Facilitating fluidity, ease and movement, Punit Balana’s creations are as much a rage with Bollywood celebs as with a new generation of women who love to vibe with tradition and freedom of expression. If clothes are an expression of one’s personality, then Punit Balana’s creations are an expression in creativity and culture, heritage and happiness. Read More
Author: FIRST LOOK
The Subtle Opulence
Diving into the delicate world of Designer Shantanu Goenka as he decodes the dynamics of his couture label that leverages the rich artisanal talent of Bengal. An alumnus of National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Kolkata’s inaugural batch and with an award for the most creative designer, he started his eponymous label specialising in haute Read More
With Love from India
Unveiling the brand’s latest campaign shot in Israel and marking a creative Indo-Israel collaboration like no other, Sahil Kochhar says that the new age of Indian couture is here. A freshly brewed romantic couture saga, the Sahil Kochhar atelier is a testament to past glory and nostalgia, multi-faceted art and craft traditions of India and Read More
The Return to Beauty
Embrace colours and the spirit of celebrations as Hope rewrites the fashion book this new year. Designer Anand Bhushan decodes the perfect summer look as he tells us how the relaxed look of the pandemic is making way for a more structured look, a nod to lives and wardrobes being reorganised. The award- winning Delhi-based Read More
Where Luxury Meets Heritage
Pernia’s Pop-Up Studio unveiled its biggest shopping destination at the iconic address of Indian Handicrafts Emporium. We reminisce how the winter evening dressed up in hues of couture to welcome New Delhi’s glitterati and the eternal muse of fashion and Bollywood actor, Madhuri Dixit, at the brand-new 50,000 sq ft experience centre. In the midst Read More
Magnificient India
Relive the glory of the royal mansions in these incredible palaces, each housing stories and sentiments aplenty. Experience the diversity in culture as you revel in the making of Instagram reels. Voyagers, traders and chroniclers have been precious gatekeepers of enchanting tales steeped in the grandeur and the opulence of India’s glorious courts since time Read More
Tamannah Slays in Red
Straddling the screens of Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films, Tamannaah Bhatia, popularly known as Tamannaah, is a trailblazer of Indian cinema. Here, unlocking her vibrant aura on a radiant day for the First Look cover, the pan-Indian star talks about rooting for defiant characters as she plays the rebel in red-hot looks at the historical Read More
Bespoke Gems
The world of Narayan Jewellers is filled with wonders of ruby red and emerald green, layered necklaces, chokers, jhumkas, and more. Step inside to experience the rare brilliance. Ketan Chokshi, jewellery designer and MD, Narayan Jewellers, shares sparkling wisdom on what constitutes the novelty of demand in a post-pandemic world, how a new generation of Read More
Sense & Sustainability
Designers Vicky Suri, Pooja Syal and Vinayak Suri – the Linen Bloom trio – decode the brand’s luxury prêt language. Read on to discover the spiritual and fun avatars of the forces behind Linen Bloom, leveraging pure linen for wondrous wardrobes. (Edited excerpts) FL: A milestone which has proved to be a game changer for Read More
A Playful Textiles Playbook
As Ekaya Banaras clocks in a decade in the handwoven couture trail of India and beyond, Palak Shah unearths some gems from her priceless brand book. Meet Palak Shah, the new-age disruptor who took over the challenge of giving a new voice and identity to an already well-established family textile business. The result? Ten years Read More
Costume Drama
Dive into the world of decadence as we take you through the closets of five swoonworthy TV series – period dramas and romance. Fall in love with everything fanciful and fantastical. How many times have you wanted to own that look from a character in a series? It’s hard to not be mesmerised by the Read More
Crushing On Velvet
Here’s to the velvet verse of 2023 as the luxuriant fabric continues to redefine elegance and spell sensual chic in versatile avatars. We take a look at its modish history and how several design innovations have ensured that this forever fabric remains relevant. A season-agnostic staple that can be revived again and again for multiple Read More
Threads of Luminescence
Handwoven textile label Swati & Sunaina, the brainchild of co-founders, Swati Agarwal and Sunaina Jalan, is a luminescent tale of enlightening innovations on the loom. Here, Agarwal tells us about the rivers of India, reviving forgotten weaves, radiant drapes and more. The enchanting pure gold zari, indigenous silks and a treasure-trove of techniques that treat Read More
Northeast, A New Spin
A new landscape of design innovations is crafting a promising story out of indigenous weaves, cultural contexts and sustainable movements. Here’s a deep dive into some of the aspects of happy disruptions. From being home to Hornbill and Ziro and several other coveted music festivals to housing an enviable tradition of textiles, to nurturing poetic Read More
The Shape of a Sari
‘Dabu’, Anavila’s Spring-Summer 2023 showcase, opened the Atelier on Sustainable Fashion day at Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) in partnership with Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI). Inside the world of the linen queen and sari trailblazer, Anavila Misra, as she manipulates the volume of a six-yard to create a structure in fluidity. This season, textile-based Read More