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I like my visits to a brand’s factory, like I did for Post Fold recently, more than attending fashion shows, social-fashion-events or even fashion weeks for that matter. Purely because of one reason- ‘this is where I find out, if the money that I am spending on a particular piece of cloth, is worth spending or not.’

The whole process of cutting, dying, quality control, stitching, sourcing, preserving … it just fascinates me. And when young brains and young work force brings about a young brand in the market and invites you to have a look at their whole process, it just adds on to the excitement.

So, I visited the factory of Post Fold; an initiative of Ashish Gurnani and Aashray Thatai in Gurgaon, recently and found their whole work process to be very clean and crisp. I use the word clean and crisp, mainly because unlike any other factory, I found their work to be very immaculate not only in terms of preparations, but also in the final delivery.

The stitching, dying and fitting of all the clothes seems absolutely flawless and the variations that the brand has in offering, definitely supports their tag line – From AM to PM, which means Post Fold can actually dress you up for all kind of occasions, be it a morning gig or a dinner at night.

The best of the lot was the exclusive offerings of Supima Cotton that Post Fold has used in making T-shirts. You just would not believe how smooth and soft the whole touch is of those T-shirts.

While walking across the productions units, I saw the kind of efforts that the man force was putting in. Every step was a new sight to me, as a layman, who would never know what goes behind making clothes that we wear daily. The level of hygiene and precision was just mind-wobbling. (See the images below).

“Our brand is new… it’s vibrant and we do not want to shy away from experimenting when it comes to finding solutions to the wardrobe issues of our clients out there in market. People, who spend money, have all the rights to get the best possible products. Maintaining quality is of utmost importance to us. If your quality doesn’t match the expectation of the consumer, you can never expect loyalty from them, which is the core of sustaining a brand in the market’ said Ashish Gurnani and Aashray Thatai.

SR ke Dil se “People do have apprehension when they see a new brand and are never sure if they should go for it or not. But we do believe, if you would not try, you would never know. Do visit www.postfold.com and occupy couple of products to start off with. We bet, you would not stop after that.”

The article was first published in February 2016

Here’s what the critics are saying about Aiyaary, starring Manoj Bajpayee, Sidharth Malhotra, Naseeruddin Shah, Anupam Kher, Vikram Gokhale, Kumud Mishra, Rakul Preet Singh, Pooja Chopra:

The Indian Express

Aiyaary, for which Pandey gets the story, script and direction credit, isn’t taut enough to qualify for an edge-of-the-seat thriller. The plot is emaciated. The narration, which revolves around deception and sense of duty, is long-winding. Even though the movie puts together an impressive ensemble cast comprising some of our best actors, it takes a lot of time to establish their characters. Read the complete movie review here.

NDTV

The cast, led by the ever-dependable Manoj Bajpayee and bolstered by fine actors like Naseeruddin Shah, Adil Hussain, Kumud Mishra and Rajesh Tailang, provides occasional flashes of competence. The wishy-washy screenplay simply does not give them enough to work with. Read the complete movie review here.

Hindustan Times

Colonel Abhay Singh (Manoj Bajpayee), who doesn’t think twice before shooting foreign agents point blank in uncharted territories, heads a special covert unit that’s been unofficially funded. Major Jai Bakshi (Sidharth Malhotra) adores Abhay and has learnt the tricks of the trade from him. Read the complete movie review here.

Valentine’s Day is around the corner people, nay, it’s so close that you can already start to hear the never-ending tirade of disappointment that awaits you if you don’t come up with a meaningful gift worthy of your significant other. And the clock is ticking.

Don’t worry, there’s still some time left for you to escape with your life, and even earn a handsome reward for your troubles when V-day finally strikes. Here are the best Valentine’s Day gift ideas your better half is bound to love.

Something for the gourmet cook

Okay, the first gift suggestion might be a total train wreck, or it might be the best thing you’ve ever done for her, it will all depend on the presentation. Naturally, no woman (or man for that matter) wants to be regarded as a mere housewife, so getting her a kitchen gadget requires a delicate approach. But the rewards will be worth the effort.

No matter if your significant other is a culinary expert, a wannabe chef, or an untamed spirit defying social stereotypes, she is bound to love a stand up mixer, or a beautiful bowl set complete with measuring cups and a food scale to take her cooking to a whole new level. Couple the gift with an exotic cookbook and present it as something you can enjoy together.

