ELLE.

IN

®
MARCH 2018
` 150

PRIYANKA
Her Time Is Now
BY HASAN MINHAJ
calvinklein.com/205

Featuring artwork by Andy Warhol ©/®/™ The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.
 34 VOICES
38 ELLE MAIL
43 EDITOR’S VIEW
44 10 THINGS Surf sessions
in Mangaluru, a fun workout,
skincare’s hottest star
ingredient, and a TV show
to binge-watch. Here’s what
you should be trying right now
46
48
LOVE LETTER
ELLE ONLINE
EDITS
54 LOVE IS THE NEW BLACK
In the age of the Time’s Up
movement, black speaks a
powerful language—one of
strength, rebellion and the
struggle for a new kind of
freedom. Through dance,
ballerina Pia Sutaria embodies
the uprising. Photographed
by Bikramjit Bose. Styled by
Rahul Vijay
CONTENTS
p60
p68
60 LABEL TO KNOW: ODE TO
ODD Introducing the sisters
Mewara, the brains behind
the one-collection-old label
that is already making waves
internationally
62 FRUIT LOOPS The stars at
Salon International de la Haute
Horlogerie 2018 shone bright
in shades of bite-sized berries
022 Contents
ELLE
78 FASHION UPDATES Style
buzz, fresh picks and shop talk
83 TREND REPORT
Handkerchief hems, folksy
prints, high-shine and a return
to black—the S/S 2018 runways
at Amazon India Fashion Week
were full of old favourites and
new surprises. Varun Rana
has the lowdown
p70
68 STREET CRED Coach’s latest
offering is a nod to iconic
p83
American artist Keith Haring
70 CUT TO THE LACE Unveiled
at Paris Haute Couture Week,
Chopard’s recent range,
Precious, embodies the spirit
of delicate lacework in a
jewelled avatar
Elle
MARCH
72 BED HEAD Swap a polished
blowout for the low-fi, messy
version that will save you time
p72
ON THE COVER:
Silk dress, price on request, Valentino
PHOTOGRAPH: MARK SELIGER
STYLING: MALINI BANERJI
HAIR: OWEN GOULD FOR PANTENE
AT THE WALL GROUP
MAKE-UP: DANIEL MARTIN AT THE WALL
GROUP USING DIOR BEAUTY
MANICURE: MAR Y SOUL
PRODUCTION: ALEXEY GALETSKIY/ALEXEY
GALETSKIY PRODUCTIONS
MODEL: PRIYANKA CHOPRA
ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018

FEATURES
102 DRESS UP Photographer
and archivist Anusha Yadav
literally puts herself in other
women’s shoes
103 10 BOOKS TO DEVOUR
THIS MONTH Murder
mysteries and musings on love
share shelf space with some
stellar non-fiction titles
104 FESTIVAL FAVOURITE
Director Qaushiq Mukherjee’s
latest film has brought him his
second run in Berlin
p108
FASHION
120 TO THE STARS
Priyanka Chopra is many
things—fashion darling,
smasher of stereotypes,
and mega-star of a hit
American series. Now, as
110 SCENE STEALERS As
designers Rohit Gandhi and
Rahul Khanna complete 20
years in fashion, Varun Rana
decodes what makes them
first among equals

Elle p120

CONTENTS
p106

MARCH Quantico returns to screens

112 FORWARD MARCH No
matter how high you climb, the
challenges don’t end. It’s about
worldwide next month, she
opens up for a special chat
with show-stopping actor-
comedian Hasan Minhaj, to
talk about life, the universe

p103
constantly proving yourself,
discovers Aabha Bakaya, as she and everything in between.
meets six power women who Photographed by Mark Seliger.
are steadily staking their claim Styled by Malini Banerji
to the world of finance

p128
106 STRANGER THINGS
Vivan Sundaram’s ongoing
retrospective is an attentive
p112
and lovingly pieced-together
narrative of the contemporary
artist’s wildly inventive oeuvre.
Annapurna Garimella gets
the rundown
108 SLEEP TIGHT Leïla Slimani’s
new book about a killer nanny
from hell, inspired by the grisly
real-life tale of terror caretaker
Louise Woodward, has 128 NEW ORDER Appease your
become a runaway hit. Author inner bad girl as punk steps
Mahesh Rao speaks to the out with eccentric prints, old-
French-Moroccan writer about school denim and contrasting
her award-winning second textures. Photographed by Dan
novel—creeps, kinks and all Beleiu. Styled by Rahul Vijay

024 Contents
ELLE

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018

138 ULTRA GIRL Flirty ruffles,
blushing pinks and fiery reds
in fluid silhouettes—the season
welcomes femininity with a
vintage spin. Photographed by
Sushant Chhabria. Styled by
Karuna Laungani
BEAUTY
150 PLAY TIME Spring/Summer
2018 has no beauty rules—
just a rainbow of colours,
164
p158
p160 CONTENTS
166
167
holographic glitter and lots of
reasons to experiment, says
Mamta Mody. Photographed 168
by Farrokh Chothia. Styled
by Sujala Newar
158 THE CHOSEN ONES We’re
digging these genius glow
givers, hair soothers and
skin lovers
159 FREE STYLE In a time
of superfoods and fitness
trackers, exercise routines
are going back to basics
160 CULTURE CLUB The revival
of fermented foods means
a happier tummy and
better immunity, discovers
Mamta Mody
026 Contents
ELLE
p177
LIFESTYLE
p164 172
TRUE CALLING After years
of fighting extreme alienation
on a quest to explore the idea
of gender identity, 25-year-
old writer Trésor Prijs found 176
strength and solace in the
world of beauty
Elle
MARCH
BEAUTY EXPERTS: NEHA &
DIVYA MEHTA The founders
of Swiss skincare brand Epique
know what women want
WAND LUST These new-age
mascaras work like magic
to give you the best lashes
of your life
BEAUTY UPDATES News,
reviews and best buys 180
p172
182
183
184
188
JAMAICAN RHYTHM
Classic reggae, white sand,
Rasta everything and good
vibes—the pearl of the
Caribbean has so much to
offer, finds Daniele Gerkens.
Photographed by Grégoire Kalt
LIFESTYLE UPDATES
Top tables, design ideas
and travel hacks
p180
POETIC JUSTICE A
grand celebration of ELLE’s
collaboration with Canadian
poet and Insta-sensation
Rupi Kaur
CHANGE OF ART Past
and present collide at the
Middle East’s futuristic
Louvre Abu Dhabi
ASTRO
ADDRESS BOOK
ELLE LOVES Hit the streets
with these ’90s-inspired kicks
from Louis Vuitton
ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018
 ELLE
CHAIRPERSON
KAVITA BHARTIA
VICE-CHAIRPERSON
AASHTI BHARTIA
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BUSINESS HEAD
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032
 MARK HASAN MINHAJ
SELIGER The actor and stand-up comedian catches up with cover star Priyanka
The award-winning Chopra, in To The Stars, page 120. On how his heritage influences him:
photographer, who “Stand-up comedy is one of
has shot countless those art forms where you mine
global icons—from from your life experiences. My
Barack Obama to Al perspective is shaped by being a
Pacino—turns his child of immigrants in America.” 
lens on cover girl
Priyanka Chopra, in To @HASANMINHAJ
The Stars, page 120.
If he could go back in
time and photograph
one person, he’d pick:

“Composer,
pianist and conductor Igor Stravinsky.
I would have liked the chance to see what

7
I could have done with the master.”

@MARKSELIGER

BIKRAMJIT
BOSE AABHA BAKAYA
The lensman captures
ballerina Pia Sutaria
MARCH ELLE The business writer profiles six women

POWERED BY
mid-motion, in Love who are busy notching up victories in the
Is The New Black, world of finance, in Forward March, page 112.
page 54. Why he loves On the battle ahead:
black-and-white “To build the next generation of
photography: women leaders. Women need to pay
“With black-and-white, our it forward, and support one another.
minds no longer respond with the Knowing they are not alone will
emotions associated with colours. help them overcome their fears.”
Our reactions are more intuitive.”
@AABHABAKAYA
@THEBADLYDRAWNBOY

VARUN
RANA
The writer traces
the rise of designers
Rohit Gandhi and
Rahul Khanna as
they complete 20
years in fashion,
in Scene Stealers,
page 110. His fondest
Gavin Bond for Comedy Central (Hasan Minhaj)

MAHESH RAO memory of the duo:

The writer interviews author Leïla Slimani, “I was their
whose new thriller, Lullaby, is giving readers assistant, and
the chills, in Sleep Tight, page 108. On why it is because
the book has struck a universal chord: of them that I began writing
NAMRATA SONI on fashion. They always
“Without being preachy, it strikes
The make-up artist keeps it simple and encouraged me to write.”
at questions that the privileged
chic with fresh, glowing skin, in Play Time,
middle-class around the world
page 150. Beauty advice she wishes more @VARUNRANA16
often ask themselves about the
people would follow:
choices they have made.”
“Wear sunscreen. Don’t neglect
@MRAOZING your skin.”

@NAMRATASONI

034 Voices
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 } DREAM STATE
I’ve only grown to expect perfection
when it comes to ELLE, and this
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decade. My two nieces (16 and 18) went
hysterical on seeing Zayn Malik on the
cover. I couldn’t even get my hands
on the magazine until they had had
their fill. I’m also a huge Zadie Smith
fan, and loved In Her Skin. Her work
always raises pertinent questions and
tends to break stereotypes. Hats off
to her ability to successfully juggle
motherhood, kids and her writing
career all at once. Kudos on a job
well done, ELLE!
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SPRING TEASE
MOODY FLORALS
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people
we love
DIVYA SPANDANA | MAHESH RAO | TASNEEM ZAKARIA MEHTA
Cover Feb 2018 New Image.indd 1
} SHOW OF STRENGTH
The February issue was on point: it
had an unconventional cover in Zayn
Malik. The conceptual People We Love
story was girl power at its finest, as it
celebrated women who have left an
indelible mark on their fields and brought
down the walls surrounding so-called
male bastions—from artists to designers
to cultural impresarios, you got them
all under one roof. But the highlight was
undoubtedly the cover story. Zayn has
exploded onto the international pop
scene with his immense talent and
good looks. I can’t wait to see how
he conquers Bollywood this year.
} MAKE CHANGE
I loved Gurmehar Kaur’s Small Acts
Of Freedom. She began with a tweet,
@nathaniaandnp
OMG OMG OMGGGG!
FEBRUARY 2018
` 150
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Exclusive
ZAYN MALIK
BOLLYWOOD,
BIG MOVES & BREAKING
OUT OF THE BOX
ANITA DONGRE | ANITA DUBE | DAYANITA SINGH
Special Zadie Smith on keeping it real
29/01/18 5:40 pm
and crossed all kinds of hurdles and
resistance to promote her beliefs.
Today, she is an icon, a living example
of why one must follow one’s intuition
and fight fearlessly. I also enjoyed
reading the People We Love story.
ELLE is truly an up-to-date magazine
that gives its readers so much—from
beauty and fashion, to accessories
and all the latest cultural happenings.
— MISHKA KAPOOR, NEW DELHI
} POWER PLAYERS
The spirit and drive of Gurmehar
Kaur (Freedom Fighter) and Natasha
Sumant (Boss Lady) were so beautifully
— RAMA SANDEEP, MUMBAI in sync. They are both strong women
who are unafraid to voice their opinions,
but their goal is common—to ensure
more power to women everywhere by
smashing stereotypes.
— R ANJALI, NEW DELHI
Dominique Nabokov (Zadie Smith), Nishanth Radhakrishnan (Divya Spandana)
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 MARCH
I
n a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is
a revolutionary act. George Orwell wrote this in
his book, 1984, but he may as well have been
talking about the mood of the moment. As
women of the world come out in support of each
other to call out perpetrators, there is a message
here that echoes straight into our hearts: time is
not just up. It is now.
The ELLE team thought hard about the very
idea of what a spring awakening should signify. To
us, it is about shaking up the obvious, and using
Cotton dress, ANOMALY. Metal earrings, Misho. Hair and make-up, Jean-Claude Biguine
this moment in history to celebrate anarchy via
fashion. Our First Look pays homage to a simple
idea: strong is the new pretty. Riven with fire, it
is brought to life through dance by ballerina Pia
Sutaria, who celebrates this uprising by wearing
various shades of black, the undisputed colour
of the hour.
March was the perfect time to showcase
sub-cultural influences, and refashion them with
new energy. Case in point: our reinterpretation of
punk in New Order; photographed at the edge of
East London.
It was also important for us to have a cover
girl who stands for what ELLE believes in:
Sushant Chhabria (Supriya Dravid)
pushing boundaries with a no-holds-barred
attitude. For us, it was Priyanka Chopra. What
made it particularly exciting was her riveting
conversation with another youth icon and fellow
compadre, Hasan Minhaj. The duo touches
upon topics that range from the importance
of ambition to cultural appropriation and shifting
stereotypes. Priyanka says rightfully, “…the fight
is to normalise it, to look at me and not talk to me
like...not say, ‘Namaste,’ or be like, ‘Oh, I went to
India five years ago.’”
In keeping with our theme of experimenting
with forms, is our sublime beauty shoot by
Farrokh Chothia, where we revel in a rainbow of
colours and holographic glitter for inspiration.
Our features section will introduce you to
Malavika Mohanan, the gorgeous actor who stars
in Iranian auteur Majid Majidi’s film Beyond The
Clouds, showcase Vivan Sundaram’s ongoing
retrospective, and give you a glimpse into the
latest work of author-of-the-moment Leïla
Slimani, interviewed by Mahesh Rao.
At ELLE, we pride ourselves on being a
magazine that brings to our readers the joys and
pleasures of knowing other women like them:
everyday feminists who have long destroyed
the very archaic concept of a glass ceiling. Our
special gallery on women who dominate the
immersive world of finance showcases a different
kind of grit and gumption. There’s Arundhati
Bhattacharya, who was the first woman to helm
State Bank of India, Chetna Gala Sinha, known
as the feminist banker, is the founder of Mann
Deshi Mahila Bank (she was one of seven women
co-chairs this year at the World Economic
Forum, Davos), and Manisha Girotra, the CEO
of Moelis India, who has done M&A deals to the
tune of $100 billion. There are other sheroes in
this story too. But one handy tip that resonated
with me came from Aisha De Sequeira, the
top honcho at Morgan Stanley. “My advice to
women building their careers would be to stick it
out—don’t give up too early! Do not let the
thought of the challenge ahead cloud your focus
and drive…it is possible to get a balance that
works.” To the women we have featured in these
pages, the sky is just the starting point. It should
be the same for you. March on.
SUPRIYA DRAVID EDITOR
Email editor@ogaan.co.in
Insta @supriya.dravid
ELLE.IN
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 EXPLORE
Soaring
temperatures,
tall waves and
LISTEN TRY
scenic views make Matcha, the
Mangaluru the ‘Sexy back’ powdered version
perfect destination hitmaker Justin of green tea, is
for beginners to Timberlake just more than a frothy
get their surf on. dropped his fifth alternative to your
Pack your summer studio album, Man cup of joe—it’s the
essentials (read:
sunscreen and
Of The Woods. The
lead track, ‘Filthy’, EAT buzziest ingredient
in skincare to fight
a pair of mod got everyone Soft-serve ice UV damage and
sunnies) and hit WATCH grooving when cream just got restore your glow.
READ the beach with
one of the many Grab those
it released last
month, so you can
the Instagram
makeover. Put
If you want to
give it a shot, we
A troubled surfing clubs. tissues—Grey’s bet the rest of this suggest The Body
your money where
lady who cannot Anatomy is getting album’s going Shop’s Matcha
your mouth is
unsee what she a 10-episode to have some Tea Pollution
with Selfridge’s
has witnessed, spin-off called bounce to it too. Cleansing Mask.
Billionaire Soft
and a missing Station 19.
Serve that’s
child—The Woman Expect a few
sprinkled with
In The Window by familiar faces
edible diamonds
AJ Finn stands and the same
and wrapped in
out in a sea of heart-wrenching
24K gold foil. Or
thrillers with its drama. Only this
sin with a 12-inch
time, it’s set in
psychological
suspense. It is WEAR an action-packed
Seattle firehouse.
Korean version:
the taller the ice
already being cream, the closer
Your look of We petition for
developed into a
towelled glory a crossover.
you are to heaven.
DRINK
major film by Fox.
is now publicly
acceptable.
INDULGE Avocados aren’t
Bathleisure, Try Foreo UFO, a just for health
or the art of spiffy at-home junkies anymore.
wearing your towel device that Say hello to the
turban-style with combines the avocado cocktail!
make-up, jewellery skin-nourishing Sure, you can mix
and sunglasses, benefits of LED and match as
has emerged light therapy,
MOVE you please, but

Icon made by Smashicons from Flaticon.com; Inputs by Divya Gursahani and Trisha Chawla
as Instagram’s cryotherapy and our advice is to
coolest fashion sheet-masking Never kept your spike your avo-

10
trend. Plus, it’s into a 90-second resolution to go to smoothie with
Rihanna-verified. power facial. the gym? Try the some champagne
latest fitness fad: for a swig of
bungee workout. deliciousness.
Your waist is
fastened to a
bungee cord, and
with every jump,
you’re basically
flying. Who said
exercise has to
be boring?

THINGS
Surf sessions in Mangaluru, a fun workout, skincare’s hottest star ingredient, and
a TV show to binge-watch. Here’s what you should be trying right now

044 ELLE.IN
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 LOVE LETTER
Rimzim Dadu’s ode to her greatest critic and biggest fan

046 ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018
 W H AT ’ S N E W O N

News, trends, insider info—this is your daily dose of ELLE

COVER facebook.com/elleindia

SHOP TALK instagram.com/elleindiaofficial

Everything you’ve
ever wanted to know in.pinterest.com/elleindia
about cover star
twitter.com/elleindia
Priyanka Chopra
snapchat: elle.india

INSTAGRAM
FROM A-Z
We’ve got what
you need to stay
up to date with the
world of fashion

BEAUTY
GLAM GLOW
Think Bollywood stars
are just blessed with
great skin? Alia Bhatt
spills her beauty secrets

FASHION FOOD
SUPPORT CREW RIGHT STUFF
Fashion is all about Get your gut in
Mark Seliger (Priyanka Chopra)

love in 2018. Discover the order with these 11

designers championing clean-eating gurus, for
the movement tips, recipes and more

INSTANT ACCESS
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PRIYANKA
Her Time Is Now
ELLE.IN
BY HASAN MINHAJ

Cover March 2018.indd 2 24/02/18 4:55 pm

ELLE MARCH 2018
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 ELLE
2018
GRADUATES
The hottest design talent of 2017 -18
EIGHT FINALISTS GET SET TO
IN ASSOCIATION WITH REVEAL EXCLUSIVE LOOKS ON
THE RUNWAY ON MARCH 21

DIVYA SHETH
Divya Sheth
employs striking
prints to bring
a sense of
modernity to
conventional Indian
embroidery and
traditional outfits.
LABEL ANUSHREE
Designer Anushree
Reddy’s ingenious
choice of fabrics does
all the talking. Expect
ROMA an interesting take
on contemporary
NARSINGHANI Indian wear.
Accessory designer Roma
Narsinghani’s architectural
pieces never fail to make a
statement, and have earned
her a huge fan following.

