Luxury fashion can also come in installments!

Thanks to new options in the market, some highly priced items that seemed like a distant dream to many Indians are now within reach. "There are so many women who always wanted to carry a luxury bag or clutch at a party or a meeting but couldn't afford it. Our service gives them the opportunity to own one and match it with their attire," said Cooki Singh, co-founder of online bag rental service www.bag4aday.com.
"The whole idea of this concept is to make luxury bags affordable to bag lovers," she said.
The online portal has as many as 24 bags of international brands Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Fendi, Jimmy Choo, Dolce and Gabbana and Just Cavalli and are planning to add more numbers and new brands also.
To borrow a bag you have to take membership and then you can avail yourself of its services.
"We have to be very careful about our members and so make it a point to screen their backgrounds very well. We are very selective about our clients and so we don't make anyone our member till we have small details about them like residential copy, verification id proof," Singh told IANS.
"Also, we make it a point that we deliver the bag to our member because it's important for us to maintain their confidentiality," she added.
If you have the required documents, then you can opt for a one-year membership for just Rs.7,000 and hire a designer bag for Rs.800 for a night. If you want it for three nights, then you just have to pay Rs.1,400.
In the market, these bags or clutches are priced anywhere between Rs.50,000 and Rs.1 million. The service currently operates mainly in the national capital region and is cashing on Delhi's women who love to party.
"Delhi was the perfect city to launch our brand because people here are very brand conscious, are flashy and love to show off," Singh explained.
"It's not that the women of Delhi can't afford these luxury bags, but they too get bored of carrying the same bag again and again. So this gives them a good and easy option to choose from," she added.
"It's a boon for all those girls who want to flaunt the branded bag. The concept is fantastic," she added.
It's not just luxury bags, you can even get a pair of Levi's jeans or any of their other items on EMI (Equated Monthly Instalments).
"Not everyone can afford a jeans of Rs.2,000; so this scheme allows them to own one branded pair of jeans. There are no hidden charges in the EMI as once you pay from your credit card, the bill will be automatically divided into EMIs," Ashu Mehta, store manager of Levi's store in plush Khan market, told IANS.
The concept has sure caught on among the young generation that loves to flaunt the label of their branded jeans.

Now, underwear for left-handed men

For the first time an underwear has been designed exclusively for left-handed men which will "save them up to three, often vital, seconds when they visit the loo".
‘Hom’ is the company which is coming up with the undies that will meet the comfort needs of southpaws, reports the Telegraph .
Rob Faucherand, the head of men’s accessories buying at Debenhams, the department store that is stocking the pants, said: “In our view this is a vital step toward equality for left handed men. “We see no reason why an accident of birth should dictate the type of underpants you can wear for the rest of your life.”
The Hom underwear has an opening slit made horizontally underneath the waistband unlike boxer shorts, which generally have a central opening or Y-fronts and trunks that have a right-handed opening.
Faucherand added: “Switching the opening from vertical to horizontal may sound like a small step, but it’s the major breakthrough that many have been waiting for.”
The Hom H1 Original Maxi Trunk costs 22pounds, while the Hipster version is priced at 16 pounds.

Too many fashion weeks confuse buyers

The 35-year old Sabyasachi Mukherjee, regarded as the biggest name in the fashion world from this part of the country, had skipped the first edition of the KFW, held this April. 

"I am not a big supporter of too many fashion weeks. If I support the KFW then what wrong have the others done? I think one is better than 20," Mukherjee said on phone from Goa, where he is busy designing clothes for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film "Guzarish". 