Fifty shades of gorgeous

It’s no secret that women go to extreme lengths to look good for the man in their life, but instead of giving her a lip injection coupon, you can surprise her with that makeup set she always eyes on the internet but never ends up ordering. Quality makeup can be pretty pricey, but heck, Valentine’s is simply one of those days when you need to splurge on your girlfriend.

There are two ways you can approach this: you can get her something she knows and loves, or you can surprise her with something she never tried before. Be careful, the latter is a high-risk, high-reward type of deal. If you do your research and get it right, she will love you for being the man who knows exactly what she needs.

Get her excited for the summer

It might seem pretty far away for the majority of the world, but summer tends to roll along faster than expected, and it always seems to catch people off guard. It’s never too early to start planning your next summer adventure imbued with romance and a healthy dose of adrenaline.

One of the best things you can do is to get her all kitted out for the upcoming summer with a pair of designer shades, a beautiful swimsuit, and some handmade jewelry she can take with her to the beach. So research some stylish sunglasses and buy swimwear online that resonates with her personality and taste – who knows, you might find something she’ll absolutely adore.

Give her a box of healthy goodies

If there is anything a girl loves more than looking good in fashionable clothing, it’s discovering new and exciting ways to spice up her lifestyle. And discovering healthy foods tops the list, so get her a monthly subscription to a wellness box full of healthy goodies she can munch on to her heart’s content. Inside you should find healthy snacks devoid of any unnatural additives, preferably with vegan qualities. It’s a great way for her to maintain her health and a sexy physique.

Treat her to a day of pampering

Finally, don’t just make it a fun night, but make the entire day all about celebrating your relationship. Think about the things she would love to do, but also about the things she desperately needs. If she’s been stressed out lately, treat her to a couple of hours at a spa where she can relax in a rejuvenating bath, get a professional massage, and enjoy an intoxicating pampering session that will have her purring for the rest of the day.

Voila, you’re officially the best boyfriend in the world! A relationship imbued with love, intimacy, and romance might require a bit of work and dedication, but it will all be worth it in the end. Be sure to research these awesome gifts to make this Valentine’s Day the best day of her life.

India is changing!

No, I am not going to tell you that. Because I am sure, you have heard that term over the years with no real meat behind it. So let’s not even go to that crap!

What I can tell you though, and with 100 per cent conviction I must add, is that- music will not remain the same in India- soon enough!

The landscape of Indian music industry, especially- actually–specifically Techno– is set to change 360 degrees thanks to two brilliant brains aka Vijay Kumar and Raman Bhandari.

Realizing the gap between the artists and music lovers, Vijay and Raman came up with an idea of forming a community that not only loved Techno but appreciated the efforts of the people who worked behind the scene to bring the best of it to them.

And that is when LOCALS came into existence.

LOCALS, a community not made to garner sales. LOCALS, a community not meant to suffocate the music lovers in the closed doors of a club. LOCALS, a community that does not intend to put a dent in your pocket. LOCALS, a community made of people, made by people, and made for people!

And those people are ‘the music lovers’- aka LOCALS!

Acknowledging the fact that music lovers had no choice, but to go to all the fancy clubs and pay an exorbitant amount of money to listen to their favourite artists. And acknowledging the fact that artists, instead of concentrating on their music bit, are often asked to gather a crowd and push sales in order to get a gig, Vijay and Raman decided to stand for the change.

“A bunch of us used to party together, go out and listen to music and have a great time. But, we always ended-up spending a hell lot of money, that too getting stuck with the wrong kind of people or with arrogant venue staff/owners” shared Vijay.

“The whole experience was such a pain, that we decided to party on our own. And while we were doing that, we realized- what about the others who face these same issues?  Why not invite other people who love music and love to play music? And that’s how it slowly grew organically over the past few months, as more and more people and artists started to come onboard with the initiative. Of course, the whole growth is highly filtered and monitored because it’s always a house party or a private space that we have our gatherings at, and for that reason, we need to make sure that there are no nuisances” he further added.

What sets LOCALS apart from other initiatives, is that there are rules, but there are no rules.

Yes you can enter as a stag, yes, you can wear whatever you want to, yes, you can carry your own booze to the part, and no you do not pay any entry/cover changes. It is all absolutely free. The only thing you are expected is not to be a jerk and create any ruckus.