STUDIO METALLURGY
You can spot Advaeita Mathur’s NIKITA
jewellery from a mile away, thanks MHAISALKAR
to her distinct, conceptual designs Nikita Mhaisalkar’s
and love for experimenting with eponymous label
different kinds of beaten metal. offers easy-to-wear
silhouettes and
a healthy dose of
IKROOP sparkle. But it’s her
Colourful pieces focus on tailoring
of glass form the that makes each
centrepiece in piece stand apart.
Ikroop Dhillon’s
jewellery line.
Think statement
rings and
shoulder-dusting
earrings.
EKAM BY
MANISH GUPTA
A huge proponent of the
athleisure movement, designer
Manish Gupta doesn’t shy away
from playing with bold prints
and a fair bit of colour.
UNTITLED CO.
Designer duo Rinzin Lama and Shenali Lama’s
creations feature lightweight fabrics such as georgette
and cotton-poplin, with unique surface ornamentations
that are inspired by the Japanese art of print-making.
 FIRST LOOK
TOP T R E ND S, MUST- H AV E PI EC ES & ST YLE U P DAT ES

ELLE
Metal-embellished cotton-blend sweater dress, ` 45,000, Nikita Mhaisalkar

Black steps up its game, Pharrell

Williams launches a Holi-inspired
collection, and why messy, surfer
hair will get you noticed
Bikramjit Bose

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 053
 Polyester silk jacket, ` 18,000, Nikhil Thampi. Organza scarf, ` 4,800, Shahab Durazi

LOVE
IS THE NEW BLACK
In the age of the Time’s Up movement, black speaks a powerful language—one of
strength, rebellion and the struggle for a new kind of freedom. Through dance,
ballerina Pia Sutaria embodies the uprising
Photographs BIKRAMJIT BOSE Styling RAHUL VIJAY

054 First Look

ELLE
 Cotton shirt, ` 3,490, Massimo Dutti. Silk cape, price on request, Ashish N Soni. Ballet shoes, Sutaria’s own. Organza scarf, ` 4,800, Shahab Durazi

ELLE MARCH 2018

ELLE.IN
055
 ELLE

056 First Look

Silk and organza skirt (worn as dress), price on request, Anamika Khanna. Ballet shoes, Sutaria’s own. Organza scarf, stylist’s own

Bikramjit Bose
 Silk, nylon and linen dress, ` 24,500, Bloni

ELLE MARCH 2018

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 ELLE

058 First Look

Nylon bodysuit, price on request, La Perla. Organza skirt, ` 18,500, Shahab Durazi. Ballet shoes, Sutaria’s own

Bikramjit Bose
 Velvet and tulle dress, ` 45,000, Swapnil Shinde. Cotton and nylon cap, price on request, Dior

HAIR AND MAKE-UP: TASHI DOLMA; MODEL: PIA SUTARIA; ASSISTED BY: DIVYA GURSAHANI AND JUI CHITALIYA (STYLING)

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 059
 PRIYAL MEWARA
AND SHREYA MEWARA

Label to know:

ODE TO ODD
Introducing the sisters Mewara, the brains
behind the one-collection-old label that is
already making waves internationally
Fashion got this sister duo early. For Shreya Mewara, 26,
a design graduate from Istituto Marangoni, London, it
began with a love of handwoven textiles as she grew up
watching their mother effortlessly drape her Banarasi
saris. Her sister, Priyal Mewara, 23, an advertising
and communications major, spent her childhood
trips to Sanganer, in their native state, Rajasthan,
watching craftsmen make paper out of cotton rags. Ever
since, she dreamt of creating a brand that celebrated
Indian handicrafts.
In December last year, the duo finally realised their
dreams with the launch of Ode To Odd’s first collection:
an all-white-and-cream line of structured pantsuits,
minimalist jumpsuits, sharp skirts and crisp shirts. “The
future of fashion is mindful. After extensive research,
we decided to work with handwoven Ahimsa silk because
it doesn’t harm silkworms in the process,” says Shreya.
Their first collection, which was inspired by the art of
letter writing, also includes organic
cotton and handmade brass buttons
(sourced from Moradabad, known for its
“Our design venture
metal handicrafts). is an ode to you, to me, to
Their love for the eccentric is obvious us, to them, to the uneven,
in the naming of the brand. “Our design
venture is an ode to you, to me, to us, to to the outnumbered,
them, to the uneven, to the outnumbered, to the odd”
to the odd,” says Priyal. In keeping with — PRIYAL MEWARA, CO-FOUNDER, ODE TO ODD
this dedication to the unconventional,
their clothes are donned by strong women like Melanie-
Jasmin Jeske, a social media influencer and propagator of
body positivity, Oroma Elewa, a visual and performance
artist who launched the publication Pop’Africana, and
fashion blogger Reese Blutstein. Their dream client? Cara
Delevingne, of course.
The designers’ schedule is packed for the foreseeable
future. There is talk of a contemporary take on ethnic
clothing, an accessories line, and ultimately turning the
brand into a lifestyle venture. “The day our generation
begins to believe in the value of artisanal craft and quality,
we will feel that Ode To Odd is a success,” says Shreya.
Available for special order at info@odetoodd.com — DIVYA GURSAHANI

060 First Look

ELLE

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018
THE INDIA STORY
#ANTITREND

‘Primerose Secrète’,
Van Cleef & Arpels
The best of
watchmaking and
jewellery collide in
this timepiece that
doubles as a brooch
when detached
from the strap.
‘Little Lange 1’,
A. Lange & Söhne
The ancient technique of
sunray guilloche comes to
life in the latest rendition
of the Little Lange 1.
062 First Look
ELLE
‘Royal Oak Offshore ‘Classico Jade’,
Selfwinding Chronograph’, Ulysse Nardin
Audemars Piguet
The new round dial
Athleisure for timepieces (as opposed to the
is real, and this studded Ellipse), with a wave
steel dial, with its rubber adorned with diamonds,
‘Piaget Possession’,
strap, in bright amethyst, is everything you Piaget
is here to prove it. need this season.
Reminiscent of the Piaget
Possession rings, the dial
comes with a movable
bezel to make every
minute count.
FRUIT LOOPS
The stars at Salon International
de la Haute Horlogerie
2018 shone bright in
shades of bite-sized berries
‘Révélation d’une Panthère’,
Cartier
‘Arceau Casaque’, Suspended dots of gold
Hermès trace the orbs of the Cartier
panther every time you
The Arceau gets a vivid
admire your wrist.
update, in bright primary
colours and clean lines. ALL PRICES ON REQUEST
— NIRJA DUTT
ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018
LOCATION: TAJ FALAKNUMA PALACE, HYDERABAD
An Endless Summer
S A B YA S A C H I
CALCUTTA
An Endless Summer
S A B YA S A C H I
CALCUTTA
 STREET
CRED
Coach’s latest
offering is a nod
to iconic American
artist Keith Haring
Street artist Keith
Haring, who deeply
influenced the
American art scene
of the ’80s with his
distinct graffiti style,
was the inspiration
behind Coach’s S/S
2018 collection. The
line’s Hawaiian and
prairie prints, and biker
and varsity silhouettes,
all sport archival Keith
Haring graphics: his
distinct squiggles,
cheery hearts and
bold lines. Ready for a
pop-culture redux?

“As a kid, Keith Haring

was one of the first artists
I remember. I was drawn
to his playful imagery
and optimistic energy. Like
Coach, his art was born
from the streets of New
York. It’s been a pleasure
talking and learning from
people who knew him. I’ve
loved celebrating his work
Inputs by Nirja Dutt

in our S/S 2018 collection”

— STUART VEVERS,
CREATIVE DIRECTOR, COACH

068 First Look

ELLE
 CUT TO
White gold, diamond
and sapphire ‘Precious
Chopard’ watch

THE LACE
UNVEILED AT PARIS HAUTE COUTURE
WEEK, CHOPARD’S LATEST RANGE,
PRECIOUS, EMBODIES THE SPIRIT
OF DELICATE LACEWORK IN
A JEWELLED AVATAR

THE MAKING OF THE NEW COLLECTION

White gold,
diamond
and
sapphire
earrings

White gold, diamond and

sapphire necklace

White gold, diamond and

sapphire bracelet White gold, diamond and
emerald ring

ALL PRICES ON REQUEST

070 First Look

ELLE
 BBLUNT Back
To Life Dry
Shampoo, ` 550

Batiste Stylist Texture

Me Texturising Spray,
` 749

L’Oréal
Professionnel
French Girl Hair
Messy Cliché
Wella Spray, ` 700
Professional
Luminous Oil
Reflections
Smoothing Oil,
` 1,000
Wella EIMI
Ocean Spritz
Spray, ` 675

ALBERTA FERRETTI

Moroccanoil
Texture Clay,
` 2,160

BED HEAD
Swap a polished blowout for the low-fi,
messy version that will save you time
It’s good news for oversleepers everywhere: carefree, floaty hair is
having its moment. The laid-back style is what your locks look like
when you’ve just rolled out of bed, or mussed them with your fingers
after a windy day at the beach. At Alberta Ferretti, hairstylist Guido
Schwarzkopf Palau pulled back the models’ hair into ponytails, and drew out
OSIS+ Mess a few strands around the crown for a look that was undone, but
Up Matt Paste,
also sexy. At Tod’s, it was all about playing with the hair’s actual
` 850
texture, giving it an unkempt edge, and lots of movement. “Work
Yves Rocher
with your hair’s natural style and texture rather than changing it
Imaxtree.com/2018; Inputs by Trisha Chawla

Volume
with excessive tools or products. Apply a tiny amount of texturising Texturising
spray, anti-frizz serum or paste around the hairline to make it Styling Spray,
messy,” says Rod Anker, hairstylist and director, Rod Anker ` 625
Salons. Prepare for the ’80s—flyaways are cool again.

Sebastian Professional

072 First Look

Taming Elixir, ` 1,650
ELLE

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018
“
News & Updates
NEW LAUNCH
GO GREEN
Sustainable fashion has a
new player in Usha Silai, a
label that takes the vision
of designers and marries it
with the skill and talent of
craftswomen. Designers Amit
Vijaya and Richard Pandav’s
(of Amrich) creations were
modern silhouettes inspired
by Rajasthani queens; Soham
Dave experimented with
textures and a black-and-white
palette; Sayantan Sarkar was
all about khadi and linen; and
Sreejith Jeevan of ROUKA
played with pin tucks and
box pleats, bringing his layer
game on strong. More reason
to shop we’d say.
Ogaan, H-2 Hauz Khas Village,
New Delhi (April onwards)
078 First Look
ELLE
NEW LAUNCH
BAG AWAY
COOL COLLAB The sensual curve of the
iconic Louboutin heel now
PUMA X comes in bag form. Throw it
over your shoulder or wear it
DIAMOND as a cross-body—either way,
the Rubylou, with its chain
SUPPLY CO. strap and spacious interior
(for all those lip balms and
Sportswear giant PUMA
scrunchies), will soon become
and iconic skateboarding your favourite companion.
brand Diamond Supply
Our vote goes to the starry,
Co. have teamed up to studded version, which
drop a retro-inspired
screams rock-star chic. And
capsule collection of oh, the base of the Rubylou is
sneakers, apparel and high-gloss red, of course.
accessories that will
take you back to the ’70s At Christian Louboutin
with its sorbet shades stores across India
and colourblocking. Now,
go perfect that kick-flip.
At PUMA stores
across India
DANIEL WELLINGTON, MUMBAI
HOT ADDRESS
CLOCK IN
Swedish watch brand
Daniel Wellington has
opened its first Indian
outpost in South Mumbai.
Step into the boutique to
find a variety of watches,
cuffs and straps for
both men and women.
A hot favourite among
social media influencers
everywhere, DW (as it is
known) is perfect for the
minimalist. Invest in one
of their classic dials with
a tan or black strap, and
join the movement.
Brady House, 12/14 Veer
Nariman Road, Horniman
Circle, Fort, Mumbai
NEW LAUNCH
TIME OUT
Iconic Italian watch brand
Panerai’s latest offering
sports its narrowest
dial ever. The ‘Luminor
Due 3 Days Automatic’
is perfect to adorn any
wrist, male or female.
Choose from colours like
black or brown to suit a
more classic sensibility,
or experiment with one
of the many shades of
blue or green. We won’t
tell if you’re thinking of
snapping up one of each.
Panerai.com
— DIVYA GURSAHANI
ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018
News & Updates

COLOUR
PLAY
Musician Pharrell Williams’s
Holi-inspired apparel and
footwear is making us happy
The star rapper’s latest collaboration with
adidas Originals is a bright, colourful line of
Holi-inspired apparel and footwear. Building
on his HU collection, which celebrates
unity in diversity, this one comes in three
parts: the HU Holi Blank Canvas with crisp
white sneakers and jackets, the HU Holi
adicolor with uni-coloured apparel, and
our favourite, the HU Holi Powder Dye with
one-of-a-kind, rainbow-hued, powder-dyed
pieces. Moreover, each drop is inspired by
the various stages of Holi. We got the music
maestro to tell us more about his new line:

ELLE: You have had a long-standing

relationship with adidas Originals.
What do you love about the brand?
Pharrell Williams: Its versatility and
history. The brand has made sneakers
for some of the world’s best athletes—
those who have been part of the most
iconic sporting moments [of our time]—who
have, in turn, inspired a few of the brand’s
timeless classics, such as the Stan Smith
[sneakers]. It is perfection; a blank canvas.

ELLE: How is this collaboration

different from the previous ones?
PW: I wouldn’t say it’s different. It’s an
evolution, and that’s the beauty of HU: it
can come to life in many different forms.
HU Holi honours the ancient festival—a
springtime celebration of joy, equality,
humanity and colour.

ELLE: What aspect of the festival

inspired you to create this collection?
PW: For me, colour is a connecting and
equalising force, one that inspires joy.
Everything I do is inspired by hues, and Holi
is known as the festival of colour. So, it was
the perfect expression to bring the collection
PHARRELL WILLIAMS to life. I was really inspired by the whole
ritual, the idea of people starting with a blank
KEY PIECES FROM canvas and throwing colour in the air, hoping
THE HU HOLI for long lasting colour in their everyday lives.
COLLECTION
ELLE: Which is your favourite piece?
PW: The Powder Dye Hoodies. Because
they are all created to be one of a kind. Each
one is different, due to the unique dyeing
process we use, and that’s what this line is
all about—it symbolises the fact that we’re
all unique. We’re all beautiful.

Available at Adidas stores across India

— DIVYA GURSAHANI

080 First Look

ELLE

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018
 SPECIAL
YOU R U NI NT E R R UP TE D W E LL O F ST YLE I N S P I R AT I O N

ELLE

AARTIVIJAY GUPTA
KAVITA BHARTIA

PAYAL JAIN

MADHU JAIN
EKRU

MUNKEE.SEE.MUNKEE.DOO
DHRUV KAPOOR

HUEMN

SAMANT CHAUHAN
RIMZIM DADU

Handkerchief
VERB BY PALLAVI SINGHEE

hems, folksy prints,

high-shine and a return
to black—the S/S 2018
ANUPAMAA BY ANUPAMA DAYAL

runways at Amazon India

Fashion Week were full
of old favourites and new
surprises. Varun Rana
has the lowdown

083
 MAXI

PINNACLE BY SHRUTI SANCHETI

DRESSES
A recurring summer favourite, this
VERB BY PALLAVI SINGHEE

season’s maxis are marked with

whimsical prints, embellishments
and layers including, but not
limited to, tassels, corsets, boleros
and bomber jackets. A staple at
Anupamaa by Anupama Dayal,
maxis also made an appearance at
Charu Parashar, Pinnacle by Shruti
ANUPAMAA BY ANUPAMA DAYAL Sancheti, and VERB BY Pallavi
Singhee. Wear them with flats
to maximise comfort.

AARTIVIJAY GUPTA
PAYAL JAIN

CHARU PARASHAR

Gulshan Sachdeva
GUAPA

084 Trend Report

ELLE
 RIMZIM DADU
ABRAHAM & THAKORE

SREYA SAMANTA

HUEMN

COLOUR
PAYAL JAIN

POP
From cobalt and fuchsia to
crimson and more, summer’s
brights are anything but
regular. Case in point: Wendell
WENDELL RODRICKS

Rodricks’s neon green drape

accented with dark grey that
can be worn from day to night.
Start with them as accents or
MUNKEE.SEE.MUNKEE.DOO

go full head-to-toe vivid if

you feel daring enough.

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 085
 CITRUS
YELLOW

PAYAL PRATAP
This refreshing shade was
ubiquitous on the AIFW

NIDA MAHMOOD
runways—from sporty
tights at Nida Mahmood for
Deivee and unisex hoodies at
Huemn, to saris at Abraham
& Thakore and kurtas
at Payal Pratap. All-over LOVEBIRDS

prints were thrown in

for good measure.
VINEET BAHL

ABRAHAM & THAKORE

HUEMN

KAVITA BHARTIA

Gulshan Sachdeva

086 Trend Report

ELLE
 PRAMA BY PRATIMA PANDEY
ABHI SINGH

ANOMALY
RAJESH PRATAP SINGH

ANJU MODI
AURÉOLE

IKAI BY RAGINI AHUJA

STRIPES
DHRUV KAPOOR

This season’s stripes got an

ultra-feminine makeover.
Anomaly used them in midi
GUAPA

VINEET BAHL

dresses, and Pratima Pandey

wove them into jackets
and kurtas in precious zari.
Choose between woven,
printed, embroidered and
engineered line-patterns for
your daytime wardrobe.

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 087
 FOLKSY
HINTS

NIDA MAHMOOD
From geometric florals

IKAI BY RAGINI AHUJA

and temple designs, to
shibori textures and raised
threadwork, native elements
subtly seeped into the
season’s offerings. The cuts
remained modern, however,
as seen in Ragini Ahuja’s
shifts, Patine’s flared jackets,
and Vineet Bahl’s flowing
dresses. These folk-inspired
motifs are an easy way
to make a distinctive
style statement.
PATINE

ANJU MODI
VINEET BAHL

EKRU
RINA DHAKA

Gulshan Sachdeva

088 Trend Report

ELLE
 JJ VALAYA
ASHISH N SONI
RAJESH PRATAP SINGH

PRAMA BY PRATIMA PANDEY

EVENING
BLACKS
After the favoured jewel
PATINE

tones of previous seasons,

NIKHITA TANDON

designers at AIFW faithfully

returned to black as the
ideal evening wear hue.
MADHU JAIN

While sharp tailoring

characterised Ashish Soni’s
classic blacks, JJ Valaya
romanced nostalgia with his
Indian wear that featured
black as a base for paisley
motifs in warm tangerine.

ELLE.IN
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 THE THIRD FLOOR BY SALONI SAKARIA
HEMANT & NANDITA

ARCHANA RAO

NIKHITA TANDON
RAJESH PRATAP SINGH

GLOSSY
FABRICS
DHRUV KAPOOR

RIMZIM DADU

From Dhruv Kapoor’s

coated canvas corset, to
Huemn’s pressed-velvet
suit, high-shine fabrics
are summer evening wear
staples. Ease into the
HUEMN

attention-grabbing trend
with a romantic satin dress
from Archana Rao. Either
Gulshan Sachdeva

way, there’s no getting

away from it.

090 Trend Report

ELLE
 HANDKERCHIEF
HEMS
The handkerchief hem makes a comeback in
all its swishy, asymmetrical elegance. And Anju

SAHIL KOCHHAR
Modi, Guapa, Rina Dhaka and Sahil Kochhar,
everyone did them. But it’s a tricky trend to
master. When choosing one for yourself, it’s
best to try on the garment and walk around
in it to see how it ‘moves’ on you.

RINA DHAKA
GUAPA
ASHISH N SONI

ARCHANA RAO
ANJU MODI

BHANUNI BY JYOTI
ABRAHAM & THAKORE

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 093
 GRID
PATTERNS

RAJESH PRATAP SINGH

As if to balance the femininity
of florals, designers also
showed oversized, minimal
grid patterns inspired by
architecture. From
munkee.see.munkee.doo’s
crisp shirts to Pallavi ABHI SINGH
Dhyani’s asymmetric
divisions, this trend is best
suited for office wear with
multiple options in a

PAYAL PRATAP
palette of ivory, indigo,
black and brown.
SOLTEE BY SULAKSHANA MONGA

ASHISH N SONI

MUNKEE.SEE.MUNKEE.DOO
THREE BY PALLAVI DHYANI

Gulshan Sachdeva

094 Trend Report

ELLE
 CHARU PARASHAR

PAYAL PRATAP

SAMANT CHAUHAN
DHRUV KAPOOR

SHIVAN & NARRESH

HEMANT & NANDITA

FOLIAGE
Though Payal Jain’s ode to
Frida Kahlo showed how
you can style florals with
florals easily, wearing a
JJ VALAYA

profusion of bloom prints

may still feel like a lot.
VINEET BAHL

A simple way to include

this key trend into your
summer wardrobe is
through a printed stole
PAYAL JAIN

or even a full-length one.

