Happy New Year!

The year is almost up and plans for celebrating the eve of the New Year is in full swing. Everyone wants to look their best when they welcome the New Year. Most people have a rough idea as to what they want to wear. This will leave you in a hassle at the end moment. Therefore, be prepared and decide before hand the outfit you are going to don on the big night. The other reason people are in a last minute hassle is because they are confused as to what to wear.

The little black dress is the safest option and also the easiest to acquire. There are various styles of LBD that are easily available. You can play with the fabric; go for satin, lace, net or combinations of different fabrics. Add dashes of bright color with accessories and shoes in fact, some blood red heels will be amazing.

It is only during the parties that you get a chance to don glittered dresses. Silver, gold, bronze, and ice blue are some colors that look good if you go for an all glitter. You can opt for dresses that have splashes of glitter to put some glamour to your outfit.  

Jumpsuits are in trend which is an excellent choice and again easily available. You can go all print or swing the other way with a plain jumpsuit. If you go for a print one tone down the accessories, but for a plain one go wild.

Crop tops are in fashion and there is a lot that you can do with them. You can wear it with a high waist skirt or pants and palazzo pants go well with crop tops. You can don a shimmered crop top with something sober. This will be the perfect party wear without being over the top.

If you are too lazy to go shopping, then dig your wardrobe thoroughly you will definitely find some old hidden treasure. There are simple ways to prepare for the evening out. Mix and matching your outfit that is the best to do on a short notice. The other is accessories, chunky necklace, lots of bangles or cuff bracelets. Boots with jeans or ankle length boots with a dress are well matched. Draping a scarf is also a beautiful addition.

Make-up and a new hairdo will change the way you look. Twist your hair up or the fishtail braid is pretty amazing too. Avoid having heavy make-up on, you don’t want it all to melt away while you are busy dancing to the beats.

Just remember whatever you wear be absolutely comfortable in it, you are going to be out parting and grooving. So, greet this New Year with fashion!

Visual Merchandising by Aspiring Students

Education in its own right is important; after all it sets a strong foundation to build your career on. This idea is applicable to every field, be it a career in the fields of academics or if you want to run free in the creative field. Fashion designing and the various fields inspired by the fashion world follows the same idea. But the catch comes when you realize theoretical education is not enough. Piratical knowledge is imperative and more so in some fields than the others. Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion implements these ideas into their curriculum to give the young aspirant all round training. The most recent example of this is our students collaborating with two outlets of Shoppers Stop to display their skills in Visual Merchandising.

Ten students divided themselves into two groups and collaborated with Shoppers Stop outlets in Chembur and Andheri respectively. They explored and enhanced their Visual Merchandising knowledge by putting them to practical use. They conceptualized and created the store window for both these outlets.    
  

The first group that took over the Shoppers Stop store in Chembur created a wedding display. With the wedding season just around the corner, the brides-to-be will be on the lookout for their dream wedding wear. The students explored this possibility by showcasing a ‘Contemporary Indian Bride’.

The main focus of the display was a dramatic drape of 2 saris that was selected from the in-store brand 'Kashish'. A mannequin was dressed in a fancy turban and draped in a sari.

Rattrap cages hung displaying shoes from the brand. A jewelry chest displayed the best from ‘Kashish’ and ’Haute Curry’. Satin curtains, red carpets, and hanging mirrors gave an elegant wedding feel to the display.

The second group dwelled on the lure of unconquered and unexplored thrills and fear alike. The window display at Andheri’s Shoppers Stop was a ride to the crest of a thrill confronting fear and venturing into the unknown.

Smashing mental and physical barriers, they swing open the doors to new frontiers, possibilities, and hope. The display was a tribute to the cornerstone of human evolution- an evolution from the deep dark caves of stone-age to the deep dark alleys of this universe. IJeans Wear was chosen for the quintessential explorer. Every article used for the display signified an explorer’s experience.

The two displays by the students showed their varied skills and prepared them a little more for the practical world.

True Vintage

Vintage is a vital part of the fashion world and is fascinating for a great number of people. Vintage in general is a term associated with objects that originated from and belonged to a previous era, which includes garments and the style of the clothing of that time. Antiques are specifically used for objects or clothing created before the 1920s. Similarly, fashion belonging to the timeline from the post 1920s to roughly two decades ago can also be classed as vintage. It is important to understand that the definition of vintage is not set in stone. But in essence vintage simply means something belonging to another era.

More often than not, all haute couture is vintage or even vice-versa. Good brands or a custom made garment can qualify as vintage. Things in fashion at a certain time, like a certain style of skirt or a particular kind of sleeves, can also qualify as vintage. There is an air of mystery and elegance around vintage clothing that has been alluring for many. Genuine vintage clothing that is available nowadays has been previously worn, but there is a very small percentage that has not and they have been an object of desire for many fashion enthusiasts and collectors.  

