AUG

2021
150

SUPERHERO, SUPERSTAR,
SUPER WOMAN

SALMA
HAYEK
 AUGUST/2021
116
THE ETERNAL OPTIMIST
At 54, Salma Hayek is playing
a menopausal hitwoman, a
Marvel superhero and the
clairvoyant who plotted the
murder of the Gucci heir. For
the Mexico-born actor, age
is a defining factor that has
only helped her grow, finds
Priyanka Khanna.
Photographed by
Jackie Nickerson
Styled by Priyanka Kapadia
and Annabelle Harron
6 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
124
LAY OF THE LAND
To channel the homeliest of
closets rooted in comfort and
craft, we look to the creative
pairing of mother-daughter duo
Gurmeet Sangha Rai and Avani
Rai at their home near Delhi.
Photographed by Avani Rai
Styled by Priyanka Kapadia
136
WOMAN, WARRIOR,
LEGEND
Dr Jane Goodall is a relentless
and tireless champion for a
conscious and better future. In
this unprecedented and cynical
age, she might be the icon we
need, finds Shahnaz Siganporia
JACKIE NICKERSON. LAMÉ SHIRT AND TROUSERS, THE VAMPIRE’S WIFE. EARRINGS, RING; BOTH POMELLATO
AU G U S T/2 0 2 1
22 Editor’s letter
23 Contributors
LOVES
25 Everything we
heart this month
SHOPS
31 Our wardrobes are
mirroring a yin-yang
approach to dressing
as masculine elements
meet feminine essentials
and genders shed their
roles. If you’re tired
of round-the-clock
pyjama sets, swap
them for kurtas and
shirts or co-ords that
double up as elevated
loungewear. Then, meet
the new neutrals: khaki,
military, moss, and olive.
And when it comes to
8 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
COVER LOOK
‘Plissé’ one-shoulder gown, Gucci. Earrings, Boucheron. ‘Jacket’
ring, Annoushka. Hair: Samantha Hillerby. Makeup: Nikki Wolff.
Production: Farago Projects. Photographed by Jackie Nickerson.
Styled by Priyanka Kapadia and Annabelle Harron
31
rounds up the trusty power,” says fashion 112 Good old days a mission to win gold 160 It’s raining
timepieces to invest in visionary and author If you’re looking to for India at the Tokyo health
right now. By Rishna Norma Kamali ‘cheat’ your body Paralympics, finds The monsoon always
NEW CODES Shah clock, longevity expert Sheree Gomes Gupta comes with its share
106 This is me Dr Gil Blander may of dos and don’ts.
BEAUTY Academy Award have some answers. By LIVING Ayurvedic chef Radhi
96 The 50s club winner Kate Winslet on Sheree Gomes Gupta 150 Mind space Devlukia-Shetty shares
What does it mean to appreciating your face, Yoga proponent and tips for adapting your
wedding ornaments, 60 A road not their philosophies and minimalism, says be fifty? For these four the changing shape of CULTURE wellness practitioner eating habits to the
the key to a magnificent travelled the active-wear that Navaz Batliwalla powerful, beautiful and your hands and neck 140 Beat the band Mini Shastri’s Delhi season
piece is one that you Last year, H&M takes them through eloquent women, this as you grow older. Meet five women of farmhouse is designed
can wear long after the announced its first- their post-lockdown 80 Happy place decade is a celebration By Sneha Mankani South Asian origin who to keep up with her 161 In bloom
big day ever Indian designer workouts and lives. By Only good things of every grey hair, every have carved a space holistic life, says Gulmarg’s appeal
collaboration with Priyanka Khanna can happen when stretch mark, each 109 On a fresh note for themselves in New Preetika Mathew among skiing
STYLE Sabyasachi Mukherjee. Bollywood actor mistake and life lesson. Perfumer Christine York’s music industry, enthusiasts is well-
52 A wardrobe for The collection promised 72 This day and age Deepika Padukone By Aditi Bhimjyani Nagel tells us about By Keshia Hannam 154 Ever tried a known. This summer,
the ages his signature nomadic In an era of uncertainty, plays muse to Swiss the brand new, playful brain vacation? explore its verdant
Four designers discuss vibe at price points that maturity—and the watchmaker Chopard. 101 Oh, Christy! iteration of the Hermès 146 How we rise Creatives across India charms with The
why a conversation were more accessible. knowledge and Rishna Shah speaks to Christy Turlington Burns Twilly fragrance family. They shattered glass are opting for holidays Khyber Himalayan
around clothing across But then the pandemic assuredness that come the woman of the hour reminds us that natural By Avanti Dalal ceilings, challenged that can juice up tired Resort & Spa. By
age groups is one that the hit. Over a year later, with it—has become beauty is always better the boys’ clubs and batteries and reset the Neeti Mehra
industry should be having. as our need to escape something to celebrate, 82 New crop 110 Prime time held their own. Fifty- brain. Megha Mahindru
By Priyanka Khanna reaches its zenith, this not camouflage. Yes, These are the Indian 102 What’s age got There might not be something and thriving, finds out more about 162 Diary
VIVEK VADOLIYA. JACKET, SKIRT; BOTH DIOR
same line finally sees says Harriet Quick, even models on the to do with it? a miracle cream, a Aruna Jayanthi, Vani the trend of rewiring
58 Ten fall things to its way to stores. By in fashion international fashion Makeup doesn’t come magic elixir or a quick- Kola and Falguni Nayar with wanderlust 164 Shoplist
fall for Priyanka Khanna map. By Akanksha with an age limit. Sneha fix product that will tell Gayatri Rangachari
The boldest of buckles 76 The new Kamath Mankani explores the stop time in its tracks, Shah how they made it 158 Go on, rub it in PS
and the bluest of blues 66 Fit for life minimalists ways to fight the fear but diversifying your Sonal Ved picks nine 166 About time
round up our pick These sartorially savvy A gentle optimism and 88 Time to buy diet and plenty of 148 Shooting star spices from different Author and columnist
of the season’s most fitness experts and a focus on enduring Whether you’re a first- 104 No, I don’t want sleep can help the Para shooter Avani parts of India and the Shobhaa De writes on
envy-inducing bits. By entrepreneurs from personal style are timer or a seasoned to age gracefully... years go by slower. Lekhara has battled ways they can notch up how to live your best
Shalini Shah across the globe share driving a new era of collector, Vogue India ...I want to age with By Avanti Dalal adversity and is now on the cooking experience life at any age
www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 9
 PRIYA TANNA ARJUN MEHRA
CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
PUBLISHER Dilshad Arora Published By Condé Nast
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12 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in

EDITOR’S LETTER CONTRIBUTORS

JAC K I E N IC K E RS O N
Nickerson is an American-born British
photographer and filmmaker who
lives in rural Ireland. In the 1990s,
she lived in Zimbabwe where she
produced her first photo book, Farm.
In October, Kerber will publish her
next title, Field Test, which deals with
isolation. In ‘The eternal optimist’, she
photographs cover star Salma Hayek,
bringing the actor’s charisma and star
power alive on the page. Page 116
RA D H I D E V L U K I A-
S H E T TY
Devlukia-Shetty, who splits
her time between London and
Los Angeles, is a plant-based
recipe developer and fitness
and well-being enthusiast
with a following of 1.3 million
on Instagram. In ‘It’s raining
health’, she shares tips to
adapt your eating habits to
the monsoon. Page 160

T
Get to know...
Our contributors from the August issue
The thing with real superstars, the ones that dazzle the red carpet as much as they light up the screen, is that they evoke one of two
responses: you’re either in complete awe of everything they stand for or you secretly wish you could befriend them, look through AVA N I RA I
the enigma and know everything because you’re attracted to them way beyond their appearances and on-screen roles. A photographer and filmmaker based
Salma Hayek has been the latter for me all my life. (Julianne Moore and Meryl Streep are the others I’d put on this same out of Mumbai, Rai photographs her
pedestal.) An actor, producer, director, activist and serial philanthropist, Hayek is that trailblazing force who, through her film mother Gurmeet Rai in ‘Lay of the land’.
Rai has been documenting the daily life
career, has fought ethnic typecasting and left fame in Mexico to make it on her own terms in Hollywood. Loud and commanding, of common people and, over time, has
bold and irrepressible, you remember her as much as you remember her path-breaking roles: the lead with knitted eyebrows in covered issues such as the continuing
Frida, the one who stole the limelight from Antonio Banderas in Desperado and the actor who stood her ground against heavy- impact of the Bhopal gas tragedy,
weights like Will Smith, Matt Damon and Russell Crowe over the course of her filmography. the human landscape in Kashmir and
Off-script too she remains equally powerful. A fiercely feminine feminist and a crusader against violence against women, you the Chennai water crisis. Page 124
admire her for her life choices, her pro-feminist stance and the charities she’s worked with tirelessly. All this goes to show that she’s
not just a big-ticket actor but a cultural icon too, making it a huge personal coup to get her on the cover of Vogue India.
Simultaneously, I realise that our August issues have become seminal in their own way. In year one, we called it our ‘Beauty and
Age’ issue but transitioned quickly to our ‘Ageless’ issue as we realised that age is a non-existent concept in determining anything
about a woman. In this edition, we celebrate many such women who show us that measures like age are just an illusion. In our
Beauty section, there’s Kate Winslet, fresh off the success of Mare Of Easttown, talking about why she refuses to be photoshopped in
this age of filters. There’s also our gallery of women who make 50 seem fabulous. For our fashion pages, we commissioned photogra-
pher Avani Rai to capture her mother, the restoration architect Gurmeet Sangha Rai, in this season’s contemporary Indian labels. In
JACKIE NICKERSON

our Style section, we asked four designers to talk about their age-defying quartet of muses, while in Living, we asked yoga proponent
Mini Shastri to take us into her holistic life. Don’t miss our interview with Dr Jane Goodall, who, at 87, remains the hope for a better
future. These women and their stories are what Vogue India today stands for—they showcase the power of being real and limitless.
FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER
@PRIYATANNA AND INSTAGRAM
@PRIYA_TANNA OR EMAIL ME AT
LETTERS@VOGUE.IN
SA B R E E N JA F RY V I V E K VA D O L I YA
Based in Brooklyn, Jafry started photographing A British-Indian photographer currently based in
at the age of nine. She relishes chronicling London, Vadoliya uses documentary techniques
moments that seem ordinary but tell a beautiful to create fashion and portraiture. In ‘New codes’, he
tale. In ‘Beat the band’, she captures the collaborates with non-binary model Priscilla Cheseaux
unprecedented power of the South Asian women to create a vibrant photo narrative that amalgamates
leading New York’s music scene. Page 140 masculine vibes with feminine energy. Page 31

www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 23

 LOVES
WHAT WE HEART THIS MONTH

‘Coussin PM’
handbag, Louis
Vuitton,
2,33,000

Strap in
Jennifer Aniston, Selena
Gomez and Dua Lipa are
all fans of the ‘Coussin
Be a part of Vogue’s “It” list of the best curated wedding professionals through PM’ bag by Louis Vuitton.
In colours good enough
to eat, it’s the treat we’ve
been craving

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ERRIKOS ANDREOU

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www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 25
 LOVES

Y 2 K : BEY O ND R ET R O

THE MUSE:
Twenty years after 2000, we’re ready to revisit the BLO CK
trends that began during the dot-com boom. Here’s how
The era’s to wear them in 2021 PAR T Y
poster children Reinventing William
were Paris Morris’s iconic designs
Hilton, Britney in block prints from
Spears and, at THE LABELS BRINGING IT BACK: 1
India, Priya Sundram
home, Kareena and Nia Thandapani’s
Kapoor Khan’s 1. Who: Rouje 2 Studio Carrom brings
‘Poo’ in Kabhi Vogue loves: Halter together the work
Khushi Kabhie Paris Hilton Kareena tops that would make of eight South Asian
Britney
Gham (2001). Kapoor Khan Spears Paris Hilton proud. artists to lend a new
Instagram.com/rouje perspective. ART: Tate Archive Is 50 will be on display
On view at London’s till September to celebrate 50 years of the
2. Who: Arizona Love William Morris Gallery historic art archive. Tate.org.uk
Vogue loves: Upcycled till September 19
scarf floaters.
JACQUEMUS

Instagram.com/
LAQUAN SMITH

3 FILM: A film
arizona.l.o.v.e
set in a virtual
3. Who: Maisie Schloss world, Free
Vogue loves: Mini Guy, starring
dresses, tanks and Ryan Reynolds,
tube tops.
NO W is an action-
Instagram.com/maisie_
4
O PE NI NG comedy set
wilen to release on
Raffles, Udaipur, the first August 13.
4. Who: By Far Indian outpost of the Hotstar.com
Vogue loves: Little iconic hospitality group
bags to tuck under launches in the lake city
your arms. this month. Located on
Instagram.com/byfar_
5
a private island in the C UL TURE
official middle of Udai Sagar C AL ENDAR
Lake, with 101 luxurious
THE LOOK: suites, the property will
5. Who: The Mannei
Vogue loves: also debut Singapore’s
Baguette bags favourite Long Bar, with
BLUMARINE

tucked under arms, Supermodel-approved BOOK: A God

miniskirts and its own spin on cocktails, At The Door by
low-waist miniskirts, such as the Udaipur Sling.
flared trousers, flat- baggy jeans. Tishani Doshi
Instagram.com/ Raffles.com (Bloodaxe Books)
forms and floaters,
crochet, and pink— themannei A collection of
6 poems powerful
nostalgia is in the air
6. Who: BonBonWhims enough to
Vogue loves: Candy- comfort and
coloured rings. T ALL confront
NOW: Instagram.com/ O R D E R
thebonbonwhimsclub
Trending in 2021 With nods from brands like
TV: Starring the brilliant Sandra Oh, The
COURTESY TATE ARCHIVE; INDIGITAL MEDIA; GETTY IMAGES

7. Who: Lazy Objects 7 Dior, Bouchra Boudoua’s

Vogue loves: The freehand brushstrokes on Chair is a dramedy surrounding the chair
Bella beaded phone elegant terracotta bowls have of a prominent university. It releases on
Hadid charm strings. enlivened many dinner tables August 27. Netflix.com
Janhvi
Kapoor Instagram.com/ around the world. Colourful and
Paloma lazyobjects 8 covetable, the Moroccan artist’s
Elsesser newest range of summer fruit
8. Who: Little plates come with her signature
Irina Scrunchies geometric patterns in colour-
Hailey
Shayk Vogue loves: For a Sex blocked hues that can make
Bieber And The City revival. any spread picture-worthy.
Instagram.com/ Bouchraboudoua.com
littlescrunchies

26 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 27
 Summoning all jewellery lovers! It's diamond's day out, SABYASACHI
VALÉRIE MESSIKA
MUKHERJEE
as we bring together a sparkling list of experts and Fashion &
Founder & Artistic Director,
Messika
industry insiders to shine a light on all things jewellery Jewellery Designer

LUCIA SILVESTRI
DR AMIN JAFFER
Creative Director,
Author & Curator
X Bvlgari Jewellery

DIAMOND
FESTI AL
T H E O N L I N E E D I T
FRANCESCA
GAURAV GUPTA
CARTIER BRICKELL
Fashion &
Bestselling Author,
WHAT: Discover what’s trending, meet the designers to the royals, get a crash course Jewellery Designer
‘The Cartiers’
in shopping diamonds, and more, at the first of its kind—Vogue x NDC Diamond Festival—
that’s all set to celebrate the exciting world of natural diamonds and fine jewellery
WHERE: www.vogue.in/diamond-jewellery-festival

MIRA RAJPUT HAMISH BOWLES

KAPOOR International Editor
Celebrity Influencer at Large, US Vogue

20 & 21 AUGUST

AND MANY MORE

For more information, log on to @vogueindia

and @onlynaturaldiamonds_in on Instagram
 SHOPS
EDITED BY PRIYANKA KAPADIA

Top, jacket, jeans; all

Hermès. Earrings, Misho
Designs. Ring, Conor
Joseph. Shoes, Grenson

T RE N D

New codes
Our wardrobes are mirroring
a yin and yang approach to
dressing as masculine elements
meet feminine essentials and
genders shed their roles

Photographed by VIVEK VADOLIYA

Styled by NAHEED DRIVER

BEIJING ISTAN BU L KUALA LUMPUR MOSCOW PORTO R I YA D H

www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 31

TREND Blazer, dress; both
Gucci. Earrings,
Misho Designs

THE LOUCHE BLAZER

The ’80s-inspired supersized
blazer is back and it’s bringing
a cape-like quality to
pussy-bow dresses

THE BIKER JACKET

Dark florals for autumn,
but make it punk

Jacket, hoodie,
bralet, skirt; all
Celine
5
4
1. ‘Judith’ floral midi dress, Altuzarra, 1,28,104 2. ‘Trail-blazer’, URA,
24,900 3. ‘Mini Saddle Bag’, Dior, price on request 4. Brushed leather mules,
Prada, price on request 5. ‘The Trailblazer’ earrings, Alighieri, 28,835

32 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in

 TREND

THE CASUAL JACKET

A khaki jacket lends
seriousness to a denim skirt
and barely-there camisole

THE PATTERN
3
Pair lace with 2
man-style trousers
in checks. Cinch the
waist with a
hardware belt

Blouse, trousers, belt,

boots; all Dsquared2.
Blazer, camisole, skirt; Ring, Emefa Cole
all Dries Van Noten.
Necklaces, Conor
Joseph. Shoes, Tod’s
5

1. Cashmere and silk cardigan, Miu

Miu, price on request 2. Earrings,
Metta- Heirlooms, price on request
3. Lace camisole, Loewe, 76,900
4. Checked straight-leg trousers, Saint
Laurent, price on request 5. Belt,
Khaite, 46,000 6. Sandals, Jimmy
Choo, price on request

www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 35

 TREND
Dress, belt, shoes;
all Tod’s. Rings,
Misho Designs

THE WAISTCOAT Shirt, waistcoat, Hair: David Wadlow/Frank

shorts, boots, Agency
necklace; all Makeup: Kim Kiefer/Frank
No longer a men’s staple, the Agency
Saint Laurent by
waistcoat cohabits a softer Anthony Vaccarello Assistant stylists: Keeley
personality when worn over a Dawson; Amy Sweeney
feminine shirt Lighting assistants: Conor
Clarke; Abena Appiah
Darkroom: Sarah England
Film lab: Labyrinth
Photographic
Production: artProduction
Set design: Andrew
Lim-Clarkson/Bryant Artists
1 Casting: IM Casting
Talent: Priscilla Cheseaux/
Model 1
Visual and bookings editor:
Jay Modi

1. Double-breasted sleeveless
jacket, Fendi, 1,12,480
2. V-neck waistcoat, Philosophy
di Lorenzo Serafini, 17,168
3. Patchwork vest, Dolce &
Gabbana, 71,808
THE ACCESSORIES
Give your dress a dose of
1 ungendered accessories

2 4
3
EMPORIO ARMANI

CHANEL
ETRO

1. Utility cross-body bag, Louis Vuitton, 2,18,300 2. Women’s sandals with double G, Gucci, 81,400
3. Denim bucket hat, Celine, price on request 4. Curb chain necklace, Saint Laurent, 74,000