Keep everything else plain.

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 095
 PASTELS
This season, the pale
palette got an update:
the pink at Lovebirds was
more vintage rose, Rimzim
Dadu’s powder blue was
more intense, Huemn’s
lavender more ashen, and
Anju Modi’s yellow leaned
towards mustard. Pair
these with neutral, earthy

PAYAL PRATAP
tones for some sweet
chicness.

RIMZIM DADU
THREE BY PALLAVI DHYANI

HUEMN
ANJU MODI

SHIVAN & NARRESH

PINNACLE BY SHRUTI SANCHETI

DHRUV KAPOOR

Gulshan Sachdeva

096 Trend Report

ELLE
 RINA DHAKA
KAVITA BHARTIA

RAJESH PRATAP SINGH

PINNACLE BY SHRUTI SANCHETI

DHRUV KAPOOR

SHADES
OF WHITE
SOLTEE BY SULAKSHANA MONGA

NOUGHT ONE

This season’s multiple whites

offer more than just a respite
PATINE

from the heat. There are options

available—from Madhu Jain to
Lovebirds, Dhruv Kapoor to Kavita
Bhartia—for literally any time
of day or occasion. For a casual
outing, opt for fluid separates by
Pinnacle by Shruti Sancheti, or go
full volume for an evening with
Patine’s embroidered overlays.

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 097
 NITIN BAL CHAUHAN
Tunic-kurtas with trousers, draped skirts
and tailored jackets and beadwork—the
collection had it all.
NOT SO SERIOUS
BY PALLAVI MOHAN
Shirt-dresses and tunics in peach, white
and indigo emerged with sheer panels and
contrasting collars.
PALLAVI JAIPUR
The line featured crop-tops paired with
VARUN & NIDHIKA

skirts, capes and dhotis. Peasant blouses

MYNAH’S REYNU TANDON

came with distinct panels and high shine.

POOJA SHROFF
Indian wear got a global touch with large
ruffled sleeves, waterfall capes and dhoti
STALL pants in fresh pinks and yellows.

5X BY AJIT KUMAR
PRIYAM NARAYAN
DESIGNERS AT

AIKEYAH
Soft summer tones like powder blue and
AIFW S/S 2018 peachy pinks found their form in gathered
kurtas, palazzos and anarkalis.
5X BY AJIT KUMAR
Breezy dresses were all RAJDEEP RANAWAT
about boxy silhouettes and Easy-to-wear printed kurtas and tunics
asymmetrical hems, with with palazzos earned pride of place.
stripes and floral embroidery. GEISHA DESIGNS The motifs drew heavily from floral buti
designs in white, black and red.
ABHIJEET KHANNA BY PARAS & SHALINI
Using digital prints, pop sequins Soft neutrals became a playground for REHANE
and nature-inspired accents, the pastel-themed embroidery, ombré florals, Want an interesting take on a lehenga?
ensembles celebrated everything Indian. sheer panels and textured surfaces. Rehane’s tube cholis with voluminous
sheer skirts are the way to go this season.
AEKATRI BY CHARU VIJ ILK
Earthy tones, summery layers, frills and Relaxed fits and simple detailing SHASHA GABA
flowers embroidered onto flowy Chanderi manifested in droopy maxis and Motifs treated with traditional embroidery
dresses and tunics defined the line. spontaneous gathers. Tassels and 3D and appliqué in tones of navy, white, black
flowers added texture. and red were the highlights.
AIKEYAH
Sheer cottons, tunics and wrap tops JATIN VERMA SUMAN NATHWANI
Architectural dresses highlighted the It was all about jacquard cottons, light
brought Aikeyah’s India-meets-world
feminine form. Net pockets and bold slits silks and chiffons in vibrant primary tones,
approach to life.
on columnar silhouettes in jewel tones and maxis with a Grecian vibe.
AMRICH created a statuesque aura.
Handloom cottons and silks found their
TANVI KEDIA
KANIKA GOYAL LABEL Tribal motifs in lemon yellow, navy, sunset
way into sharp pantsuits, raglan blouses
Jerseys in solid colours sported and cobalt came together in sheer fabrics
and billowing dresses in azure and silver.
athletic stripes, textured beads and with voluminous sleeves.
ANITA DONGRE GRASSROOT linear detailing.
Rooted in a foundation of traditional
URVASHI JONEJA
MANDIRA WIRK Tailored separates took over with an
bandhani, the collection of tunics and
Romance took centre stage as georgette uneven twist, floor-length dresses and
jackets was full of summer staples.
dresses, flowing capes, and dreamy layers slick pantsuits with polka dots and
BODICE in greens, blues and blacks stood tall. checks in tones of ivory, mint and red.
Bodice championed functional and
MYNAH’S REYNU TANDON URVASHI KAUR
versatile separates like jumpsuits, shirts
Rich black silk with gold foil and Age-old tie-and-dye took on a new
and trousers in earthy ochre and green.
mirror-work embellished Tandon’s latest form in Kaur’s collection through
CHHAYA MEHROTRA line of off-shoulder cholis, billowing capes cowl-necked kurtas, handkerchief
‘The Wild Bridesmaid’ alluded to the hems and asymmetric scarfs in
and voluminous lehengas.
free-spirited bohemian through, skirts, organic pink and green.
cropped blouses and jersey capes. NAMRATA JOSHIPURA
VARUN & NIDHIKA
Joshipura gave clean-cut basics her
DIVYAM MEHTA signature play on proportion, with
Warm jewel tones were
The line fused textile traditions with reinterpreted through long
crop-tops, high-low hemlines, sheer panels
contemporary Indian wear flowy skirts, embellished blouses
and intricate beadwork.
through digitally printed silk and floral motifs that came
anarkalis, kantha tunics and NIKASHA together on sheer fabrics with
ajrakh sheath dresses. Soft cottons with delicate florals, gathered sublime stripes.
tops, tunics and palazzos stepped out with VEDANGI AGARWAL
EKÀ lehenga skirts and long kurtas.
Ekà presented fluid summer COUTURE
layering at its best, with NIKI MAHAJAN The line embodied geometric
embroidered jackets, wrap The line-up was crafted in ivory cottons motifs and cut-outs on flowy
dresses, angrakhas and slouchy with handcrafted elements: subtle floral silhouettes, setting bright yellow
pants in white and indigo. embroidery, tassels and mirror-work. against muted neutrals.
BODICE

098 Trend Report

ELLE

SUNEET VARMA CELEBRATED 30 YEARS IN COUTURE
SUNIL SETHI
TALKING POINT
Fashion Design Council of India’s Sunil Sethi on
making fashion matter, at AIFW S/S 2018
ELLE: What were the standout shows
this season?
Sunil Sethi: It is difficult to pick
one, as each has its own unique
signature. But I would say that
fashion has found a voice, and
is taking up meaningful issues,
social causes, and raising the
intellectual bar.
ELLE: Is there a secret formula to a
successful show?
SS: Inventive thinking and
storytelling make fashion a great
vehicle of communication. You
must have something to say. It
is not about big stars or getting
a good-looking face as your
showstopper, as much as it is about
whether you have made clothes
that are relevant to today’s time.
ELLE: What tips would you give
aspiring designers?
SS: Have your own voice. Don’t
be swayed by marketability or the
desire for that 15 minutes of fame.
Work on your craft and do what
your heart tells you to, not what
everyone else is doing. Fashion
must be rooted, as Demna Gvasalia,
of Vetements told a magazine
recently, “Being grounded is the
new black.” So, keep your humility
and simplicity intact. Once you
have found your niche, you can take
AT AMAZON INDIA FASHION WEEK S/S 2018
risks, and add and subtract new
ideas to polish your label’s ideology.
ELLE: Tell us more about FDCI’s
initiatives to promote traditional
Indian textiles.
SS: What needs to be done is
more than just wordplay. We
need to incorporate textiles in
every aspect of the design sphere.
Hon’ble Minister of Textiles,
Smt. Smriti Irani, has launched
many interesting initiatives, like
the government’s ` 6,000-crore
package that will energise the
apparel sector and also generate
employment. FDCI has always
been at the forefront of change,
bringing textiles and handlooms
into the spotlight. Recently, we
did the NIFT Alumni Show at the
Crafts Museum (New Delhi). We
are even working on a mass format
show for Odisha handlooms,
among other things.
ELLE: Menswear is a growing vertical.
What are your thoughts on this?
SS: According to a survey, the
menswear market will grow to $19
billion by 2020, so it is increasing
exponentially as it is largely an
unexplored segment, with most
designers concentrating on
womenswear. FDCI is encouraging
menswear shows season by season.
ABOUT THE
FASHION DESIGN
COUNCIL OF INDIA
Creating a kinetic space
for path-breaking ideas, and
offering limitless possibilities with
an eye on the future, the Fashion
Design Council of India (FDCI), a
not-for-profit organisation, is the
apex body of fashion design in
the country. It represents over
400 members, and was created
to promote and nurture the most
incredible talent in India.
Its prime objective is to propagate
the business of fashion in India
and globally by adding flair in the
form of coveted fashion weeks.
As part of its initiatives, the FDCI’s
events calendar includes the annual
prêt week for womenswear and
menswear for Autumn/Winter and
Spring/Summer—Amazon India
Fashion Week—and the yearly
luxurious offering, India Couture
Week. Over the years, in a bid to
take India across shores, it has
spearheaded exciting collaborations
with different countries and their
fashion bodies for an interchange of
designers, and to create a new breed
of supermodels. It also continues
to foster fashion designers,
retailers, models, make-up artists,
hairstylists, choreographers and
manufacturers, as it takes style
beyond perceived boundaries by
improving business practices, while
creating domestic and international
opportunities. FDCI has integrated
designers from various states, cities
and towns of India into one cohesive
body, guiding them towards
sustainable growth. Armed with
an understanding of the complex
crafts of the country, it works with
textile designers closely to create a
unique handprint. With its unerring
prism and various CSR initiatives, it
sets superlative quality standards,
sparking a revolution for
‘fashion with a soul’.
FDCI is the fulcrum for activities
that have been supported by the
Ministry of Commerce and Industry,
Ministry of Textiles and the Gujarat
State Khadi and Village
Industries Board, as they
actively facilitate trade at
various fashion weeks. With
each passing year, the FDCI
builds on artisanal fortitude
and embarks on a journey
with a brilliantly dynamic
approach fired
by inspirational ideas.
ELLE
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MARCH
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MARCH 2018 000
099
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OUT
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 FEATURES
C ELEBRI T Y ACCES S, P E R SON AL STO R I ES & O PI N I O N S O N E V E RY TH I N G

ELLE
Author Leïla Slimani
in conversation
with Mahesh Rao,
designers Rohit
Gandhi and Rahul
Khanna on their
20th anniversary in
fashion, and artist
Vivan Sundaram
S TA R T U R N
ACTOR MALAVIKA MOHANAN
meets us at his IS SET TO TAKE BOLLYWOOD
Photograph: Manasi Sawant; Styling: Sujala Newar; Hair and make-up: Mehak Oberoi; Assisted by: Jui Chitaliya (Styling); Location courtesy: Istituto Marangoni, Mumbai
Silk camisole, ` 2,790, Massimo Dutti. Linen suit, ` 46,000, Ashish N Soni. Rhodium-polished brass earrings, ` 3,500, Shoplune.com. Sterling silver ring, ` 8,800, Misho

BY THE HORNS
biggest show yet
Just when you thought they don’t
make ’em like they used to, there’s
Malavika Mohanan (24). Come on,
look at that gaze! Sultry with a hint
of old-school razzmatazz, the
Mumbai-based actor will star
opposite Ishaan Khatter, Shahid
Kapoor’s younger brother, in Iranian
auteur Majid Majidi’s Hindi film debut,
Beyond The Clouds, out this month.
We get a little cosy with the girl (who
gave up advertising—good call!) on
the verge of superstardom.
Breakout moment:
“I never thought I’d land the role,
but Majidi sir loved my audition in
January last year. I met him the next
day, in character, with clothes and
make-up. Later, he said he saw his
Tara [the character] in me.”
Currently obsessing over:
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and
Big Little Lies. Both the shows have
such powerful female protagonists.”
A character she identifies with:
“The Bride from Kill Bill (2003); you
need to fight your own battles.”
JOMO or FOMO:
“FOMO. Even when I’m having fun,
I’m thinking about other things that
I’m missing out on. It’s ridiculous.”
The feminist in her:
“I never give up, I will push, fight,
patiently wait, and strive to better
things myself till I get what I want.”
Goals:
“Working with Wong Kar-wai. And
to go back in time to shoot with
Satyajit Ray.”
— NEVILLE BHANDARA

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Photography

DRESS UP
Photographer and
archivist Anusha Yadav
literally puts herself in
other women’s shoes

MARY, HOUSE HELP, 2016, MUMBAI

In May 2016, photographer and

founder of the Indian Memory
Project, Anusha Yadav had just
finished a commercial assignment JALALAT-UD-DIN RAZIYA (AKA RAZIYA SULTANA), THE FIRST AND THE ONLY MUSLIM QUEEN OF THE DELHI
when she began contemplating SULTANATE 2017, MUMBAI
what to do next. “I wanted to shift
my attention to something that “Certain impersonations felt more exhibition, INDIA — Contemporary
would feel more mentally and familiar than others, like [those of] Photographic And New Media
physically freeing.” That same my grandmothers, or my childhood Art. But her biggest takeaway
month, the 42-year-old’s search obsessions Mehr-un-nissa and from the project is personal. “It is
ended with Impersonations—an Matahari.” To get into character, empowering to acknowledge that we
ongoing photography series that is Yadav maintains a ritual: research, cannot be defined as consistently as
part role-play, part performance, followed by copious note-taking. we like to believe.” For now, Yadav is
and all about the destabilisation of Then, she tells herself stories about busy with a self-publication on love
identity and the art of the person she needs to letters. “I have several selves, and as
self-exploration. become, holding long time passes, I too keep changing.”
The exhibit sees “IT IS imaginary conversations Fotofest.org
Yadav transform into EMPOWERING TO with herself as the subject.
Anushayadav.com
women whose stories ACKNOWLEDGE “I can sense my posture,
she’s heard since she and voice change, even
THAT WE
was a child, by way of before I have begun to
self-portraiture. “It was CANNOT BE costume up,” she says,
easy,” she says, “because DEFINED AS adding, “I am not hell-bent
the only subject I needed CONSISTENTLY on historical accuracy, but
willing, was myself.” For AS WE LIKE TO I try to get as close to it as
her first ‘impersonation’, I can. A lot of clothes and
BELIEVE”
Yadav chose to dress props are my own, and I
up as her house help, teach myself hairstyles
All images courtesy Anusha Yadav

Mary. “I remember how liberating and make-up from YouTube.”

it was—that I could very well be
her, in another life, body and time,”
she recounts. After Mary, came
others, like American artist Georgia
O’Keeffe and Raziya Sultana—and
some avatars stuck around long after
Yadav had changed out of costume.
Now, nearly two years after
Yadav first began the project,
it’s set for maximum exposure.
This month, 14 works from
Impersonations are on display at
TARA BAI , MY MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER
FotoFest in Houston (till April 2016, MUMBAI
22), USA, as part of the biennale’s
— NEVILLE BHANDARA

102 Radar
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ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018
Books

10 BOOKS YOU CAN’T PEACH THE SEVEN

TO DEVOUR
Emma Glass DEATHS
GO HOME
Bloomsbury, OF EVELYN
AGAIN
ELEVEN WAYS January 2018 HARDCASTLE
Sarvat Hasin
TO LOVE Stuart Turton

THIS MONTH
Emma Glass
Penguin Random
House, March 2018 (ESSAYS) burst onto the Bloomsbury,
literary scene February 2018
Penguin Random
The London-based House, February 2018
with this searing
writer’s interlinked debut that opens This crafty, concept
stories track Eleven writers in the aftermath murder mystery
a high-school bare their soul as of a teen’s sexual is a whodunit that
production of they write on the assault. The would make Agatha
Arthur Miller’s The complex and elusive book is a sensory Christie proud.
Crucible, during emotion. Moving overload, thanks Red herrings,
which a student far beyond the to Glass’s vivid, twisted plots and
goes missing, regular realm, the uncomfortable the setting—a
setting off ripples collection tackles imagery. Pick up a mansion, a
and causing panic. trans and queer copy if you’ve got masquerade
love, polyamory, a strong stomach ball—make it a
class and caste (and taste) for puzzle you can’t
differences, visceral writing. wait to finish.
THE and racism.
SPARSHOLT
AFFAIR
Alan
A DAY IN THE Hollinghurst
LIFE (STORIES) Penguin Random
Anjum Hasan House, March 2018 A MURDER
Penguin Random
House, March 2018
The Man Booker ON MALABAR
Prize-winning HILL
Fourteen author’s latest BRAVE SAIL AWAY
short stories spans seven Sujata Massey EAT THE Rose Celia Imrie
criss-cross the decades of Penguin Random APPLE McGowan Bloomsbury,
Indian subcontinent, the Sparsholt House, February 2018
family—from
Matt Young HarperCollins, February 2018
chronicling the lives This detective February 2018
of its inhabitants, war-torn Britain in Bloomsbury, Two women on a
drama set in the February 2018
from idealistic the ’40s and the Before the #MeToo cruise ship form
Bombay of the
retirees in the misty sexual liberation This daring memoir movement, it was the backdrop of
1920s, sees the
hills of Coorg, to of the ’60s, to recounts the Rose McGowan who this novel. One, an
protagonist, lawyer
a senior citizen the hardships of author’s time as a blew the whistle ageing starlet, is
Perveen Mistry,
with an anger the ’70s, and the US Marine. Ironic in the ’90s. This working her way
turn sleuth for a
management present day. It all in some parts and memoir takes us home when her play
case that takes a
problem—this is a starts with the self-flagellating in back to her past is unexpectedly
dark turn. Murder
book of real people friendship of two others, it reveals a and subsequent cancelled. The other
adds to the dubious
and wry writing. young men who harrowing picture arrival in Hollywood, is buying time on
financial goings-on,
meet at Oxford in of a life spent in detailing the the cruise, while her
leaving her racing
the days of the Blitz service, with toxic industry’s systemic home is temporarily
to outwit a
and the blackout. masculinity and misogyny, and what uninhabitable. Prep
dangerous foe.
the horrors of happens behind for some high-sea
war in tow. closed doors. humour.