         

In fact, this small number of vintage clothing is considered to be an investment, an asset. This gives the right to the buyer to know the authenticity of the clothing, when it was created and who wore it. There are many brands that recreate the old time fashion that is labeled as vintage too, but the difference is that these cannot be considered as an investment. So, while looking at an economical point of view vintage has the potential to be an investment. Dresses worn in famous movies of the ‘30s to ‘60s are classic examples of true vintage.     

Vintage fashion has created a great impact on the coming generation; in fact, the influence is very visible on fashion today. The pleated skirts, the tea length skirt, the bow, the list is very long! 

There is the ever loving polka dot too! And there are such beautiful dresses available that are made using delicate lace. 

The style that originated in the ‘20s is now associated with vintage fashion. 

The straight long dresses, the palazzo pants, the flowy scarf, the peter pan collars and what not has been influential till date. 

Old can really be gold sometimes, and this was never truer than it was of vintage fashion!

An Eventful Day for Fashion Aspirants.

At Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion, we firmly believe in imparting training through fashion stalwarts in this field. For this very purpose, a Master Class on Visual Merchandising was organized for the aspirants. Gracing the stage for the Master Class was an ace in the field of Visual Merchandising and Styling, Karan Berry. He is also the name behind the brand, Karleo.

Visual Merchandising is a stream of fashion designing that involves learning how to present a store and its merchandise in a manner which will be eye catching, attracting potential customers. The master gave an opportunity to the students to learn from the best and absorb his teachings. The various components and characteristics associated with Visual Merchandising were talked about in the master class. These topics helped the students in realizing that creative and innovative ideas go a long way towards creating a visually stimulating environment in a store.     

On the basis of the knowledge and understanding the students gained from Karan Berry, they were given a task. The task entailed the creation of a Visual Merchandising showcase that was displayed across various locations throughout the college. Under the expert guidance of Karan Berry, who mentored the aspirant through the task, the project was divided into five areas of visual merchandising which are- perfume, food, women’s wear, men’s accessories and home décor. Using the knowledge gained and their own creativity, each group proudly presented their displays.   

Moreover, the fashionistas spent their past Saturday attending the Fashion Dialogue Series which was all about taking a step into the fashion industry. For the event, the founders of Karleo Fashion, Karan Berry and Leon Vaz graced the stage.

They shared their insights regarding the fashion world and spoke about the dos and don’ts of the fashion world. There was an interactive dialogue between the fashion experts Karan Berry and Leon Vaz and the aspirants. The event also held a session on Hairstyling and Makeup workshops that the attendees thoroughly enjoyed.

These events, workshops and master class are a more engaging way of learning something new. This gives the student to interact with the best of industry while giving them a larger platform to exhibit their talent.      

Six Should-Have Fashion Apps!

Apps, a new addition in our vocabulary, have found plenty of space in our phones. From entertainment to business to spirituality, apps have been created across fields and genres. So, why should fashion lag behind? Therefore, apps have been developed especially for the Indian fashionista!

The Women’s Store: 

Online stores have become the new destination for shopping. Now, these sites have been generous enough to make apps available. However, navigating between various apps is troublesome and they occupy unnecessary storage space. This is where ‘The Women’s Store’ comes in. On The Women’s Store, all your favorite online stores are organized on one platform. Myntra, Jabong, Fashion and You, Koovs and many more are linked to the app. Sales and promotions occurring at these stores can also be tracked through The Women’s Store.    

  

My Dressing-Fashion closet: 

My Dressing-Fashion closet app is the perfect app to deal with the dilemma of creating the perfect outfit. The app provides a virtual ground on which you can create your new look. Here, you can see if the mustard yellow Zara skirt will do with the red floral top and see which accessory will match.

Trendabl: 

Trendabl is a platform on which you can flaunt your fashion sense to the world. The app works similarly to Facebook or Instagram, but is more fashion related than the others. Trendabl lets you tag your outfit according to the label, price and availability. The option of browsing through the styles and outfits of other’s is also made available in Trendabl.         

Styledotme: 

Shopping can be a confusing business and constant opinion is required. This is where Styledotme comes in handy. Using this app is pretty simple, just upload the images of the clothing or accessories and run a poll. There is a lot more you can do here, like share your image on Facebook, follow your friends, celebrities, brands and bloggers.   

Flipboard/Magzter: 

This app hooks you up with the latest fashion news. Be it celebrity style or street style, the app will provide news feed on everything fashion. Follow Vogue India, Harper’s Bazar, W Magazine, Glamour and more through Flipboard/Magzter. This app is a good spot to get fashion magazines.  

