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| Edited By: Shalini Sharma |Source: DNA |Updated: Dec 16, 2017, 01:35 AM IST
In the onset of this couture season, maestro Sabyasachi launched himself with great fanfare as India’s newest jewellery designer. The lushness of his talent was in full bloom display at the delectable Virat Kohli-Anushka Sharma wedding in Italy. The man who sees himself as the Sanjay Leela Bhansali of the fashion world, constantly looks for fresh ways to reinvent the Sabyasachi magic. But the career launch comes on the shoulders of a partnership gone terribly wrong with Hyderabad’s most famous jewellers, Kishandas (the Nizam’s family were prized clients for a century). Kishandas ventured into a partnership with the designer, opening their store within the designer’s stores. Using their jewellery, Sabyasachi created his iconic bridal look, which soon became the template for the most of the couture world.
The Kishandas family have claimed they were overnight barred from entering the Sabyasachi store and that the designer has custody of Rs 100 crores of their jewellery. They also claim that the designer refuses to take their calls or messages. On the other hand, the whisper from the Sabyasachi camp is that they had issues about transparency with the jewellery brand. Things have turned ugly and the matter will now move into court. When Kishandas launched their new store in Hyderabad last month there was a sign on some of the jewels stating ‘these designs that you see with others, are actually the copyright of our family for 150 years.” Breakups can be so painful.
It’s hard to keep up with Bandra’s constantly evolving millennial reputation. There’s a new trendsetter everyday but even we are astonished how quickly that vegan eatery Sequel, has become second home to all of Bollywood. The paparazzi are now permanently parked outside. Not bad for a place that boasts just two and a half tables. At any given point, you can spot Jacqueline Fernandes, Katrina Kaif, Aditi Rao Hydari popping in for their favourite raw cocoa smoothie and avocado toast.
Collateral damage of the above has been famous dermatologist Dr Jaishree Sharad right next door. Skin pal to folks like Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, the good doctor finds her clinic being ambushed by the paparazzi when Sequel has a dull star power day. Some of her clients are furious at the intrusion but there is nothing the doc can do as she is an uncomfortably close neighbour to the restaurant. Last we saw Harshvardhan Kapoor dashing through the cameras with a copy of a magazine covering his face. Now really? So much natak for a simple follicle clean-up.
A scandalous website has had a hit job done to it. This digital magazine would send shivers down Delhi’s social spines with its brazen exposés on the secret lifestyles of the rich and famous. The owner was a popular fixture on the fashion circuit with many of Delhi’s leading designers on his speed-dial. Everyone predicted the owner would one day take on a force too powerful for him and that’s happened. He’s been apprehended by the cops and the person who helped put him in the jug is none other than industrialist Jai Shroff, currently fighting a very public and bitter divorce with his art collector wife Poonam Shroff. Seems the businessman was furious about some of the innuendos on the website about his Dubai-based companion Ms Natalia Kapchuk and used his clout to nail the website down. Like things were not complicated enough there!
In Delhi you always know who is the most socially significant person in the room when the city’s fashion designers clamour around them. From what we can figure in forays into the power capital, Savitri Singh, heiress of the DLF Group is the hot social ticket to snag. This young petite girl, granddaughter of real estate baron KP Singh, is going to inherit the real estate empire and calls the shots at that luxury paradise, DLF Emporio. No wonder all the luxury brands hanker to kiss her hand. The Lodhi Hotel which her family owns is her favourite watering hole and is also a big draw with the city’s rich kids. Savitri’s playing it classy and trying not to draw attention to herself but this is Delhi that adores being in the presence of money and influence. And this young girl is tipped to have plenty of both.
India’s chicest fashion store turned 30 this week and the fashion crowd turned out loyally to pay tribute to Tarun Tahiliani and Tina Tahiliani Parikh who started it all for Indian couture. Despite stiff competition over the years, Ensemble is still the Xanadu for cutting-edge desi fashion. The party had ‘Made in India’ as its theme; more refreshing was that it didn’t need the mandatory movie star to bring in the crowd. The faint crib one overheard was that such a milestone in Indian fashion deserved a more flamboyant celebration. Maybe we can expect a sequel at Tarun Tahiliani’s fabulous home in Delhi?
Society insider Shalini Sharma has two decades experience observing and reporting on the commerce and confessions of people who are generously described as celebrities.