MY SHELF
“I read to know more about myself and
other people, to dive into the wider world
and to shut it off, to escape a situation and
to find out how to deal with it. I also read to
learn how to write”
SNIGDHA POONAM, JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR,
DREAMERS: HOW YOUNG INDIANS ARE
CHANGING THEIR WORLD
— NEVILLE BHANDARA

ELLE.IN
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Film
E
RJE
HE
UK
M
IQ
SH
Q AU
FESTIVAL
FAVOURITE
Director Qaushiq
Mukherjee’s latest film
has brought him his
second run in Berlin
Being a progressive film-maker
in the current social and political
climate of the country is a gamble.
One that Kolkata-born Qaushiq
Mukherjee is willing to take.
Known for his controversial and
often sexually provocative films like
Gandu (2010), Tasher Desh (2012),
Ludo (2015) and Brahman Naman
(2016), the director premiered his
latest movie, Garbage, at the 86th
Berlin International Film Festival
last month.
Co-produced by Q (as Mukherjee
calls himself), Shaailesh R Singh
and Hansal Mehta, the Hinglish
film was the only Indian entry to be
screened as part of the Panorama
section of the Berlinale. The
sociopolitical drama narrates the
story of a young woman, Nanaam
(Satarupa Das), in Goa who is kept
in chains by a taxi driver named
Phanishwar (Tanmay Dhanania).
When a medical student, Rami
(Trimala Adhikari), a victim of
revenge porn, seeks asylum in
Goa, she becomes enveloped in the
bizarre but placid lives of the two.
The film, about women who are
subjected to male violence, is largely
unscripted, and as Q describes it,
“workshop-driven”.
104 Radar
ELLE
“To really get into character,
Tanmay was our production driver
for the entire month. We weren’t
allowed to communicate with him
outside of filming,” he says. The
director played it by ear, finding
many such ways to give life to this
largely personal, real-life “joyless
story”. A year and a half ago, while
dealing with the deaths of a few
close ones, he began to write a
story that best described his state
of mind. “It was extremely difficult
to script and convey,” Q admits. “It
makes you realise that death is the
only reality,” he elucidates. The
working title was Fucked, which was
later changed to Garbage.
Q’s most popular title, Gandu,
which was screened at the Berlinale
in 2011, never had a theatrical
release and went straight to
ABOVE AND BELOW: STILLS FROM GARBAGE
Netflix. But this did not bother the
film-maker much—he treats his
second round in the festival as
ample validation for the kind of
movies he’s trying to make. Garbage,
too, will not see a theatrical release.
“I normally don’t make films that
will be passed for screening, but
that’s the whole point of my work,”
he says.
The moviemaker, who now
lives in Goa, is currently working
on an action series for ZEE5, the
newly launched digital platform of
ZEE. “So, after Garbage, it’s coming
right out of the depression and into
boom, boom, boom!” he laughs.
When asked to describe himself as a
film-maker, he says, “Gandu. Or
wait…Doctor Gandu,” joking that
he’s been working this genre of
searing, unafraid films long enough
to have a PhD in it.
— ZAHRA AMIRUDDIN
ELLE.IN
ELLEELLE
SEPTEMBER
MARCH 2018
2017
Art
STRANGER
THINGS
Vivan Sundaram’s ongoing retrospective is an attentive and lovingly
pieced-together narrative of the contemporary artist’s wildly inventive oeuvre.
Annapurna Garimella gets the rundown
V
ivan Sundaram’s Step Inside And You Are No Longer A
Stranger (till June 30, 2018) is carefully structured and
spatialised across the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA)
in New Delhi. The retrospective, inaugurated by Dr Maria
Balshaw, director, Tate, is experienced as a series of rooms
within rooms. The show provides a broad and
deep sense of how Sundaram has travelled with
ideas, materials, family and fellow artists. It
starts with his very early work from his student
days at London’s Slade School of Fine Art in the
mid-1960s, to his return to India and his travels to
South America in the 1970s; and the 1970s onwards,
his experiments with mixed media, installation art,
the meaning of an archive, trash and landscape
art, costume design and theatre.
Since 2010, the KNMA has been central to
documenting, showcasing and publishing the
106 Radar
ELLE
Photograph: Polina Schapova (Kiran Nadar, Vivan Sundaram and Dr Maria Balshaw);
work of artists who straddle the modern and the contemporary
divide in Indian art, such as Nasreen Mohamedi and Rameshwar
Broota. It is also the only museum in India, which buys and shows
modern art along with contemporary works, thereby holding
the possibility of bringing fresh understanding and consequent
re-evaluation of oeuvres. “Taking a career’s-span
of work and being able to present it is a very
CARRIER
(1996) fulfilling task,” says the institution’s founder-
patron, Kiran Nadar. For art historians and others
who share a deep concern for how our country
Sittings editor: Rahul Vijay
will preserve the work and the memory of three
generations of living and practising artists—and
make them available for the future, how mercurial
market trends might embrace some artists and
types of work, while diminishing others—the
KNMA’s commitment to comprehensive curation
and archiving is heartening.
 SALT OF HIGHWAYS FROM THE
MACHU PICCHU SERIES (1972)
Sundaram’s exhibition has
benefitted immensely from
curator Roobina Karode’s keen
eye for what makes a good
retrospective. “The difficulty
of putting up a practice that
has such diverse materiality in
terms of scale, variation…it is
very interesting to look at this
exhibition now, and understand
exactly how it captures this.
There were some places where it
was more fluid and flowing, and
then there were these places
where there were very awkward
encounters…I very much enjoy
FROM LEFT: KIRAN NADAR, that,” she says. Going through
VIVAN SUNDARAM AND each section, which is centred
DR MARIA BALSHAW AT on a phase or a particular
THE KIRAN NADAR MUSEUM body of Sundaram’s work, the
OF ART, NEW DELHI
retrospective is the perfect
format for this artist, for he is the
master of the reuse, the retake,
the relook and the recall—all words that Sundaram himself has
used in either titles of works, or in conversations about them.
A few examples on display: the pop art and kitsch that he was
interested in early in his career in the ’60s and ’70s came again to
the forefront in the ’90s. After returning home from London, he took
Government of India guidebooks on Khajuraho’s temple sculptures
and covered the female figures with doodles that foreground the
deep erotic intent of their sculptors as well as his own sexualised
gaze. By drawing a pocket on the buttocks of a voluptuous figure, he
inscribed what must have been becoming a more common sight in
art school at the time—girls wearing jeans.
He also revisited pop art by returning to two of the movement’s
most iconic figures: the brilliant French provocateur Marcel
Duchamp, who launched the use of the ready-made in art with his
Fountain (1917)—a standard urinal signed and dated by him using
a pseudonym—and American painter and graphic artist Robert
Rauschenberg, who was at the forefront of a renewed engagement
with Duchamp, and the sexual revolution as it was happening in the
US. Sundaram’s 1998 work A Ring For Robert And Rose (‘Rose’ was
another pseudonym used by Duchamp) is made of red-lined black
boxing gloves that enclose the bottom end of a standard white
urinal, which ends up looking like a engorged penis ready to spew.
At the other end of the pop spectrum is the body of work titled
Bad Drawings For Dost (2004-05), Sundaram’s tribute to his beloved
friend, late artist Bhupen Khakhar. Here, Sundaram celebrates
the naïve quality of a self-taught artist who was not a good
draughtsman, but whose work was resplendent in its emotionalism,
humour and its desire for proximity to the everyday. In his hands,
Khakhar’s colourful works are emptied of their chromatic richness
and the focus becomes the raw drawing of an unschooled artist.
To perform the difficult act of drawing like his friend, Sundaram, a
trained draughtsman, made tracings, and when they “looked awful”,
he chose to tear them up and stitch the pieces with needle and
thread. The result is a deeply poignant set of works that recall two
lives and a world that no longer exists, but is held together by an act
of artistry and memory.
Karode, who knew Khakhar when he was alive and working—
and through the cancer that eventually claimed him—found these
works moving. She says, “When I see Bhupen without colour, I
somehow am able to see some of those works longer. His last few
paintings were very disturbing in terms of his suffering [which is
depicted quite viscerally]. But in that abstraction that happens
when you go from painting to drawing or this kind of tracing,
the fragility is there.”
Many other rooms unfold, and as Karode states, making a
retrospective of Sundaram’s work is a profound exercise in editing.
Like many artists of his generation, he invested heavily in making
his world through art. The Trash series, Black Gold (a terracotta
installation at the first Kochi-Muziris Biennale in 2012 that took
potsherds from the ancient Roman-era port of Pattanam and laid
them out as the imaginary landscape of Muziris, its ancient name),
the Gagawaka project to create a brand of strange haute-couture,
and more recently, 409 Ramkinkars, an installation and performance
that gathers and reassesses the work of pioneer Santiniketan artist
Ramkinkar Baij—all made in this decade—took immense funding
and human resources, and mobilised vast quantities of physical
material and virtual data. None of this would be possible without
the years he spent developing his practice, his ability to be at
the right place, on the right side and at the right time, among
communities of artists and institutions, and finding the most
appropriate collaborators who can help him think.
It is as much to Karode’s credit as it is to Nadar’s—and to
the museum she has established—that Sundaram’s long and
complex career is available for rethinking and re-engaging. But
as the curator, Karode insists that the artist’s own hard work
made it possible. “Hats off to
him because he had to really
struggle to find old paintings…
sometimes somebody has
it, somebody has gifted it to
someone, and getting work
from government institutions
is not easy. There is a whole
process and a lot of chasing.”
But this kind of dedication to
recover and archive is why,
after just two hours, you can
come away having engaged
with the artistic concerns of
a major Indian modern and
contemporary artist, across his WEDDING ANNIVERSARY FROM
lifetime. BAD DRAWINGS FOR DOST (2004-05)
BOAT (1994)
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107
 SLEEP TIGHT
Leïla Slimani’s new book about a killer nanny from hell, inspired by the
grisly real-life tale of terror caretaker Louise Woodward, has become a
runaway hit. Author Mahesh Rao speaks to the French-Moroccan writer
about her award-winning second novel—creeps, kinks and all

T
he novel begins with the
words, “The baby is dead.”
Leïla Slimani, 37, author of
Lullaby (Penguin Random
House; on stands now),
sustains the primal impact of her first
sentence through the course of her
novel, and is now an international
literary sensation. Lullaby won
France’s most prestigious literary
prize, the Prix Goncourt, and has
been translated into dozens of
languages. There’s even talk of a
film adaptation. The novel tells the
story of an upwardly mobile couple,
Paul and Myriam, in a gentrifying
neighbourhood of Paris, and the
terrible events that unfold after
makes this novel a fascinating
hybrid of social commentary,
and a gripping page-turner. In
the small world of a Parisian
apartment, patterns of power shift
relentlessly, underpinned by the
strong currents of intimacy that
develop in a domestic context. The
sights and sounds of this world
are familiar: the running of the
children’s bathwater, the bedtime
stories, the bags of lavender hung in
the coat cupboard. But they all take
on a macabre and disorienting cast
as we are forced to confront that
steady tick in the background, the
indicator of how the story is going
to end. Slimani is especially skilled
clean and placed on the kitchen
table. As Slimani’s glacial prose
takes us ever closer to the damage
and desperation that lie at the heart
of Louise’s character, she works
on our empathy in different ways.
It is a navigation that is perfectly
controlled, balancing the alienation
of the strangely passive nanny with
the standpoints of the sometimes
entitled but often kindly parents. By
laying bare issues that strike at the
heart of parenthood, but especially
motherhood, and what it means to
be a good ‘liberal’ employer, Slimani
Catherine Hélie © Editions Gallimard

they hire a nanny called Louise to
look after their two children. The
climax is revealed at the outset,
but the way Slimani portrays the
gender, class and racial divisions
in a city like Paris—and uses them
in the service of a domestic thriller—
at conveying the quiet menace
that can be concealed in a game of
hide-and-seek or in the preparation
of a meal behind the kitchen door.
One of the most disturbing scenes of
the book involves a chicken carcass
retrieved from the bin, scrubbed
has struck at the heart of private
conversations that unfold every day
in homes around the world.
ELLE: The story is steeped in
Hitchcockian claustrophobia and
suspense. Yet, you chose to begin it
with a brutally stark revelation: “The

108 Book Club

ELLE
baby is dead.” How did you decide on
this structure?
Leïla Slimani: I did not want to
write a classic thriller. I did not
want the police investigation or
the morbid suspense around the
likely killing of the children to be
the main narrative element. With
this time inversion, the readers
effectively conduct the investigation
themselves. The stunning shock of
the very first few pages is meant to
hook the readers and heighten their
level of attention. They can then
focus on the many different lights in
which I cast Louise, and build their
own perspectives on what made
Louise commit such a hideous act.
So, while you could say that the
construction of the novel spoils the
suspense, I think it also creates an
uncomfortable tension, placing the
reader at the heart of the ‘action’.
ELLE: Your portrait of the mother,
Myriam, and her desire to restart
her legal career is vivid and urgent.
We sense the danger of her failing
to nurture this side of her personality:
that it would make her a bad mum. Do
you think this admission is still taboo?
LS: Yes, it is, even for ourselves.
Maybe even more for ourselves. It is
very difficult for a woman to admit
to herself that being a mother does
not make her totally happy. It is very
painful to discover that you can
feel lonely with your children; that
sometimes you just want to go out
and be something else other than
a mother.
ELLE: How important was it for the
novel that Louise, the nanny, be white?
LS: For me, first of all, it was a way
to avoid a cliché, and to show that
reality in our western societies is
much more complex than we think.
A boss does not have to be white;
the employer can be an immigrant,
and the employee can be a white
woman. Secondly, the intent was
also ironic: for a lot of people, the
fact that the immigrant is the boss
is in itself very violent! Louise is
white, and it was a way for me to
emphasise her humiliation and her
loneliness. She is white, but she is
doing the job of an immigrant, a fact
that is degrading for her. And she is
lonely: for example, in the scenes
when she goes to the park with the
children, and she is revealed to be
the only white nanny. She does not
belong to any group; there is no
solidarity based on ethnic origin.
ELLE: The novel very strikingly
portrays the blurring of boundaries
between employer and employee
in the domestic context—and this
blurring seems to be inevitable. Was
this your intention?
“Identity has never
been the main purpose
of my books. But, I do
like to remind readers
that migrants still
have to endure being
stereotyped”
LS: I wanted to show that this
relationship is special, but difficult
to manage. You live in the same
home, you share everything: this
is very intimate. But at the same
time, it is still a professional and
hierarchical relationship. Myriam
and Paul try their best: sometimes
they are friendly, sometimes they
act as employers. But nobody knows
which is the correct way to act.
ELLE: You deal with the fact that
Myriam is of North African origin with
a very light touch. Myriam herself
rejects a Moroccan nanny because of
the ‘tacit complicity and familiarity’
that might develop between them.
This feels like a pointed response to
expectations of how characters from
an ethnic or religious minority ‘should’
be written. Is it?
LS: Myriam’s objective in the hiring
process is to avoid any natural
proximity or familiarity with her
future employee; she wants to
establish clear boundaries to ensure
their respective roles are understood
and abided by. Obviously, the
story shows that this precautionary
measure does not suffice. The
issue of identity has never been
the main purpose of my books. But
having said that, I do like to remind
readers once in a while, and often
with an ironic tone, of the fact that
migrants still have to endure being
stereotyped—and this is what I did
with Myriam.
ELLE: Louise seems fairly passive in
her relationships with her husband,
landlord and even at times with her
daughter. And yet, the place where
she seeks to exert most control is in
Paul and Myriam’s home. To what do
you attribute this?
LS: I think that Louise is more
involved in other people’s lives
than in her own. She is a nanny, a
domestic worker, and so she wants
people to tell her how much they
need her in their lives. She has never
chosen anything for herself and,
in a certain way, I think that her
personal life does not interest her.
ELLE: Did you read anything as
research for this book? What are you
reading now?
LS: I read a lot of classic literature
about domesticity, such as Le
Journal d’Une Femme De Chambre
by Octave Mirbeau, The Maids by
Jean Genet, and A Simple Heart by
Gustave Flaubert. At the moment,
I am reading The Heart Is A Lonely
Hunter by Carson McCullers.
ELLE.IN
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 SCENE
STEALERS
As designers Rohit
Gandhi and Rahul
Khanna complete
20 years in fashion,
Varun Rana decodes
what makes them
first among equals
“Y
ou started dressing
me when I was a
nobody.” Bollywood
actor Ranveer Singh’s
recent Insta-video,
congratulating Rohit Gandhi
and Rahul Khanna on turning
20 in the fashion industry,
was a fitting tribute to the two
designers, who have always
dressed proverbial nobodies
in their slick, affordable
clothing. This attribute went
on to become the core of
their design philosophy, at
a time when most of their
contemporaries were making
clothes for the rich. Since
their launch in 1997, the duo
has championed the idea
of bringing ready-to-wear
designer garments to the
larger Indian consumer
base—those who had, till
then, shopped mostly at
Fabindia, and picked up export
rejects at New Delhi’s Janpath
and Sarojini Nagar markets.
Eternally youthful—even
the way they look hasn’t
changed much over the
years—in their work, they
succeeded in cornering an
otherwise ignored niche with
their brands: Cue (for women)
and H2O (for men). They
targeted young consumers
in the early 2000s, when
‘designer’ meant a price
point that started anywhere
between ` 10,000 and ` 15,000.
But at Cue, you could find a
layered chiffon top for ` 3,200,
110 Milestone
ELLE
and pair it with cigarette
pants that came for
` 2,800—cheaper even than
some pairs of Levi’s jeans. As
they celebrate two decades
in the business, it comes
as no surprise that this
combination—contemporary
cuts, competitive pricing, and
long-lasting quality—has
emerged as their signature.
THE PARTYGOERS
The two first met in the late
’90s at a nightclub called
Fireball in Gurugram, where
Arjun Rampal and Malini
Ramani would DJ till dawn,
and Gandhi was a regular.
“Rahul walked in with my
best friend, Jessica Lal.” He
was 27, and Khanna was 23,
fresh out of college from
Amritsar, and looking to apply
for an evening course at the
National Institute of Fashion
Technology in New Delhi. As it
happened, the two would later
reconnect at the same course,
and launch their clothing label
as an extension of Gandhi’s
existing export business. “We
instantly became friends,
and that, over just a few
months, became a business
partnership. Now, we are
family,” says Khanna.
In 1997, they opened their
first store at the Ambavata
Complex near Mehrauli in
New Delhi, where they also
held their first art exhibition.
This was the result of
Gandhi’s growing obsession
with art (“My mother and
Rahul thought I had gone
mad…they wanted to take me
to a shrink!”), and would, in
2000, lead to the duo opening
Palette Art Gallery at 14,
Golf Links, Gandhi’s family
home and possibly the most
famous fashion address in
the city. After Ambavata,
Cue and H2O also shifted to
Golf Links, where the stores
served those looking to dress
themselves in fashionable
separates and western-wear
staples within a certain
budget. They made a killing.
ART ATTACK
Photographs: Polina Schapova; Sittings editor: Rahul Vijay;
Over time, Gandhi and
Khanna introduced artists
All clothing, Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna. Location
like A Balasubramaniam,
Jitish Kallat, Riyas Komu,
Bose Krishnamachari, Sunil
Gawde and TV Santhosh,
courtesy: Palette Art Gallery, New Delhi
to New Delhi. It was an
extension of their fashion
philosophy: affordable,
quality art for the youth.
Today, these names appear
on the exhibition lists of
famous galleries worldwide.
To have one hanging in your
living room is a mark of
having arrived.