  

Internationally, fashion apps have been in the market for quite some time now. Though they are a recent addition in the Indian market, fashion enthusiasts are taking a liking to the apps, all of which are leaving their mark in style! 

WWNLSF Master with Anna Romaczuk on Visual Merchandising

Anna Romaczuk, Visual Merchandiser, Only

 Visual Merchandising, to start with is the set up that a retail store has in order to display their product in a way to appeal to the buyers.

We had a lovely session with Anna Romaczuk, Visual Merchandiser of the fashion brand "Only", who shared her experience and insight on the creative and commercial aspect of visual merchandising and how it affects a brand's image, awareness and attract buyers.

Anna Romanczuk interacting with WWNLSF Students at the Masterclass

While talking about Visual Merchandising, she touched important and interesting aspect like Mannequin set-up, window display, store layout, product display, new launches of products, that a Visual Merchandiser needs to take care of.

Talking about Mannequins and Window Display, she mentioned that these are the points that attract buyers the most. Hence, these areas in the store should be decorated in an appealing way and should display the latest products, the products on the other hand should be in  sync with the demand of the time, for eg. depending on the occasion or festival that's round the corner and should definitely be in line with the trend of the season. While addressing all the real-time factors, Visual Merchandiser should be well aware of the brand's fast-moving and best-seller products to have it upfront, gaining buyer's attention and making it easily accessible.

Anna Romaczuk with WWNLSF Faculty Avneet Jotwani

India, as a fashion market is also evolving and opening up options and avenues for Visual Merchandising both as an in-store aspect and career options.

She also added that Visual Merchandising is an area, where people need to be open up to experiment with themes, feedback and analysis from professionals across segments to get a grasp of how the visual is perceived by visitors/buyers or onlookers. One need to keep experimenting with stuff to understand one's area of expertise.

It was a pleasant interactive and engaging session, where students got to learn a lot from Anna Romanczuk. Also, we were delighted to have her appreciation in terms of how our course curriculum encompass the major aspects of Visual Merchandising, thus giving students an exposure and understanding of various fields that will come handy for the aspiring designers to understand the market and operate accordingly as professionals.

Anna Romczuk with WWNLSF Students

Hauntingly Haute Couture

Among the myriad emotions, horror is one of the strongest emotions we experience and Halloween is the day to celebrate this emotion. The veil between our world and the other world lifts, allowing various horrid creatures and all kinds of troubled spirits to creep out, and the fashion world is also not spared. Many distinguished fashion designers from all over the globe have played with this emotion unveiling horror haute couture on the runways that are horrifically mesmerizing and beautifully unsettling!

Horror as a theme has always occupied a place in fashion, but the late Alexander McQueen a.k.a 'Master of Malevolence'. truly brought horror alive on the runway. Naming his graduation collection 'Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims' McQueen established his curiosity for morbidity from the very start. Drawing inspiration from Victorian gothic, McQueen creations reflected a kind of haunting melancholy. in his short but prolific career, McQueen exhibited some of the stunning creations and his flair for the dramatic just added to the extravaganza. 

Alexander McQueen

He earned the moniker ‘enfant terrible’ for his collection, Nihilism in which the model took to the runway donning garments splattered in blood and mud. Irish folklore of the Banshee was personified on McQueen’s stage along with Alfred Hitchcock, both getting a fashionable makeover. A look-alike print of veins and corsets filled with live worms, ‘The Hunger’ spoke about vampires, whereas ‘Golden Shower’ through silver ribcages and spines presented the horror of the film The Omen. 

Alexander McQueen's

The brutal murder of the Romanov dynasty was depicted in ‘Joan’ while ‘The Eye’ transformed the runway into a bed of nails.  

Alexander McQueen's

One of the most unsettling of McQueen’s show was VOSS for which the audience sat around a mirrored cube where they were forced to stare at themselves and the show began with the light illuminating a hospital scene on the other side of the mirror. McQueen manifested a nightmare circus in ‘What a Merry Go Round’ and in ‘The Dance of the Twisted Bull’ he impaled his models with a bullfighter spears. The ‘Memory of Elizabeth How, Salem 1962’ revolved around black magic seeking inspiration from an ancestor who was a victim of the Salem Witch Trials.     

Alexander McQueen's

McQueen had exhibited more than forty collections and in each one the emotion of horror was illustrated with elegance and beauty. Even after he passed away his legacy is still alive, or quite undead!

Olivier Theyskens

There are other fashion designers who flirted with horror, beautifying it. 