36 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 37
TREND

Earth
friendly
Tea tones and tan-tinted
pieces are the canvas to
branch out on

Shirt, shorts;
both Fendi.
Earrings, Misho
Designs
2 1

Shades of
BLUE
431-88 BY SHWETA KAPUR

WATCH : ES5087
ANTAR-AGNI

1. Full rim square sunglasses, Alexander McQueen, 20,144 2. Draped camisole

BURBERRY

silk top, Vince, 20,500 3. Stamford wool gabardine pants, Ralph Lauren,
84,505 4. Gold hoops, Mirayah, price on request 5. Belted linen-blend midi shirt Shop the latest collection
dress, Loewe, 1,49,600 6. Logo print leather sandals, Burberry, price on request
on FOSSIL.IN

38 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in

 HOMEGROWN

DEME BY GABRIELLA
Cotton twill
relaxed shirt
and pants, 1101
- Eleven.O.One,
3,000

Handwoven
co-ord set,
TwoFold Store,
7,800
431-88 BY SHWETA KAPUR

ANAMIKA KHANNA
Floral kurta and
pants, KoAi,

KSHITIJ JALORI
18,000

Lady of
leisure
ATSU

Tired of round-the-clock
pyjama sets? Swap them
for kurta and shirt
WEAR WITH
co-ords that double up as
elevated loungewear for Signet rings
the house and beyond 2
1 4
THE SUMMER HOUSE

3
Green floral
tunic, VIAM,
7,920

1. Star signet ring, Raf the Label, 17,200 2. Signet ring, Misho, 8,000 3. ‘Catch The Sun’ ring, Erd, 19,800 4. Heart signet ring, Myrha by Rhea, 800
5. Enamel signet ring with diamond initial, Tara Fine Jewellery, price on request

40 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 41
HIGH-STREET

Green screen
Khaki, military, moss or olive—darker
shades of green are the new neutrals

1. ‘Remedy’ bag, Kate Spade,

16,900 2. Oversized velvet scrunchie,
Nykaa Fashion, 580 3. Long chino
shorts, Marks & Spencer, 2,999
4. Sequinned cotton shirt, Desigual,
5,930 5. Cupro skirt with knot detail,
Massimo Dutti, 4,058 6. Linen belted
dress, Uniqlo, 1,990 7. Peplum puff-
sleeve top, Ted Baker, 9,250

CHLOÉ
8. High-waisted cotton trousers, United
Colors of Benetton, price on request
9. Linen tee wrap dress, Ralph Lauren,
18,050 10. Collared parka, H&M, price
on request 11. Hooded dress, Zara,
5,490 12. Strappy block-heeled sandals,
Sneak-a-Peek from www.ajio.com, 989

PAIR WITH LILAC

SIMONE ROCHA

The delectable shade gets

BALMAIN
a wild-card entry into the jungle

CHANEL

DIOR
2
4
6
8 1
1 3
10

1. Studiowest nail colour, Westside,

5 12 95 2. Pleated volume bag, Mango,
3
3,590 3. Vogue Eyewear ‘Marbella’
lilac sunglasses, Luxotica, price on
request 4. ‘ZoomX Invincible Run
INDIGITAL MEDIA

11 Flyknit’, Nike, 16,595 5. Canvas

ruched crossover sandals, Charles
9 & Keith, 6,499

42 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 43
 Gifts &
Designers Accessories Hotels

Explore the
world of weddings
with Vogue
Jewellery
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The Virtual Edit
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 BRIDAL & MENSWEAR HOTELS
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WEDDING SERVICES Log in Now !

CREATIVE CUISINE INC STORIES BY JOSEPH RADHIK
www.weddingshow.vogue.in
DEVIKA NARAIN & COMPANY THE PROPOSAL
E - FACTOR THE WEDDING FILMER MARCH - AUGUST
Names in alphabetical order
DISCLAIMER: CONFIRMED BRANDS AS ON DATE. SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
JEWELLERY

6
1
5
SHOW-STOPPERS
These impressive pieces are
for the shy ones who house an
audacious heart that glimmers
1. Brilliant-cut diamonds, emeralds, corals,
blue sapphires and pearls set in 18K gold
statement choker, Sabyasachi Jewellery X
Bergdorf Goodman 2. Statement earrings,

E TIP
Aurus 3. ‘Alexandra’ ring, Marlo Laz
STYLzling red lookour 2
4. Diamond cuff, Jaipur Gems 5. Maang
tikka, Hazoorilal Legacy, South Extension
daz , let y
For a edding alking.
6. Haathphool, Sunita Shekhawat Jaipur
ou r w 7. Diamond hoop earrings, Goenka India
for y ry do the t t and 8. Earrings, Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas
e h
jewell lehenga lig nt Jaipur 9. Neck-piece, House of MBj
th e tem e
Keep with s
ta
pair it es instead
piec

3
ANITA DONGRE

ANJUL BHANDARI

JADE BY MONICA AND KARISHMA

STY

Beyond bridal An in LE TI

swee
tr
neck epidly de
allow
s for
when ping canv a
it com as
P
ep

When it comes to your wedding 8 sump

tuou es to a
s
ornaments, you want nothing but the best. neck ly bold
lace
However, the key to a magnificent piece
is that you can wear it even after the big
day. By Priyanka Parkash

9
RAW MANGO

48 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 49
JEWELLERY 2
2

4
3
3

GO-TO CLASSICS
An intimate celebration calls
PARTY STARTERS
for a sari carried with distinctly
refined pieces that ceaselessly The cocktail party demands
inspire generations tremendous levels of glamour
1. Ring, Tanishq 2. Diamond necklace, Anmol without jeopardising ebullience
Jewellers 3. Diamond earrings, H.Ajoomal
4. Diamond bangle, Buccellati 5. Diamond 1. Lariat necklace, Occasions Fine
stud earrings, Ratan Jewellers 6. Diamonds Jewellery 2. Emerald and diamond
set in white gold cuff, Hazoorilal by Sandeep
1
earrings, Renu Oberoi Luxury
Narang 7. Diamond ring, Reliance Jewels Jewellery 3. Ring, Fred Leighton
4. Diamond ring, Forevermark
Diamonds 5. ‘Unspoken Allure’
earrings, Zoya - A Tata Product

FALGUNI SHANE PEACOCK

4 6. Statement earrings, Hanut
Singh 7. Emerald and diamond
bracelet, Bulgari 8. Choker, Rose
TARUN TAHILIANI

5
ST
A spl YLE T
5 is an endid cre IP
exem am s
when plary ca ari
show it comes nvas
ing o to
ff
jewe classic

GAURAV GUPTA
ls

6
MANISH MALHOTRA

IP
LE T
6
STYng glam? Aenga or 7
Goi ory leh e. Pair
iv as
inned ess b t
sequ s a flawl ieces tha
w n i vid p pop
go th vi for a
7 it wi brighter r 8
u
shine of colo

50 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 51
 STYLE
EDITED BY PRIYANKA KHANNA

I NSP I R AT ION

A wardrobe for
the ages MASABA GUPTA,
House of Masaba
Why is the mature woman’s closet often given very little Muse: Neena
attention? Four designers discuss why a conversation around Gupta, 62, actor
clothing across age groups is one that the industry should be
Masaba Gupta has been a
having. By Priyanka Khanna forerunner in the movement of

I
creating inclusive campaigns,
ensuring that her brand’s
n the interest of full disclosure, the idea for this story came from my communication cuts through
mother. It’s the result of having two daughters who are deeply en- any barriers. Her latest focus on
trenched in the fashion industry. Her constant refrain (read: complaint) athleisure shows Masaba and
when we would listen, was that after a certain age, the lack of sartorially- her mother, 62-year-old actor
forward clothing options is incredibly frustrating. Neena Gupta, rocking a street-
“The way I see it, either we are ignored completely or are offered a frumpy, inspired look. “Our older clients
shapeless kurta or the sari. And even if designers are creating chic separates for are the ones who keep the
brand,” she says. “They actually
women post their fifties, I wouldn’t know where to find them,” she’s been
drive a lot of the innovation.
known to say, often.
None of our older clients are
For decades, the fashion industry in India and abroad has been guilty of willing to be uncomfortable.
relegating women of a certain age to an afterthought. Last year, the Interna- The reservations usually are
tional Longevity Center found that disregarding the disposable income of older that there are certain parts of
generations could cost the fashion and beauty industry more than £11 billion their body that they don’t want
over the next two decades. to show.” The palazzos and
Having said that, the democratic nature of social media has seen the rise of the tunics, she says, are the biggest
mature influencer: women like Iris Apfel and Maye Musk have been especially hits, extending to oversized
visible, while magazines and blogs have become a lot more mindful of represent- shirts, basic wrap shirts, and
ing the older generation. Across campaigns and fashion shows, there’s been a
longer tops. The tracksuits, as
pictured here—easy to lounge
move for a more age-diverse focus, with Phoebe Philo leading the way by having
in or go for a walk or grab
Joan Didion starring in her Céline campaign in 2015; the Bottega Veneta 50th coffee in—had quite a few
anniversary show closed with Lauren Hutton; and closer home, Anamika Khan- takers. “As creators, we often
na used a silver-haired beauty to showcase the street-influenced AK-OK. forget that style for a brand
But the fact remains that we are still a long way off from recognising this should be timeless. It should be
group and its sartorial needs. Why should they be an afterthought? Why can’t ageless. We cater to a 20-year-
the season’s trends and moods be offered in a range of silhouettes and separates old and to a 60-year-old and
across age demographics? Why can’t campaign visuals and brand stories high- we take pride in that. The best
light this demographic? part is that when a mum and
And so, I decided to listen to my mother. I reached out to four women design- daughter walk in, they can
share that very same garment.
ers, each with different aesthetics, and asked them to showcase pieces from their
One thing that I hear my mum
collection that represent a sartorially forward older woman. Interestingly, most
say constantly is, ‘I don’t want
of them decided to show these styles on their mothers—a possible consequence to be in something where I look Masaba and
of pandemic living, or maybe they too have dealt with the same complaints my like a sack. But at the same Neena Gupta
sister and I did. The result in the following pages shows that there is a large gap wearing House of
time, it should be breathable.’ Masaba tracksuits
in the market, both in serving the interests of this audience and also in a label’s That’s something I have always
communication. kept in mind.” >

52 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 53
INSPIRATION
Designer Eka Singh
and her muse
choose organza
dresses as a form
of self expression

Shweta Kapur,
431-88 Mother Seema
Kapur and
Muse: Seema designer Shweta
Kapur tilt towards
Kapur, 56, CEO, tailored classics

431-88
Mixing business and family
is a daily occurrence for
Shweta Kapur and her
mother Seema, who is the
CEO of Kapur’s label 431-88.
“We tend to have discussions
on which style would suit
which age group and make
it work for both. There are
always healthy debates on
each piece before we launch
a collection, where she asks
me to tweak a few things
so that women her age can
easily buy it. Both of us feel
that a woman should be able
to pick up a garment from
the rack without having to
change the design to suit
her needs.” Both mother and
daughter are big proponents
of the classics, boxy silk
shirts, and the black sari.
Their criteria for clothes are
that they should take them
from 9am to 9pm without
getting wrinkled, can be
styled easily and which can
weather external elements,
such as their dogs. “The most
common ask from them is
that they want something
that suits their age, but at
the same time, does not
make them look frumpy.
They come to us looking for
tailored pieces which don’t
add volume, show too much
skin, and at the same time
have just a hint of bling. I’ve
also found that as women
Rina Singh, Eká
AMALAN BORA; MAKEUP: LEEVIEW BISWAS (RINA)
grow older, they start
experimenting more with
colour. Older women are the
Muse: Rabab Lohit, 61, traveller
biggest spenders in our client
“When I started designing the Eká collections, I never thought of the age group as a defining factor. I was exploring newer shapes,
base. They know exactly
forms and clothes that are as relevant in India as they are anywhere else in the world. I wanted to catch the attention of the woman
what they want and what
that was free from the social connotations attached with clothing as they get older,” says Singh, describing her label as soulful,
looks good on them.”
lived-in clothing. In India, she says, most women start wearing saris or kurtas, which are limiting in terms of sartorial expression. So
she lent her focus to easy clothing that could be interpreted by layering, and different pairings with specially developed textiles in
natural fabrics. “They are very sure of their bodies and are easy to work with. I’ve found that once they’ve bought a style they stick
to it for a few seasons and then add to it.” Case in point, the feminine organza dresses that were shot on Rabab and Singh. >

54 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 55
INSPIRATION
URVASHI KAUR
Muse: Anupama Singh, 71, artist and product designer PROMISES IN PARADISE
If you’re planning an ultra-luxurious destination wedding, The Nautilus invites you to exchange
“We’re currently in France and I don’t have access to my wardrobe. So, funnily enough, I ended up experimenting with my mum’s latest
purchases from the label for myself,” says Urvashi Kaur, only emphasising the ageless quality of her designs. “My mum is wearing some
your vows in paradise amidst the untouched shores of the island’s turquoise waters for a wedding
of her favourites that she never travels without—a shibori printed Array jacket, the relaxed Nova top in textured cotton and handwoven that is nothing short of magic
khadi pants.” It’s Kaur’s easy aesthetic, her focus on the hand-crafted and her preference for breathable fabrics that translates across
generations. “Our older clients are quite experimental and often open to more contemporary styles that we do. Perhaps that comes from
growing comfortable in their own skin and having a better understanding of their sense of style and aesthetic.” The most popular items
are the Array jacket (as seen on her mother, for easy layers), Terra oversized shirt and the Dash blazer. “A lot of women like to buy our
crop tops and style them as blouses for saris,” Kaur notes. “We are often led to believe that fashion should be ‘age-appropriate’. To me,
fashion is ageless. How old or young someone is shouldn’t define how they wish to dress.” n
Urvashi Kaur and
Anupama Singh
find notions of
‘age-appropriate’
dressing limiting
White sand beaches, crystal clear lagoons,
and towering palm trees against a scenic
backdrop...it’s no wonder that for those
looking to tie the knot, Maldives is the ultimate
wedding destination. Immersed in the raw
beauty of Baa Atoll in the middle of the
UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve and
renowned Hanifaru Bay is an ultra-luxury
island resort—The Nautilus.
Not only is the private island resort
the perfect destination for your nuptial
celebration, but it also specialises in curating
personalised experiences that cater to your
every whim. To get married at The Nautilus is
to indulge in aristocratic luxury, revealed in the
details and skillful gestures of the dedicated
team at the island—think intimate dinners with
your inner circle, or an exuberant celebration
with the whole clan. Right from the arrival of
your guests to the time they bid adieu, the
56 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
pre-curated package includes sundowners,
expert mehendi artists for the bride, sangeet
and cocktails with a live band and of course,
the wedding itself with post-ceremony
shenanigans tailored to your liking. Whether
it’s a small celebration or a large wedding
party, The Nautilus is the ultimate place to
embark on the journey of a lifetime.
With 26 immensely private beach
and overwater houses, each with its own
temperature-controlled infinity pool, the island
resort is also great for free-spirited adventures,
family getaways, or vow renewals. Boasting
their savoir-faire for all things extravagant, the
island houses three gourmet restaurants that
promise to craft a bespoke culinary journey
for you. Really, there are no rules—eat when
you’re hungry, have breakfast for dinner or
freshly caught seafood for brunch—with no
opening or closing hours, you can bask in a
shared passion for extraordinary cuisine with
the guidance of world class chefs, making
your momentous celebrations just that much
sweeter.
For the newlyweds or couples looking for
a romantic getaway, the bohemian paradise
offers a tailored spa journey for two—
complete with a private film screening under
the stars. For those looking to indulge in true
island living, extended stays of over seven
days are accompanied by guided house reef
snorkelling, private yoga sessions, and bespoke
cocktail experiences on your house deck. From
an entire private island to far-flung sandbanks
in the middle of the Indian Ocean, The
Nautilus is the perfect setting for whatever you
have planned for your days of celebration.
Begin crafting your Nautilus love story.
For more information, visit
Thenautilusmaldives.com or contact
hello@thenautilusmaldives.com
TREND

10 fall things
to fall for
The boldest of buckles and the bluest of blues
round up our pick of the season’s most envy-
inducing bits. By Shalini Shah

SAINT LAURENT
7. Location
is king
Speaking to Mark
LOUIS VUITTON

Holgate of Vogue
Runway while
previewing his
STELLA MCCARTNEY

collection, Anthony
Vaccarello apparently

KSHITIJ JALORI
said, “It’s the idea of
a girl in a landscape
where she doesn’t
2. Cuddles 6. A belong. I knew I
wanted a wintery
and chiffon Mexican location, one which
BALENCIAGA

BODICE
At the Denon wing of showed how strong
melange

RAF SIMONS
1. Feeling
EMILIO PUCCI
the Louvre in Paris, nature is; how we are
PRADA

Nicolas Ghesquière American painter, really nothing next to it,

(this) blue at Louis Vuitton sculptor and how ephemeral we are.
Stella McCartney shot
her autumn/winter
showcased a collection
designed with Italian
printmaker Ellsworth
Kelly was legendary
It’s not a place where
anyone is going skiing,
8. The shirts
2021-22 collection atelier Fornasetti. 3. Bye, bye for his use of colour, but Saint Laurent on our backs 10. XL
against the cream-
beige walls of the Tate
In a season where
movement formed the buttons 4. A wrinkle relying on swathes of
pure colour to do the
should do something
that’s like a dream:
The season’s enviable
topwear options came sleeves
Modern in London and crux of several shows— With Raf Simons and for this time 5. Second talking the way few What the F?! Why via Ruchika Sachdeva of Speaking of Raf

LOEWE
gave us the season’s Kenzo, Dries Van Noten Miuccia Prada at the After more than a artists did. Combining is she there?” As the Bodice. The grand finale Simons, knit sleeves of
most enlivening colour et al—Ghesquière’s creative helm, great year spent in all-you- skin’s in the colourblocking that Saint Laurent models designer of the phygital decades past, victims of
palette. While the vision combined things are expected can-fit Pangaia, we’re No piece beats the characterised Kelly’s decked in a fabulous edition of the combined tugging and stretching
diagonally draped hard and soft, tough from Prada every time. cautiously eyeing a bodysuit as autumn’s works with motifs of ’80s palette of moss FDCI X Lakmé Fashion 9. Buckles to accommodate our
dresses (in fuchsia and and tulle, like sporty This autumn, we’re return to more put- layering hero. While flora and fauna drawn green, cobalt blue, Week 2021 put out At Loewe, Jonathan unconscious yearning
ruby red) and all-over bombers and parkas thrilled at the idea of together pursuits. Rip the season’s offerings from a Mexican garden gold and purple (fake louche versions offset Anderson’s mood for for warmth and
sequinned op-art paired with soft, sheer strutting around as Van Winkle is opening were many—Tom is Kshitij Jalori’s new fur, metallic leather by the deliberateness of good old-fashioned fun comfort, breathed a
jumpsuit were fly, skirts. The opening look fancy burritos in the our eyes to a new Ford, Prada, Marine collection, Kellee. Otomi et al) trod decidedly contrast piping at the manifested in the form sigh of relief thanks to
what particularly stood paired a foil-line parka label’s double-sided reality. A good thing Serre and Givenchy, embroidery, which has haunting, unfriendly collars and plackets. of buckles that looked his recognition of our
out was the Klein- with a powder-blue wraps. Sequinned on to own? A Balenciaga among others—we’re its origins in central but breathtaking The cream-and-ice- like they got the Pym needs. At the designer’s
blue spiky flares and tulle skirt that almost one side and lined with trench coat in blue, the taken with the rather Mexico, too, has been landscapes in metal- blue version paired Particle treatment. eponymous label,
hoodie—very Shape looked like a wave that faux fur on the other, right amount of finesse delicious appeal reinterpreted, and tipped pumps, our with relaxed pleated Pleating fabric across sleeves large enough
INDIGITAL MEDIA