But, it was not all
smooth sailing. In 2006,
just a year before the
brand’s 10th anniversary,
one of their most profitable
stores had to close. It
happened to be located
at 1 MG Road, India’s first
mall dedicated to fashion,
which was pronounced
illegal and demolished. I
was their assistant at the
time, and remember how
we had to scramble to
save our stock—clothes,
mannequins, light fittings,
furniture, card machines,
computers, chairs, sofas,
hangers—from being
buried in the rubble. The
demolishers had given the
entrepreneurs just over an
hour’s notice.
PLEASE DON’T
STOP THE MUSIC
Not many people know this,
but Gandhi plays the piano
beautifully, having trained
since he was a child. And
Khanna has nursed the
ambition of becoming a DJ
since his days at Fireball.
“I’m going to start learning
now, so I can throw parties
for my friends.” Music is one
of their key shared passions,
and you only need to attend
one of their fashion shows
to know how much research
they invest in what they play
for their guests and patrons.
Their 20th anniversary show,
held at The Lodhi, New Delhi,
was “banging”, as Gandhi
puts it, because the electro
tunes instantly transported
us to a music festival that
continued with an after
party at The Electric Room
in the hotel’s basement.
“People were going crazy;
that’s the kind of music I
like…something you can get
lost in,” says Khanna. After
visiting Boom Festival in
Portugal and Wonderflip in
Rajasthan late last year, the
two are making plans to go
to Burning Man in Nevada,
USA, this August.
DAYS OF FUTURE
PAST
“When we started out, we
decided to create brands
instead of using our names,”
says Khanna. Hence, Cue
and H2O. “But fortunately
or unfortunately, in India,
it’s the designer’s name
that sells.”
Over these two decades,
their brands have variously
been called Cue and H2O,
Cue by Rohit Gandhi and
Rahul Khanna, and finally,
Rohit Gandhi + Rahul
Khanna. But even in these
many avatars, their design
philosophy has remained
constant. It has even landed
ARTIST RAJESH RAM’S BRONZE
SCULPTURES, SET AGAINST
ROHIT GANDHI + RAHUL
KHANNA’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY
COLLECTION, AT PALETTE
ART GALLERY, NEW DELHI
RAHUL KHANNA AND ROHIT GANDHI
them a permanent spot at
the Tranoï trade show in
Paris, where they sell to a
host of international buyers.
“It’s our second home now,”
says Gandhi, adding that they
no longer consider their stay
in Paris a holiday. “It’s just
work, work, work!”
In addition to all this,
Gandhi and Khanna will
soon enter the wedding
market with their own take
on traditional Indian couture.
Picture a ‘metal’ lehenga
with a ‘rock’ choli, or an
achkan for men inspired
by Bauhaus architecture.
“There’s no point in doing
what others are [doing],
and doing well, too,” says
Gandhi. “We want to do
Indian couture, but in our
own way. When you look at it,
you should know who made
it,” adds Khanna. On that
account, at least, the two
have nothing to fear.
ELLE.IN
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 FORWARD MARCH
No matter how high you climb, the challenges don’t end. It’s about constantly
proving yourself, discovers Aabha Bakaya, as she meets six power women
who are steadily staking their claim to the world of finance

Photographs TRUPAL PANDYA Sittings editor RAHUL VIJAY

DEVINA MEHRA
CO-FOUNDER AND CHAIRPERSON, FIRST GLOBAL
One of the few women involved in equities, Devina Mehra started out with Citibank at the age of 21.
Seven years later, she left to join her husband, Shankar Sharma, in setting up First Global, India’s only
internationally ranked institutional brokerage firm.
“When I joined Citi’s banking arm in 1986, I was the only woman officer on the team. And when we set up a research
firm, it was a completely novel idea at the time. It took long hours and unwavering commitment; you have to work
hard and know your data to succeed”

112 Special
ELLE
 MANISHA GIROTRA
CEO, MOELIS INDIA
Manisha Girotra has featured on every list of the most powerful businesswomen in India. In her 23-year-long
career, she has aced mergers and acquisition deals to the tune of $100 billion and another $50 billion in capital
raising. Before setting up Moelis five years ago, she was the head of UBS in India.
She is a proud feminist and loves playing golf.
“[Right now] is the most conducive time to be a woman. You have so many benefits: the recently announced six
months maternity leave, crèches in corporates, flexi hours, weekends off, and the ability to work from anywhere. But
unfortunately, the pull factor from home and family is still very strong, and we are still losing women at the mid-level.
From a corporate standpoint, we have found that women who come back from maternity leave make for far more
loyal employees, and we’re very happy to support them”

ELLE.IN
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 ADITI KOTHARI DESAI
ADDITIONAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND HEAD - SALES AND MARKETING,
DSP BLACKROCK INVESTMENT MANAGERS
Aditi Kothari Desai holds her own as one of the most prominent next-gen names in investment banking.
The daughter of veteran investment banker Hemendra Kothari, she helmed DSP BlackRock’s first offshore
fund in 2005, and in 2012, launched Winvestor, which aims to encourage and educate women on the need to
gain financial knowledge, and plan for long-term security. She is also on the advisory board
of Dasra, a strategic philanthropy foundation based in India.
Trupal Pandya

“It’s important for women to be financially independent, and not only earn, but also invest. Women need to
learn how to make their own investment decisions, and not rely on their fathers or husbands to do so. They can
approach an independent financial advisor, but the decision should be their own”

114 Special
ELLE
 CHETNA GALA SINHA
FOUNDER, MANN DESHI MAHILA BANK AND MANN DESHI FOUNDATION
Chetna Gala Sinha is a social entrepreneur, microfinance banker, economist, farmer and activist. She was one
of seven women co-chairs this year at the World Economic Forum in Davos, along with Christine Lagarde,
managing director, IMF, and Erna Solberg, prime minister of Norway. Her work has touched the lives of over
5,00,000 women, and the number is poised to hit one million over the next three years. She has also announced a
` 100 crore alternative investment fund to help women entrepreneurs at the grass roots start their own businesses.

“Gender was part of the mainstream agenda at Davos this year. Our prime minister, as usual, laid out the red carpet
for foreign investors. The government should lay out the red carpet for women doing business on the streets in India;
at the 75,000 weekly markets (haats) put up in villages. Take digitisation, technology and finance to their doorstep, so
they can be a key part of India’s growth story”

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 115
 ARUNDHATI BHATTACHARYA
FORMER CHAIRMAN, STATE BANK OF INDIA
Arundhati Bhattacharya was the first woman chairman of State Bank of India, and was named
the fourth most powerful woman in the Asia-Pacific region by Fortune in 2017. She gave the age-
old institution a massive facelift, and brought it firmly into the digital era. The six-bank merger she
orchestrated last year catapulted SBI into the ranks of the top 50 banks worldwide.
“There are lots of processes in a government organisation, and many women either give up their jobs or
Trupal Pandya

choose not to marry while they pursue their careers. While this is challenging, the system is merit-based,
and, for the most part, you are rewarded. However, you have to take the initiative, choose the path you
want, and be open to challenges. Stick it out, success doesn’t happen overnight”

116 Special
ELLE
 AISHA DE SEQUEIRA
CO-COUNTRY HEAD AND HEAD OF INVESTMENT BANKING - INDIA, MORGAN STANLEY
Yale graduate Aisha De Sequeira has completed 22 years at Morgan Stanley (New York and Mumbai). She was
in Morgan Stanley’s Mergers & Acquisitions group in New York, and has repeatedly been named one of the Most
Powerful Women in India by Fortune.
“There are more role models today across sectors. However, when you look at the pipeline, it is still a challenge to
retain the best talent, particularly at the mid level. These jobs are hugely rewarding from a growth, exposure and
independence perspective. My advice to women building their careers would be to stick it out—don’t give up too early!
Don’t let the thought of the challenge ahead cloud your focus and drive. It is possible to get a balance that works”
HAIR AND MAKE-UP: JEAN-CLAUDE BIGUINE; ASSISTED BY: DIVYA GURSAHANI

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 117
 WELCOME TO
YOUR NEW HOME
INSPIRATIONAL HOMES HOT TRENDS SEASONAL BUYS NEWS

elledecor.in
Ideas you can use. Now every single day
 FASHION
YOU R U NI NT E R R UP TE D W E LL O F ST YLE I N S P I R AT I O N

ELLE

Priyanka Chopra
is radiant in summer’s
Silk dress, price on request, Valentino

fiercest finds. Riotous

punk returns with a
vengeance, and
vintage fashion
Mark Seliger

comes back to life

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 119
Silk top, ` 24,135,
Self-Portrait at
Net-a-Porter.com

120
 TO THE
STARS
Priyanka Chopra is many things—fashion darling, smasher
of stereotypes, and mega-star of a hit American series. Now,
as Quantico returns to screens worldwide next month, she
opens up for a special chat with show-stopping
actor-comedian Hasan Minhaj, to talk about life,
the universe and everything in between
Photographs MARK SELIGER Styling MALINI BANERJI

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 121
 Hasan Minhaj: How do you wrap up after
a long day?
Priyanka Chopra: You have to disengage.
I have a ritual: I wash off my day when
I come back home. First, I take off my
make-up. Then I shower, turn on
some music, and have my moment. I’m a snob in a way where I’m not
Maybe I’ll have a glass of wine too. forgiving at all. If I don’t like the
pilot, I’m just going to be like,
HM: Do you watch TV?
yeah, I’m not doing this anymore.
PC: I love watching TV.
HM: Did you like the Quantico pilot?
HM: Do you get that anxiety when
PC: Hell yeah, I loved the pilot.
you’re on Netflix or HBO, and you’re
It was amazing. This badass
like, “What am I going to watch?” It
character for Alex, and then
becomes a whole ordeal.
these amazing co-actors with
PC: It really does! Because you don’t
really strongly written characters,
know what you are in the mood
and then to get to butt heads with
for, and what will be right for you.
them. The diversity, the culture,
It really kills your life if you start
the non-justification—it all just
something, and then you’re like,
made it so interesting.
“Oh, this sucks.” Then suddenly, it’s
half-an-hour later, and you’re like, “I HM: You had to audition, right?
still haven’t picked PC: I had to. It was
something!” I have one of my first
a solution to that, auditions after
though: your friends
“My job, as doing 50 movies—
and family watch an actor, is to it was really funny.
TV, so you watch convince you that The scariest part was
that I was playing
trailers of whatever
they recommend and I can be Alex an American girl. I
find out whether you Parish. I am more am not American-
want to invest your Indian. I am
time in it or not.
than my ethnicity, Indian-Indian. Just
more than where Priyanka, you know.
HM: What is your
solution for when your I come from” HM: Yeah, you’re not
friends say, “Priyanka, an NRI.
season one and two PC: I’m not. So,
are a little slow, but season three to convince America every
is really good”? When my friends do Sunday that I am Alex Parish,
that, I’m like, “You’re telling me to the daughter of an Indian and
invest 48 hours and then on the 49th a Caucasian, and that I am an
hour, it’s going to get amazing?” Yeah, American, and that I’m bloody
I can’t really do that. going to save the country…that
PC: I can’t commit for five episodes, was my biggest challenge.
and say I’ll be forgiving with my
HM: I know. I give you guys—‘pure
time and energy. I’m very critical of
actors’—a lot of props.
the TV I watch, which is why when
PC: It’s so hard, Hasan. I’m not
I started doing television as well, I
even kidding. I’ve done films in
was like, “Oh my God!” When I was
Marathi and Punjabi, and that
sitting with 23 scripts that ABC had
was hard too. My first languages
sent me, the first thing I thought
are Hindi and English, so to
was: I’m such a TV snob! But then,
convince viewers that I’m a
everybody has stuff they like and
Maharashtrian or Punjabi is hard.
stuff they don’t like, right? I love
And then here, I remember there
watching network TV. Sometimes
was a whole conversation about,
cable is too cerebral for me. I love
“Should we change Alex’s name
watching stand-up too, but it
to an Indian girl’s name?” The
depends on the mood I’m in. I think
show wasn’t written for an Indian
girl. But then suddenly, I was being
considered for it. I remember telling
Josh (Joshua Safran; producer) that
my job, as an actor, is to convince you
that I can be Alex Parish. And if he had
to change the name and tweak it for me
122
and for the way I look, then the fight’s
not worth it. I mean, I am more than
my ethnicity, more than where I come
from. I’m an actor, and I need to have
that ability.
HM: That’s so gangster. I would change
the name.
PC: But you know, that’s what happens
to us, as South Asians. We get dragged
into what we ‘can be like’. The more
we just put people in the box and
generalise and stereotype…that is such
a personal peeve for me. I feel like you
see actors of many different ethnicities,
whether they are black, whether they
are white, whether they are [from]
Southeast Asia, and sometimes [they]
can get away with playing American
characters, and no one questions it.
Why should we be questioned? Why
should I have to explain that my
parents emigrated from India 50 years
ago and that’s why I exist here? That
does not need to be an explanation for
third or fourth generation South-Asian
Americans, or even first- or second-
generations for that matter, who are as
American [as anyone else]. Alex is that
character; Priyanka is not. I’m Indian
all the way. I’m as desi as it gets. I carry
my achaar with me. I’m that desi, but
Alex is not.
HM: You know, the feeling of the glass
ceiling, with all these expectations that
are put on us...I felt that same thing—it’s
why my fingers were crossed for Black
Panther. I was like, “Oh my God, please
let this work.” Because if Black Panther
turned out like Green Lantern (2011), you
know, no disrespect to Ryan Reynolds,
but if it was like that…it’s over. We’re not
going to make a movie like that again. If it
doesn’t work, they are not going to give us
another shot. Do you feel that way ever?
There is so much pressure, especially for
people of colour in America.
PC: I don’t know if I feel that they
wouldn’t give us another shot, because
I don’t see myself as a messiah. I’m just
a girl who is ambitious and driven, and
I want to see my career be the best it
can be. And on my journey, if I happen
to inspire people, that’s great. But yes,
I know that few of us get the chance I
did. I watched the pilot [of Quantico]
while it was airing in New York. I was
so scared, and thought: if people hate
me or don’t respond to who I am,
then I’ll have let down the people who
looked at me like I was someone who
could do it. I felt that pressure.
Mark Seliger
 Silk top, ` 24,135,
Self-Portrait at
Net-a-Porter.com.
Wool-crepe pants,
` 18,950, Rajesh Pratap
Singh. Leather heels,
` 1,68,685, Balmain

ELLE.IN
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 Cotton dress,
` 49,054, Kenzo
Mark Seliger

124
 my hair and make-up. I listen to music
and create an atmosphere. It’s almost like
I’m putting on the mask of my character,
in a way. I was a science student…
maybe that’s why I’m really good at
HM: Is it just us performers who feel this memorising. I read lines and think of
way? That if we mess this up, we’re not what my character would be thinking
going to get another shot? Or is that just when she says it.
that way for people who are coloured,
the way the institution of the game
is designed?
PC: I think when it comes to people of
colour, and when it comes to women,
we have continually been told, “The
best one will get the boy,” or “The best
one will get the job,” and “There’s not
enough to go around.” The same way
with people of colour in America, in
global entertainment, we’ve been told
one person will get the part in the show,
otherwise it will be too many Indians...
it will be an Indian show…you know
what I mean? I think that’s why we
instill the pressure. We are not normal
in pop culture—yet. And the fight is to
normalise it, to look at me and not talk
to me like...not say, “Namaste,” or be
like, “Oh, I went to India five years ago.”
HM: Do you know your range, or do you feel
like your range is limitless? That’s what I
really think is amazing about actors.
PC: You have to work on it. There is
no free lunch in the world. My prep
is extremely solid. I do workshops, I
work with my directors, my writers. I
understand my character. The character
I play becomes my best friend. I have
to know her so well. On Quantico, our
writers, directors, people I know, come
to me and say, “What do you think Alex
will be drinking in the scene?” or “What
are you thinking?” Because I know her.
Between what is on paper and what you
see on celluloid or on TV, that’s my job.
The translation from paper to life, that’s
what I get paid the big bucks for, and
it’s a huge responsibility because that’s
what people watch, and I take that very
seriously. I don’t take it for granted.
HM: What is your process? How do you
prep for a role?
PC: I prep for my character. So, if I’m
playing a 32- or 35-year-old living in
New York City, who’s been through
whatever she’s been through, like say
the pilot of Quantico, or a 17th-century
queen in Bajirao Mastani (2015), I find
a backstory for my character. I know
the periphery. I know the parameters
of what she will be like as a personality.
And when it comes to lines, unless it’s a
monologue or something where I need
to prep, I read my lines when I’m doing
HM: This is why you are a movie star. TV or movies, where you’re like,
In my limited acting experience, it’s “Oh, they shot that scene really
amazing to see someone who can just late at night”?
know exactly what they’re supposed to PC: Always, especially when I
do—know all the intimations, and the watch movies with my mum, I’m
turns and pivots of a scene. like, “Oh man, that was bad,” or
I’ll be like, “They probably shot
PC: It takes experience. When I
this at 2 in the morning because
started, I would rehearse every scene
she’s so tired.” And my mum is
by reading the lines and telling
like, “Stop screwing up the movie
myself, “Okay, this is where I’ll turn,”
for me, stop messing it up. I don’t
or “This is where I’ll get angry.” But
want to know what’s happening
when I got on set, I wound up being
behind the camera.” And I’m
mechanical because I had prepped
like, “I can see the camera in
for it. Over time, I discovered that
the reflection.” I can literally
what I feel organically and in the
tell stuff like that.
moment on set is
It is hilarious,
when I really become
“My prep is but I sometimes
my character.
have to remind
HM: How much do your extremely solid. myself that not
lines change? Do you I do workshops, everybody around
me knows.
stay close to the script I work with
or do you change stuff
up a lot on the fly?
my directors, HM: Do you still get
star-struck?
PC: I might change my writers. I
PC: I do not
around words here understand my get star-struck
and there, or switch
around lines, but
character” by actors. I get
star-struck by
I stay very close to musicians.
the script. Film,
television is a writer-director’s HM: Oh, like Bono or something.
medium and we, as actors, need PC: My 30th birthday was
to know that. The writer on TV, brought in at Bono’s house. It
and the director on film—more like was quite a spectacular moment.
that. Sometimes, we give ourselves But for me, the rock star life was
too much importance, and take all about rebelliousness, music,
ourselves too seriously, where we’re creativity, art—everything that
like, “But I think this is right.” It’s not
came with it. Being able to play
your story. It’s the writer’s story. It’s
music, write it, read it—all of
the director’s story. So, you have tothat. Music to me is something
follow their intention, and then be that’s so close to God. It has the
able to sell it when you’re convinced.
power to change your thoughts,
That’s my job. My job is not to go inchange your mind, change
there and be like, “This is wrong.” your emotions. It’s so powerful.
There is no world in which I would So when I see musicians do
say that. what they do, on stage and in
the studio, I get really excited.
HM: Do you now sometimes see
When I was on my own music
the puppet strings when you watch journey, I think half the reason
I did what I did was to be in the
studio with the most amazing
artists in the world: will.i.am, Pitbull,
Pharrell [Williams] and Red One.
And I was going to the Grammys and
the Billboard Music Awards. I was
hanging out with Wiz Khalifa. It was
ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 125
 just amazing! It’s times like these, when
I get not star-struck, but enamoured.
I had a little bit of a moment at the
Golden Globes with Meryl Streep. She
was just so sweet. I really appreciate
actors, and I admire their work
because I know what it takes. But
musicians, man, I get really excited
by them.
because I’ve been living alone in New
York. I don’t know why the supernatural
and serial killers scare me. I guess it’s
because I watch crime shows.
HM: Don’t watch Black Mirror before you
in America or in India, whether it’s go to sleep.
TV or regional movies. Music is an PC: Don’t watch Criminal Minds
integral part of all of it for me. before you sleep.