“The current legalities in the country, the current scenario is not up for the art or music. Timelines are so short, things are so expensive, and taxes are so high it’s just crazy.

And for venue owners and promoters, it’s just about business and never about the music or art. But at LOCALS, anybody who loves art and music can just walk in and listen to his favourite artist(s). And for artist(s), they can play whatever they want to play from their heart and soul” said Raman.

So, what does LOCALS want to achieve?

Short term:

– Create a vibe, which would match international standards globally and bring the correct music to the right target audience. And now it has been a year and we are taking it to a festival event.

– From being Delhi originated idea it’s now actually Pan India because we are getting artists across India.

Long-term goal:

– Primarily artist management, especially newer talent, so that we can work with the right artists and promote them in the right manner, all over the country.

What role do the artists play in the whole scheme?
According to Vijay “they play a major role because artists usually give time to the system, to the society and they also need to make money in life. But a lot of time artists end-up playing for free or for a very nominal amount, which is not right. Irrespective of their skill-set they do it because they need the cash flow to be active and meet their expenses. We want to change that. We want them to get their due and have a better platform to showcase their talent. Their participation with us is so very important for the whole initiative to succeed.”

All about DISTRICT

DISTRICT is India’s first none of its kind Techno music festival, which marks the first anniversary of the LOCALS. This festival shall witness unmatched sound, in control of some of the biggest artists in Techno music today. Needless to say, every individual is invited here to immerse in a committed techno experience.

DISTRICT is set to take place in Rajasthan’s Castle Kalwar, Jaipur region from 2nd – 4th March 2018. If you do get there, and I hope you do, get ready to witness a lineup of over 40 artists performing at 4 different stages, bringing together talent across the wide spectrum of Techno.

With pioneers like Kohra, BLOT, Jitter, Adam Rehman, Ash Roy and Sequel, you will willingly let your senses lose to the beat and find yourself somewhere within. Treat those eyes to larger than life artistry with stellar medium(s) of lights & visuals, live programming, and projection mapping.

BELIEVE THAT!

For more details, check out:

http://www.localsdistrict.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/District2018/

Every year starts with a new energy. New hope. New feel. New goals. New Resolutions!

While, we may try our best, at times, it becomes difficult to stand true to all our resolutions, especially, the ones which we vow to make our lifestyle and health better! But, what we miss out to realize is that good health and a better life can be attained via a very simple act; drinking clean and purified water.

Now, you must be wondering, we all have water-purifiers at home and we have that angle covered.

So wrong!

Most of the water-purifiers do not exactly clean the water you consumer to the level that they should. While the technical reasonings are unlimited, you need to know just one- they simply are not doing their job.

And that is when Havells decided to offer their expertise and years of research, to make sure that you and your family get the most purified water that would result in a better and healthier life.

In a bold move that will stir the consumer market, Havells has decided to launch their own range of water-purifiers and to see all the behind-the-scenes method of it, I recently visited their HQ in Noida, which, frankly, was an eye-opener.

Unlike most brands, that offer a TDS controller in their RO+UV water purifiers, a faulty technology, Havells provides absolute safety through 100% RO and UV purification.

Havells water purifiers have a powerful purification process to remove all complex impurities, while it adds back wide spectrum of naturally occurring essential minerals and trace elements that are removed in the filtration process, thus, ensuring that purified water is pH balances, and also makes it easier to absorb to hydrate your body.

One of the USPs according to me that would go miles to attract the consumers for Havells, especially guys like me who do not know much about the maintenance of water purifiers, would be the truly smart feather touch panels on some of the models.

Had a wonderful time today with @havellsindia at their HQ as they gear up to introduce their new #waterpurifier range that will give you the best purified water #thinkhealthdrinkhealth pic.twitter.com/RbZIdiKLQQ

— StyleRug (@StyleRug) January 9, 2018

These panels, though high-tech yet user-friendly, consist of all the information that you need to know, to make sure that the water purifier is doing all that it is supposed to.

The panel displays:

– Digital watch
– Filter life
– Bottle switch
– Free flow
– Preventive maintenance
– UV indication
– Glass switch

What the lights mean on the panel:

Blue – Filtration in progress
Green  – Storage tank full
Amber – Double UV purification process is on

Awesomeness, right?

But wait, there’s more!