Of Water (2017) but had broken onshore, and this demands a quiet with can’t-be-bothered- of the Pucci version. we’re dreaming of a wanderlust was trousers is our template the waist and torso, one to fit a tube of Pringles
for a non-amphibious it exemplified how we elegance that requires with-the-steam-iron Like butterscotch tropical paradise where sparked like it hasn’t for our back-to-office could serve pizza on mean our fingertips will
future set in 2050. want to dress right now. no arms flailing. nonchalance. swirls in vanilla. hydrangeas bloom. been in a while. wardrobe. each. Délicieuse! never be cold again. ■

58 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 59
COLLAB

A road
not
travelled
Last year, H&M announced
its first-ever Indian
designer collaboration with
Sabyasachi Mukherjee. Titled
‘Wanderlust’, the collection
promised Sabyasachi’s
signature nomadic vibe at
price points that were far
more accessible. But then
the pandemic hit. Over a year
later, as our need to escape
reaches its zenith, this same
line finally sees its way to
stores. The timing, in true
Sabyasachi style, couldn’t
be more prescient. By
Priyanka Khanna

L
ike with so many aspects of the pandem-
ic, this may be the first time we are writ-
ing a story on a collection that was meant
to launch a year ago. Even if you take into
account the long seasonal fashion cycles, this is an
anomaly. Last March, Vogue India excitedly pre-
viewed the Sabyasachi X H&M drop with a strong
element of national pride. “When H&M asked what
I wanted to do, I told them that in my head and
heart I’m a traveller, and I want to create a travel
wardrobe. So I asked myself how a collection could
journey seamlessly from a palace in Jaipur to a pool
party in LA,” the designer told us.
But then, on March 23, India, like most of the
world, went into lockdown and travel became a dis-
tant dream. It was then that H&M and Sabyasachi
jointly took a decision to hold off on the launch.
Over a year later, the collection makes its way to
stores. But here’s the clincher—with no new de-
signs. There was no need for an update, Sabyasachi
tells me, over a Zoom call from his wood-panelled
Looks from Sabyasachi
X H&M, titled taining values of timelessness and quality, with a
‘Wanderlust’. Opposite: conscious lens on consumption—values that will
Sabyasachi Mukherjee
never go out of style.
Priyanka Khanna: I think it’s safe to say that you
have been the busiest man in this pandemic. An in-
credible collaboration with Bergdorf Goodman, a
record-setting investment from the Aditya Birla
“After more than a year of uncertainty in the world, Group…
what we need is a dream of better times ahead and Sabyasachi Mukherjee: [Laughs] It’s been a
the perfect collection for those warm summer days. strange but amazing year. I think the pandemic
brought out what was necessary and showed us the
The collection is quintessentially Sabyasachi—from futility of the unnecessary. For so many years, I’ve
prints and embroideries to craftsmanship. While been living out of suitcases, on flights and in airport
we may not be able to travel to the places of our lounges...and then suddenly work came to a com-
plete halt. For the first three months, there was so
desire right now, we can always dream. For me,
much uncertainty. We needed to look after the well-
this whole collection is an escapism in wanderlust” being of all our people. It was a lot of fire-fighting,
JUSTIN POLKEY
care of myself. I was eating fast food, sugar, coffee,
and wasn’t exercising. I began doing yoga, my pro-
ductivity went up, there wasn’t much business, but I
managed to get some space to really think.
PK: A year ago, you revealed your collection with
H&M. But you chose to wait another year to launch
in stores.
SM: It was a big decision to stall it by a year. We “The clothes
decided on safety first. The clothes are classic. They are classic...in
are not time-bound or trend-bound, so it didn’t re-
fact, I would
ally matter if we pushed the launch. In fact, I would
say that it is much more relevant today than it was say that the
last year. line is much
more relevant
PK: That’s interesting. What makes you say that?
today than it
SM: [While designing the collection] I didn’t want it
to be governed by trends. I wanted the pieces to be was last year”

library in Kolkata. Even while designing pre-pan- - E L L A S O C C O R S I , H EA D O F D E S I G N , H & M but the most important thing was to take care of our classic, season-agnostic and made with quality. Over —SA BYASA C H I
demic, Sabyasachi says he was cognisant of main- ecosystem. The most progress I made was in taking the years, I’ve realised one thing about women:> M U K H E RJ E E

60 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 61
COLLAB
Kamakshi Gupta

Gender-agnostic,
size inclusive,
classic clothing
makes up the
collection

fashion is important but comfort is imperative. I put

myself as a shopper. I buy a lot from the high street,
and comfort and quality are important. This collec-
tion goes to a wider audience—an office-goer, some-

WEAVES
one who isn’t really involved in fashion, so what do
they want? Easy clothing.

PK: And that’s what we’ve pretty much all been
wearing this year. The title of this collection is Wan-
derlust. Will that still resonate, given that we’ve all
been home this past year?
SM: Once the pandemic is over, people will want to
travel, and everyone’s concept of travel will differ. It
will really be about just getting out of your home.
The travel wardrobe will become more important
than ever. We will travel lighter. People will want
functional pieces and versatility will be of the es-
sence. Women and men will both want modular
wardrobes, so accessories will become even more
important so that they can create multiple looks. It
will become a question of practicality as well.
PK: It also becomes a question of consumption...
SM: Exactly. I think the value for the year ahead will
be responsible consumption. In the past, we’ve only
skimmed the surface of our wardrobe. The pandem-
ic has taught so many of us to look deep within, to
cleanse, in our effort to keep what we need. Quality
has become paramount. I am not only talking about
fashion, but interiors, food, books—we will con-
sume less but what is better for us.
PK: What are you most proud of?
are incredibly flattering and I’ve tried to bring that
in. The sari was such a win from an emotional point.
PK: How do you rebuild anticipation for a collec-
tion that was previewed a while ago?
SM: The one thing I’ve learned about marketing is
that no matter the spends, if you speak directly and
with intent, you can make an impact. The anticipa-
tion is already high. I plan to harness that, scout In-
stagram and celebrate people who are wearing these
clothes. The campaign was shot in Morocco pre-
pandemic, but the bigger campaign will happen
when everyone gets their hands on the pieces.
PK: What will you take away from the experience of
the past year?
SM: When you start spending time with yourself,
you become kinder. There was a time when I
couldn’t accept failure, but once you move past that
JUSTIN POLKEY
WITH A VISION
Combining fashion with art, Kamakshi Gupta is the founder and creative director of Modarta—
a bespoke brand that has been seamlessly contemporising the classic pashmina
Oft-referenced as soft gold, pashmina is one of the most opulent Giving the iconic pashmina an overhaul, Modarta’s distinctive
fabrics, and rightfully so—its ever-enduring wearability is seen in designs are versatile and boast endless layering possibilities and an
the eternal beauty of the weave, the richness of its colour, and the easy-wearing appeal for winter looks.
lightweight warmth it provides—making it a cornerstone of any Featuring a diverse colour palette, intricate embroidery,
and every winter wardrobe. Undeniably, the pashmina is a timeless Swarovski detailing, and unique patterns, the brand’s take on the
heirloom, passed down through generations. So, it comes as no dynamic fabric brings its moniker to realisation in the flesh: ‘moda’
surprise then, that its reinvention was surely underway. Giving the is Portuguese for fashion and ‘arta’, Romanian for art. While each
cosy fabric a contemporary twist is Modarta—a contemporary piece may be a work of art, it doesn’t mean the shawl can’t be a
handcrafted label for pashmina. The brand’s prowess in the craft quotidian favourite. Growing up admiring her mother’s collection
comes from the founder and creative director herself—Kamakshi of pashminas, Gupta’s vision to bring a global perspective to the
Gupta, whose artistic vision saw the versatility of pashmina. Of traditional material is found in her vibrant, contemporary designs—
course, a fabric as utilitarian demands reinvention, and that’s exactly that are perfect additions to any wardrobe and distinctly elevate
what Gupta’s efforts brought to life—pashmina stoles and shawls, everything they’re worn with.
handwoven and handcrafted by experienced artisans with a
global appeal.
“My passion for fashion comes from my mother, my proclivity
and grit for business comes from my father, and my rendezvous
with art dates back from the time I started training in kathak,” says
Gupta, who holds a masters degree in business management from

SM: The entire collection is gender-agnostic. It has and become kinder to your mind and body, your Duke University, Fuqua School of Business. At 24, Gupta founded For more information, scan the QR code,
multiple sizes and the clothes are generous, so it work becomes meditative, quieter and gentler. It’s Modarta in 2018, driven by her passion for business, art, and fashion. visit Modarta.in or follow @modartaindia on Instagram
works across body types. I love column styles, they been good for my soul. n

62 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in

 ACCESSORIESA N T I Q U E S
B A T H R O O M S
FURNITURECARPETS
M U LT I - B R A N D R E TA I L E R S
K I TC H E N S & A P P L I A N C E S
SOFT FURNISHINGS
L I G H T I N G M A R B L E
S U R FAC E S & F LO O R I N G

YOUR ONLINE RESOURCE FOR ALL THINGS DESIGN AUGUST-NOVEMBER 2021

Exclusive access to AD curated home tours, talks, trends and more @archdigestindia
Subject to change

Fit for life
These sartorially savvy fitness experts and entrepreneurs from across the globe
share their philosophies and the active-wear that takes them through their post-
lockdown workouts and lives. Their routines may differ, but they are united in
prioritising styles that look and feel good. By Priyanka Khanna
MELISSA WOOD
TEPPERBERG
FOUNDER OF MELISSA WOOD
H E A LT H , C R E AT O R O F T H E
MWH METHOD
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
@melissawoodhealth
Five years ago, in her living room
armed with a US$24 tripod, Melissa
Wood Tepperberg started filming her
workouts using her MWH Method, a
series of low-impact movements to help
sculpt long, lean lines in short intervals
of time, with the aim of self-care. “I
started in the wellness space after
recovering from a horrible relationship
with myself...years of torture not only
in my workouts, but in all aspects of
my life. After finding more peace and
ease in my mind and body through my
meditation practice and combining the
low-impact movements of yoga and
Pilates, I experienced a transformation,”
says the mother of two. Movement is
magic, she believes. And through it all,
she looks put-together, her wrists and
ears stacked with dainty pieces from
Anita Ko, Ayla, Messika and Mejuri,
’90s-inspired styling and a love for a
good blazer, molten and metallic active-
wear sets (from Year of Ours, Varley,
Nylora, Neu Apparel, Michi), monotone
separates, and classic kicks. “I would
describe my style as active—I’m always
trying new things and love to mix it
up. An example of a go-to outfit is an
oversized blazer from The Frankie Shop
and a biker-shorts set from Mate the
Label—I would take it from the mat
to the street by adding the blazer and
classic Keds or Frye white sneakers.”
Pro tip: “You have to wear what
is comfortable and makes you feel
good in your own skin. To me, that’s
something that makes me feel incredibly
empowered during my workout.”
In my cart: “Oval Ray-Ban’s, high-
waisted above-the-knee denim shorts
WINI LAO (ADITI)
from Agolde, and Anaïs candles.”
66 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
FOCUS
ADITI SHAH
PELOTON INSTRUCTOR
NEW YORK, NEW YORK @diti22
“On the mat, it’s important to prioritise function so that I’m not too
distracted by a potential wardrobe malfunction. However, I believe
that style is about self-expression and a way of communicating, so I
am specific about the looks I put together and make sure to match
the vibes with my message,” says Aditi Shah, who launched yoga
and meditation for Peloton in 2018. While most of her wardrobe
is from the in-house brand, she says, “I invest in pieces I will use
long-term and support brands that value sustainability or try to
give back, such as ADAY for elevated athleisure; Patagonia, REI
and Athleta for outdoor sports; Girlfriend Collective, Ultracor and
Beyond Yoga for fashion, function, and comfort; Alice + Olivia for
a fun look; Levi’s for denim and Reformation for summer dresses.
I also use Vestiaire Collective and other resellers for big designer
splurges.” Shah, who goes from studio to street-style often, says
that a pair of boots and a button-up take leggings and a sweatshirt
up a notch, while for summer, an active-wear crop works great
with denim cut-offs. “I love to dress up athletic wear. And can we
all agree that this sneaker trend should last forever? In a city like
NYC, I’m thrilled to have happy feet at the end of every day.”
Pro tip: “Buy things that you like and will enjoy wearing, not
something that looks great on someone else’s social media.”
In my cart: “A Farm Rio bathing suit, lounging pants from Athleta
and a pair of retro sunglasses from Chloé.”
JACQUI KINGSWELL
C O - F O U N D E R O F T H E P I L AT E S C L A S S
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA @jacquikingswell
If you tune into The Pilates Class, the digital platform streaming
Pilates-based workout, you will be familiar with the calming voice and
monochrome looks of its Sydney-based co-founder Jacqui Kingswell.
The former professional dancer credits Pilates in transforming her
strength, control and connection to her body and mind. “My style is
quite simple and classic. I wear neutral colours and I periodically clean
out my wardrobe to donate my extra active-wear to charities, family
and friends as it does pile up after a while,” she says of staples from
Alo Yoga, Beyond Yoga, Lululemon, Avocado, Aim’n and Bandier, all on
high rotation. Off-duty, she aces casual style—lived-in jeans, a white
tee, an oversized wool knit, black boots from Acne Studio—elevated
with a red lip and gold jewellery. “I believe in sustainability, so I invest
in pieces that will last. Winter in Australia is my favourite season. I
love looking at winter coats, knits and boots. I love Rosie Huntington-
Whiteley’s classic wardrobe and chic style.”
Pro tip: “I love leggings that are high-waisted and have stretch in
the waistband. The material should be soft but durable and not see-
through when you’re stretching. My favourite pair that ticks all the
boxes are Align from Lululemon. They’re worth the investment.”
In my cart: “A trench coat for winter, casual sneakers and a black
oversized knit.”>
www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 67
FOCUS

DIVA DHAWAN
MALLIKA PAREKH P I L AT E S T E A C H E R
MUMBAI AND NEW YORK @diva.dhawan
M . S . , M . P. , F O U N D E R , P H Y S I Q U E 5 7 I N D I A .
MUMBAI @mtap0906 The model and digital creator was certified as a Pilates
instructor in 2017 and started teaching in New York over the
“Lockdown and the pandemic has allowed us to look summers. When the pandemic hit, she moved to virtual classes,
at clothes through a different lens. Moving forward, and her website Andthenwestretch.com, offering various
we’ll only invest in quality basics that allow for unique Pilates-based classes, came into being. Whether she’s in Mumbai
combinations between formal and casual,” says Parekh, or Manhattan, Dhawan admits to having an almost utilitarian
a health and wellness expert. Armed with a double approach to her wardrobe, with her model-off-duty style always
master’s in biomedical science and public health, Parekh, garnering interest. “My style is minimal and functional. I like
a mother to twins, moved to Mumbai from the US when investing in pieces that can easily be paired together. High-waist
she got married and launched Physique 57, a barre-based jeans, perfectly fitted high-waist black leggings and lots of crop-
workout, in India in 2018. “My work doesn’t require tops and hoodies from Lululemon, Varley and Gap Body,” The
formal attire. When I’m not at work, it’s more about latter, she says, are exceptionally great for transitioning from
comfort and practicality (being a mum will do that to class to cafe. “Their crop-tops are great for low-impact training
you) but I’d still like to think that I put thought into my and you can switch back into a pair of jeans and throw a blazer
‘off-duty’ wardrobe.” Koral, The Upside, Alala, Terez, Alo over for a cute, no-stress look.”
Yoga, Ultracor, Monrow, PE Nation, Lululemon are labels Pro tip: “Know what works for your body type. My go-tos are
she turns to for breathable fabrics and design details. high-waist leggings, but that doesn’t work for everyone. Active-
“Most of us have lived in active-wear and athleisure wear is meant to be functional so always keep that in mind,
for the last year, and as we step out, I plan to layer my especially when you’re buying a cute set.”
sweatshirts over leggings and heels, throw on an active- In my cart: “Reformation denim shorts, a bodysuit with shoulder
wear bomber or wear joggers in silk and satin with heels.” pads, and a sports bra and matching leggings from Varley.”
Pro tip: “I say this about workouts and I say this about
active-wear: choose what feels right for you, active-wear
that works for your shape, flatters your body and works
with you through the workouts that you’ve chosen.”
In my cart: “A few casual T-shirts with flattering sleeves,
a bathing suit cover-up, and a pair of wide-legged
sweatpants.”
TA L LY R Y E
PERSONAL TRAINER, AUTHOR AND PODCAST HOST

HANNAH BRONFMAN LONDON @tallyrye

F O U N D E R O F H B F I T, A U T H O R A N D O N - C A M E R A It was while at drama school that Tally Rye discovered fitness.