Olivier Theyskens's

There is for example Olivier Theyskens, whose ‘gothic extravaganzas’ collection created from his grandmother’s bed-sheets earned him the title of ‘The prince of dark romanticism’.

Olivier Theyskens's

He often reflected the tragic 18^th century romanticism.   

 

Riccardo Tisci

Riccardo Tisci's

The God of Gothic, Riccardo Tisci, has an affinity to the genre of horror couture and his aesthetic imagination created some of the most splendid couture. 

Riccardo Tisci's

The founder of the cult label Undercover, Jun Takahashi’s runway shows displays sinister creations. Takahashi is best known for the ‘Black Grace’ a creation for Louis Vuitton. 

Jun Takahashi

John Galliano, a fashion legend with the ability in exhibiting grotesque elegantly, is the forerunner in the Haute Gothic culture.    

John Galliano

Blurring the line between the living and dead, countless designers have burrowed into the darkest deepest corners of the underworld and brought horror in haute couture, which is compelling in its honesty and an alluring darkness.

Fashion Rules You Should Break!

In the glamorous world of fashion, there are two kinds of people. Ones who follow absolute rules and then there are others who are breaking rules left, right and center. Breaking rules create fashion way more alluring that abiding with them.  We have compiled some rules that you most certainly will have fun breaking!

Print Mixing: 

This is the most religious followed rule be it in traditional or western. But the time has come to defy the rule. Mixing printing is very much the ‘in’ fashion. If you are not comfortable experimenting outright but are curious there are ways to work around the rule. 

You could try maintaining the same kind of print throughout like if you are opting for flora, maintain the flower print. 

If you are still hesitant pair polka dots with animal print, they are not over the top. 

But if you are a rule breaker go all print- bold, vibrant, stripes or something tamed and delicate, try them all!

Denim is the way: 

One of the oldest followed rules is that going all denim is a big no-no. Denim on denim can definitely rock your look. You can pair two different shades of denim, for instance, a light faded blue denim with a dark blue denim jeans or even vice-versa will do the trick.

Too tall, too short: 

This is an age-old notion, either you are too tall for heels or too short for long dresses. These are all myths; if you want to wear something just wear it. 

For people who think that long dress is not suited for shorter people have clearly not picked the right one. A nicely draped dress skimming your body can actually give you a taller appearance. 

And, every girl likes heels, so girls who are blessed with great height should not deny themselves either just because it might look intimidating. So, wear heels all you want and be tall and proud.        

       

Stripes On: 

Another myth that most deal on a daily basis is that horizontal stripes make you look wider. This is not the case, but still if you are not comfortable with the idea, then you can try wearing stripes that are closely spaced.

There are many such rules which we will familiarize you in the future that you need to defy, so you can wear whatever you like just, don it with confidence!

Crackling Diwali Fashion

Diwali is a highly anticipated festival with bright light, joyous atmosphere and mithai to sweeten precious moments. Another major reason that people look forward to the festive season is clothes, of course. All the more reason to flaunt your most fashionable ethnic clothes this Diwali!

The Anarkali trend has been around for quite some time and refuses to fade away.  A beautiful Anarkali is fit for just about any occasion. Now, depending on your style and mood you can pick the kind of suit you want, there are plenty to choose from. If you prefer something simple and sober, you can opt for delicate work being done on solely on the neck and the border. Anarkalis bursting with vibrant colors suit the mood of the festival aptly. Colors like black, red, maroon and green or royal blue and gold are classic colors for an Anarkali dress.

There are more contemporary combinations that the youth prefers. There was a spell of neon colors that have been visible in the dress. Besides colors, you can play on the pattern and cut of the suit. There are different lengths, or if you don’t want something over the top you can simply tone down the flair of the Anarkali. Pairing a single colored suit with an ethnic jacket will look chic, and you can ditch the dupatta. Another option is donning an asymmetrical hemline since they are a perfect fusion of modern designs and tradition.

There is always the salwar kameez and churidar kurta, which again have been designed in a contemporary fashion with a traditional sensitivity. Leggings and tunic kurtis too have gained attention, though they are a little causal for a festive occasion with a little heavy work and a bright colored kurti you will be all set. A trend that is recently picking up speed is paring a long kurta with palazzo pants.

Saris and Lehengas cholis are the epitome of tradition and there is a lot to explore. You can wear a simple sari that allows the blouse to be more dramatic or you can take the classic way with a lovely bordered and vibrant one. Besides, the clothes pay attention to the accessories and remember you have to move a lot, so keep it light.   

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Ultimately, don’t just follow trends, but create your fashion. Moreover, enjoy Diwali surrounded with love. Have a joyous festival and Prosperous New Year. Have a Safe and Fashionable Diwail!