HM: Yeah, it is wild. I was in the car HM: What still scares you, artistically? HM: This is a selfish question Priyanka,
today and I heard ‘What’s going on’ PC: Failure scares me. I hate but this year has been very crazy for
by Marvin Gaye. It’s so crazy that this failure. She’s my enemy. I am me, professionally and personally.
song has been playing for generations, really bad at failing. I’m a poor There are two projects I’m working on
and it still holds. loser. I have tantrums. I go into now, so it’s going to get even crazier.
my room, sit in my blanket, and And I know you probably went through
PC: I mean, imagine that! It’s on
eat pizza. I’m that kind of loser. a moment like this in your career.
another level.
Losing anything scares me—my What is a piece of advice you can give
HM: Every movie doesn’t hold, family, my friends, my loved ones,
me, as a friend?
especially comedy—it doesn’t hold my work. It all scares me. And so
PC: Be aware of the fact that the
really well over time. There are do ghosts.
place you are in is an opportunity.
certain things you watch as a kid, and I HM: Me too. Especially the health of You represent people who look like
sometimes wonder: will my kids think our families, like, oh my God, that’s you (and me) all around the world,
this is really cool, everything. who want to make a mark in global
or will they be like, entertainment in whatever way they
PC: Don’t ghosts scare
“Dad that was really can. We have that opportunity. So,
you?
corny.” But music is “As South Asians, what I will tell you is this: be aware
HM: No, not at all. Ghost of how blessed we are, and how
really powerful. we don’t have a stories? grateful we should be to do what
PC: It transcends
generations,
seat at the table PC: Not stories man, we do. As South Asians, we don’t
have a seat at the table yet. We still
borders and yet. We still have to just like ghosts.
have to kick down the door. We are
languages. There kick down the door. HM: Not at all. My dad at the crack of the door, like, “Hey,
are songs that can
actually bring the We are at the crack would say, “Shut up, we’re here.” And people like you
you’re being an idiot.” are helping make that happen.
world together. of the door” PC: Shut up, you’re You’re giving people who look like
HM: Do you ever just being too cool for you and me the opportunity to say,
think of getting school right now. “Oh my God, there’s someone like
me on television.” And that’s such
back into it?
HM: I remember this made me laugh so a powerful thing. Be aware of that,
PC: I mean, I love music. I’ll do it and understand the responsibility
hard. When I was growing up, I asked
intermittently. But it’s never going
my dad, “Are you scared of ghosts?” that comes with it. Enjoy the process
to be a chapter. It is too important to
He said, “If a ghost came into this of being where you are, and be true
me. It is a learning process, because
room right now, I would tell him to kill to the art.
I didn’t do it professionally. I learnt
it on the job, exactly like the movies. me because I have to pay this rent.” It HM: That was great. You should run
When I started [doing] movies, I was such an Indian-dad thing to say. for president.
didn’t know anything about it. I Like, I have to pay the mortgage. If a
wanted to be a freakin’ aeronautical genie comes in here, I’ll just say can
engineer. So, I learnt on the job. And you pay the mortgage.
that’s not hard to do. I mean, it is PC: I just think it’s a middle-class
hard. But if you put your mind to it, dad thing.
I guess you can. Music will always be
part of my life. I will keep dipping my HM: It just made me laugh so hard.
feet in it. I would love to do it. I want PC: The supernatural scares me.
to do so much of it. I’m producing so
many things right now, whether it’s HM: I guess going to the woods and
stuff scares me, if I’m alone. While
camping or something, it gets kind HAIR: OWEN GOULD FOR PANTENE AT THE WALL
of creepy. GROUP; MAKE-UP: DANIEL MARTIN AT THE WALL
PC: There was a time in my twenties GROUP USING DIOR BEAUTY; MANICURE: MAR Y
SOUL; PRODUCTION: ALEXEY GALETSKIY/ALEXEY
when I loved Paranormal Activity (2007).
GALETSKIY PRODUCTIONS; ASSISTED BY: DIVYA
Mark Seliger

I loved watching horror movies, but now GURSAHANI, IVA DIXIT, JAHAAN SINGH (STYLING),
I don’t know; mortality is something to JOHN KELSEY (PHOTOGRAPHY); TRANSCRIBED
think about. I think about ghosts I guess, BY: NATASHA JHA

126
 Fishnet dress,
` 5,03,872,
Balmain

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 127
 Cotton viscose
shirt, ` 9,500,
Dhruv Kapoor.
Embroidered silk
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Simon Harrison

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Sinamay headdress,
` 85,778, Philip Treacy

128
NEW
ORDER
Appease your inner bad girl
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Photographs DAN BELEIU
Styling RAHUL VIJAY

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 129
 Cotton poplin top,
` 17,500, Rajesh
Pratap Singh. Cotton
satin skirt, ` 15,400,
Hemant & Nandita.
Embellished tulle
top, price on request,
Dries Van Noten.
Vinyl belt (worn as
choker), price on
request, La Perla.
Net and crystal
headdress, ` 45,446,
Philip Treacy. Steel
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and crystal ring,
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price on request,
Linnie Mclarty

130
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ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 131
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Hemant & Nandita.
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on request, Tom
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Perla. Satin pumps,
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Crystal necklace,
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price on request,
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Opposite page:
Cotton shirt, price
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Sequinned cotton
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Ashish. Leather dress
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Kurt Geiger. Vinyl
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steel ring, ` 4,434,
glass earrings (worn
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Dan Beleiu

Sterling silver ring,

price on request,
Linnie Mclarty

132
 ELLE.IN
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 Dan Beleiu

000 Fashion
134
ELLE
 Opposite page:
Cotton linen coat,
` 35,500, Payal
Pratap. Jersey
socks, stylist’s own.
Acrylic heels, price
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Webster. Silver
necklace, price on
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Harrison. Silk turban,
price on request,
Stephen Jones for
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Sequinned cotton
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Ashish. Denim
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Brocade leather
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Dries Van Noten.
Silver necklace, price
on request, steel ring,
` 4,434; both Simon
Harrison. Sterling
silver earrings,
price on request,
Zohra Rahman

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 135
 Sequinned dress,
` 26,500, Dhruv
Kapoor. Cotton shirt,
price on request, Huemn.
Vinyl belt, price on
request, La Perla. Metal
necklace, ` 52,768,
steel earrings, ` 4,434,
silver bracelet, price on
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Simon Harrison

Opposite page: Cotton

skirt, ` 38,123, 3.1
Phillip Lim. Crepe dress,
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Lycra coat, ` 18,500,
Rohit Gandhi +
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socks, stylist’s own. Leather
heels, ` 42,912,
Sophia Webster. Silver
necklace, ` 43,900, steel
ring, ` 4,434, metal and
crystal ring, ` 17,293;
all Simon Harrison.
Sinamay headdress,
` 85,778, Philip Treacy

Dan Beleiu

136
 HAIR: ERNESTO MONTENOVO;
MAKE-UP: SONIA BHOGAL; MODEL:
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ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 137
 ULTRA GIRL
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Photographs SUSHANT CHHABRIA Styling KARUNA LAUNGANI

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ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 139
140
Sushant Chhabria
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Opposite page: Cotton shirt,

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ELLE.IN
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 Faux feather top, ` 15,400,
431-88 by Shweta Kapur.
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142
 ELLE.IN
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 Satin top, ` 11,000, Archana Rao.
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144
 ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 145
146
Sushant Chhabria
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HAIR: FRANCO VALLELONGA/

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ELLE.IN
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TO P T R E N D S, HOT B U YS , E X PE R T T I PS & H E A LT H H OW-TO S

ELLE

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 On Singha: organza shirt,
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On Romagnoli: mesh and net
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150 Beauty
ELLE
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BRIGHT
Eyeshadow is the big focus this summer, and there’s no better way to own
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a playful smear—you can never go wrong.

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 151
 LOVE
Unlearn all the lipstick rules you’ve ever come
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Organza top, Archana Rao

Farrokh Chothia

152 Beauty
ELLE
 Silk organza jacket,
Aikeyah

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ELLE.IN
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 On Romagnoli: silk organza
jacket, Two Point Two.
On Singha: silk organza
jumpsuit, Two Point Two

S PA R K L E
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The glitter looks from S/S 2018 runways sent Instagram into a tizzy. So, how do you own this
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154 Beauty
ELLE
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— MAMTA MODY

158 Beauty
ELLE
 year, more of us will likely be ditching the spin bikes and vibration
plates, and going old school with the way we workout. Think
more LISS (Low Intensity Steady State) cardio, running, squats,
lunges and planks, basic equipment like kettlebells and jump
ropes; and less HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), electronic
gym machines and fitness trackers.
“I’ve seen a surge in the number of people exercising
outdoors, and giving up on fancy equipment in favour of
bodyweight training, dancing or yoga,” says Sucheta Pal, who,
as master trainer at Zumba Fitness in Mumbai, teaches clients
how to exercise using their own body weight. But in an age where
we’re obsessed with counting the nutritional value and calories
of everything we eat, is it wise to completely eschew your gym
routine? Pal says you can. “To stay healthy, you need to practise
equal amounts of cardio, strength training and flexibility. Simple
exercises like running, stretching, lifting light weights or using
your own body weight follow the same principles, and are as
effective as going to the gym.”
And the fit crowd agrees. Panav Bachwani, a 26-year-old
banker, would weight train six times a week at the gym. It’s only
when he started training to run a marathon last year that he
realised freehand training was a better long-term strategy to
stay fit. “It’s an easy-to-follow routine that allows you to squeeze
in a short workout almost anywhere, without depending on
machines,” says Bachwani, who regularly sprints his way to work.
Sherry Shroff, a 31-year-old blogger, is also of the same view.
Running felt therapeutic to her mind as well as her body, which
made her quit kick-boxing five years ago for a more holistic
approach to fitness. “Most people can’t run when they’re tired.
But even after a long day, [running] gives me an energy boost,
de-stresses me and helps me stay fit,” says Shroff.
Maybe it’s the sustainability in our busy lifestyle, or the
monotony that an inexpensive skipping rope or boot camp can
take out of our routine. Guess our school PE teachers were right
all along. You don’t always need to put your body in ketosis, or
buy a pair of muscle-supporting compression tights to stay fit.
All you need to do is start moving.

FREE STYLE
In a time of superfoods and fitness “Fitness trackers are a good tool
trackers, exercise routines are to discipline yourself, but obsessive
going back to basics tracking will cause you to drop out
In just the last five years, we went from barre to SoulCycle to Pilates. of your routine, especially if you
And if you’re anxiously wondering what 2018’s all-new, break-the- don’t see the desired results”
bank, ‘gram-it-good fitness trend is going to be, you can exhale—
because research suggests it’s…not being trendy with fitness. A 2017 — SUCHETA PAL, MASTER TRAINER, ZUMBA FITNESS
health report by the American College of Sports Medicine studied
4,000 fitness professionals around the world, and found that this

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Buzzword 159
ELLE

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018
 CULTURE
CLUB
The revival of fermented foods means a happier tummy and
better immunity, discovers Mamta Mody

W H AT EXAC TLY IS IT?

Think of fermentation as a benign form of rot, where strains of
live bacteria and fungi are allowed to grow in foods, giving them
a different texture and taste. Put off yet? Don’t be. This age-old
tradition has given us some of life’s best things, including wine,
bread, cheese, coffee and chocolate. Each of these foods starts
off as bitter, bland or simply indigestible, but is transformed
by microbes into something delicious. Since the fermentation
process predigests the food, thanks to the live bacteria feeding
on it, our bodies absorb the nutrients more easily.
In certain foods like sourdough, soya, yoghurt and miso,
these microbes add an additional health kick. “Fermentation
removes some toxins from foods, increases B-vitamins,

Photograph: Irina Usova; Art direction: Vidhi Mirpuri

160 Wellness
ELLE
and generates other unique nutritive compounds. But the
most profound benefit comes from the bacteria themselves,
which are alive and intact in cultured foods,” says Sandor
Katz, writer and fermentation revivalist. A good example
is the yoghurt we make at home: it’s made by heating milk
to kill unhealthy bacteria, then a dollop of existing yoghurt
with live culture is added and the mix is allowed to ferment
for a few hours. This becomes an all-you-can-eat buffet
for the healthy bacteria that do things
like consume the milk’s hard-to-digest
lactose, transforming it into lactic acid, a
by-product of digestion-aiding enzymes.
CA N BAC TE R IA
R E A L LY B E GOOD
FO R ME?
There is mounting evidence that adding
fermented foods to our diets has a
profound effect on our digestion by fighting
inflammation in the gut, increasing the
capacity to absorb nutrients, reducing
cravings for sugar and carbs, and blocking
out some toxins. It increases the amount of
good bacteria (aka probiotics), the effects
of which go far beyond having a robust
digestive system. “Good bacterial strains
will deliver a plethora of new ingredients
to the body: there’s B12 that’s usually
lacking in vegetarians, choline, which aids
fat metabolism and lowers blood pressure,
and there’s also acetylcholine, a major
neurotransmitter, which connects the gut
to the parasympathetic nervous system,”
explains macrobiotic nutritionist and chef,
Shonali Sabherwal.
While our bodies already have troops
of good bacteria, we could definitely use
the helping hand. Our natural ecology is
under constant assault from detergent,
antibacterial handwash, chlorine, and
antibiotics that can take a toll on our
immune system. A diet rich in sugar, meat
and dairy also destroys naturally occurring
good bacteria. “Since most of our foods
have been genetically modified, they’re
missing essential strains that digest food
effectively,” says Moina Oberoi, wellness
chef and founder of Mo’s Superfoods.
The science is simple: our immune
systems create fewer antibodies to fight off
the bad guys in a sterile environment; and
as a result, basic foods like peanuts can
lead to allergic reactions. Fermented foods
help regain that balance by reintroducing
a shot of good bacteria that restores
biodiversity, and in turn strengthens the
immune system.
SO , I CA N LOA D
UP ON CHEESE
A N D WIN E?
The good news is that in India, we’ve grown
up with a whole variety of fermented foods
in our kitchens, like curd, idli, lassi and
pickles, so the flavours aren’t completely
alien to us. But not all fermented foods
are the same, and only a few offer real
health benefits. The general rule of thumb is to remember
that most strains of good bacteria or probiotics are
destroyed as soon as the food is treated with heat during
the fermentation process, like pasteurised cheese, since it’s
heat-treated, and wine and beer that use yeast instead of
bacteria. “Unfortunately, few traditional Indian foods retain
an active fermentation process—most of our pickles use
preservation techniques, where the vegetables are cooked
and no bacteria is activated. There are the
rare ones, like pickled turmeric and kanji
EAT RIGHT (a spiced fermented drink) that have a high
Shonali Sabherwal helps you kick concentration of active bacteria, and are an
off your fermentation journey excellent source of probiotics,” says Oberoi.
Ingredients like processed sugar, table salt,
PRESSED SALAD dairy, refined flour, refined oil, and poor
quality vinegar can destroy the natural
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup cabbage, sliced (or hardy
fermentation process. Here’s what you can
veggies like carrots, green
try, instead:
peppers or radish) Yoghurt: It’s the most basic food through
½ tsp sea salt which to introduce fermented foods in your
METHOD: diet. It may not have too many strains of
Mix cabbage and sea salt in a bacteria, but it improves bone health and
large bowl, and gently knead the eases irritable bowel syndrome. Be sure to
leaves with your fingers until skip the flavoured variety.
they wilt. Press the leaves with Kimchi: The spiced Korean side dish is
a plate or a heavy weight for usually made of hardy vegetables like
an hour till the veggies release cabbage and carrots, and flavoured with
water. Discard the water, rinse ginger, chilli, garlic and salt. It’s high in fibre,
the softened leaves with filtered low in calories, and packed with nutrients.
water, and eat a tablespoon of Sauerkraut: This German preparation of
them with each meal as a side. shredded cabbage cured with salt is rich
in antioxidants, fibre, as well as vitamins
KANJI C, B and K. It is also high in sodium, and
INGREDIENTS: contains iron and manganese.
8 cups water
Kefir: The potent probiotic drink tastes a
2 medium carrots,
lot like a tart, creamy yoghurt smoothie. It’s
peeled and julienned
made with a combination of yeast, bacteria
1 beetroot, peeled and julienned
and milk proteins, and contains high levels of
1 ¼ tbsp black mustard powder
vitamins, like B12, calcium, magnesium and
1 ½ tsp salt
biotin, among others.
½ tsp black salt
½ tsp red chilli powder Kombucha: The Chinese fizzy tea is naturally
a pinch of asafoetida (hing) sweetened, making it much easier on the
METHOD: palate. It reduces inflammation; supports
Boil water and let it cool. gut health, and helps keep a check on blood
Then pour it along with other sugar levels.
ingredients into a jar. Close the Indian pickles: Made with cold-pressed
lid and leave it in the sun for 2-4 oil, rock or sea salt, and no sugar, this raw
days. Stir it twice daily. Once it version is the better addition to any meal.
turns sour, it can be refrigerated And spices like turmeric and mustard give it
for 2 weeks. You can eat the added therapeutic benefits.
veggies and serve the kanji cold.
“Rather than WHERE DO
thinking of one I START?
You can create your own jar of fermented
ferment as being veggies at home, or buy one from a store,
better than another, we’re not judging. It’s key to remember you
need to slowly ease fermented foods into
the objective
your meals. “Suddenly introducing a lot of
of probiotics is new bacteria can disrupt your digestive
system,” warns Rebekah Blank, co-founder of
biodiversity, so the Atmosphere Kombucha Health Studio, New
best approach is Delhi. “Start with half a cup [of any fermented
drink] a day and build up to one cup twice
eating different types a day. You can drink it in the morning to
of fermented foods” jump-start your day and boost energy levels.”
Besides this, there are no real rules or cause
— SANDOR KATZ, WRITER AND to worry, you can mix different fermented
FERMENTATION REVIVALIST foods too, as long as you make it a habit.
ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 161
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 TRUE CALLING
AFTER YEARS OF FIGHTING EXTREME ALIENATION ON A QUEST TO EXPLORE
THE IDEA OF GENDER IDENTITY, 25-YEAR-OLD WRITER TRÉSOR PRIJS
FOUND STRENGTH AND SOLACE IN THE WORLD OF BEAUTY
T
o say that beauty saved my life may seem like an
exaggerated statement, but in all honesty, nothing
could be closer to the truth. As a child, I spent
much of my life in the small, rural town of Upper
Miramichi on the east coast of Canada, within an
expanse of incredible sylvan beauty, but also within a
great deal of loneliness. The town where I grew up was
in many ways trapped in another time, a place with
ideologies that were a great departure from those I would
come to hold myself. I wasn’t like the other children,
who seemed to easily fit into the roles that society had
laid out for them. In my mind, there was only discomfort
and a powerful sense that the male body I inhabited
was not one I recognised as home.
I had few friends, but was fortunate to have found
myself surrounded by a cast of dynamic and complex
women, who employed the art of beauty rituals as
means of self-care and expression. My grandmother, a
resilient and positively astute woman, would fill the air
with the scent of her œillet perfume, and enter the room
with skin gleaming from the Oil of Olay she religiously
applied each morning. Her grace never failed to leave
me speechless, and I wanted nothing more in this world
than to emulate such divinity. Like her, my mother also
shared an incredible affection for beauty, but in her
case, it was elevated to a realm of excess. The shelves of
164 Self
ELLE
my childhood home were lined with glistening, ornate
bottles of perfume, and jars of creams that from my
perspective were akin to the rarest treasure.
I couldn’t have been more than 10 years old when,
after months of begging, my mother gave me two small
bottles to use all for myself—a large sample of Estée
Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair she’d got as a gift with
a purchase at a local department store, and a miniature
flacon of Lancôme’s Trésor, the perfume after which I
am now named. Of course, I had to keep this a secret
from my father, who would have been furious at us. Back
then, I could think of no greater gift, and revelled each
night when I applied a small drop of each before bed.
I felt so special in those moments because with them
came the first bricks that would build the bridge between
my physical form and who I was within. I credit those
bottles as the true genesis of my love for beauty.
As I grew, so did my adoration for this form of
Photographs: Courtesy Trésor Prijs
self-care, and soon thereafter, I began to experiment with
make-up. I was not allowed to buy fashion magazines; I
was told that they were only for girls, and to the world, I
was just a boy named Trevor. I would do my best to sneak
them through the cash counter on grocery day, and read
them by flashlight under my bedcover at night. With my
mother’s make-up bag in tow, I would lock my bedroom
door and try to recreate the looks that inspired me so
 THE MANY FACES OF TRÉSOR PRIJS

profoundly. I remember one of the first times so clearly—I themselves away, as I was coming into the most honest
had smeared every inch of my face, lips and eyebrows version of myself as a person. And as such, I was faced
included, in foundation so I could look like the model, with a choice: was I to assimilate with their idea of who I
Karen Elson, in the Prada campaign that season, with should be and dampen my own flame, or should I instead
her alabaster skin and skinny, razor-thin look inwards and nourish the tender bud
brows. Though the application from my on the verge of blooming? I chose the latter.
then unsteady hand was haphazard and “I had few friends, And it was in beauty that I found the light
crude, something about it felt so correct. but was fortunate to move on. During a time when isolation
Time passed and I began to explore was all I knew, it gave me a passion in
everything I could, from the exquisite to have found which to immerse myself. I fed myself with
facial architecture that was late make-up myself surrounded knowledge, both of the exquisite art and
genius Kevyn Aucoin’s signature, to the the excitement of the technology that gave
joyous colourful strokes of Diane Kendal,
by a cast of the medium itself life. I would spend hours
and subversive ebullience of François dynamic and and hours each day reading skincare and
Nars. With a Russian Red lip and these complex women, beauty blogs, dermatological studies I had
guardians of the craft guiding my hands found online, and speaking to wonderful
through their artistic spirit, I could connect who employed friends I had made along the way. I wanted
with the person I was within, and bring the art of beauty to know it all—not just if something
them into a manifestation of the flesh. It worked, but why, how and whom it would
was transformative, and made me feel as if
rituals as means serve best. A deepened hunger to learn
I was not so alone. I thought that the ones of self-care and everything I possibly could was born and
who poured their creativity into all of these expression” with it, a supreme desire to share that
beautiful images must have, at some point, knowledge with those who wished to learn
felt the very same way as I did. Beauty is a alongside me. That hunger lives on, and
language, and through their art, it was being spoken to grows more powerful to this very day.
me—like precious sunlight feeding the leaves of a then As much as the journey has been about what may
delicate flower within a small bedroom in the evergreen seem superficial on the surface, the sincere value lies in
woods of eastern Canada. us finding what sets our heart alight, and illuminating
As I became more fluent in the expression of my the world around us with that sacred glow. In that, we
gender identity, I faced ridicule and a further alienation find true beauty, the very kind that has afforded me the
from those I cared for most. At the time, I could think opportunity to speak with you through these words, and
of few things more painful than to see those I loved pull the very kind that saves me to this day.