PERSONALITY
NEW YORK, NEW YORK @hannahbronfman
“I’m a firm believer in the mantras ‘Your body is a temple’ and ‘Do what
feels good’, which is also the title of my book. There are small things you
can do every day to meet your fitness goals. You don’t have to go after
everything full-force all at once,” says new mum Hannah Bronfman, who
walks the talk, especially now. “Since I’m working around Preston’s [her
son] schedule I often find myself squeezing in a workout whenever I
can. I’m not putting pressure on myself to show up at the gym every
day.” Currently, it’s been a steady rotation of Pilates-based workouts.
“They are great for toning, and even though you’re not always drenched
in sweat after, you still feel it. My workout uniform is usually a cute
leggings-and-bra set. I really like vibrant colours and find that a chic
workout outfit is the best motivation to move my body.” Bandier, Alo
Yoga, Good American, Set Active and Live the Process are all labels she
gravitates to, while off-duty, a classic white tee, biker shorts and a blazer
are the building blocks of her wardrobe. “I don’t have lots of time in the
morning to plan a full outfit, so more often than not, my husband will
pick it out while I’m getting Preston ready for the day. He’s my stylist.”
Pro tip: “Your outfit should make you feel good in your skin and
motivated to crush your workout. If you look in the mirror and don’t say,
‘Ok, I look cute today,’ then it’s not the fit for you.”
In my cart: “Biker shorts from Koral, the Bailey Set from Lisa Says Gah,
Grey from Teva sandals.”
“Although what felt like passion at times was obsession, and I
developed a disordered relationship with food and exercise,” she
admits. Six years ago, she put aside her ambitions to be a musical
theatre actor, choosing to work instead on healing her relationship
with food and fitness as well as helping others “My ethos is focused on
helping people avoid the trappings of diet culture so that exercise is no
longer punishment or penance for what they eat, but a key tool of self-
care.” Her value-based approach translates into her wardrobe, with
Girlfriend Collective being one of her favourites. “I want to find brands
that align with my values...that are size-inclusive and sustainable. I’m
really trying to move away from getting stuck in fast-fashion trend
cycles. When it comes to active-wear, I’m a sucker for a matching
set and I love colourblocking with a fresh pair of white trainers,”
she says. White T-shirts, dressed up with jewellery and a blazer and
smock dresses that “evolve with your body,” are her wardrobe MVPs.
“Remember, clothes are meant to fit you, you don’t have to make
yourself fit the clothes. My body, like many others, has changed this
past year and I felt so much more comfortable when I sized up..”
Pro tip: “As with your workouts, choose the active-wear that makes
you feel good. A well-supported sports bra is a must as it’s really
important for your breast health.”
In my cart: “An oversized Adidas crewneck jumper in lilac, Blair jeans
from UK high-street brand River Island, and a bold pink and yellow
dress for summer from French Connection.” >

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FOCUS
ZOE MODGILL
C O - F O U N D E R A N D C R E AT O R , S T R O N G E R
WITH ZOE
GOA AND DELHI @zoemodgill
Over the past few months, Zoe Modgill, the co-founder,
and creator of Stronger with Zoe, a woman-focused
programme and a 2021 Vogue Beauty Festival winner, has
been documenting a new journey for her body—pregnancy.
This new chapter promises to be the most fulfilling, both
personally and professionally, with the launch of a new app
specialising in pre- and post-natal workouts. “This is a new
area of knowledge for women in India. I always say strength
is an inside job.” If you follow her on Instagram, where she
shares snippets of her workouts, you will know they aren’t
for the faint of heart. “My active-wear is all about support
and feeling strong and fierce,” she says, admitting an affinity
to Under Armour, a partner. “When I’m not training, I like
to keep it casual, loose and comfortable in maxi dresses that
are perfect for my bump and the Goa weather, a loose jacket
and track pants, and a pair of white sneakers.” But at the
end of the day, she says its about really prioritising the skin
you are in. “I’ve truly believed that a short, gruelling workout
will teach you confidence, patience, willpower and gratitude.
And a healthy, sexy, strong body will be a side-effect.”
Pro tip: “Feel supported, strong, comfortable and proud to
show yourself.”
In my cart: “Neue Eyewear sunglasses, Under Armour’s
Project Rock sneakers and chunky earrings from Dhora.”
MEGHA KAWALE
O W N E R A N D I N S T R U C T O R , M I N D K O R E P I L AT E S
MUMBAI @meghakawaleofficial
The former model and DJ has been practising Pilates for the
last two decades. “I practise contemporary Pilates, rehab-
based Pilates and barre-based Pilates. Just like with clothes,
there is no one-size-fits-all with exercise. And since I specialise
in dealing with injuries, I change my style depending on my
clients,” she says. “I have always believed in a holistic approach.
I don’t believe in reward and punishment for the body; it’s
about choosing a lifestyle. The mind-body connect in Pilates is
incredibly strong, it can help people during difficult situations.”
For Kawale, a mother of three in Maximum City, it’s a life that
is full, one that involved studio sessions, supermarket runs and
school drops pre-pandemic. “My go-tos are well-fitting leggings
with a tank top or a sweatshirt and jacket. I wear Lululemon,
Alo Yoga and Athleta, with Nike and Reebok basics for more
cardio-intensive routines. Brands now understand how hectic
city life is and their clothes are designed to ensure a fully
functional day looking and feeling good.”
Pro tip: “If you look good, you feel motivated. Comfortable
active-wear gives the freedom to work out without restricting
your movements.”
In my cart: “An Alo Yoga jacket, Lululemon leggings and cute
toe socks.” ■
DRESS UP YOUR TRESSES
Give your crowning glory a chic update this season with Wella Professionals’ newest colour technique,
Illuminage. Offering a range of colouring techniques that promise gorgeous results, this service will ensure
you can confidently flaunt the best accessory—your hair—every single day
The pandemic-induced lockdown meant we
had to put our plans on hold and stay home,
which only meant our grooming routines
took a backseat. But now, with the country
slowly opening up, there’s no better time to
celebrate. And, nothing says celebration quite
like a chic colour refresh! If you’re looking to
experiment with your hair and switch things
up a bit, Wella Professionals’ latest colouring
technique—Illuminage—is just what you
need. Being referred to as the ‘The New Age
Balayage’ this technique will lend your hair
a sun-kissed and a luminous, lit-from-within
look. While balayage creates an overall lighter
look by sweeping sections of hair with a pre-
lightener, Illuminage adds a brightening effect
by accentuating the face-framing layers, while
lightening the lengths and ends for a softer,
sophisticated look.
To introduce this latest technique, Wella
Professionals held a virtual event that
was attended by over 6000 hairdressers
from around the country. Talking about
Illuminage, Natasha Naegamvala,
director at Nalini and Yasmin says “it’s
the combination of the seamlessness in
the painting and the backcombing of the
weaves’’ that gives her innumerable ways
to style her client’s hair while Elton Steve,
brand director at Jean Claude Olivier
says “it’s the trendiest look this season”.
Rohan Patel, creative director at RnG
Salon explains that this colouring method
is especially great for darker hair and
warmer skin tones as “with Illuminage, the
colours are soft, yet bold; bright and shy,
all at once.”
WELLA HIGH DRAMA
ILLUMINAGE
If you have long hair, expressive layers and
contrasting shades will lend your hair a
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bottom with lighter highlighted strands on the
top, which brightens and adds sparkle.
WELLA NO BLEACH
BALAYAGE
One of the first in the industry, this look works
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WELLA ILLUMINAGE For more information, visit
Looking for seamless highlights that will Wellacompany.com
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the face? The Illuminage service is your best
bet as it ensures a sun-kissed and radiant look
while softly transitioning between multi-tonal
colours.

70 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in


A
t 18 years old, I had my head in
the clouds and it was fabulous. Now,
at age 45, I go to work with my feet on
the ground, and that’s empowering,”
says South Africa-born Georgina Grenville from her
Paris home. The model, who came to fame as the
wildly sexy, mischievous beauty wearing slithery
silk-jersey cut-away dresses and hipster miniskirts
in the Gucci by Tom Ford era, recently walked the
runway for Hermès in camel trousers and a cash-
mere sweater—same dagger cheekbones, but the
This day years have made her even more striking.
“Back then, I was paid to be pretty and was more
concerned with what people thought of me. Age is
and age about being comfortable in your own skin, and now
when I hear that little neurotic voice, I don’t really
care,” explains Grenville, a mother of three, who also
starred in Versace’s pre-fall 2020 film, playing a
In an era of uncertainty, matriarch who returns to the family villa to find her
maturity—and the teenage kids at the tail end of a raucous party.
knowledge and assuredness Today, Grenville is one in an expanding troupe of
that come with it—has models aged 40-plus who have moved into fashion’s
centre frame. No longer simply
become something to
playing cameos or ticking the
celebrate, not camouflage. ‘mature’ box, they are now firmly
“There is no ‘ageing
Yes, says Harriet Quick, integrated into the landscape.
even in fashion Younger women look up to
out’. These women
them, their peers identify, and want to remain
designers honour their experi- relevant and move
ence, style and knowledge of im-
age-making. “Having different
forward”
generations embodying the
FORTUNE, C ELEBR ITY
spring/summer 2021 collection TA LENT M A NAGER AT IM G
was pressing for me,” says Her-
mès’s 42-year-old creative direc-
tor Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski, who worked with
casting director Maida Gregori Boina to broaden
For Anamika the scope of féminités. “I wanted to deepen the rep-
Khanna, an older
model and muse resentation of women and emphasise that sensuali-
graced its AK- ty is relevant at each stage of life,” she continues. “I cast pop icon Debbie Harry and Kate Moss along-
OK campaign
want to inspire a younger generation, for them to
know that a woman’s charm does not fade with the
passing years but only deepens, and to remind
women of my generation and beyond that they are
always desirable. As a fashion designer, I have a re-
sponsibility to make this visible.” That responsibility
is also being felt by agents, editors and stylists, and
older creative directors such as Donatella Versace,
Chanel’s Virginie Viard, Dior’s Maria Grazia Chiuri,
Roksanda Ilincic, and Chloé’s Gabriela Hearst. As
casting director Piergiorgio Del Moro puts it, “In the
new system of fashion, the idea of diversity and hav-
ing women represented at different stages of life on
the runway projects a strong message of beauty.”
It’s good for sales too. The rise of semi- or non-
professional ‘real’ women influencers on social me-
dia has widened the parameters of age in an indus-
72 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
OPINION
try previously fixated on youth. While the luxury
market contracted in 2020 due to the pandemic,
women in the 35 to 64 age group, and particularly
the over-50 ‘boomers’, have considerable spending
power (according to marketing platform SHEcono-
my, this demographic is more empowered than in
any previous generation). What’s more, via direct
spending or influence, women may hold up to 70
per cent of consumer spending power, as they often
make decisions for themselves and their families.
The older woman looks for health, wellness, quality
and brands that she trusts. In 2014, L’Oréal signed
Helen Mirren as a face of its Age Perfect cosmetics
line (now 75, she shares the roster with Jane Fonda,
83, an ambassador for the brand for 15 years), while
Lauren Hutton, 77, is the face of clinical skincare
line StriVectin.
High fashion, requiring pert breasts and taut skin,
has been somewhat slower to age-shift. “The nough-
ties were focused on new, new, new! The models
were interchangeable, more like blank canvases de-
fined by their origin—the Belgian wave, the return of
the all-American girl, the Ama-
zonian,” says British Vogue’s
fashion bookings director Rosie
Vogel-Eades. “Over the past few
years, the bigger drive for racial
diversity has helped make way
for size and age diversity. There is
not a singular view now and
that’s healthy. Perhaps today,
—C HR ISTINE when things are so uncertain, we
don’t want to see only new.”
Del Moro is a pioneer in diver-
sity casting. For Fendi’s spring/
summer 2021 show, he collaborated with Silvia
Venturini Fendi, translating her idea of family into a
cross-generational cast. Other designers currently
embracing age include Coach’s Stuart Vevers, who
side Paloma Elsesser and Lexi Boling. “I’ve always
looked to build a diverse community through our
casting. It’s less about ticking a box and more about
working with people who truly inspire me,” says
Vevers. “It’s great to see a shift. Our industry is fo-
cusing less on finding a blank canvas to express a
point of view and more on working with individuals,
both models and non-models, who convey a spirit
and character,” he continues. “It’s important for our
audience to be able to see themselves in what we do,
it helps create a true connection that gives fashion
meaning beyond the runway.”
The experience is proving positive all around. A
sixty-something journalist and member of Fashion
Academics Creating Equality, Caryn Franklin
walked in Art School’s outdoor and socially dis-
tanced spring/summer 2021 presentation wearing >
www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 73
OPINION
From left: Mum and
daughter duo Alaiia and
Feroze Gujral channel
’90s fashion in Vogue
India’s February 2020
issue; Gucci’s S/S 2021
campaign featuring
mature women; Ashish’s
A/W 2021-22 campaign
in a similar vein
a tailored olive trench, combat boots and her grey
hair loose and long. She believes there is a profound
shift behind this new era of age diversity: a release
from the white male gaze that dominated fashion
imagery for so many decades, a landscape in which
models were hypersexualised and infantilised. To-
day’s fashion is at the service of individuals: “There
was such a spectrum of human identity on display
that sunny day,” says Franklin of the Art School
show. “Body difference, age, size, skin tone and
trans identity was all glorified and normalised.”
Creating healthy images is front of mind for a
swathe of photographers, and specifically female
image-makers, who excel at lensing older women in
a more honest manner and without the time-
warping filters that dominate social media feeds.
LA-based Zoë Ghertner’s favourite subjects include
Amber Valletta, Malgosia Bela and Guinevere van
Seenus, all in their forties. “There’s a great
opportunity and openness within the industry right
now. For me, it’s about getting at the truth of who
we are,” explains Ghertner. “Younger models are
learning how to transform out of themselves. That’s
the difference with older models, they already know
how to be themselves.”
71-year-old Penelope Tree, the Vogue model and
epitome of beatnik chic in the youthquake of the
74 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
1960s, is penning a semi-autobiographical book;
the indefatigable Lauren Hutton is still a campaign
star; Iman has her own beauty line… “There is no
‘ageing out’,” says Christine Fortune, celebrity talent
manager at IMG, which represents, among others,
Angela Lindvall, Brooke Shields, Stephanie
Seymour, Kate Moss, Amber Valletta and Carolyn
Murphy, all of whom are part of the mainboard and
not in an age category. “These women want to
remain relevant and move forward.”
With at-home or remote Zoom-directed shoots,
modelling has changed during the pandemic, and
the generation that came of age in the 1990s is
leading the way. “They know about lighting, make-
up, hair, fabric, how to move; these are the elements
that it takes to be a great model,” says Del Moro.
Vogel-Eades adds, “They also wear clothes in a
different way, and women need to see that.” Indeed,
the restrictive “age-appropriate” dressing lore that
once hijacked women is evaporating. Now, being
PETROS STUDIOS; INDIGITAL MEDIA
comfortable in your own skin—and clothes—is
aspirational, inspirational. “I sit in front of mirrors
for hours for work, and little changes can seem big.
But I want to embrace my age, go with nature.” Her
top tips? Meditation, creative visualisation, qigong
and cold showers. You see? The prism of age and
experience is invaluable. n
FRESH
The new minimalists
A gentle optimism and focus on enduring personal style are
driving a new era of minimalism, says Navaz Batliwalla
A
new chapter in the post-minimalism
story is being written. Accompanying
timeless, easy-wear silhouettes is a
fresh emphasis on thoughtful story-
telling, community, supply chain provenance and
kinder production schedules. These need-to-know
brands are at the forefront of a movement that cel-
ebrates style before fashion, and they’re in it for the
long haul. We cast a spotlight on these labels.
HOMMEGIRLS
Thakoon Panichgul hit the peak of his
fame in 2010 as the designer who
wowed the likes of Michelle Obama
with his casual downtown take
on glamour. But two years ago, he
foresaw the global mindset shift to a
slower, cooler consciousness. Enter
HommeGirls, his direct-to-consumer
(plus a couple of select retailers)
clothing brand and zine, inspired by
his coterie which includes Christy
Turlington Burns and Shala Monroque.
Serving up menswear-rooted classics
but deconstructing them to suit the
variables of the female form, his
reworked blazers, boxer shorts and
cropped Oxford shirts have won him a
new-found cult following. “Menswear
is like a uniform of simple pieces for
the most part, and has been the same
for years. Because of that, it has
stood the test of time and become
classic,” says Panichgul, who eschews
the seasonal calendar for ‘drops’ that
work to his schedule. “The HommeGirls
sensibility combines sex appeal with a
tomboy spirit, but above all, it’s done
with a natural carefree attitude.”
Hommegirls.com
Menswear-inspired
76 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
MATIN
If you’re still nailing your post-lockdown re-entry
look, take a cue or two from Australian brand
Matin. Embodying a laid-back attitude as only
Australians can, it’s a welcome departure from
the Zoom-induced gloom of sweats and leggings.
“Our design intention aims to balance practical,
wearable styles with a subtle edge and soft touch
that captures the truly luxurious mood of the ’70s,”
says its founder and designer, Michelle Perrett.
“It’s about self-expression in an understated way,
and ultimately about feeling good.” That feel-good
spirit hinges on made-to-last, non-synthetic fabrics,
a small batch of a locally-made production model.
Everyday glamour favourites include languid shirt-
dresses, linen trouser suits and the kind of unfussy
gown-and-trainers look you expect to see an indie
starlet wearing to her Sundance film premiere.
“Our most sought-after style is the cross-back linen
dress, composed in textured linen and cut to swing
off the body,” says Perrett. “To wear it feels like
you’re wearing nothing at all—it’s a dream.”
Matinstudio.com >
’70s luxury
’90s style
PARIS GEORGIA
For New Zealand duo Paris Mitchell Temple and Georgia Cherrie,
a rigorous approach to design and manufacturing threads
through their six-year-old business. The brand started with
elevated staples, evolving into the trend-transcending collections
beloved of fans like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and the prime
minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern. With more than a
nod to the pared-back minimalism of ’90s supermodels, the
collections have a masculine-feminine duality and practicality
that enables today’s 24-hour lifestyles. “Our sculpted pieces
are always very strong in the collection. We know the Paris
Georgia woman feels confident and empowered when she puts
them on,” says Mitchell Temple, describing the greatest hits like
the Marlo dress, Marlo singlet and Henry bodice that combine
structure with a casual sensuality. Fabrics are a key focus, with
high-endurance luxury fabrics from Japan and Korea matched
with locally sourced off-cuts that would otherwise go to waste.
And while off-duty supermodels might adorn the mood boards,
it’s customers, friends and the creative community who truly
inspire the label’s content and mission. “Incredible women are
the essence of Paris Georgia and we love shedding light on their
ideas and beliefs,” says Cherrie, reflecting on the life-changing
events of the past year. “Especially during this powerful shift in
society, women are capable of everything and anything and it’s
our mission to support this entirely.” Parisgeorgiastore.com
www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 77
NAMES TO KNOW

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78 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in


T
here are five loose diamonds in the dial
of the watch Deepika Padukone is wear-
ing. It may sound like a wardrobe mal-
function, but this happens to be
Chopard’s signature concept. With every flick of
Padukone’s wrist, the sparkling gems glide from
edge to edge in a ‘dancing’ motion for optimum
sparkle. Designed by Chopard’s co-president and
artistic director Caroline Scheufele back in 1993, the
‘Happy Diamonds’ collection has been a key player
in the brand’s success story, popularised by a string
of celebrities like Rihanna and Julia Roberts.
At the Chopard photo shoot, Padukone buckles
up a ‘Happy Sport’ watch in stainless steel and 18K
ethically sourced rose gold. The dial measures a
modest 33mm and the actor switches easily be-
tween a two-tone and blue leather strap. This isn’t
the first time she’s accessorised with Chopard. In
2018, a photo of her slaying the Cannes red carpet in
Chopard danglers—with a black plunging Marcell
Von Berlin gown, a top knot and smoky eyes—went
viral. For this campaign, she picks a daintier pair of
floral earrings from the ‘Happy Hearts Flowers’ col-
lection, crafted in 18K ethical white gold with dia-
monds. Vogue India speaks to the Bollywood queen
to find out more on the partnership.
Rishna Shah: What is so special about Chopard?
Deepika Padukone: I have always believed that
watches and jewellery stand the test of time.
Chopard, for me, is classic and elegant. And yet it
has had the ability to penetrate and stay relevant
through the generations, truly making it one of the
most iconic luxury brands in the world.
RS: How does your ‘Happy Sport’ watch by
Chopard make you feel?
DP: My most favourite piece at the moment is the
‘Happy Sport’ watch with a gold and diamond face
and a black leather strap. It makes me feel elegant,
and the dancing diamonds evoke a sense of joy and
liberation. I style my ‘Happy Sport’ watch with ele-
gant jewellery from the ‘Happy Spirit’ collection.
Happy place
RS: You’ve worn Chopard several times on the
red carpet. Which piece has been the most
memorable?
Only good things can happen when Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone plays muse to Swiss DP: The ‘Happy Diamonds’ flower-shaped earrings
watchmaker Chopard. With the superstar becoming the latest famous face to be affiliated with are probably my favourite Chopard earrings from
the ‘Happy Diamonds’ line, Rishna Shah speaks to the woman of the hour the ones I have worn so far.
80 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
WATCHES
“I have always believed that watches
and jewellery stand the test of time”
—DEEPIKA PADUKON E
RS: According to you, who is the most stylish
woman in the world?
DP: I have always admired my mother’s style. For as
long as I can remember, her style has been classic,
elegant and something I have always related to. I also
find women who are confident and unapologetically
themselves extremely stylish and inspiring.
RS: How have your fashion choices evolved
since you started in the film industry almost 15
years ago?
DP: While my style has always been classic, over the
years I’d like to believe I have become more open
to—and confident in—trying out different styles,
colours and silhouettes.
RS: What makes you happy?
DP: Family, friends, food and chocolate make me
instantly happy. My happiness tip is to try and be
present and mindful. More importantly, to try and
live a life that is fuelled by authenticity, purpose
and empathy.
RS: What makes you laugh?
DP: The biggest giggles of my life are with my sister,
husband, friends and my glam team. They truly
understand me and always make me laugh.
RS: What part of your inner child remains
today?
DP: The core values and the simplicity with which I
have been brought up are parts of my inner child
that I deeply cherish and hold on to dearly.
RS: What has helped you learn to let go?
DP: I believe time, empathy and forgiveness are
ways of letting go. Of course, it is easier said than
done, but it isn’t impossible.
RS: What is your fashion obsession?
DP: Pyjamas! n
www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 81