Mukherjee also referred to the commercial angle to buttress his point. "In India we do not have as many buyers. If there are too many fashion weeks the concept will be diluted and it will also confuse the buyers," said the graduate of the National Institute of Fashion Designing in Kolkata.
Mukherjee said he is generally keeping off fashion shows this year and concentrating more on films.
However, he would give a small presentation on 10 years of Indian fashion at the Lakme fashion event in Mumbai Sep 18. "All fashion designers have been invited. I am also busy preparing for that."
One of the most admired Asian fashion designers in the West, Mukherjee said though he had never been the victim of any racial discrimination it "was a fact" that these countries promoted home-spun designers.
"In contrast, when my clothes go to these stores they are expensive because customs duty and related taxes have to be paid. So the stores favour American designers. This is business logic."
Asked about his plans for 2010, Mukherjee replied: "I will then again start doing shows."

Fancy costumes

Art of Dress wearing has come a long way from the 19th century where a dress was a skirt attached with a bodice giving the effect of a one piece garment. The hemlines keep varying as per personal style of a person or varying whims of fashion. The length varied maximum between ankle-length to floor-sweeping. A big trend called as the little sexy and saucy black dress by the legendary Coco Chanel is always a big hit with women. It certainly makes the women more open to the idea of wearing shorter hemline dresses. There are various kinds of dresses like fancy dresses which are saucy and sexy: we see the Tea gowns. Women like to dress up for any occasion and this tea party which is a get together .

A wide variety of costumes and fanciful dresses, Dinner dresses, evening dresses which were like formal dresses are worn for any occasion. A full and floor sweeping gown for the special dancing occasion - The ballroom gown. The most popular dress or gown - The cocktail dress is worn and loved by women all over the world for its semi formal party look. Fancy dress ideas can be taken from history books that talk about the various eras. The fancy dresses bodices and skirt are of fine sexy chiffon material and laces, trimmed with frills, fabric flowers and silk tassels. It has a softness, femininity and shape which show the style of the late nineteenth century, like a gown worn by the wealthy elite. Low waisted blouse style bodice give a very sexy image to a women.

Costumes for fancy dress which are sexy and saucy are very interesting to be worn by young women and men who want to flaunt their good figure and physique and which are intended for gender-segregated leisure.

Find the right fancy dress costume and accessories for your party. Today there are widest selections of the scariest Fancy Dress masks and goodies you'll need to make your Halloween one to remember.

Saris to be on centre-stage of global fashion wear

A project to put saris on the centre-stage of fashion wear has received an approval from World Bank. The five-stage plan has been implemented by Asian Heritage Foundation, will launch saris in global markets with a unified brand called JIYO!

The Asian Heritage Foundation will popularize 118 ways of sari draping, apart from imbibing the modern designs. The JIYO brand will also comprise furnishings, handicrafts, health and food products. About 20 JIYO! clusters, covering over 20,000 artisans will be set up in 4-5 states including Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Chattisgarh. The nationwide campaign that intends to bring the glory of saris back, will also involve celebrities, who will endorse the saris. The weavers will receive assistance from designers of international repute, who will polish up their skills, so that it can meet global consumer expectations.

The sari will perfectly fit in the modern scheme of fashion, pointed out, Ms. Rita Kapoor Chisti, who is an expert herself in sari making in India. While interacting with handloom weavers from traditional sari making areas in Andhra Pradesh, she said, “If somebody wants to show off, she can do it in style in saris”, but was also saddened by the extinction of the few popular sari-making crafts. The Asian Heritage Foundation also has planned out a biannual international collection of saris, named ‘1001 Saris’, along with Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF).

To attain this objective, clusters in different parts of the country will be identified by the lead teams. Indian saris have huge demand in the market, but in order to meet requirements, the designs, only need to be changed, said an expert. As part of the initiative, the foundation will work with the weavers in places recognized for designs, such as Srikalahasti, Pochampally, Uppada, Ponduru, Siddipet and Dharmavaram. Alike initiatives are also being framed out to popularize handicrafts and ethnic foods of Andhra Pradesh at national and international levels.