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 165
 BEAUTY
KIT
NEHA
Beauty experts: MEHTA

NEHA &
YSL Volume
Effect Faux
Cils Mascara,
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DIVYA
MEHTA
Huda Beauty
Liquid Matte
Lipstick in Icon,
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The founders of Swiss

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Epique Intensive
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S
hopping for
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products
can be an
overwhelming task.
NEHA MEHTA AND DIVYA MEHTA You can read a
thousand reviews
and navigate
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Vernis in Red, certain that you’ll find the perfect one.
` 2,800 The founders of skincare brand Epique,
Divya and Neha Mehta, are familiar
with this dilemma. After repeatedly
being disappointed by the pigmentation
solutions in the market, they decided
to make their own in July 2014. The duo
took advantage of their family’s 75-year
Bobbi Brown experience in plant-based actives, to
Lip Color in Rose create a collection that fuses the best of
Berry, ` 2,300 nature with science.
When they are not travelling the
world to discover powerful plant extracts,
Divya and Neha are busy creating new
skin-loving formulas in their Swiss
lab. But what truly sets them apart is
the research they invest in addressing
Jo Malone mature skincare concerns like dullness,
Cologne in dark circles and fine lines, and also in
Mimosa and understanding that Indian women need
Cardamom, moisturisers and serums that can face
` 10,700/
Cream, ` 3,800
ELLE: What makes Epique so
different?
Neha Mehta: During our intensive
research, we started by identifying issues
faced by Indian women, and then travelled
in search of the most potent plant-based
extracts to solve these problems. At our
Swiss labs, we turned these [extracts] into
phyto-concentrates (molecular extracts)
that are far more potent than the average
herbal extracts. They’re highly effective
and gentle, and have been developed for
the skincare needs of mature skin.
ELLE: What’s your top beauty tip?
DM: I love a one-minute facial with our
Intensive Luminescence cream to drain
the lymph and get a glow. Warm the
product in your hands and massage
your face with it, in upward motions.
Then make gentle tapping motions to
stimulate the skin. End by wrapping your
hands around your face to give an added
massage to the dermis.
NM: A good sunscreen, with a high SPF,
that protects you against UVA and UVB
Photograph: Polina Schapova; Sittings editor: Rahul Vijay

even the hottest summers. Sounds like a

100ml EDC rays is a necessity. It doesn’t matter what
win-win situation for us.
your age is, or whether you’re indoors.
Wearing sunscreen is essential.
ELLE: What prompted the idea
for Epique? ELLE: A DIY beauty treatment you love
Divya Mehta: Neha had been struggling doing at home.
with pigmentation for years, especially
when she worked outdoors. We couldn’t DM: I freeze a blend of green tea,
find a product that protected her from cucumber, lemon and honey into ice cubes,
Epique
Advanced the harsh Indian summer sun, without any and massage my face with them for an
UV Protection side effects. So, eventually we came up instant facelift and glow.
System, with our own skincare solution, and Neha NM: Since I’m a lipstick addict, I scrub my
BEAUTY ` 3,600 was our toughest critic. Since then, we've lips with a mix of sugar and Vaseline to
KIT strived to offer effective products that cure dry, flaky lips.
DIVYA you can trust. — MAMTA MODY
MEHTA

166 Beauty
ELLE
 WAND LUST
These new-age mascaras work like magic
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2.
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1.
Photograph: Irina Usova; Art direction: Vidhi Mirpuri; Compiled by Trisha Chawla; Assisted by: Arshti Narang (art direction)

4.
L’Oréal Paris Mega Volume Miss
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1. THE SLIM SHADER: The only skinny
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ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 167
News & Updates
If your locks need
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TOP SHOP
From spiffy gadgets to luxurious
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your pay cheque on
Slip your finger into
the cap of this nifty
liner that unlike
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Sephora Collection
Fingertip Eyeliner in
Magenta, ` 1,045
168 Beauty
ELLE
Cleaning make-up
brushes is a special kind
of hell, but this cool tool is
like a washing machine built
just for the task. Dunk a brush in
the soapy cleanser, switch on the
spinner, and watch built-up gunk
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Living in a city is
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Calling all skin. Mask and
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This high-tech, a healthy glow with
silent hairdryer this luxurious facial
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in India. It cuts honey-laden Abeille
drying time in Royale range to fight
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your hair from and dullness, all in
heat, and gives under 40 minutes.
it a shampoo
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price on request, at
And instead of Taj Salons across India
heating up like
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this one simply
amps up the
airflow to work Traditional rose water just got the 2018
faster, preventing upgrade with The Body Shop’s lightweight gel
damage and frizz. toner that’s powered with rose petals and aloe
Dyson to plump, hydrate and soothe irritated skin,
Supersonic Hair minus the messy cotton pads.
Dryer, ` 27,900, The Body Shop
on Dyson.in British Rose Petal-Soft Gel Toner, ` 1,595
— TRISHA CHAWLA
 LONG RUN
This springy new running
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Having a desk job always makes staying
fit a challenge. But what made me go
from spending hours researching the
EPIC REACT FLYKNIT buzziest skincare ingredients to racking
up 30km of activity in a week? It started
on a cold January evening in Seoul,
where a group of fitness enthusiasts
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to put Nike’s new running sneakers,
Epic React Flyknit, to test. Then there
was me, a non-runner, daunted by the
idea of sprinting across the streets in
the piercing cold. Would I be able to
keep up with the runners, or would I
Classic: stop midway, gasping for breath? There
IN Rose + jasmine + crisp apple
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I braved my way through and
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This summer, there’s stretch. Comfortably cushioned in my
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for everyone pros. Nike meant it when it claimed
the shoe was softer, lighter and offered
10 per cent more energy return than
its previous star releases.
In four days of taking it out on
Mumbai’s streets, I found myself
moving faster and cutting corners
quicker, covering a kilometre in an
average of eight minutes as opposed
to my sluggish record of 12. On the fifth
day, running on the treadmill didn’t feel
strenuous. Instead, it was as effortless
and fun as bouncing on a trampoline.
As the week ended, I found myself
tired, but craving for a run. With my feet
wrapped and supported in the right
spots by the shoe’s patterned midsole,
I hit the turf once again—this time,
Fresh: Edgy: without any apprehension. Can you go
Ambrox + wild roses Spicy ginger + vanilla from lazy girl to running enthusiast in
+ tropical grapefruit + sambac jasmine seven days? With a hard-working pair
Moschino Pink Dior Poison Girl of sneakers and (maybe) the motivation
Fresh Couture, Unexpected, that comes from a new workout kit,
` 4,725/100ml EDT ` 8,300/100ml EDP you certainly can.

— TRISHA CHAWLA

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 169
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 LIFESTYLE
DES I G N STA R S , G R E AT ES CA PES & FA N TA S T I C FO O D

ELLE

DIVE DEEP INTO THE JAMAICAN

BLUE, PEEP INSIDE THE LOUVRE
ABU DHABI, GET BACK WITH NATURE
AT AN ECO-RESORT, AND SPOIL
YOURSELF SILLY IN GREECE

The resort town of Negril

in Jamaica is known for its
seven-mile-long beach, fringed
by protected reefs, ample diving
and snorkelling opportunities,
and many jump-off points—the
most famous of which is at Rick’s
Cafe, on the edge of a 35ft-high
cliff. Come for cocktails by the
turquoise sea, and stay
for the spectacular sunsets.
Grégoire Kalt

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 171
 TUNE IN
The first thing that comes to mind when you hear “Jamaica”
is Bob Marley. His face is on posters everywhere, and his
music pours out of every nook. Even his house in Kingston
is akin to a temple, where visitors need no cue to burst into
song. But today’s Jamaica is about a lot more—soca music
(soul calypso), dance hall, ragga, dub and thousand-watt
sound systems make people move. Looking to update your
playlist? You know where to go.

JAMAICAN
INTRICATE MURALS CELEBRATING THE
KING OF REGGAE ADORN THE WALLS OF
THE BOB MARLEY MUSEUM IN KINGSTON

RHY THM CLASSIC REGGAE, WHITE SAND, RASTA

EVERYTHING AND GOOD VIBES—THE
PEARL OF THE CARIBBEAN HAS SO MUCH
TO OFFER, FINDS DANIELE GERKENS
Photographs GRÉGOIRE KALT

HEAVENLY BEACHES
With their lush tropical
vegetation and white sand,
Jamaican beaches are to die
for. They are so sumptuous
that they’ve even become the
stars of Hollywood movies,
from multiple James Bond
titles to Knight And Day
(2010). South of the island is
where you’ll find snorkelling
and surfing spots, cute bars,
and even horse riding.

172 Travel
ELLE
 BANANAS, PINEAPPLES, MANGOES—JAMAICAN
MARKETS ARE FULL OF FRESH, FRUITY DELIGHTS

QUIRKY FOOD
Jamaica is a real cultural mix, and nowhere are its many influences more
visible than in its food and at its markets, which are always brimming
with local fruits and vegetables. Rice with beans, chicken curry and chilli
prawns are just some of the many delicacies you’ll find on every other
menu. Absolutely don’t miss out on Jamaican patties (pronounced pa’ies)
that are stuffed with meat or vegetables, or the jerk-barbecued smoked pork
or chicken. Stop by Pork Pit at Montego Bay for meat that melts in your
mouth. Check into paradise by teaming it with Red Stripe, a local beer.

RUM + CURAÇAO = THE

TASTE OF HAPPINESS

SHOP FOR CHILLIES AT THE BLACK RIVER MARKET

PAIR YOUR DRINK WITH CHILLI PRAWNS

RUM TALES
Known since the end of the 17th century for its rum, Jamaica still has many
distilleries. Nestled in the island’s valleys, surrounded by thousands of acres of
sugarcane fields, distilleries such as Appleton produce amber rum that is almost
as famous overseas as Usain Bolt, the country’s prodigy. Although most of the START YOUR DAY WITH
production is exported, Jamaicans do love their rum, and drink it almost daily; A BEEF PATTY FOR BREAKFAST
pure, or fashioned into potent cocktails that make your head spin and heart soar.

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 173
 TIME STANDS STILL IN
THE NEGRIL COUNTRYSIDE
VILLAGE SCENES
Tourists don’t always venture into the interiors of the
mountainous island, and as a result, miss out on navigating
the sinuous and narrow roads that might seem daunting, but
are well worth it. It’s here that you’ll come across villages with
beautiful wooden houses, where time has seemingly stopped.
Visit organic farms, play dominos at a small coffee shop, or hike
up the Blue Mountains—it’s an entirely different way to discover
the island and its inhabitants.

DEVON HOUSE IN KINGSTON HISTORY

CLASS
Inhabited by the
Taino people,
Jamaica was
colonised in 1494
by Christopher
Columbus, and
only gained its
independence
in 1962. Pirates,
adventurers and
British planters
followed soon after.
Today, the country
is full of historical
remains, from Port
Royal, situated on
a peninsula south
LOCAL LIFE of the capital,
Jamaica’s two very distinct Kingston, to Devon
communities cohabit peacefully House, the first
in most neighbourhoods: local millionaire’s
the dreadlocked Rastas, luxurious home,
the marijuana-smoking, which was built in
agricultural community lives 1881. Seems like
in the inland villages, and the a place one might
gangstas are all about tattoos encounter Scarlett
and tuned cars. O’Hara.
Grégoire Kalt

THE OLD FORT AT PORT ROYAL

174 Travel
ELLE
 TROPICAL PARADISE
Jamaica is home to countless natural
wonders. Roads lined thick with bamboo
forests lead to waterfalls hidden amid the
wild vegetation. Take a dip in the fresh
water that comes straight down from the
mountain tops, or pick the Black River
in the south, where you can move among
mangroves and water hyacinth benches,
with crocodiles, monkeys and herons for
company. Wind down with those surreal,
blazing sunsets, best seen from the coast.

THE WILD MANGROVES OF BLACK RIVER

GO SWIMMING AT YS FALLS

DOWN TIME
A trip to Jamaica is necessarily exotic,
so it’s only fair that your accommodation
be too. Top pick? Sandals Royal
Caribbean. It comes with its own
artificial river and seven swimming
pools for maximum indulgence.
Sandals.com

GETTING THERE
It’s a long way from India, so
we suggest making a pit stop,
depending on which flight
you choose and the country
it passes through.

WEATHER
March is when spring arrives,
and the island basks in the warm
summer sun. Average daytime
temperatures hover around 29
degrees Celsius, which means you
really don’t need to get out of the
ocean at all.

VISA
Those with an Indian passport
don’t require a visa for Jamaica,
for a stay that lasts up to 14 days.
SANDALS ROYAL CARIBBEAN

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 175
News & Updates

EARTH BOUND
Shrug off the city at eco-resort Anchaviyo
If gruelling schedules usually have you stuck in the
city, you know how precious a long weekend is. And
we’ve found the perfect getaway for it, just two hours
away from Mumbai. Nestled among mango, chikoo
and guava trees, Anchaviyo is a tranquil 150-acre
estate set on the banks of the Vaitarna river. The folks
behind this resort prize privacy and peace of mind
above all else. Don’t believe us? Find out for yourself:

THE ROOMS
Choose between tents
complete with en-suite
bathrooms and private
sit-outs, pinewood cabins
(the adventure-themed
Cyclist’s Cabin and the
nautical-themed Captain’s
THE OFFERINGS
Cabin get our vote), rustic If you relish being outdoors,
mud houses tucked deeper Anchaviyo’s got a whole
in the jungle, and airy lot going to keep you busy.
chalets that really let the Sure, you can lounge by the
outdoors in. Its most recent pool, but you can also go
addition, The Igloo, is a kayaking or motor-boating
quirky concept that sees down the river, or hop onto
you sleep way up in a tented a bicycle and wander. Once
igloo on top of a tower. you’re done getting some
sun, head to the spa, where
you can soothe your sore

THE IDEA muscles. Then attend to

Anchaviyo is committed to a greener
tomorrow, and a lot of recycled
materials—mud walls, dry rice straw
for the roofing—were used in its
construction. Even the quirky DIY
décor is conscientious: don’t miss the
cargo boxes masquerading as wall
décor, or the old tyres that double as
coffee tables. The property follows a
zero-discharge policy when it comes
to waste, and is also about to install a
solar unit that will take it off the grid.
those hunger pangs at the
restaurant that overlooks
the Vaitarna river. If you
prefer something a little
more private, book one
of its Balinese-style
dining gazebos. It’s all
hearty, organic fare here—
Anchaviyo grows a lot of its
own produce, like eggplant,
okra, bottle gourd, beetroot
and sweet potato, and has
its own rice plantation too.

176 Lifestyle
ELLE
 GRILLED SHRIMP WITH
BLACK RICE AND ASPARAGUS
GREEK
LEGEND
Privacy, luxury and
staggering views make
Grand Resort Lagonissi,
just south of Athens, a
near-mythical getaway
Sprawled across a private peninsula
on the Athenian Riviera, Grand Resort
Lagonissi, a member of The Leading
Hotels Of The World, gives you the
distinct sense of being on a secluded
island—just with every creature
comfort you could possibly imagine.
Well-appointed suites and villas
(267 in total) bring you hi-def vistas of
the glittering Aegean Sea. If you are
SETA
A culinary
technique you
ANTONIO GUIDA
picked up from
your travels around the world:
In Japan, I learnt how important
rigour is in the kitchen—being well
organised, clean, and not giving up
when things get tough. In France,
[while] working for Pierre Gagnaire,
I learnt how fun it can be to give in
to inspiration: more than once, he
asked us to do last-minute changes
to the dishes. It taught me the
importance of never being afraid to
risk and improve a perfect recipe.
able to wrench yourself away, a crash
course in Greek wines, followed by
a slurpingly-good seafood salad at
the beachside Mediterraneo—one
of the property’s eight excellent
restaurants—is fair consolation.
An ensuing snooze or icy dunk
will refresh you for your next
inactivity at the small-but-effective
Thalaspa Chenot spa. Return to
your quarters, your happy stupour
only bolstered by the loved-up
chatter of a wedding party you’ll
no-doubt spot en route—the resort’s
location and services have made it a
sought-after venue for pledging love.
SOUL FOOD
Chef Antonio Guida,
of Mandarin Oriental
Milan’s Michelin-starred
restaurant Seta, on some
of his favourite things
Your three preferred ingredients, and
a dish they can be used to prepare:
Coconut, lime and turmeric; add in
a delicious lobster, and you have a
quick, tasty and surprising dish.
The perfect Italian preparation:
Spaghetti al pomodoro (spaghetti
with tomato sauce) is my favourite
Italian dish and the one dish that
does not need improving. It is
ideal in its simplicity.
CAMPARI, GRAPEFRUIT, CHERRY
AND WHITE CHOCOLATE
THE VIEW FROM THE PENINSULA VILLA
By evening, well-rested, and
showing the beginning of your Greek
tan, emerge for an elegant dinner at
Kohylia, the Polynesian restaurant
and sushi bar, or Captain’s House, the
cliffside Italian place; eat inelegant
amounts at either. Post-dinner, a
moonlit skinny-dip, with only wine
to soothe your shivers—and the
moody acoustics of the sea below
your balcony—is a bucket-list item to
pre-empt. Your stay at Grand Resort
Lagonissi may just turn out to be its
own kind of Greek mythology.
Lagonissiresort.gr
— CHERYL-ANN COUTO
The secret behind the famous
Pigeon Terrine at Seta:
It comes from a combination of
great ingredients: pigeon, chicken
and vadouvan. One has to pay
a lot of attention in treating the
pigeon meat: it is cooked twice, first
steamed, and then cooked in a pan.
The most unique experience a
diner can expect at the restaurant:
The Chef ’s Table: exclusively
for two people, it is immersed in
the beating heart of the kitchen
where executive sous chef Federico
Dell’Omarino, pastry chef Nicola
Di Lena and I are hosts. Our guests
are front-row spectators, and they
not only witness components of
each dish coming to life, but also
interact directly with the team.
Mandarinoriental.com/milan
— SERENA MENON
RED WINE GLAZED EEL WITH
SQUID INK AUBERGINE
ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 177
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Her Time Is Now
BY HASAN MINHAJ

Cover March 2018.indd 1 24/02/18 4:55 pm

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 UJJAWAL DUBEY
SAPNA MEHRA AND KAVITA BHARTIA AND SAUMYA NAGAR

HIS EXCELLENCY NADIR PATEL AND HIS WIFE,
JENNIFER GRAHAM, WITH RUPI KAUR (CENTRE)
POETIC
JUSTICE
A grand celebration of ELLE’s
collaboration with Canadian poet HIS EXCELLENCY NADIR PATEL
and Insta-sensation Rupi Kaur WITH HARI BHARTIA

SUDEEPTI TUCKER
AND RUPI KAUR

SUDEEPTI TUCKER’S ILLUSTRATIONS GREETED THE GUESTS

ELLE’S SUPRIYA DRAVID AND AASHTI BHARTIA WITH RUPI KAUR

SNIGDHA BASU AND IAN DUGAL, AVANTIKA BAKSHI

NAMRATA JOSHIPURA SUNETRA CHOUDHURY ARJUN SALUJA KAVITA KHOSLA AND ARJAN DUGAL

180 Social
ELLE
 CALEB FRIESEN AND MATT FRIESEN

TEAM ELLE WITH RUPI KAUR

It was a night to remember as Delhi’s beau

monde made their way to the home of His
Excellency, Nadir Patel, High Commissioner
of Canada in India, and his wife, Jennifer
Graham, to celebrate Rupi Kaur. Sumptuous
backdrops featuring Sudeepti Tucker’s
illustrations from our January issue greeted
guests, while Interflora’s beautiful floral
decoration made for a magical setting.
DJ Avantika Bakshi kick-started the show
with some smooth tunes, before the guest
of honour took the stage for a special
performance. Kaur graciously posed for
countless selfies, granted every book-
signing request, and chatted animatedly
with the guests. Spirits soared with pouring
partners Grey Goose, Dewar’s, Bacardi,
Bombay Sapphire, White Rhino and Chandon,
while pizzas by Instapizza and canapés
by Dirty Apron by The Piano Man whetted
everyone’s appetite. To end the night on a DEEPTI VERMA AND VARUN
NAVNEET RANDHAWA BAHL
sweet note, Miam Patisserie’s bite-sized
desserts did the trick, and gifting partners
RAKESH THAKORE BANI NANDA
Auréole and Purearth sealed the deal.