New crop
Hailing from Los
Angeles, London,
Dubai and Delhi,
they’re bringing an
exciting fresh energy
to the runway. These
are the Indian models
on the international
fashion map. By
Akanksha Kamath
E
very year, editors, styl-
ists and industry insid-
ers carefully watch the
runways for the next
new model on the block. This year,
however, with physical reality up-
ended, social media served as our
virtual runway. And in these stran-
ger-than-fiction times, one thing
became crystal clear: models, those
otherworldly, Amazonian goddess-
es, became human-scaled, their
characteristics rooted in our com-
mon humanity. The women, men
and non-binary models of today
are finally and truly reflections of
you and me. They shop small busi-
nesses, binge-watch Netflix and
juggle school and jobs with dreams
of becoming civil engineers or stars
of the silver screen. These cool kids
of the catwalk represent India, with
its diverse faces and distinct roots,
as a collective.
82 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
ELIZABETH MECH,
22, Delhi
Nagaland-born and raised Mech
appeared in Alexander McQueen’s
spring/summer 2021 campaign
shot by photographer Ashish Shah
in Uttarakhand. Of her McQueen
moment, the model who hails from
the Boro tribe of north-east India
says, “In India, we have people
from different races, terrains and
religions, and that gives us a varied
mix of faces. I want the world to
see this diversity.” Mech’s striking
features that won’t fit into a neatly
created cultural box have bagged
her editorials with titles around the
world, from Tatler Hong Kong to
Vogue India. The Y2K fashion fan,
when not posing in front of a lens,
can be found scouting streetwear
labels for aughties-inspired
jumpsuits.
Off-duty look: “I prefer street
style to wearing labels, so vintage
jumpsuits from the early 2000s.”
SPOTLIGHT
NITIN BARANWAL,
24, MuMbai
Baranwal is not just another pretty
face. Sure, his floppy hair, toffee-
coloured eyes and chiselled jaw
will have you thinking otherwise.
A freelance 3D interior designer,
model by day and drag queen by
night, Baranwal has been featured
in iD magazine and international
campaigns for Rahul Mishra. For
the fresh face, now in the process
of transplanting to London, the
catwalk is not the last stop. An
environmentalist, his dream is
to start a vegan label. Baranwal
believes that fashion has a higher
PHOTO: SSAM KIM (SEJAL); ONKAR NAIK (ELIZABETH). STYLIST: LUCA KINGSTON (SEJAL). HAIR & MAKEUP: SHERIDAN WARD AT CLOUTIER REMIX USING NAVY HAIR (SEJAL). ASSISTANT STYLIST: RACHEL TATE (SEJAL)
purpose—it’s where the boy who
grew up in the slums of Mumbai can
come out, put on a pair of heels and
feel the sassiest he ever has. “As a
non-binary person in fashion, I want
to break boundaries. We are all equal
and have the right to live freely on
our own terms.”
NANDINI RAJESH Most memorable shoot: “Posing in
MALWADE, a sari for Subvrt Mag where I
18, MuMbai was encouraged to embrace
my fluidity.”
When it comes to international
mileage, this 18-year-old is in the
fast lane to the top. Mumbai-based
Malwade opened for Y/project in
Paris, walked for Simone Rocha and SEJAL SHARMA,
starred in London-based Supriya
Lele’s campaign shot in Jabalpur.
KANGKAN RABHA, 24, Los angeLes
Each time, it has been a test of her 21, London For Sharma, growing up in Delhi,
artistic limits. “I have never been Rabha, from Guwahati, Assam, says followed by back and forth trips
good with cold weather, but the there are flip sides to being from India to Europe before finally settling
Supriya Lele shoot really pushed me. in the international fashion industry. in America at the age of six has
We would shoot at sunrise, with the “My features can be a bit of a challenge held her in good stead for a career
temperature sometimes as cold as as they are not your typical Indian face. on the move. Ever since she quit
4 degrees Celsius,” she confesses The advantage is that I stand out, but her desk job in 2019, it’s been a
over email. At this pivotal moment I am not always the preferred choice life packed with adventure. You’ll
in the fashion industry, when our as I don’t represent an average Indian recognise her from Dior’s beauty
man,” he says. If there were names ad campaign, where she shares
physical reality is upended, it’s the
model who has pieced it all together worth dropping in conversation, Rabha screen time with brand ambassador
for us. “I feel like the pandemic has has all the heavyweights to make ears Natalie Portman. Sharma’s highlight
shown how important models are to tingle: Rick Owens, Michèle Lamy, however remains her cover for
photographers and designers. We’ve Christophe Lemaire. “I was actually Vogue Singapore. “For the shoot,
put in more work than ever before, really amazed by Christophe Lemaire. the photographer shot us in the
doing self-castings and self-shoots, He knew where Guwahati was on the nude. It signified the importance of
hopefully preparing us for anything map. Not many people do,” he explains, human touch while promoting body
that might come our way.” of a changing tide of more and more diversity. Embracing myself and
people becoming aware of India’s wide showcasing that on a big platform
Fashion finds: “There are no labels in landscape. was definitely challenging and
my wardrobe. I would rather make made me push the boundaries of
every piece of clothing I wear. I love Runway moment: “I didn’t know I what modelling entails.”
thrift stores in Paris, specifically Kilo could walk in high heels until I had to
Shop. Instagram thrift shops have at the Rick Owens show. Those ‘Kiss Plan B: “Currently I am also in
been a saviour at this time too, I love Boots’ are one the comfiest shoes I acting school. My goal is to start
@2nai.in.” have ever worn.” auditioning for roles this year.” >
www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 83
SPOTLIGHT
CNTRAVELLER.IN
URVASHI UMRAO, 3.8M+ affluent travellers. 1 Destination.
25, Seoul
From a small town in Gujarat, Connect & Engage with a discerning audience only on our digital platforms
Umrao found herself in Tokyo last
year. What followed is a career
chock-full of experiences, from
walking for Sacai and Undercover
to being the face of the Uniqlo X
JW Anderson global campaign. But
walking the catwalk requires skill
and tenacity. “We walk in different
kinds of shoes, often on difficult
ramps with different weather
conditions,” explains Umrao of the
de rigueur of being a model on the
rise. Working in Japan’s fashion
industry had another positive side-
effect—a suitcase filled with thrift
and vintage finds that would make
her fellow models salty. Now as she
makes her way to new territories,
taking on the style capital of Seoul
in South Korea, she has already
worked with cult label Rokh.

Modelling a message: “We must

make the stage equal for those who
want to contribute to this space.”

PHOTO: KIM YOON WOO (URVASHI); CLAIRE DÉSÉRABLE (SWATI). STYLIST: LEE SANG HYEOK (URVASHI). HAIR & MAKEUP: LEE EUN SEO (URVASHI)
VAIBHAVI LATH,
21, AdelAide
SWATI ECK, A perfect example of a shrinking
global fashion landscape, even as
19, PAriS borders closed due to COVID-19,
How many models can boast that is that of Delhi-born, Adelaide-
their debut fashion show was based Lath gracing the pages of Website Users

2.4M+
with Dior? Eck, half-Indian and a fashion magazine 4,000 miles
half-Algerian, had a mid-pandemic away in Vietnam. In June, she
moment walking for the maison’s wrapped up a return to a physical
Resort 2021 show in Lecce, Italy, in fashion week season in Australia.
June last year. A couple of months Her favourite Australian labels
later, we spotted the ingénue in the are SIR the Label and Scanlan Social Followers

1.4M+
brand’s July haute couture campaign Theodore, but high up on her
wearing a wispy white embroidered ultimate wardrobe wish list is a
gown. And if her CV needed any Sabyasachi lehenga that she will
final flourishes, she’s also worked wear to her wedding. The lithe
All social media numbers are
with Van Cleef & Arpels, shot with model can carry off just about
as of June 2021
legendary photographer Paolo any outfit, but her favourite item Web users are an average of
Roversi and worked with the grande is a mini bag. “In my opinion, you May,June and July 2021
dame of fashion styling, Carine need a small handbag in every
Roitfeld. Oh, and she’s doing her colour, size and shape...just like
master’s in civil engineering too. shoes.”

Cultural collision: “As a Franco- On-set moment: “On a farm, THE OPPORTUNITIES:
Indian model, I am super proud to trying to look good when a couple
represent both my cultures.” of llamas were chasing us!” n
Display Ads, carousels, native stories, microsites, videos, social media posts and more

For advertising queries please contact - nupur.pandey@condenast.in

84 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
JULY
2021
150

JULY
2021
150

CATCHING UP WITH
SONAM
JULY
2021
150

CATCHING UP WITH
SONAM

CATCHING UP WITH
SONAM
WATCH REPORT
This ‘Pasha de
Cartier’ merges

Time to buy
1
18K yellow gold
with steel on
a larger dial
size of 41mm.
There’s no time like the present to build the watch First launched
collection of your dreams. Whether you’re a first-timer in 1985, the
or a seasoned collector, Vogue India rounds up the trusty ‘Pasha’ was
reintroduced to
timepieces to invest in right now. By Rishna Shah 2 Cartier’s line-up
last year

1
3
3

Celebrating
Chopard’s 4 5
signature
swirling
diamonds on the
dial, the ‘Happy
Diamonds’ line
has been around
4
for over 40
years. Collectors 8
2
will be drawn
to the Tahitian
mother-of-pearl 8
and the brilliant- 6
cuts totaling
4.75 carats
6

7 A TWO-TONE BRACELET
Why settle on one metal when you can
have two? Ideal for those who want it all,
A SPLURGE as these yin-yang combinations bring the
best of both worlds
If diamonds are forever, then so are these pieces. Leave your legacy behind in
carats for the next generation, because bling is your biggest asset 1. ‘Oyster Perpetual Explorer’ watch, Rolex
2. ‘Pasha de Cartier’ watch, Cartier 3. ‘Conquest
JASON SCHMIDT

1. ‘Happy Diamonds Joaillerie’ watch, Chopard 2. ‘J12 Electro Star’ watch, Chanel Classic’ watch, Longines 4. ‘Gem Dior’ watch,
3. ‘Allegra 25’ watch, de Grisogono 4. ‘Marine Haute Joaillerie 9509 Poseidonia’ watch, Dior 5. ‘Seamaster Aqua Terra’ watch,
Breguet 5. ‘Faubourg Polka’ watch, Hermès 6. ‘Limelight Gala Precious Zenith’ watch, Omega 6. ‘Iconic Link Lumine’ watch, Daniel
Piaget 7. ‘Lady-Datejust’ watch, Rolex 8. ‘Classic Butterfly’ watch, Graff Wellington 7. ‘Access Gen 5E Darci’ watch,
Michael Kors 8. ‘Sensual’ watch, Calvin Klein

88 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 89
WATCH REPORT
1

2
Designed for race
car drivers in
1963, this watch
has a sporty feel
with chronograph
counters at 3, 6
and 9 o’clock, a
high-tech ceramic
3 tachymetric scale,
and a patented
Oysterflex bracelet
made of metal and
durable elastomer.
It’s no wonder
it can withstand
1 water pressure till
100 metres
You can keep track of the day,
retrograde date, month, and A PARTNER IN ADVENTURE
leap year on your wrist with
this Breguet novelty. Admire Health is wealth, so roll up your
horology in its element with a sleeves and get out of your
tourbillon at 5 o’clock and an comfort zone. Whether above or
Equation Of Time indicator—a below sea level, you can literally
4
precise timekeeping tool count on your watch
for watch enthusiasts. The
80-hour power reserve also
deserves a nod of appreciation
2

AN EXTRA FUNCTION
There’s more to time-keeping
than just hours and minutes. Sign
up for all the bells and whistles
(in this case, tourbillons and
perpetual calendars) to get more
bang for your buck 4

3
8
1. ‘Royal Oak Concept ‘Black Panther’ 5
Flying Tourbillon’ watch, Audemars
Piguet 2. ‘Project Z13’ watch, Harry 7
Winston 3. ‘Tambour Curve GMT Flying 1. ‘Cosmograph Daytona’ watch,
Tourbillon’ watch, Louis Vuitton Rolex 2. ‘Seamaster 300’ watch,
4. ‘Marine Tourbillon Équation Marchante Omega 3. ‘Supersport Chrono’
5887’ watch, Breguet 5. ‘Octo Finissimo watch, Tissot 4. ‘Sky Chief
Perpetual Calendar Titanium’ watch, Chronograph’ watch, Favre-Leuba
Bulgari 6. ‘GUCCI 25H’ watch, Gucci 7. 5. ‘RM 07-01 Racing Red’ watch,
JASON SCHMIDT

‘Reverso Hybris Mechanica Calibre 185’ Richard Mille 6. ‘Captain Cook’

watch, Jaeger-LeCoultre 8. RM 74-02 watch, Rado 7. ‘H08’ watch,
In-House Automatic Tourbillon’ watch, 8 6 Hermès 8. ‘Marine Chronographe
7 Richard Mille 5527’ watch, Breguet

90 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 91
WATCH REPORT
A GREENER CHOICE
Leave a lighter footprint and shop responsibly
with these eco-friendly timepieces
1. ‘L.U.C Flying T Twin Ladies’
1 watch, Chopard
For full traceability, this
piece is crafted from 18K
rose gold that was ethically
2 extracted from artisanal and
small-scale mines, most of
which participate in the Swiss
Better Gold Association or are
certified Fairmined.
2. ‘Portugieser Automatic
TimberTex’ watch, IWC
Schaffhausen
Its TimberTex straps are made
of 80-per-cent natural plant
fibres from trees grown in
responsibly managed forests.
3 And only plant-based dyes are
used for the colouring.
3. ‘Tank Must’ watch, Cartier
Running on solar power with
a SolarBeat® photovoltaic
movement, this guilt-free
4 watch comes with a non-
leather strap made from apple
scraps.
4. ‘Solar Watch World-
Timer’ watch, Fossil
The movement is solar-
powered, the case is made
using castor oil and the strap
is made from recycled plastic
bottles.
5 5. ‘Submersible eLAB-ID’
watch, Panerai
Almost entirely (98.6 per
cent) made from recycled
materials, Panerai sets a new
6 manufacturing standard by
publishing a list of its suppliers
for transparency.
6. ‘Aaren Naturals Cork’
watch, Skagen
Cork is the primary material
of choice here, except for the
case that is partially sourced
JASON SCHMIDT
from recycled steel.
92 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
SHOPLIST
Audemars Piguet: Kapoor Watch, Delhi 011-46767777 Breguet: Art of
Time, Mumbai 9773433333, Johnson Watch Co, Delhi 011-43509175,
Horology, Chennai 044-28464095, Exclusive Lines, Kolkata 033-
22820626 Bulgari: DLF Emporio, Delhi 011-40538620 (www.bulgari.
com) Calvin Klein: Watches of Switzerland, Mumbai 022-26402511,
Genuine & Gorgeous, Delhi 011-27356445, Ethos Summit, Bengaluru
080-41130611 Cartier: DLF Emporio, Delhi 011-46788888, London
0044-20-73183977, Paris 0033-1-58182300 (www.cartier.com)
Chanel: Delhi 011-68136500, Paris 0033-8-20002005 Chopard:
Time Keepers, Mumbai 9619888888, Johnson Watch Co, Delhi 011-
41517518, London 0044-20-74093140 Daniel Wellington: Mumbai
022-49741954, Delhi 9958294094, Bengaluru 080-49626257 de
Grisogono: Little Switzerland by Diacolor, Mumbai 022-66669666,
Little Switzerland by Diacolor, Delhi 011-41414100 Dior: (www.
dior.com) Favre-Leuba: Helios Watch Store by Titan, Mumbai 022-
49419301, Helios Watch Store by Titan, Delhi 011-47619602, Helios
Watch Store by Titan, Bengaluru 080-48050651 Fossil: Mumbai
022-40050207, Delhi 011-41882041, Bengaluru 080-22682245,
Chennai 044-28464288 Graff: Little Switzerland by Diacolor, Mumbai
022-66669666, Little Switzerland by Diacolor, Delhi 011-41414100
Gucci: Mumbai/Delhi 022-50323242 Harry Winston: Johnson
Watch Co, Delhi 011-41517518 (www.harrywinston.com) Hermès:
Mumbai 022-22717400, Delhi 011-26885501 (www.hermes.com)
IWC Schaffhausen: Rose - The Watch Bar, Mumbai 022-23620277,
Johnson Watch Co, Delhi 011-41517518 Jaeger-LeCoultre: Art of
Time, Mumbai 022-26426241, Kapoor Watch, Delhi 011-41345678
Longines: Mumbai 022-67439853, Delhi 011-43592848, Chennai
044-28464098, Bengaluru 080-40982109 Louis Vuitton: Mumbai
022-66644134, Delhi 011-41505095, Bengaluru 080-42460000,
London 0044-20-73994050 Michael Kors: Mumbai 022-40048040,
Delhi 011-40563703, Bengaluru 080-40976633, Chennai 044-
61153020 Omega: Mumbai 9987958364, Delhi 011-41513255,
Bengaluru 080-40982106, Chennai 044-28464092, Hyderabad
9169165656 Panerai: Mumbai 022-22885052, Johnson Watch Co,
Delhi 011-41517518 Piaget: (www.piaget.com) Rado: Mumbai 022-
26489174, Delhi 011-43575253, Chennai 044-28464224, Kolkata
033-22814466, Hyderabad 040-23558663 Richard Mille: (www.
richardmille.com) Rolex: DiA, Mumbai 022-22042299, Kapoor Watch,
Delhi 011-46536667, Horology, Chennai 044-28464095, Luxury Time,
Ahmedabad 079-26469797 Skagen: Mumbai 9867261561, Delhi
011-4914900, Zimson Watch World, Bengaluru 080-40913800,
Blue Haven 044-25330886 Tissot: Mumbai 022-67439856, Delhi
9873765282, Bengaluru 080-67266283, Chennai 044-28464093,
Kolkata 9830294955, Hyderabad 040-55629605
www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 93
 VOGUE.IN
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SAIL YOUR OWN SHIP
POOJA BHATT
49, A CTO R , F I L M M A K E R , P R O D U C E R
For Pooja Bhatt, being at the cusp of 50
is all thoughts and all heart. Her social
media handle proudly proclaims ‘1972’, so
no surprises on her relationship with age
there. “I’ve made it so far with my soul
intact,” she smiles. “There is much to be
proud of.”
At the start of 2021, Bhatt, a filmmaker,
producer and born-again actor, slowly
approached two major milestones of
her life. In December this year she will
complete five years of sobriety and two
months later, in February, she will turn
50. “I guess five is a lucky number for
me,” she says. “It’s been playing out the
right way.”
Her comeback as an actor, 21 years
after she last acted in a film, was this year
with the Netflix series Bombay Begums,
which also featured five strong lead
women characters. Bhatt played an older
woman, who is menopausal, powerful and
sensual, which is how she feels today. “For
21 years, I put ‘actor’ at the end of my bio.
I had placed myself in hibernation. But
I can’t run from the tag. I am pleased I
found myself again as I approach 50. It
was meant to be.”
In Bhatt’s books, 50 is the new 30.
Embrace it and do the tango, otherwise
you’re just not being fair. “And I sure hope
my fifties aren’t as boring as my thirties
because 30 to 40 was the dreariest phase
of my life,” she sighs. It was when she was
married, a bad marriage, she soon came to
realise. She started leaning heavily on the
bottle. “All substance becomes addictive
because it always delivers what a person
cannot. Our expectations are often askew
when we’re younger,” she says.
And so she decided to write her own
narrative. “I could lie to the world but
never to myself. No excuses, no crutches,
no man, no bottle. I ended my marriage
and didn’t give myself time to mourn,” she
96 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
BEAUTY
EDITED BY SNEHA MANKANI
says. “You know, I always thought 40 was
the magical number, when I’d be a grown-
up. It seemed forbidden, more sensual. But
I wasted the first few years of my forties,”
she shrugs. And when she chose to get
her act together, the universe had a lot to
offer. “This decade, pre-fifty, has been the
most giving one of my life.”
It’s important to her, this countdown
to 50, because she will celebrate it as the
captain of her own ship. She chose to try
life on her own two feet after years of
deliberation. “This process of sobriety for
me has been very liberating,” she says. “I
look in the mirror and see my face and
body for what it is. I have survived this
lockdown with ease because sobriety
teaches you to sit and endure yourself
without any crutch.” “I’ve made it
Since the pandemic began, Bhatt has so far with my
pretty much moved to her six-acre Khopoli
farm, in the wilderness, where she can soul intact.
breathe, swim, sleep at 9.30pm, walk There is much
endlessly at 5am (she has never been to a S PO T L I G H T
gym in her life and doesn’t ever plan to),
to be proud of”
care for her ageing dog, feel the breeze —P O O JA BHATT
and dance in the rain. While her pink
complexion was inherited from her mother,
Bhatt does nothing to her skin except drink
a lot of water, use a La Mer moisturiser,
The 50s club
wash with good old soap and water, and What does it mean to be fifty? Does
make an occasional turmeric and yoghurt it bring with it a sudden inexplicable
paste for indulgence. “And, yes, I am
obsessed with moisturising my hands. I
air of seriousness? Does it bring
have done it with boxes of Charmis cream regrets? Or does it mean you take a
since I was seven,” she says. step back and re-evaluate what life’s
Goals and long-term plans are
inconsequential to her. This decade of her
been about? Ageing is a given, it’s the
life, she hopes, will be about travelling to circle of life. For these four powerful,
meet friends, eating great food, love and beautiful and eloquent women, this
be loved, and rage into the night with a cup
of black coffee in her hands—a secret the
decade is a celebration of every
world had kept from her until she turned grey hair, every stretch mark, each
JAYESH SHETH
sober. “If I were to drop dead tomorrow, I mistake and life lesson well-learned.
don’t want regrets,” she says. >
By Aditi Bhimjyani
www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 97