Ikat Weaving

Ikat is one of the styles of weaving that uses a resist dyeing process as similar to tie-dye. It uses either the warp or weft to weave a pattern or design. When both warp and weft are tie-dyed then it is called double Ikat.
In the 19th century, Bukhara and Smarkand were famous for their fine silk Ikat, while India, Japan and several South-East Asian countries have cultures with long histories of Ikat production. One cannot find double Ikat simply but still it can be found in India, Guatemala, Japan and the Indonesian islands of Bali and Kalimantan. Ikat varies wildly from country to country and region to region. Generally Ikats are symbols of status, wealth, power and prestige.
There is link between Ikat production in India and South-East Asia. Gujarati merchants brought Patola to Indonesian rulers and there this activity of making Ikat was taken over by the Dutch. The patterns in the Patola Ikat are prominently similar to the double Ikat produced in Bali, Indonesia. In Europe in Mallorca and in Spain Ikat floral patterns are used.
Making Process of Ikat
Ikat fabrics are woven by hand on narrow looms in a labor-intensive process. Thai Ikats are generally 34" to 39" wide. Plain weave Ikat fabrics have unique resist patterns so it looks the same on both sides of fabrics. There is no right or wrong side to the cloth. The Thai Ikats typically have 2" to 3" solid borders along each selvage.
The easiest way to create Ikat is to dye the warp. Before attaching the warp strings to the loom they are arranged into bundles, every bundle is tied and dyed individually, so that a pattern is visible when the loom is set up. To keep dyes from penetrating the tightly bound bundles are covered with wax. After the threads are dyed the loom is set up. The pattern is visible to the weaver when the dyed threads are used as warp. Threads can be adjusted so that they line up correctly with each other.
Generally dying the weft Ikats are used when the precision of the pattern is not the main concern, and weaving of weft Ikat is much more difficult than warp Ikat. While double Ikats are the most difficult to produce because in these warp and weft are precisely tied and dyed so that the pattern can interlock and reinforce each other when the fabric is woven. The example of most precise Ikat is the Japanese Oshima-thrice woven cloth. The warp and weft threads are used as warp to weave stiff fabric, upon which the thread for the Ikat weaving is spot-dyed, after that the mats are winded and the dyed thread is woven into Oshima cloth.
In India there are many kinds of Ikats weaving, this differs from region to region. Few examples are Patans Patola, Pochampali, Narayanpur, and Koyalagudem. Mudmee and Mudmi woven clothes are Ikat from Thailand. Mudmi cloth was woven for daily use among the nobility.
Few typical items of Ikat weaving are Sarees, Blankets, Mats and Carpets.

10 Fall Fashion Classics You Need to Own

Fitted Jacket: A great tailored jacket -- fitted to show off feminine curves, not a baggy masculine style -- will pair with everything from work trousers to jeans.
A jacket adds structure to your figure: gives curvy girls more angular lines, creates waistlines for boyish figure types and smooths out lumps and bumps for all shapes.
White Shirt: Sounds basic, but a crisp, long-sleeve white shirt is a building block of your fall wardrobe.
Black Pantsuit: Pantsuits may be the ultimate power suit for the working woman, but they also pull their weight after hours when paired with a silky cami and heels.
Turtleneck Sweater: Neckline trends come and go -- cowl necks, plunging Vs, henleys -- but a turtleneck sweater has earned its place as a classic. Here's why: The turtleneck brings your face into focus.
Neutral Coat: There's a reason timeless fashion pieces retain their popularity: they go with most things in your closet and transcend the trends. The neutral coat -- especially in a camel color -- is an enduring fall classic because it has so many possibilities.

Plaid: Plaid -- a perennial menswear print favorite -- translates very well to trousers, coats and jackets. Pair with everything from a solid shirt to a twinset.

Tall Boots: Knee-high boots make great sense for fall because they let you get more wear out of everything from skinny jeans to miniskirts.
Pearls: Feminine pearls are the perfect trend-proof accessory to compliment the more structured styles of fall. Wear gray pearls with black for a sexy tonal look; or choose layers of creamy white pearls worn with a simple black sheath dress for a perfect cocktail dress look.