VARUN RANA AND JJ VALAYA

RUPI KAUR, NABIL SHASH AND RAKHI MUTTA

RUPI KAUR DURING HER

SPECIAL PERFORMANCE SONALEE KUMAR AND
SIBONEY SAGAR TEAM ELLE DECOR

ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018 181
 RE AD
E SP The museum has
TH

partnered with the Musée

du Louvre, and 16 other cultural
institutions, including the Centre Pompidou
and Musée d’Orsay, to bring over 600 of the
world’s most priceless pieces to the Emirates.
Your first stop should be The Great Vestibule—12
interconnected galleries that trace art from 10,000
BC to the modern day. Gold death masks and wooden
figurines give way to limestone sphinxes from
Macedonia and Vincent Van Gogh’s famous Self-
Portrait (1887), before culminating in 20th and 21st-
century art, where you’ll find Jackson Pollock's
action painting, Number 26A: Black And White
(1948), and Chinese contemporary artist Ai
Weiwei’s Fountain Of Light (2016), a take
on a utopian Soviet monument.
CHANGE OF ART
Past and present collide at the Middle East’s
futuristic Louvre Abu Dhabi
The dazzling new Louvre Abu Dhabi is everything its older cousin in
Paris is not—the French Renaissance-style icon on Rue de Rivoli is
staid and imposing, while its steel-and-concrete younger counterpart
on Saadiyat Island is bold and inviting. Designed by architect Jean
Nouvel, who looked to the region’s low-lying homes for inspiration,
the complex of 55 detached buildings is laid out in an open-plan
style. As you approach, the sprawling all-white building shimmers in
the desert sun, as does its giant silver steel dome that seems to float
just above the museum—an architectural feat, considering it weighs
nearly as much as the Eiffel Tower. It’s even better inside: you get a
closer look at the cupola’s geometric design, comprising 7,850 stars,
that creates a stunning play of light as the sun shines through. If you
can tear yourself away from the jaw-dropping symmetry all around
you, here’s what you should see:

SCENE STEALERS
Louvre Abu Dhabi’s first temporary exhibition, From One Louvre To Another (till April
7, 2018), traces the 200-year-old timeline of the Musée du Louvre. The attractions
include 150 works from the museum’s early collections, as well as those from
the Chateau de Versailles, where Louis XIV displayed his art (marble sculptures,
semiprecious stone vases and assorted paintings) to reinforce the prestige of the
French monarchy. The show takes viewers from the gardens and apartments of
Versailles to the Louvre when it housed artists before it became a museum, and
finally, to the museum’s opening after the French Revolution.

TOP CHOICE
MANUEL RABATÉ, DIRECTOR, LOUVRE ABU DHABI, PICKS HIS FAVOURITE
PIECES FROM THE EXHIBITION

DIANA OF
VERSAILLES OR
BACTRIAN COMPOSITION WITH BLUE, LA BELLE ARTEMIS THE HUNTER
PRINCESS RED, YELLOW AND BLACK FERRONNIÈRE “This sculpture was a gift from
“The detail is “This 1922 [Piet] Mondrian painting is “It’s the first work by Leonardo Pope Paul IV to King Henri II
ravishing. It’s an the first-ever artwork we acquired. Da Vinci to ever come to the in 1556. It moved around a bit,
object you want to He is known for his lines, and for the Middle East. It’s an incredible but this is the first time it
hold; get close to.” simplification of his shapes.” painting; very delicate.” has ever left France.”

— NEVILLE BHANDARA

182 Travel
ELLE
 ARIES
MAR 21 – APR 21
There are indications over the next few
weeks that a project you gave a lot of
time and emotion to is nearing an end.
Let go, and keep the happy memories.
Don’t worry about having a void in
your life with nothing to fill it with;
the planets will make sure you have
no time to get bored. After the 18th,
prepare for a new chapter to begin.
TAURUS
APR 22 – MAY 22
Have you ever had an unsuitable
affair? The kind you knew would
go wrong from the get-go, but you
wanted it so badly that you were
prepared to ignore your better
judgement? Looks like you are about
to do just that. Sure, it will be sexy,
but it will be infuriating and hopeless
too. You wanted to see what it would
be like, and now you know.
GEMINI
MAY 22 – JUN 21
You and someone else are moving
in the same direction. At one stage,
you may be leading the way, while at
another, you may fall behind. But in
the end, it doesn’t matter. Somewhere
along the way, you realise that you
care for one another, and will help each
other out when needed. It’s no longer
a race. It’s a shared journey.
CANCER
JUN 22 – JUL 22
You seem to have the magic touch.
Everything you do turns out well. You
may even jump the ladder at work
simply by being loved. And though you
have real talent and a proven track
record, this favourable period will just
help consolidate your position. You are
riding a wave of popularity. Go with it.
LEO
JUL 23 – AUG 23
Take a leap into the unknown. A leap,
because if you only take one step, you
won’t really be committing yourself.
The unknown, because you tend to
Anand Chodankar
stick with what you know you can do,
and that’s not a proper showcase of
your talents. There are all sorts of
options out there; discover them.
Forecast
ELLE
rearrange your schedule, and strike a
moment, there seems to be a certain
incompatibility between your lifestyle
ASTRO
out which one means more to you. Let
BY BERNARD FITZWALTER
PISCES
FEB 19 – MAR 20
For a while, the things you had
to do to meet expectations and
the things you wanted to do
for yourself were the same. But
now, your ambition is taking
you in a different direction, so
you must gradually begin to
give up playing the role that
everyone loves to see you in.
firm hold, and stop whatever it is from
It’s not easy, but the sooner
you start, the better.
VIRGO
AUG 24 – SEP 22
How do you know if a relationship is
serious or just fleeting? Perhaps one
indicator is how you react when the affair
starts to develop problems. At the end
of February, everything was delightful.
But now, you are discovering that it’s
not going to be quite so straightforward.
Slow it down, and think it through.
LIBRA
SEP 23 – OCT 23
Work should ease up in the next
few weeks, giving you the chance to
better work-life balance. It may also
present to you the opportunity for a
promotion. But if none of this is what
you want, take a minute and look
around. It may have opened the
door that lets you escape.
SCORPIO
OCT 24 – NOV 22
Emotions cannot be measured in
financial terms. If something is
emotionally rewarding, it doesn’t
matter how much it costs. At the
and a relationship you are in. Figure
go of the other, and all will be well.
SAGITTARIUS
NOV 23 – DEC 23
If you drive fast, you have to
concentrate on the road and the
traffic. If you take your time, you
can enjoy the scenery as well. Life is
like that right now: you have time
to spare, which you may not have
later in the year. Use it to do those
things you always say you will, but
never really end up doing.
CAPRICORN
DEC 24 – JAN 20
There is an almost imperceptible
separation underway. When you
notice it, your first instinct is to get a
drifting away. But you need to fight
that urge; you are entering a new
phase in your life, and some things
will have to be left behind.
AQUARIUS
JAN 21 – FEB 18
All opportunities are made up
of a combination of both short- and
long-term factors, and they both
are now reaching the end of their
respective cycles. The chances you
will be offered in the next few weeks
will be the last of their kind. Take
them while you still can.
183
ELLE.IN
ELLE MARCH 2018

FASHION
431-88 by Shweta Kapur
431-88.com.
A Aikeyah The Claridges Hotel,
12 Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road,
New Delhi. Tel: 0 72918
25361. Anaqa Jewels 4/5
Kartar Bhavan, Arthur Bunder
Road, Colaba, Mumbai. Tel:
022 2202 0202. Anamika
Khanna The Kila, Seven
Style Mile, near Qutub Minar,
Seth Sarai, Mehrauli, New
Delhi. Tel: 0 93603 37744.
Aquazzura Aquazzura.com.
Archana Rao Archanaraolabel.
com. Ashish N Soni
Ashishnsoni.in.
B Balmain Balmain.com. BARO
12 Sun Mill Compound,
Tulsi Pipe Road, Lower Parel,
Mumbai. Tel: 022 4034 4888.
Bloni Bloni.in.
C Charles & Keith 13 Grand
Galleria, High Street Phoenix,
Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower
Parel, Mumbai. Tel: 022 2498
0106. Christian Louboutin
111 DLF Emporio, 4 Nelson
Mandela Marg, Vasant Kunj,
New Delhi. Tel 011 4101
7111. Clarks 13 Grand
Galleria, High Street Phoenix,
Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower
Parel, Mumbai. Tel: 022
6749 5061.
D Dior The Oberoi, Dr Zakir
Hussain Marg, New Delhi. Tel:
011 4615 1796. DiyaRajvvir
Azafashions.com. Dwarkadas
Chandumal Jewellers 127
Pearl Croft, Turner Road,
Bandra (W), Mumbai. Tel:
022 2655 2211.
H Hemant & Nandita E166,
Sector 7, Noida. Tel: 011
2421 4100. Hermès Bharat
Insurance Building, 15A,
Horniman Circle Garden,
Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai.
Tel: 022 2271 7400.
I Isharya Plot No. 451, 7,
Corner View, 15th Road, Pali
Village, Bandra (W), Mumbai.
Tel: 0 91670 07400.
K Kenzo Kenzo.com.
184 Address Book
ELLE
L La Perla 133 DLF Emporio, 4
Nelson Mandela Marg, Vasant
Kunj, New Delhi. Tel: 011
4656 5224. Lola by Suman B
Perniaspopupshop.com.
M Mahesh Notandass Fine
Jewellery 898 Notan Plaza,
Turner Road, Bandra (W),
Mumbai. Tel: 022 2655
9000. Massimo Dutti High
Street Phoenix, Senapati
Bapat Marg, Lower Parel,
Mumbai. Tel: 022 4347 3850.
Misho Mishodesigns.com.
N Nikita Mhaisalkar
Nikitamhaisalkar.com.
Nikhil Thampi
Azafashions.com. Nishka
Lulla Perniaspopupshop.com.
O Oceedee Shoes D-32,
second floor, DSIDC Complex,
Kirti Nagar Main Road,
Kirti Nagar, New Delhi.
Tel: 1800 121 3736.
P Payal Pratap Shop No. 3,
Main Market, Lodhi Colony,
New Delhi. Tel: 011 2463
8878. Prabal Gurung
Prabalgurung.com.
R Rajesh Pratap Singh 409
DLF Emporio, 4 Nelson
Mandela Marg, Vasant
Kunj, New Delhi. Tel: 011
4602 0959. Rimzim Dadu
A-72, Sector 2, Noida, New
Delhi. Tel: 0 99715 48014.
S Saaksha & Kinni
Perniaspopupshop.com.
Samuele Failli
Samuelefailli.com. Shahab
Durazi 29 The Arcade,
World Trade Centre, Cuffe
Parade, Mumbai. Tel: 022
6529 5895. Shop Lune
Shoplune.com. Shruti Sancheti
Shrutisancheti.com.
T The Jodi Life Thejodilife.com.
The Label Life Thelabellife.
com. The Source 29th Road,
Pali Village, Bandra (W),
Mumbai. Tel: 0 98339 92250.
Two Point Two 129E, third
floor, Shahpur Jat, New Delhi.
Tel: 0 88606 09592.
V Valentino Valentino.com.
Z Zara Palladium, High Street
Phoenix, Senapati Bapat Marg,
Lower Parel, Mumbai.
Tel: 022 4347 3850.
BEAUTY
A Adidas 537, Deepjyothi
Building, Linking Road, Khar
(W), Mumbai. Tel: 022 2649
0752. 48, Basant Lok, Vasant
Vihar, New Delhi. Tel: 011
4323 2116. Shop.adidas.co.in.
B Ban.do Bando.com. Batiste
Nykaa.com. BBLUNT At
BBLUNT salons and Westside
outlets nationwide. Tel:
022 2642 5041/0 95916
69495/011 4106 6761. Tel:
022 6702 1345/011 4087
0525/080 2658 6777. Bobbi
Brown S20 Palladium, High
Street Phoenix, Senapati
Bapat Marg, Lower Parel,
Mumbai. Tel: 022 4002
0982. 13B Select Citywalk,
Saket, New Delhi. Tel: 011
4101 8275. Burberry Ground
floor, Palladium, High Street
Phoenix, Senapati Bapat Marg,
Lower Parel, Mumbai. Tel: 022
4080 1994. DLF Emporio, 4
Nelson Mandela Marg, Vasant
Kunj, New Delhi. Tel: 011
4652 9850.
C Chanel 2 Palladium, High
Street Phoenix, Senapati Bapat
Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai.
Tel: 022 4004 8534.
D Dermalogica 314A,
Sundervila, SV Road,
Santacruz (W), Mumbai.
Tel: 022 2661 5805.
Dermalogicaindia.com. Dior
G9 Select Citywalk, Saket, New
Delhi. Tel: 011 4211 4200.
Dyson Dyson.in.
E Epique Myepique.com.
G Givenchy Dynamix Mall,
Sant Dhyaneshwar Marg,
JVPD Scheme, Vile Parle
(W), Mumbai. Tel: 022 2625
6271. Guerlain Dynamix
Mall, Sant Dhyaneshwar Marg,
JVPD Scheme, Vile Parle (W),
Mumbai. Tel: 022 2625 6271.

H Huda Beauty Nykaa.com.
J Jo Malone London Palladium,
High Street Phoenix, Senapati
Bapat Marg, Lower Parel,
Mumbai. Tel: 022 6237 5537.
L L’Oréal Paris At Shoppers Stop
outlets nationwide. Tel: 022
4249 2100/044 3008 3601.
L’Oréal Professionnel At select
salons nationwide. Tel: 022
2600 1726/011 4105 9518/0
99862 96357.
M M.A.C Ground floor, Dynamix
Mall, JVPD Scheme, Vile Parle
(W), Mumbai. Tel: 022 2670
5603. G49 Select Citywalk,
Saket, New Delhi. Tel: 0
93136 50722. Maccosmetics.
in/stores. Maybelline New
York At Shoppers Stop
outlets nationwide. Tel: 022
4249 2100/044 3008 3601.
Moroccanoil Asif The Salon,
5, Libra Tower, Hill Road,
Bandra (W), Mumbai. Tel:
0 98208 16905. Moschino
Parcos, 2 Grand Galleria, High
Street Phoenix, Senapati Bapat
Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai.
Tel: 022 3002 5123. 241 DLF
Emporio, 4 Nelson Mandela
Marg, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi.
Tel: 011 4652 9850.
N Nike Ramee Emerald-II,
Linking Road, Khar (W),
Mumbai. Tel: 022 2646 1696.
212 DLF Promenade, Nelson
Mandela Road, Vasant Kunj,
New Delhi. Tel: 011 4612
4757. NYX G27/39 Inorbit
Mall, Link Road, Malad (W).
Tel: 0 98307 82352.
Nykaa.com.
P PUMA 351, Durga Chambers,
Linking Road, Bandra
(W), Mumbai. Tel: 022
6671 0974. F 40-41 Select
Citywalk, Saket, New Delhi.
Tel: 011 4056 6907. 32
Orion Mall, Brigade Gateway,
Malleswaram, Bengaluru. Tel:
080 2268 2073. Purearth
Purearth.asia.com.
R Reebok G-49-50-51-52
Phoenix Marketcity, Lal
Bahadur Shastri Road, Kurla
(W), Mumbai. Tel: 022
2202 4250. 21 Pacific Mall,
Khyala, Subhash Nagar, New
Delhi. Tel: 011 4515 1335.
Revlon Dynamix Mall, Sant
Dhyaneshwar Marg, JVPD
Scheme, Vile Parle (W),
Mumbai. Tel: 022 2625 6271.
S Schwarzkopf Professional
At select salons nationwide.
Sebastian Professional
Jean-Claude Biguine, 11S
Palladium, High Street
Phoenix, Senapati Bapat Marg,
Lower Parel, Mumbai. Tel:
022 6511 3311. Sephora 51
Select Citywalk, Saket, New
Delhi. Tel: 011 4134 9797.
S1C Palladium, High Street
Phoenix, Senapati Bapat Marg,
Lower Parel, Mumbai. Tel: 022
4004 5180. 33-34 Phoenix
Marketcity, Pune Nagar Road,
Viman Nagar, Pune. Tel: 020
6689 0659. Speedo F10A
Skyzone, High Street Phoenix,
Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower
Parel, Mumbai. Tel: 022 4006
2820. Stylpro At Jean-Claude
Biguine Salons nationwide.
Tel: 022 6511 3311.
Tressmart.com.
T The Body Shop 14 Skyzone,
High Street Phoenix, Senapati
Bapat Marg, Lower Parel,
Mumbai. Tel: 022 6612 0071.
F10 Select Citywalk, Saket,
New Delhi Tel: 011 4053
4541. Thebodyshop.in.
W Wella At Jean-Claude Biguine
salons nationwide. Tel:
022 2643 5424/011 4609
8300/080 6664 1200.
Y Yves Rocher Dynamix Mall,
Sant Dhyaneshwar Marg,
JVPD Scheme, Vile Parle,
Mumbai. Tel: 022 2625 6271.
Yves Saint Laurent Ysl.com.
FORM IV
(See rule 8)
Statement about the ownership and
other particulars about magazine
entitled ELLE (English) as required to be
published in the first issue of every year
after the last date of February
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for Ogaan Media Pvt Ltd
Whether Citizen of India: Yes
Address: 765, Pocket - E, Mayur
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Mathur for Ogaan Media
Pvt Ltd
Whether Citizen of India: Yes
Address: 765, Pocket - E, Mayur
Vihar, Delhi - 110091
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Whether Citizen of India: Yes
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I, Takesh Mathur, hereby declare that the
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OGAAN MEDIA PVT LTD
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Date: March 31, 2018
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