After 21 years of running a popular
travelogue on television, Deepti Bhatnagar,
a travel lover, can easily credit her job
with keeping her young. She has the
best job in the world, she says. She can
see the world and stay young doing it.
Travel keeps her fit. Travel is her high, her
energiser. Trekking, cycling, skiing, diving,
snorkelling—she does it all.
Her family shares her passion. They are
her travel partners. Her husband and she
have co-produced India’s first travel show
for years. Their series on the temples of
India lasted 10 years and got an Emmy
nomination too. Her kids have been to 70
countries since they were a mere 20 days
old. Her son’s college essay was about
travel, about waking up in a different
country every day. Bhatnagar’s vlog
continued to take her across the world
until lockdown struck. And the magic
never faded. “My crew would be asleep
as we travelled from one city to another,
but I would be all agog staring out the
window like a kid. I didn’t even want to
blink,” she sighs.
With Goa becoming her second home
since the pandemic began, Bhatnagar
stays fit with long walks on the beach,
yoga and weight training at home, three-
hour-long cycling tours around unexplored
areas, birdwatching treks and expeditions
to the middle of a forest somewhere. “I
am lucky that I can do all of the things I
am passionate about. Passion keeps you
alive and motivated. I think I look and
feel better every day,” she says. And it’s
this passion and joy that radiates on her
skin. She can sleep badly for three days
and wake up without dark circles. Her
go-to brand for everything is La Mer,
apart from which she has discovered the
joys of offerings from simple home-grown
Ayurvedic brands (like a neem scrub
and almond saffron face pack from True
Elements). As a model for going natural,
Bhatnagar, accompanied by her niece, is
also formulating a line of flower-essence-
based beauty products at home.
“Age is just a number,” says Bhatnagar,
knowing fully well she is rehashing a
cliché. Just to be very clear, she wants the
salt-and-pepper hair. She promises she will
be more graceful at 60. She will skydive
at 80. She will be a role model to her two
kids, aged 17 and 12.
98 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
FUEL YOUR PASSIONS TO FEEL YOUNG
DEEPTI BHATNAGAR
5 3, T E L E V I S I O N P R O D U C E R , T RAV E L
S H O W H O S T, M O D E L , A C T O R
BE AN ESSENTIALIST
TINA TAHILIANI PARIKH
5 4 , E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R AT E N S E M B L E
For Tina Tahiliani Parikh, reaching 54 has
been a journey in figuring herself out.
“Wisdom is not about the number, it’s
about your attitude, about becoming more
mindful of who you are and hopefully how
you’ve worked on yourself,” says Tahiliani
Parikh. She, for one, has spent her forties
working on herself, and today, she feels as
young as she did when she was 32.
Age has been good to her. Her fifties
are that stage of her life where she thinks
calmly. She feels centred. She has had a
chance to work on her fears. She chants
and does Gita classes. Her expectations
are realistic. Small things matter. “It
doesn’t mean you love life any less. It
means your approach is clear. You know
where not to waste your time,” she smiles.
“And you can be dreamy because you
MILIND MISAL (DEEPTI); SHRADDHA KHANNA (TINA)
figure what’s worth being dreamy about.”
The pandemic has worked to Tahiliani
Parikh’s benefit because it forced her
to get disciplined at this age. Yoga,
stairs, walks, meditation and workouts
“Passion keeps you alive and motivated. are now routine. She was never one for
beauty regimens, she doesn’t even own a
I think I look and feel better every day”
foundation. Her vibe is natural and super
— D E E PT I B H AT N AG A R casual. But her love for good clothes and
her obsession with her work, as executive
director of fashion boutique Ensemble,
SPOTLIGHT
go hand-in-hand with fuelling her passion
for style and her comfort with her body.
“I need my clothes to be beautifully made
inside and out. I have a good grip on
what I look good in. I keep things basic
and go with one signature accessory,”
she explains.
An overwhelming sentiment for
Tahiliani Parikh at this stage of her life
has been gratitude: for her husband, her
son (26) and daughter (23), good health, “Wisdom is
friendships, and her love for music and
dance. And yes, for those amazing travels:
not about the
to Everest and Annapurna’s base camps number, it’s
and microlighting down the wild coast of about your
South Africa. “I could die travelling,” she
says. “These things will never go away.” attitude”
The goal on her bucket list is to be more —TIN A TAHIL IAN I
present every day; to live in the moment, PARIKH
to travel, to feel joy. You know how it is
when someone asks you to write down a
100 things and cross out the bottom 95?
That’s how Tahiliani Parikh wishes to plan
the rest of her life. Would she rather be
40? Actually, no. She is more comfortable
with this version of herself. “When I was
younger, I had a lot of FOMO. I had so
much to work out. I did a lot of random
things,” she grins. “I have now understood
it is better to be an essentialist.” >
www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 99
SPOTLIGHT TREND
1986 1993 2002
Beyond the boundary of 50, there is this
older, wiser kind of truism, one where you
put things down to experience and age.
MAKE YOUR BOUNDARIES “Fifty is when you realise important life
lessons: stuff is going to go down whether
you like it or not, it’s how you deal that’s
ADHUNA important,” says Adhuna, with a grin.
5 4 , H A I R S T Y L I S T, C O - F O U N D E R & C R E A T I V E Incidentally, she has chosen to drop all the
D I R E C T O R AT B B L U N T I N D I A names given to her by the patriarchy (it
took some time to get there).
In her words, she is on an upward curve
at the moment. “To be perfectly honest, I
don’t think about age at all,” she says, “and
then there are days when I need to explain
to my 20-year-old daughter why I’m ‘too
old’ to wear that. It’s just me and my idea
of growing old gracefully.”
For someone who likes to stay as active
as Adhuna, the lockdown situation would
have given her much cause to unravel. “It’s
easy to let things get inside your head,
especially as you get older and struggle to 2012 2016 2018
find meaning in life,” she says. “You need
to consciously look inwards and find your
purpose.” And it was precisely this that
had her knuckle down into finally doing
something she had always wanted to:
start a formal online hairdressing training
academy with her brother.
At 54, Adhuna feels fit and fabulous.
Her skin is taut and she is, of course,
immaculately coiffed. Her hair is
yet to grey significantly, just a few
stray silver strands here and there. “I
think maintaining some of your greys
complements your skintone as you age. A
combination softens down the process,”
she explains. Apart from hair rituals,
you may keep asking her what she does
diligently, but she insists she does things 6
intermittently. 3
While Adhuna has always been 4
physically active—sports through her life
and a passion for horse riding to boot—
her daily routine is an occasional workout,
yoga and breathing. She follows the basic
cleanse-tone-moisturise routine, drinks a
lot of water and indulges in a ritualistic
haircare regimen. “My last ‘big’ thing was
a pair of roller-skates, which I am now
learning how to use,” she says. 1 2 5
If there is one lesson she is still learning
in her fifties, it is to create boundaries. For

Oh, Christy!
her, there is a lot of substance to new-age
keywords like ‘self-love’ and ‘self-care’.
“You need to consciously look inwards “As a daughter, mother, wife and working
and find your purpose” — ADHUNA woman, I didn’t give myself enough time.
There was so much pressure from all The OG ’80s supermodel Christy Turlington Burns reminds us
sides.” But from here on, she has promised that natural beauty is always better
herself to make sure she’s good. “You need
GETTY IMAGES

to be sane to be sane,” she says. n 1. Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real Magnet Mascara, Black, 1,440 2. e.l.f Cosmetics Primer-Infused Bronzer, Constantly
Bronzed, 700 3. Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution, Pillow Talk, 3,150 4. L’Oréal Paris Color Riche Moist Matte Lipstick, Blaze
of Red, 750 5. Pixi Correction Concentrate, Brightening Peach, 1,190 6. Dior Addict Lip Maximizer Gloss, Holo Pink, 3,400

100 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 101

M
y love for bright, happy
makeup ensued like it did
for most little girls—spell-
bound, watching my
mother twist open a molten gold tube to
reveal the most gorgeous shade of red I’d
ever seen, and applying it to her lips. My
lipstick collection today is inherently in-
spired by hers, then. At 61, though, her
choices are scarce, or so she thought. It
took my undying conviction for her to let
me touch her face with my makeup entou-
rage that I hand-picked for her, complete
with concealer, shadow, brow product,
mascara and the rest of the crew. As she
looked at her reflection in the mirror, I
could tell she missed this feeling.
Getting makeup right as you age can be
a tricky feat. As collagen production di-
minishes, your skin’s texture changes, re-
sulting in dryness, dullness and lack of
REBEKAH CAMPBELL. STYLED: JAIME KAY WAXMAN. HAIR: SHINGO SHIBATA. MAKEUP: LAURA STIASSNI. MANICURE: NORI
elasticity. But instead of leaving that which
once brought you joy behind as a memory
of the past, focus on formulas that work for
your skin and align with your authentic
self. “Reach for base products that are hy-
drating rather than drying and medium to
full coverage while still being lightweight,”
says makeup artist, entrepreneur and
founder of Anastasia Beverly Hills, Ana-
stasia Soares. You might remember her as
the lady who changed how we look at our
brows. At 64, with three decades of work
behind her (and a lot more in the pipeline)
Soares can inspire anyone at any age to
have fun with makeup. She tells you how
to get it right at 50 or beyond.
What’s age got to do with it?
PREP AND BASE
“Your starting place should always remain
the same—hydrated, prepped skin,” says
Soares, who uses a few drops of her nour-
Makeup doesn’t come with an age limit. So why do we restrict ourselves from the colours it once ishing Hydrating Oil when her skin feels
added to our lives as we grow older? Sneha Mankani explores the ways to fight the fear dry. With foundation, she recommends
102 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
“Makeup was never about covering up. Beauty
is a transformative tool, allowing us to choose
the version of ourselves that we present to
the world. Women should embrace only what
empowers and emboldens them”
looking for coverage that doesn’t feel
weighed down, applying it first to the areas
of the face that need the most coverage,
then blending it out.
EYE NOTES
Soares’s trick to give the illusion of wider
eyes? “Use a cream-coloured pencil (but
never white) on the waterline.” Follow
with a dark brown or grey matte eyeshad-
ow at the base of your lower lashes to out-
line the eyes. The finishing touch is two or
three coats of mascara on the upper and
lower lashes. “The contrast between the
light colour inside the eyes and the dark
smoky eyeshadow will give the illusion of
wide-set eyes,” she explains. Her three-
point highlighter rule is: “Use it in the in-
ner corner, right under the brows focusing
on the arch area, and on the cheekbones.”
To conceal circles under the eyes, use a
peachy corrector before the concealer.
Shimmery eyeshadows aren’t just a teen-
age dream. Soares suggests using them
only on the mobile lid (before applying
concealer) and avoiding the lower lash
line, where they have a tendency to settle
into fine lines. And always prime first to
prevent fallout.
THE BROW ROUTINE
The trick to creating natural brows is to
subtly build dimension. Here’s Soares ulti-
mate routine using her products: “Start
with Brow Primer to make sure your pow-
FOCUS
—AN ASTASIA SOARES
der product adheres. Then, take Brush 7B
and the deeper shade of the Brow Powder
Duo. Apply product from the arch to the
tail, working in the direction of the hair’s
natural growth. Then load Brush 7B with
the lighter shade of Brow Powder Duo and
apply to the front half of the brow, working
toward the arch. Use the spoolie end of
Brush 7B to blend. Next, go in with Brow
Wiz and create individual hair-like detail
throughout the brow and in areas of
sparseness. Top with Clear Brow Gel.” Re-
member to always be light- handed.
LIP TALK
Sometimes as we get older, our lip line
loses some of its crispness. “To help fill fine
lines in lips, use a lip primer before apply-
ing your lip colour,” says Soares, to create
structure and definition.
CHEEK SHEET
“Bronzer, blush, and highlight are all im-
portant for adding all-over warmth, di-
mension, and glow,” says Soares, who sug-
gests using lightweight, buttery formulas
that can blend seamlessly without enhanc-
ing texture. “Define your features with
bronzer by applying along the hairline,
temple, cheekbones and jawline. Add a
natural flush of colour by applying blush to
the centre of the cheek and blend towards
the hairline. Then apply highlighter on the
top of the cheekbone, upper brow bone,
bridge and tip of nose,” she adds. n
www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 103
VIEWPOINT

No, I don’t want to

age gracefully...
... I want to age with power,” says Norma Kamali, the 75-year-
old fashion visionary and author of I Am Invincible. The New
York-based designer writes on the joys of growing stronger,
THE UNSTOPPABLE 50s
holistically, with each passing year and the freedom that comes Norma Kamali ageing warehouse, including over 20,000 original
with respecting your mind and body at 50 with power and purpose design samples. I donated my books and
concentrate on self-love and care. Sleep is part of the Woolworth Estate. The walls of music collections and freed myself.
50 per cent of the pie of sleep, diet, and ex- marble carvings, the cherry wood library “Twenty-five years later, I continue to

O
n my 20th birthday, my
mother wished me a big
‘Happy birthday, Norma,’
and announced it’s all down-
hill from here. I literally cried tears. I just
didn’t want it to be, and I didn’t want to be
old like my mother. At 20 years of age, I
started to want to resist ageing, and I know
I am not alone in this. The anti-ageing,
anti-wrinkle propaganda machine has us
all fearing the ageing process—we are
afraid to be aged out of the dating field, our
jobs and our marriages. The beauty indus-
try promotes the belief that staying young
can be achieved by looking young if you
use products that promise to reverse the
ageing process. We know that this is not
achieved with promises. Ageing with pow-
clear about ageing with power. And in do-
ing so, I will be living my purpose. My ex-
perience as a female entrepreneur with 53
years in the fashion industry, to this day
the sole owner of my company, enables me
to speak with authority. I have over seven
decades of life experience and five decades
of experience as a designer and business-
woman to share the advantages of experi-
ence that comes with age. I know more
now than ever before. I am involved in all
aspects of my business and I have a long
game plan for the future.
“How do I visualise the plan for the
future? With the help of a healthy lifestyle
and its three pillars—sleep, diet and exer-
cise. While we can’t control our genetic
disposition, we can control lifestyle prac-
ercise. It restores the mind and heals the
body, each and every day. A healthy diet is
the best source of the nutrition we need to
fuel our mind and body, and food can be
medicine, while the wrong food can make
you sick. A consistent exercise plan keeps
us strong, flexible and inspires self-esteem.
By the time we reach 50 we are ready for
change. It is a powerful marker in every
woman’s life. We may have been aged out
of the dating market, a job and even a mar-
riage, and all of that represents good rea-
sons why people don’t like to say their age.
Being aged out is real and it can start early.
By the time you are 50, you may have expe-
rienced the feeling of not feeling relevant.
This fear and apprehension should be the
motivation to reinvent yourself. Reinven-
tion is like shedding the skin from your life
COURTESY NORMA KAMALI
and the gorgeous ceilings of the music
room were all restored by me with love. I’d
filled each room with an eclectic collection
of antiques and art. From the curved mar-
ble staircase entry to the observatory look-
ing up at the stars at night, this was pure
beauty. As I sat in the library sketching my
collection, I stopped and sat back in awe of
the beauty surrounding me, and in that
moment, I decided to sell everything. The
extraordinary collections in this beautiful
space all had too much influence on my
creativity. If I was going to move forward
with new ideas, I needed to let go. I needed
a blank canvas and to let go of my posses-
sions that were clearly possessing me.
“I had scheduled to visit a wonderful as-
trologer friend for my annual birthday
chart. She told me during the reading that
ahead, and at the time she sent me to
Chennai. As I sat under the stars with my
friends in Chennai, having the most deli-
cious dinner, I was gifted another chart by
a special man the following morning. I sat
with this magical soul who moved me with
his wisdom and reinforced my commit-
ment to divesting myself of my posses-
live a minimal life. I only own what I actu-
ally use. There is nothing just for decora-
tion. I have been free to design and create
ideas that are relevant to the time and
place and plan for the future. This age
opens a wonderful door, free of fluctuating
hormones, obligations to others and the
freedom to be the reinvented you. Eat less
and eat healthily, try intermittent fasting
to give your digestive energy system more
rest and recovery. Practise good sleep hab-
its in the form of rituals to prepare for
sleep. Include a caffeine-free day with
meditation to reduce stress so when you
put your head on the pillow (try silk) you
set the tone for a good night’s sleep. Move
every day, try the same time daily—put the
time for movement in your calendar so you
don’t allow anything else to take its place.