Sheath Dress: Match a sheath with a hem-length coat or wear it on its own with pumps; anyway you wear the classic, knee-length sheath dress it's a winner.
Large Leather Bag: Bags get bigger with cooler weather because you have more to carry (umbrellas, wraps, hats).

India & Taiwan sign agreement to enhance textile sector

To cooperate in the field of textile related technology and promotion of the industry, an agreement has been signed between India’s leading garment export body ‘Apparel Export Promotion Council’ (AEPC) and the organization of textiles producers and machinery manufacturers ‘Taiwan Textile Federation’ (TTF). These two organizations will work collectively, in order to identify investors for setting up man-made and special fabric manufacturing units. AEPC and TTF would also work on facilitating Taiwan textile industry to set up joint ventures in India for eco-friendly and specialty apparel.

To increase India’s garment exports the industry needs to produce cotton blended as well as man-made fabric products. AEPC’s agreement with the TTF would prove to be helpful for country’s textile and garment exports. Taiwan will be selling techniques, know-how, machineries and equipments to India, rather than selling garments.

Teen fashion trends

Teenagers put a lot of effort to be different, but they also invent new trends and fashion styles.

The latest trend is EMO (emotional) style. EMO style is definitely for those who adore bright colors. Green, pink, red, yellow matched with black will undoubtedly make you noticeable. If you are into this style, you must have an appropriate hairdo: Zelda hairdo for girls and jet black mop top for boys. Pencil or at least cigarette-shaped jeans with studded belt is also a must-have. Rules for top are not that strict, you may choose anything you want, just be sure it's close-fitting and bright colored. You must wear large amounts jewelry and it's even better if you pierce your face (small lip ring would do perfectly).

EMO style is perfect for those who wear glasses - it's a great accent and EMOs love nerdy ones.
Hip hop never goes out of fashion. Music that speaks street language is definitely for young rebellious souls. Hip-hop style for teen boys and girls is rather different. Boys are usually wearing baggy pants and t-shirt, while girls chose sexy outfits. Cap is a must for both. When it comes to colors - choose anything you want. Boys usually prefer blue jeans and white-colored top while girls are totally unpredictable. Girls wear big rounded earrings and boys must wear at least one ring.
Dressing all-black, coloring your hair black, using only black makeup means or even whitening your face to make everything else look even blacker is a hot trend. Choose big shoes with chunky heels; go for metal details all over your clothing and accessories and you're a perfect goth. No matter if you are wearing a short or a long skirt, a close fitting top or a loose one - it's ok as long as it's black.
Bohemian style is also fashionable among teenagers. Loose light colored clothes, wraps and wooden, stone or amber accessories will make you look like a real bohemian girl or boy.

Quick fixes for fashion emergencies

At work, parties or other occasions, wardrobe malfunctions can be expensive. Sudden downpours, popped buttons and scuffed shoes can lead to quick-fix shopping sprees or expensive repair bills.

The following tools can be money-savers in fashion emergencies.
Weatherproofing: Carry a folded plastic poncho in your car, briefcase or purse. Portable rain gear can be purchased at drugstores, dollar stores and other outlets. The investment can save a suit from ruin or prevent a costly trip to the dry cleaners.
Instant shoe repair: A black marker can instantly banish scuff marks from black leather shoes.

Staples and hooks: Before meetings, staple the hem of an unraveling skirt, to repair broken hook-and-eyelet fasteners. When a clasp falls apart, replace the broken eyelet with a vertical staple in the inner seam of the garment.
Quick hem: Repaired falling or missing hems with adhesive strips that are applied with a hot iron.

Spare shoes: Puddles, broken heels and other emergencies have taught me to stash spare sets of shoes in the office, gym locker or family car.
Accessory collection: For an instant wardrobe upgrade, keep several ties and a jacket in your office. Those items are helpful when you are called into sudden executive meetings or other formal gatherings. Likewise, women who use shawls and other accessories can be used to deliver quick makeovers.