for thinking that he is a poet. For he does capture poetry in motion. After having dabbled in this and that, and that and this for a change, he is now quite comfortably reunited with his first love – Photography.
I love Pravin’s pictures for the visual textures and unusual themes. He captures the essence of his subjects, rather than just posing them against a pretty background. And then, he adds a twist. Here are a few of my favorite pictures. For more of Pravin’s pictures, visit his facebook profile by clicking here

The Winners Of the Shotcouture Giveaway!

Thank you all for the LOVELY comments. The Giveaway Winners have been selected and I am finally posting a list of all the names.

Indianrosefashionista
Clotheshorse
Meghal
Mamma Mia! Me A mamma?
Deepmala
Dina Dyorre

Congratulations, winners! You will have your gifts delivered to you within 4 weeks of mailing me your address. I will personally inform all the winners by mail. The details of your gift will be sent to you in the mail.

Gitanjali Luxury Style Fest 09 - Day One

Last night, Gitanjali Group Chairman, Mehul Choksi and Massimo Carraro joined Priety Zinta and Neil Nitin Mukesh in hitting the gong to announce the launch of the Gitanjali Luxury Style Fest 09. Other faces spotted were Rituparna Sengupta, Narendra Kumar with Kadambari Lakhani, Nisha Jamwal, Bobby Kishan, Nikasha Tawadey, Rahul Sharma, Gayatri Khanna, Shatrujit Tikka singh, Parvez Damania, Krutika Desai, Vikram Raizada and Shaina NC. GLSF 09 is a three-day fest and Day 1 saw Rohit Bal, Ritu Beri and Wendell Rodriguez showcase their collections on the ramp.

Rohit Bal is known for incorporating an edgy attitude in his every collection. All his collections have a strong Couture element that many have tried to emulate, and failed. The highlight of his collection, as usual, was the use of fabric and textures to create sheer drama. See for yourself.









Photo courtsey: Filmicafe.com and oneindia.com

Shotcouture Anniversary Giveaway! (Extended to 20th January)

It came a bit late, but it's here! Shotcouture has completed a year, and it's time for a celebration. It's been a wonderful journey, and could not think of a better way to thank you all. I am not going to reveal all the gifts at once, though. Only the two beautiful Fabindia silk scarves, to begin with. The rest are equally, if not more exciting gifts. Wait and you shall be rewarded. To win one of these goodies, you have to answer a simple question.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT INDIAN FASHION?

There are SIX fabulous gifts to be won. Post your answer in the comments section of the blog-post. My decision on the prizes will be final. The Giveaway is open only to US, Canada, Europe and Asia.

The last date for sending in your comments has been extended to 20 January.

After the final names have been selected, I will send out individual mails informing the winners about their gifts.











EDIT
Alright... revealing the rest of the gifts. Fabindia silver pendants, Ritu Kumar Leather Clutch, and a Ritu Kumar Scraf; all up for grabs. I have received some lovely comments, but there is still time. Spread the word!

So Gorgeous!!!

The day we went to Bondi Beach wasn’t the best of weather for a day out on, well, a beach. The wind was very cold, and being true Mumbaikars, we aren’t used to the low temperature there. But in all fainess, the beach is beautiful, with lots of activities. A two minutes walk away was the Bondi Beach Flea market which turned out to be a great place for some bargain buys. And the market had a lot of stuff for the shopoholics. But what stole out hearts was this small, but utterly breathtaking place- So Gorgeous. It is a treasure-trove of all things beautiful, from French inspired homewares and furniture to gorgeous jewellery. The owner, Rebecca, started the shop after an earlier stint as a lawyer and a chef/caterer. And then, So Gorgeous happened!
Rebecca’s own words describe her shop the best. “I endeavour to fill So Gorgeous with only beautiful things that I love. When a customer enters my shop I treat them like they are visiting my home. From the moment you walk in, your senses are fulfilled. You can smell it (vanilla bean), you can hear it (great background music), you can see it (soft colours and glittering jewels), and you can touch it (gorgeous fabrics and body products).”





We found a lovely gift for a friend who is getting married. And that was just one of the many lovely things this shop has to offer. Among other things, we saw crystal charms, lockets, jewelry boxes, votive holders, mirrors and baby products. So, the next time you are in Sydney, please make this shop a Must Visit for yourself. And stock up on things that are just So Gorgeous!

Visit the site http://sogorgeous.com.au/

Mumbai Mayhem- Praying For The City

First of all, I am traumatized, but safe. Thank you all for your concern and for your mails. It's been over 24 hours, and the city is under siege. I don't really know what to say. It's been a numbing and humbling experience. Numbing because of the carnage involved. Humbling, because they have shown us how vulnerable and helpless we all are. Young men, 22 to 24 years old, killing, dying for an indeterminate cause they do not understand themselves.

Both Taj and Oberoi hotels are very close to our house in Cuffe Parade. Most importantly, Taj Mahal Hotel is to Mumbai what the twin towers were to NY. It's a symbol of what the city stands for. Grand, luxurious, beautiful, enigmatic. I sat in front of the television, watching it burn, and I wept. It broke my heart, to think of all those trapped inside. We could hear the explosions, and they shook us from within. I am not a weak person. I have lived through many terror attacks on Mumbai, but today it's different. We lost the Chief of the Anti Terrorist Squad, a brave man, who fought for all of us, till his last breath. We lost many innocent people, in the hotels, at VT station and on the streets.

The TV channels were quick in giving out the names of the two terrorists killed in the cross-firing. "Abu and Ishmail", they kept repeating. Underlining their religion. But you know what, terror does not have a religion. It's just about terror. For the first time in my life, I feel fear. When I went for a walk, I saw people staring at each passerby. What has religion got to do with it? Does death choose it's victims by religion?

I just heard another explosion, a big one. I stay right opposite the World Trade Centre. We could be the next target. Soon enough, they will find us. But you know what, I am not staying in anymore. I am going to work tomorrow. Mumbai will fight back. We all will fight back.

A Slice Of India In Australia

Last week, our office took us to Sydney for a small trip. A good time was had by all. And much shopping was done. I was particulalry delighted to see this shop in Sydney, with all the lovely, colorful stuff one would usually find in India. I loved the Rajasthani patterns on the cushions, and the tiny ring boxes, among other things. After a long, tiring walk, looking for something to buy, we almost ended up buying some Indian things, all the way down under. Fortunately, good sense prevailed and we walked out, still tempted by the lovely display.