er is done holistically. The ageing popula-
tion is the last demographic not protected
by political correctness and I believe the
time has come to look at ageing with a new
lens. At 75, I feel qualified to talk loud and
tices and do the best for our mind, body
and soul, and have a long game plan. The
stress in our lives in this day and age, com-
pounded by our devices, social media and
a challenging environment, requires us to
before, and how we transition through this
sets us up for the rest of our lives.
“As I headed towards my 50th birthday
I remember sitting in my beautiful home
occupying a beautiful townhouse that is
I would be wanting to free myself of my
possessions. I was shocked at how she
knew what I had just decided. For each of
my birthday charts, she sends me to the
best city for the best chart for the year
sions. He was poetic, kind, brilliant and
helped me clarify my purpose in this life-
time. I returned home and not only sold
my home but auctioned all of the posses-
sions in it, as well as everything I had in a
“Now, your lifestyle can support your
purpose, exhibited and fulfilled in your new
invention. Enjoy ageing with power—the
best birthday gift you can give yourself.” n
— As told to Sneha Mankani

104 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 105

“I ALWAYS FEEL PROUD OF
THE AGE THAT I CAN SEE
IN MY HANDS, BECAUSE
I KNOW THEY’VE LIVED,
LOVED, LOST”
This is me
Academy-award winner Kate Winslet
on appreciating your face, the changing
shape of your hands and neck, and the
importance of eating seeds as you grow
older. By Sneha Mankani
A
TOM CRAIG. FASHION DIRECTOR: NATALIE HARTLEY. HAIR: NICOLA CLARKE. MAKEUP: LISA ELDRIDGE/STREETERS. SENIOR STYLIST: EMMA HARGADON. PHOTO ASSISTANTS: ALEX F WEBB; MAYA SKELTON; GUY
s I’ve gotten older, I know
that true beauty comes from
your heart, from the love of
your family; it comes from
kindness and the world around you.” Trust
Kate Winslet to define beauty in a way that
touches you deeply. For her role as a detec-
tive in her latest series, Mare Of Easttown,
she refused to let the director edit out a
‘bulgy bit of belly’ in a sex scene; she also
made sure not a single line by the side of
her eye was erased in the show’s promo
poster. The thing about Winslet is, she’s
too real—not just in the characters she em-
ISHERWOOD. SET STYLIST: ALEXANDRA LEAVEY/THE MAGNET AGENCY. DESIGN MANUFACTURER: STELLA MCCARTNEY; JAMES PERSE
bodies (we dare think Rose from Titanic
or Clementine from Eternal Sunshine Of
The Spotless Mind were figments of our
imagination)—and she’s not afraid to
speak her truth, despite the pressures that
come with being a Hollywood superstar.
And as L’Oréal Paris’s newest ambassador,
Winslet is ready to add a touch of truth
and realism to your beauty routine. Listen
to her.
ON AGE AND ITS MANY
LAYERS
“You can’t defy your age. Learning to not
deny it as well, and allowing the natural
ageing process to happen, is something
that I do feel okay with. We are very lucky
today that there are products that support
the skin as it changes. I notice it chang-
ing...the skin on my neck and hands is
changing, but I don’t mind that because
my hands have lived so much life. I always
feel proud of the age that I can see in my
hands, because I know they’ve lived, loved,
lost. Approaching the ageing process with
grace and a commitment to being well,
feeling healthy and taking care of yourself
is very important.”
THE ART OF STAYING
WELL
“If I’m honest, I wish I had more time, like
most of us. I always kind of admire and
envy those women who can have a whole
day to themselves where they make beauti-
ful, healthy smoothies, take a long bath
and read a book. I’m never able to switch
off enough. I try to eat balanced diets that
include a variety of healthy foods. I don’t
eat any meat and dairy, which helps keep
my body feeling fresh and awake. I do my
best to stay out of the sun and I drink a
huge amount of water...just some simple
but important things. I try to drink clean
juices a couple of times a month, so I might
have a day where I have a lot of celery, cu-
cumber and lemon juice, but I only do that
twice a month for a whole day. I like the
feeling of freshness it gives me—and it
definitely makes a difference to my skin.”
IF I COULD GO BACK
AND CHANGE A THING
“Oh my gosh! I went through a phase
when I was about 14 where I didn’t have—
like most of us—any money at all for cos-
metics and somehow figured out that if I
took my brown eyeliner pencil and blend-
ed it with a little bit of lip balm, it would
make for a pretty decent lipstick. But It
looked like mud—it looked awful. Mother
would always say, ‘Oh darling, please take
that muck off your lips’ and I would go,
MY BEAUTIFUL LIFE
‘Oh, no mum, I love it. Don’t be so boring!’
When I look at photographs of myself, I do
look like I have mud on my lips. So yes, I
wish I could go back and change that.”
A MEMORY WITH MUM
“My late mother was there with me when
we went to the Academy Awards and I won
an award for The Reader. We had a very
special day before the Oscar ceremony,
where we got facials and manicures togeth-
er. It meant a lot to her to have that mo-
ment because I’m one of four children and,
I think, for any mother who is raising four
kids it’s very hard to have one-on-one time
with each. Honestly, when I look back on
my childhood, I probably didn’t have that
much one-on-one time with my mum and
so, suddenly, there we were as two grown
women still able to experience a lovely,
luxurious moment that we certainly never
would’ve had when I was younger and she
loved that. It was special.”
THE SKINCARE
ROUTINE
“I always take off my makeup. In the
morning I brush my teeth and wash my
face with very cold water. I use an SPF of at
least 15, even in the winter. I use the
L’Oréal Age Perfect Cell Renewal Cream
every morning; it’s very rich but isn’t thick
and sticky. I don’t wear makeup in the day-
time but I might put on a little bit of lip
balm, sometimes a tiny bit of mascara. At
night again, I wash my face with warm wa-
ter—always only with water at night—then
I’ll use a night serum. Sometimes I use
Weleda Skin Food around the T-zones; it’s
a really simple brand but it is very moistur-
ising. That’s it. And lots and lots of water.
JOINING THE LADIES
OF L’ORÉAL
“I admire that L’Oréal does not test on ani-
mals and that the brand cares about what
women have to say. They really listen and
do so much to support women as their skin
changes. It feels wonderful to be an am-
bassador in a long line of extraordinary
women, all saying the same thing, walking
in the same direction and standing >
www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 107
MY BEAUTIFUL LIFE JUST IN

“I LIKE MY FITNESS
ROUTINE BECAUSE I
DON’T DESIRE TO HAVE A
PERFECTLY TONED BODY. I
JUST WANT TO FEEL FIT”

TOM CRAIG. FASHION DIRECTOR: NATALIE HARTLEY. HAIR: NICOLA CLARKE. MAKEUP: LISA ELDRIDGE/STREETERS. SENIOR STYLIST: EMMA HARGADON. PHOTO ASSISTANTS: ALEX F WEBB; MAYA SKELTON; GUY ISHERWOOD. SET STYLIST: ALEXANDRA LEAVEY/
together. This is the time when women
want to feel a sense of unity, support, kind-
ness and compassion in one another and I
can feel that happening with L’Oréal.”

RED-CARPET
EXPERIMENTS
“I try not to repeat red-carpet looks be-
cause it’s such a fun experience to go on a
red carpet. I loved my look when I went to
the Toronto Film Festival in 2015. I was
On a fresh note
there for my film, The Dressmaker, and my The secret to lifting your mood is right under your Hermès Twilly
skin was a little bit tan. My hair was freshly d’Hermès Twilly
coloured a strong blonde and I felt very
nose, according to Christine Nagel. The perfumer Eau Ginger EDP
(85ml),
healthy. I think I had been doing a lot of tells us about the brand new, playful iteration of the 11,500
yoga at the time. It was just a fresh, glow- Hermès Twilly fragrance family. By Avanti Dalal

C
ing look with big strong eyes. Whenever
I’m shown an image from that event I’m
always slightly amazed that it was even hristine Nagel is the firstborn rounds fragrance. To create one what’s on the outside counts
me. I’m like, ‘Wow, I look really good of her family, but the latest ol- like Twilly Eau Ginger, Nagel as well. In this case, the
there!’ And that’s a good feeling.” factive instalment she just cre- had to work without any com- square flacon with
ated is definitely the third child. mercial concerns or con- rounded shoulders is
KATE OFF-CAMERA “In my family, there are three children and straints. “We are at the heart painted a sunny yellow,
“I’m just like the rest of us. I haven’t made the third doesn’t need to ask for any per- of Paris, in a place which is and a silk ribbon adorns
any adjustments to my face. I try to appre- mission, does things naturally, and is al- really beautiful and inspiring the neck of the bottle.

THE MAGNET AGENCY. DESIGN MANUFACTURER: STELLA MCCARTNEY; JAMES PERSE

ciate who I am, be happy and make the
most of life. It isn’t always easy to do that,
especially when you’re busy juggling a lot
of things. And in the last year, we’ve all had
to deal with the hell of the pandemic. But I
try to keep a positive mental attitude and
that feeling comes out in the way you
look—in your eyes, the skin.”
HOW TO ENJOY
A FITNESS ROUTINE
“I really like my fitness routine at the mo-
ment because I don’t have to put a lot of
pressure on myself. The thing is, I don’t
desire to have a perfectly toned body. I just
want to feel fit. At the age of 45, I like to be
active and be outdoors—a lot of cycling
and swimming. I do three long Peloton
rides per week—maybe 45 minutes to one
hour each (about 24km)—a little bit of
gentle yoga twice a week and sometimes a
bit of barre cardio. In general, I’ll exercise
four times a week.”
EATING MINDFULLY
“I eat a huge amount of chia seeds and
sunflower seeds, almonds, almond butter,
green vegetables, and a lot of salads. Seeds
are very good as you get older, for binding
ways more mischievous. The Twilly family
is like a tribe, and Twilly Eau Ginger is the
third born,” she says. It calls on fresh gin-
up any extra oestrogen in the body and ger root, peonies and cedar to create a
getting rid of it. If you have too much oes- complex scent that feels spicy, floral and
trogen it can create inflammation in the woody all at once. It isn’t just a faint whiff
face and the whole body.” either. There’s an explosion of candied gin-
ger that is derived from the fresh root, as
A 2021 LEARNING AND compared to the dry root that most per-
A MESSAGE FOR YOU fumers have used in the past.
“My mantra at the moment is stay positive,
we’ll get through it. My advice to women in SCENT-SORY OVERLOAD
their forties is don’t be too hard on your- Few beauty products carry the delicious
self, you know? You’ve achieved so much frisson of richness and romance that sur-
already. Celebrate who you are. Life is too
short.” n
for creation,” says Nagel about
the place where she can produce
something that no one has smelled
before. She gets to pick her own ingredi-
ents, make her own blends and do it on
her own time—a privilege she considers
the most important. “I take that freedom
with great joy because it allows me to go
down a path where other fragrances can’t
go,” she says.
BOTTLED SEDUCTION
The real stars of the fragrance universe are
the ingredients inside the bottle, but
Christine Nagel The white stopper was in-
creased in size to look like a
bowler hat, which Nagel says
makes it look “contemporary” and “amus-
ing” all at once. It all comes back to the
liquid inside, though. “The peony bud is
like a little ball—a bit like the bowler hat
on the top of the fragrance—but when it
opens up, it becomes huge,” she says. Her
workshop looked like the site of “an Indi-
an ceremony, with necklaces of flowers
everywhere. I was just putting my nose in
the flowers to be able to recreate that fra-
grance,” she says. ■

108 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 109

Prime time
There might not be a miracle cream, a magic
elixir or a quick-fix product that will stop time
in its tracks, but diversifying your diet with
greens and bitter foods, and plenty of sleep, can
help the years go by slower. By Avanti Dalal
110 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
W
hen I talk about staying
ageless, I’m not talking
about anti-ageing or sim-
ply looking young. I am
talking about achieving vitality, looking and
feeling amazing, and keeping your body
disease-free,” says Esosa E, MS, licenced di-
etician nutritionist (LDN), certified nutri-
tion specialist (CNS) and behavioral coach,
Therawgirl.com, where she provides holis-
tic wellness consultations and programmes.
In an effort to teach people to take a proac-
tive approach towards their future, Esosa
has been learning from the best—reaching
out to men and women between the ages of
70 to 100 years old—to get to the crux of it.
“I found three distinct habits consistent
among all of them: diet, elimination and
lifestyle,” she says.
PLANT POWER
The common denominator among most of
these people? They followed a plant-based
diet. Between Bernando LaPallo (who
lived till he was 114 years old), Annette Lar-
kins (an 80-year-old who is said to look like
she’s 40) and a farmer that Esosa met in
Freetown, Sierra Leone, a diet filled with
fruits, vegetables and tubers was the major
staple. “Plant-based diets are higher in an-
tioxidants, which are important to slow
ageing because they neutralise free radicals
(molecules with an uneven number of elec-
trons), thus reducing their capacity to in-
flict damage on our cells. Plant-based diets
give us more than adequate fibre needed to
keep our colon healthy and naturally sup-
port the body’s inherent ability to detoxify,”
she says. It is not just your body—your
brain gets the same benefits too. Research-
ers from a 1997 study discovered that par-
ticipants who consumed one to two serv-
ings of green leafy vegetables daily
experienced fewer memory problems and
less cognitive decline. They also found that
participants in the study who ate greens
twice daily had brains that were eleven
FLORIAN SOMMET/TRUNK ARCHIVE; GETTY IMAGES
years younger than those that didn’t.
BITTERSWEET
FEELINGS
You already know that you have to lay off
the sugar—it attaches to proteins and pro-
duces harmful free radicals called ad-
vanced glycation end products (AGEs)
which damage the collagen and elastin fi-
bres around them—but you may have to
RAW ENERGY
Expanding the
number of fruits
and vegetables in
your diet ensures
good skin and
body health
add bitter foods to your diet too. Esosa says
that as people age, they usually have lower
stomach acid levels, which leads to malab-
sorption of essential nutrients such as zinc,
B12, manganese and calcium. She suggests
adding bitter herbal blends to your diet,
especially those that contain gentian, di-
gestive enzymes with betaine HCL or ap-
ple cider vinegar to trigger more acid pro-
duction and improve digestion.
“There are 50 different bitter taste re-
ceptors through the body that play impor-
tant roles in digestion and metabolism.
These bitter taste receptors that bind to
bioactive compounds can have epigenetic
effects, ultimately activating our DNA
to help express optimal health potential,”
she says.
VEGGING OUT
As you get older, focusing on your sleep
and immunity is that much more impor-
tant. In your fifties, hormonal shifts to-
wards menopause can occur. “The best
way to prepare for menopause is to sup-
port and regulate your stress levels. The
adrenal glands are the backup for the ova-
ries during menopause and if we spent
most of our twenties and thirties not man-
HEALTH
SUPERFOODS
WITH SUPER-
POWERS
Esosa suggests adding
these to your diet
Moringa: “It has 92 nutrients
and 46 antioxidants,” says
Esosa, which makes it a panacea
for reducing blood sugar levels
and supporting the liver.
Teff: The protein-rich grain is a
great source of B vitamins and
revs up energy production and
quickens metabolism.
Camu Camu: This vitamin
C-rich supplement helps fight
inflammation and bolsters
immunity.
aging stress well, we will be burned out
and experience more of the unsavoury hot
flashes, night sweats and the inevitable li-
bido drop that happens as the hormones
shift,” says Esosa. Declining oestrogen lev-
els negatively impact your metabolism,
potentially leading to weight gain, and
may affect your cholesterol levels and how
your body can digest carbohydrates. She
says that consuming adequate healthy fat
and adequate protein is a must, especially
when you’re supporting your body through
these changes. When it comes to when you
should eat, Esosa says, “Intermittent fast-
ing is a great tool to implement at this
stage, whether it’s eating your meals with-
in a moderate eight- to ten-hour window
or taking one day a week to reset and take
a break from eating altogether.”
Esosa also thinks that getting enough
sleep and reducing stress is key. Her food
picks to make that happen? Magnesium-
rich foods like kale, mustard greens, turnip
greens, collard greens, sea vegetables,
green beans, cucumber, bell peppers, cel-
ery and cacao, and foods that boost immu-
nity, like Vitamin C-rich orange, lemon,
guava, papaya, tomato, broccoli and Brus-
sels sprouts. ■
www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 111
WELLNESS
Good old days
DAILY
Age is not just a number, but it tends to add to your list of problems. If you’re ESSENTIALS
looking to ‘cheat’ your body clock, longevity expert Dr Gil Blander may have some Dr Blander’s key lifestyle
answers to living longer and better. By Sheree Gomes Gupta factors to focus on post
the age of 50 for stronger
muscles and a better mood
“Incorporate antioxidant-rich
foods like fatty fish, berries
and dark leafy greens, as these
mitigate inflammation and
protect memory and cognition,
all of which are hallmarks of
ageing.”
“There is a large
“Move for 30 minutes a day,
body of scientific five times a week, to maintain
evidence that heart and muscle health, as
physical activity prevents age-
connects the related muscle decline.”
mind’s health to
“Maintain a consistent sleep
the body’s” schedule for 7-9 hours a
—DR GIL BLANDER night—sleep touches just
about every aspect of health,
from the immune system to
muscle recovery and mood.”
L
ast No vember, six-odd months
into #WFH in Mumbai (a city
in lockdown on and off since
early 2020), I came across a clip
of Jennifer Lopez’s incredibly powerful
performance at the American Music
Awards. At 51, the singer and actor looked
strong, showing off dance moves only
someone immensely fit could pull off.
Lopez is not a rare exception—across pro-
fessions, be it business, sport or entertain-
ment, several men and women are redefin-
ing the perception of age and living their
best lives no matter how old or young they
may be.
And while our prospects of living well
into our eighties and nineties may have in-
creased over time—thanks to advance-
TORKIL GUDNASON/TRUNK ARCHIVE
ments in medicine, science and technolo-
gy—there has never been a more critical
time in modern history to re-evaluate our
lifestyles. Ageing is a complex, multifacto-
rial process that starts in our cells, result-
ing in a gradual decline of the larger sys-
tems in the body. It’s a time in life defined
112 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
“Priortise eating
whole foods, staying
active, getting
restful sleep and
managing stress”
—DR GIL BLANDER
by declining mental faculties, rising dis-
ease risk and loss of vigour. According to
Dr Gil Blander, founder and chief scientif-
ic officer of the personalised health perfor-
mance analytics company Inside Tracker,
we can slow down the fundamental ageing
process and lessen its impact. The first step
is to know what you are working with. This
includes your blood biomarkers and DNA
data. Here, Blander explains further.
Why are blood biomarkers key to
increasing longevity?
“There are many biomarkers related to the
ageing process. Our research and data
show a strong correlation between blood
glucose and age—a lower glucose level is
associated with younger age and vice ver-
sa. It’s also well established that lower cho-
lesterol levels, particularly LDL (low-den-
sity lipoproteins or ‘bad’) cholesterol, can
predict healthy ageing. Additionally, re-
search shows high inflammation levels,
measured by the biomarker hs-CRP (high-
sensitivity C-reactive protein), relate to
age-related conditions such as metabolic
syndrome and diabetes. Optimal vitamin
D levels are also essential as it has many
functions in the body, including a role in
modulating inflammation, a mechanism
that may protect telomeres, a hallmark of
ageing.”
Can we boost our immune system with
a certain kind of diet?
“A single food won’t solely impact the im-
mune system, but a balanced and varied
diet, daily movement, adequate sleep and
stress management will contribute to opti-
mal immune function. Commonly under-
consumed nutrients include calcium, vita-
min D, potassium and dietary fibre. So you
must include fruits, vegetables, whole
grains, dairy and legumes in your daily diet
as they contain these essential nutrients.
Also incorporate lean protein sources like
chicken, fish, yoghurt and eggs into your
diet daily. These foods provide necessary
vitamins and minerals like vitamin D, vita-
min E, vitamin C and zinc, to keep your
immune system running smoothly.
Are there any specific hormones we
should focus on as we grow older?
“Well-established research illustrates that
DHEAS in women decreases with age, and
maintaining higher levels is protective
against age-related diseases because of its
anti-clotting and anti-proliferative proper-
ties. It also helps improve energy, immune
function, and bone and muscle health. In
men, optimised free testosterone is vital
for muscle building, strength and prevent-
ing age-related bone loss. They can in-
crease free testosterone by focusing on
restful sleep and reducing stress when pos-
sible.”
Do you believe in a mind-body connec-
tion?
“The body is constantly reacting to stress-
ors, both physical and emotional. Regard-
less of the source, cortisol is released to
trigger the ‘fight or flight’ response. Elevat-
ed cortisol signals the body to reallocate
energy away from processes that are not
vital to survival, and prolonged high corti-
sol levels can impair bodily processes like
immune function and digestion. So yes,
there is a large body of scientific evidence
that connects the mind’s health to the
body’s.” n
www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 113
 EYEVIEW
MALDIVES
SPECIAL
INSIDE