Havells has built a dedicated team of water purifiers service associates and invested substantially to train the team on technical and soft skills, for best consumer service. You are promised a response within an hour of registering an issue and minimum possible time to resolve the same at the first go itself.

I have been a part of the fashion industry in some capacity or the other since 2008, and as a journalist/blogger since 2010. In these 7 odd years, I have seen a lot many things, which include hook-ups to ego brush-ups. I have liked some incident and I have disliked some… but I never really formulated an ‘opinion’ about this industry!

For me, it all came with the package! A package, that was diverse in nature (as people came from all types of background), and a package that offered all the sweet and sour memories that one can create by being a part of it.

What has been astonishing to see though is the fact that, just like people know more about how to run a cricket team better than the coaches who are actually running it (we all are experts when it comes to that), there are individuals who are out there who think they know more about this industry and have got a strong opinion about it! Be its functionality, people involved in it, work ethics or implementation of workforces blah blah blah!

No doubt, there have been notions and there have been misconceptions, which I have come across a lot while talking to a lot of people! Therefore, I decided to make a list of things/notions/presumptions which I think we would all want to see change- when it comes to the ‘fashion industry’.

Models are not sluts: ‘A guy with 5 girls is a dude, but a girl with 5 guys is a slut!’ This is utter Sh*t! Frankly speaking, I do know of quite a few characters who have indulged more in skin business than being real models, but then, a deed of few cannot and should not be termed as the karma of all!

Let’s change that notion!

PR and journalists can never be friends: “A PR only talks nicely when she/he has got to get some work done by the journalist.” Well, even a journalist talks to a PR with all the love of the world when he/she has to write a story and need some input from their clients. It has always been a give and take relationship, and the sooner we acknowledge it, better it would be.

I personally know quite a few PR people who have eventually turned out to be great buddies, who call me not only for work but in mine and their dire time too!

Let’s change that notion!

All designers are gay: THEY ARE NOT! Even if they are, they did not ask for your permission to be one or not to be one. Just like you have the right to be straight (or have been), they have the right to be gay (or are). When their loved ones accept them for who they are, who are you to point a finger at some one’s personal life?

Let’s change that notion!

Compromise gets you to the top: Yes, to some extent it is true! But this belief by most of the new talent that is knocking on the door of the fashion industry, which thinks that compromises (be it in any form- though the high percentage is of sleeping around), can get them to the top level in no time, is full of crap. It can only take you so far.

I do know people who have reached greater heights by compromising with their moral and ethics in life, but that alone cannot be your sure shot way to get success in life. I talked to Sahil Gulati of Mint Blush, and he said “People should get work purely on their talent basis not by compromising. The industry also needs to be a little more professional and not work on bhai-chara basis. If you have the talent, you get the work.. if you have none… then better choose another profession, where you can be good at- with some talent!”

Let’s change that notion!

The fashion industry is a self-centric industry: Yes, it can do more, but to say that it doesn’t do anything for the society is absolutely rubbish! I have seen quite a few the leading body of the industry i.e. FDCI, getting involved in a lot of CSR activities and the one that touched me the most was the “Fashion For A Cause” show that saw names like Lecoanet Hemant, Ashish Soni, Ravi Bajaj, J.J. Valaya, Tarun Tahiliani, Ashima-Leena, Suneet Varma, Ritu Beri, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Rohit Gandhi-Rahul Khanna, Shantanu-Nikhil and Manish Arora sharing the same dais in WLIFW A/W’12 with each participating designer vowing to fight against human trafficking via a show that had a central theme – Alice In Wonderland that had images clicked by photographer Subi Samuel.

FDCI has also collaborated in the past with Ministry of Textiles to bring forth the artistic values and creativity of North East that is so craving to be seen by the world.

Let’s change that notion!

Bloggers do not deserve what they are getting: Well, I decided to keep the last for the best. Bloggers have long been taunted for getting too much attention from brands and media alike. And often, you will find journalists from newspapers and magazines complaining about it, only to see them convert into a blogger after a year or two.

Let’s face it guys, bloggers take the risk of going job-free, they do not keep the job-security that you guys have and often get their payments with a delayed timeline of 2-3 months. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have bills to pay or expenses to meet in personal life. They work equally hard, rather more than any other journalist, because not only do they have to create content, but make a brand out of it too, which none of the journalists has to. To understand the digital media needs, they have to upgrade their skills every day and make sure they can be at par with the industry.

When did a journalist sitting in the office of a big publication house did that?

Let’s change that notion!

In Britain, we love our subcultures. But one of the most popular subcultures that hasn’t been so well received, up till now, is the football casual. It’s understandable, the culture has its roots in football hooliganism. But the culture’s more than that, especially these days. It’s all about a love of the game. And the fashion. It’s very much about the fashion, almost like a badge of honour.

The football casual has always been part of the subculture, ever since the 1950s and even back then it was about the threads. It started with the terraces embracing the Teddy Boy fashion of the time. There has always been a link to the anti-establishment. In the 60s it was the all about the skinhead.

Football Casual, Stylerug, Mens Fashion, Mens Style Tips, Mens Grooming Tips, Delhi Style Blogger, Delhi Fashion Bloggers

The terraces took on the fashion. But at the time, skinheads were very much political and football fans might like a bit of violence on a Saturday, they might hate the government in power, but they were never political. Plus, they were really easy to spot, which made them an easy target for the Police regardless of whether they were causing trouble or not. Back then it was more acceptable to tar everyone with the same brush.

By the time the 70s came around the guys on the terraces were on the lookout for their own sense of identity. At the time, Liverpool FC was the toast of Europe, winning competition after competition. As their fans followed the team around Liverpool, they started to pick up designer clothes in the boutiques around France, Germany, Spain, and Italy.

They wore them as a badge of honour. A Lacoste Polo told everyone else “I follow my club across land and sea”. It got picked up very quickly. Other northern clubs started to head off into Europe, not for the football but for the clothes, so they can wear them back home on the terraces.

The football casual was born. It was all about the clothes. During the 80’s fans from different clubs opted to wear different brands, so they could recognize each other. New brands were embraced throughout the 90’s too and as the Police cracked down of football violence, it became less about the violence meaning it was just about the clothes and a sense of identity.

These days, 13 million people go to watch football matches and the casual is as strong as ever. It’s about Lacoste and Stone Island, C.P Company and Lyle & Scott. Fred Perry has stayed with the casual since the skinhead days, and now there are brands like Weekend Offender and the very retro Eighties Casuals.

Keeping up with the momentum of 24 stores in 24 months, H&M, the international fashion brand known for offering fashion and quality at the best price in a sustainable way is proud to announce the launch of three new locations, to open in the last quarter of 2017.

Continuing with the brand’s expansion in tier 2 cities with Amritsar, Indore and Coimbatore launched earlier in the year, H&M will be opening its first store in Raipur at Ambuja City center on November 29, 2017. The store is spread across 16,000 sq.ft.

This continues the brand’s expansion into tier II markets such as Amritsar, Indore and Coimbatore which launched earlier in the year.

Here’s a look that actor, RajKummar Rao, donned for the trailer launch of his new movie releasing soon – Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana.

Styled by Isha Bhansali RajKumar Rao is wearing, Jacket (White Elephant) by Mayur Girotra, Denim by Celio, Tee & cap from H&M and Shoes courtesy Superdry.

What’s your vote for the look?

Yay or Nay?

Fierce, intense and intimidating! That’s the first impression of Ranveer Singh, who unveiled his first look as ruler Alauddin Khilji in filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s forthcoming film ‘Padmavati’.

In a series of tweets recently, Ranveer shared two different avatars of Khilji and let me tell you, he has outdone his looks of Bajirao Mastani by miles.

In the first photo, Ranveer can be seen posing topless inside water with long hair and beard.

SULTAN ALAUDDIN KHILJI #Khilji

A post shared by Ranveer Singh (@ranveersingh) on Oct 2, 2017 at 1:13pm PDT

The second image features the heartthrob actor donning a warrior costume and posing while looking at the mirror.

SULTAN ALAUDDIN KHILJI #Khilji

A post shared by Ranveer Singh (@ranveersingh) on Oct 2, 2017 at 1:23pm PDT

The only thing common between these two pictures is the bruise underneath the actor’s right eye.

Besides Ranveer, ‘Padmavati’ will feature actress Deepika Padukone in the title role and actor Shahid Kapoor as her husband – MahaRawal Ratan Singh.

@shahidkapoor as #MaharawalRatanSingh ⚔

A post shared by Ranveer Singh (@ranveersingh) on Sep 24, 2017 at 6:17pm PDT

What do you think about his looks guys? Do leave your opinion in the comment box below.