THE LAST WORD IN TRAVEL INDIAN EDITION

MAY-JUNE-JULY 2021 | 200

INDIA’S 50
BEST VILLAS
The perfect
staycations to book

THE HOT LIST

The world's best
new hotels

BEYOND THE
THEPLA
Gujarat’s little
known cuisines

Family
first 50 incredible experiences
with the kids across India

MALDIVES
SPECIAL
INSIDE

THE LAST WORD IN TRAVEL INDIAN EDITION

MAY-JUNE-JULY 2021 | 200

INDIA’S 50
BEST VILLAS
The perfect
staycations to book

THE HOT LIST

The world's best
new hotels

BEYOND THE
THEPLA
Gujarat’s little
known cuisines

Family
first

Growing bolder
MALDIVES
50 incredible experiences SPECIAL
INSIDE

with the kids across India

THE LAST WORD IN TRAVEL INDIAN EDITION

MAY-JUNE-JULY 2021 | 200

INDIA’S 50
BEST VILLAS
The perfect
staycations to book

THE HOT LIST

The world's best
new hotels

BEYOND THE
THEPLA
Gujarat’s little
known cuisines

Family
first 50 incredible experiences
with the kids across India

• Salma Hayek on living her dream

• Avani Rai photographs her mother in the
season’s comfiest offerings
• Dr Jane Goodall explains why she still
JACKIE NICKERSON

has hope for humanity

 At 54, Salma Hayek is playing a menopausal hitwoman, a Marvel superhero
and, in a strange twist, the clairvoyant who plotted the murder of the Gucci heir.
For the Mexico-born actor, who notches up life to equal part luck and grit, age is
a defining factor, but one that has only helped her grow, finds Priyanka Khanna
Photographed by JACKIE NICKERSON Styled by PRIYANKA KAPADIA & ANNABELLE HARRON

S
a lma Hayek is trending again. This time, her owl (yes, her pet owl) Kering
(named after husband François-Henri Pinault’s luxury behemoth that owns
Gucci, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga and Bottega Veneta, amongst others) spat
up a hairball on Harry Styles. Hayek’s narration of the incident has since
spawned countless clickbait articles and memes, including a hilarious New York
magazine piece that delves into the karmic connection between Hayek and her pet.
Hayek laughs, deep and full-throated, when I bring this up. “I also have horses
and alpacas. I have little rabbits and chickens. The chickens are very funny, but not
Abstract print very smart,” she says with an eyebrow raise, that impeccable comic timing coming
silk dress,
into play. “If you’re in a bad mood, just watch them, listen to their silly noises, the
Roksanda.
Earrings, ring; way they walk. I have a very old horse, 38 years old…maybe it’s the oldest horse in the
both Pomellato world, I don’t know. I love animals, all of them.” >

117
 This isn’t the first time that Hayek has spoken about the animal
kingdom she reigns over at her sprawling ranch. When we speak,
she’s in London, Zooming from a sunlit corner of the home she
shares with her husband and their teenage daughter, Valentina.
The last time I interacted with the actor was on a balmy May night
in Arles, in a cemetery of all places, for the curious staging of Ales-
sandro Michele’s cruise 2019 show for Gucci.
Of course, memories of fashion shows and in-person interac-
tions of that kind are distant. As writers, we have resigned our-
selves to quarantine-style interviews where we discreetly note our
subject’s settings through pixelated imagery—in this case, Hayek,
wearing statement earrings and a voluminous sleeved Saloni dress
in her favourite pink, has her hair parted in waves, is seated on an
oversized armchair plumped up with a dog-illustrated (or is it a
fox? I squint) cushion, in a tastefully done up room with grey walls
and plants—to illustrate our stories with as much nuance as an
in-person meeting.
THE YEAR THAT WAS
Hayek recovered from an early and seri-
ous bout of COVID-19 that she is only just
talking about, and the effects of which she “I didn’t want to
says have still not completely vanished.
“My doctor begged me to go to the hospi- be just a soap star.
Even if I didn’t
tal because it was so bad,” Hayek told Va-
riety about her seven weeks in isolation.
She says that even today, so many months
later, she isn’t feeling all that great, though make big movies,
it’s difficult to tell. On Zoom, her preter-
naturally attractive face radiates a glow,
and her conversation is animated even
it was important
through this waist-up box.
She’s on a manic promotional schedule,
to me to be a part
thanks to three releases in 2021: the com-
ic caper sequel Hitman’s Wife’s Body-
of something that
guard (which released in June) with Ryan
Reynolds and Samuel L Jackson, in which
I loved”
she reprises her role as Sonia Kincaid; a
Marvel film, The Eternals (October), directed by Oscar-winning
Chloé Zhao, comprising a stellar cast including Angelina Jolie,
Gemma Chan and Kit Harington, is up next; and then, in a very
meta moment, comes The House Of Gucci (November 2021) with
Lady Gaga, Adam Driver and Al Pacino. She’s also just shot her
very first Vogue India cover and is in the process of getting her
dream film (which she scripted) greenlit, among other production
ventures.
She won’t tell me more about the story she’s written, except that
she hopes to direct it too. “Again, like Frida (2002), it’s ahead of its
time,” she says referring to the Frida Kahlo biopic that not only
earned her an Oscar nomination but also had her fight the pro-
ducers Harvey Weinstein (Hayek wrote a scathing op-ed on
Weinstein’s ill-treatment of her in 2017) and Miramax on every
aspect, including the film’s release.
“It’s always hard to sell things that are different or new. For
them, Frida was new. It was a period piece but it was different. In
this industry, they always say they want something different but
they don’t want to do anything different to get the thing that’s dif-
118
ferent,” she laughs, with that eyebrow raised again. Has it changed
with the streaming platforms? “Sometimes. They take more risks,”
she concedes. “But how many original films have you seen coming
from America that made you go, ‘Oh, that’s different?’” She paus-
es. “Actually, there was an Indian film I really liked, with Priyanka
Chopra [Jonas], The White Tiger. Now that was different.”
LIVING THE DREAM
In many ways, Hayek’s entire career has been predicated on being
individual. A successful soap star in Mexico, she moved to the US
to try her hand at Hollywood, garnering roles as extras before her
big break, opposite Antonio Banderas in Desperado (1995). But
this didn’t come before countless rejections, often due to her Mex-
ican roots. “I didn’t want to be just a soap star. And it comes with
a lot of perks, being a star,” she says, matter-of-factly. “I sacrificed
[the perks of stardom] to have the dream. Even if I didn’t make
big movies, it was important to me to be a part of something that
I loved, which is the movies, even if it was on a smaller scale.”
And she’s made movies. Over 60 of
them. Frida, which she also produced.
Bandidas (2006) with her best friend,
Penélope Cruz. From Dusk Till Dawn
(1996) with George Clooney. Fools Rush
In (1997) with Matthew Perry. Wild Wild
West (1999) with Will Smith, as well as
cameos in hit television productions like
Ugly Betty and 30 Rock—all tiny affirma-
tions for an actress who started her career
in a language other than English, show-
casing her range as an actor that goes be-
yond being just a bombshell. “I dream
hard and there is a sense of purpose or
destiny. I’m good at following my intui-
tion. There are also numbers, and num-
bers don’t lie. I thought the industry was
being stupid,” she says with a shrug. “The
reason I didn’t get a lot of parts is that I
was Latina, but I know there are 60 mil-
lion Latinas [in the US] so I understood they were missing out
on a huge market. I thought it was very narrow-minded, but even-
tually, somebody’s going to do the math. It took a while, but they
got there.”
She takes a pause and continues. “It was a combination of the
things, you know, that you feel inside you and the things you know
in your head. Make the things that should work against you work
for you. As a woman, this is a virtue that we have to learn.” It
wasn’t just roles that she lost out on. Designers at that time de-
clined to dress Hayek, then an unknown: “I’m Mexican. I’m also
very short, which doesn’t help with the weight and doesn’t help
with the design,” she says candidly. “But you know, I was ingen-
ious. I took chances. I met someone at Hugo Boss, who was the
only connection I had, so I wore man suits for a while. Another
time, I had on a very simple black dress and I knew all the other
girls were going to have fabulous dresses, beautiful jewellery. And
can I tell you something? Instead of giving me a complex and say- Minidress, David
ing that I don’t have the best dress or they don’t know who I am...I Koma. Earrings,
Pomellato
was like, I am fabulous. I painted some butterfly tattoos on >
 Dress, Giambattista
Valli. Shoes,
Giuseppe
Zanotti. Bracelet,
Boucheron

Kaftan dress,
Dundas. Bracelet,
Boucheron

121

Plissé organdy one-
shoulder dress,
Gucci. Earring, Boucheron.
Ring, Annoushka
Hair: Samantha Hillerby
Makeup: Nikki Wolff
Manicurist: Kate Williamson
Assistant stylists: Naheed
Driver; Farrah O’Connor
Set designer: David Konix
Production: Farago Projects
Visuals and bookings editor:
Jay Modi
Art director: Snigdha
Kulkarni
myself and I felt happy about myself.” She was happy then, and
seems happy now, with the world’s leading labels pretty much in
her backyard, metaphorically speaking. “What did I tell you? I
make everything work for me, I married the owner of a fashion
company. Now they have to make me the clothes. Karma for
them,” she laughs, that big laugh again, falling back against the
armchair.
This is Hayek in form. Over the hour and a half of our chat,
these bon mots, always delivered expressively—with a laugh, a dy-
namic hand gesture, a lean forward to the camera—in a tone that’s
warm and confiding, like a friend advising the other, only serves to
foster the commonly held belief that, with Hayek, what you see is
what you get. “If I am not frank, if I try to lie to you, you will know
immediately. I am not good at lying. I am a good actress, but not a
good bullshitter,” she tells me.
REAL DEAL
Being real extends to her on-screen life as well. In Hitman’s Wife’s
Bodyguard, she had her character, Sonia, be rewritten as a hormo-
nal 50-plus woman struggling to get pregnant. “They thought I
could look younger because it is an action-comedy, so they wanted
me to play a 40-year-old. How do guys get
to do action in their seventies?” So Hayek
pushed back. “My proposition was that
one of her conflicts is that she’s menopau- “Why should we
sal and no longer able to have children.
let them give us
They were like ‘That’s not funny.’ I said
everything in the world is funny, you need
the humour to endure it.” an expiration
That she approaches every obstacle with
an eyebrow raise is clear. And in an indus-
try that venerates youth, this move is ballsy.
date? I think
Talking about it so freely is what makes
Hayek not just an anomaly but an im-
there is a lot of
mensely admirable one. “Why should we
let them give us an expiration date? I think
sexism when it
there is a lot of sexism when it comes to
age. They give us a lot of deadlines that they
comes to age”
don’t have, such as [the idea that] after a
certain age, you lose your beauty or nobody will want to marry you.
It’s incredibly unfair. I wanted to make this character, who is strong,
fierce, beautiful, sexy and ready for adventure because women my
age, in their mid-fifties, can still be that.”
And the fifth decade of her life has been exactly that. The fact
that she’s playing a superhero at 54 is not a situation that even
Hayek, with her big dreams, could have predicted. “When they
called me, I thought they were going to say, ‘Okay you are gonna
be in a Marvel movie. You play the grandma!’ Then I find out I am
a superhero, and Chloé [the director] tells me that I’m the leader.
And I ask, ‘Is it because I’m older?’ But no, there’s no age. Ajak is
not human, so that was really cool,” she says. The Eternals, she
says, was an experience like none other. First, there was the fact
that she was sworn to secrecy. “You want to call your mother, fa-
ther, friends from school in Mexico. You want to tell your husband
and daughter immediately, ‘I’m gonna be in a Marvel movie.’ You
want to tell your stepchildren. I was on the set of Hitman’s Wife’s
Bodyguard, and Sam Jackson and Ryan Reynolds were talking
superheroes, you know, Marvel talk, and I couldn’t say anything!
I couldn’t be one of the guys in the conversation.” Then there was
the cast (“I became friends with everyone. It was so nice to have
such a diverse cast. It was a different dynamic. The American ac-
tors are great, but they don’t have the custom of going out to din-
ner. They like to go to bed early, to be at the gym at 6 in the morn-
ing. When you’re Mexican or Indian, you hang out, you finish your
meal, you keep talking, and you keep talking. I felt at home.”) and
finally there was the director. Hayek says that working with Zhao,
who this year became the first woman of colour to win an Oscar
for filmmaking, was a highlight. (“I’ve only worked with three fe-
male directors. There’s not many out there. I really enjoyed watch-
ing her process, her cleverness, how clear her vision was and how
relentless she was to fight for it. In a way, I feel safer [with a fe-
male director]. I’ve not always felt safe in the hands of male direc-
tors. There are certain scenes and certain aspects of playing a
woman that I feel they understand better. But maybe I’ve just
been very lucky.”)
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS
She’s also been lucky in love, she says, and that’s why this decade
has been her most fulfilling. “I’ve spent 15
years with my husband and it’s still really
good. Still making each other laugh, still
understanding each other well. I’m really
proud of my marriage and of my children.
That’s not very common, for the love to
survive, to thrive. In your thirties, in your
twenties, it is always difficult to find true
love. You have more choices. It’s easier to
love somebody younger. To have it in your
fifties is an amazing gift.”
In the next decade, she hopes to be a
step-grandmother. But for now she’s navi-
gating Valentina’s teenage years and the
constant divide between a tech-forward
generation and their often digitally phobic
parents. “She gives me a lot of advice, she’s
very opinionated,” says Hayek. Valentina
also did her makeup a few days prior, she tells me, rolling her eyes
affectionately, an elaborate, multi-step routine. “I do it in a differ-
ent way, of course. I apply and run, but they have their tutorials,
you know,” she puts her hands up in surrender.
Though, you’d be hard-pressed to tell, given her most recent
Instagram photos. Hayek is a few pounds heavier, for her role in
The House Of Gucci. She’s decided that this is a time that she’s
not going to give in to the pressure to look a certain way. “At
some point, I have to give myself a break. What I can get away
with now is expectations. I told you before that you have to use
what works against you and make it work for you. It [the
weight] is not going away. That was stressful, because I couldn’t
get into my clothes.” She leans forward, conspiratorially. “So you
know what I did? I went shopping and bought a new size. I
think I can get away with having extra weight and people forgiv-
ing it more because of my age. I take that privilege. And it’s less
stressful when you get into clothes and say, this is the new me
for now.” n
123
 LAY
O F THE

LAND
To channel the homeliest of closets deeply rooted in comfort and craft, we
look to the creative pairing of mother-daughter duo Gurmeet Sangha Rai and
Avani Rai. What transpired on a lazy afternoon at Chinar Haveli, their family
home near Delhi, is a female gaze on motherhood, time and age. As Gurmeet,
the lady of the house, travels the halls of the home she built, perching on a jhula
or watching her kingdom from the arches of a jharokha, an intergenerational
dialogue is born—one with beauty at its core
Photographed by AVANI RAI Styled by PRIYANKA KAPADIA

SACRED SPACE
“I am an introvert but
I am complete within

“My mother approaches life with an incredible myself,” says Gurmeet. As

a conservation architect,
she works with natural

amusement and self-assuredness” materials that find reflection

in a wardrobe steeped in
natural linen, silk and cotton.

Kaftan dress, ‘Malie

124
GREY MATTER
“This expression is who I
am, how I see myself.” Silver
jewellery brought back from
heritage sites around the
country pepper the muse’s
wardrobe. Each piece tells a
story through time.

Swing overlay shirt, Antar-Agni

WALK A MILE
“I like shooting in harsh
light, it creates textures and
shadows that ‘magic light’
can’t,” says Avani. Here, she
captures her mother taking an
afternoon walk in her home
which blurs the boundaries
between indoors and outdoors.

127
 COMING UP ROSES
Floral patterns, earthy tones and
jewellery that becomes part of
personal history are elements that
ground the conservationist’s nature-
inclined wardrobe.

Silk jacket, kurta, trousers; all Kshitij Jalori

POINT OF VIEW
“My mother is very aware
of spaces as places of
personal identity,” says
Avani. While working with
built heritage, Gurmeet has
learnt to patch people and
their stories, much like the
interwoven surface texture
jacket she wears here

Patchwork coat, Studio Medium

128
 SWING BY
“Avani showed me references of
women in miniature paintings
for this image. She really
sees me as a classicist, and I
inhabited that role here for her.”
Drapes in harmonious colours
paint a portrait of a lady lulling
into a delicious afternoon sleep.

‘The Whirling Dance’ dress, overlay,

pants; all Sunira. Bangles, Ritika
Sachdeva

130
 CLEAR VISION
Drapes, of varying lengths and forms
dominate Gurmeet’s wardrobe. The
intergenerational shawls, scarves
and chunnis are used by Avani to
loosely tie around her head while she
photographs. “In my mother’s religion
[Sikhism], covering your head is a
show of respect,” she says.

Silk Kimono robe, AK-OK. Kurta, Kshitij Jalori

CAT’S CRADLE
“The first thing I do as the sun
hits my bedroom is look for my
adopted pet cat. I pick her up and
put her over my shoulder, almost
like a drape, and she stays there a
while as I stroke her like a baby.”

Cotton silk chanderi kurta, matching

trousers; both Ikai by Ragini
Ahuja. Bangles, Ritika Sachdeva

132
ENTER HERE
For the moulder of materials, a foundational
closet is built on the kurta. The timeless
tunic is paired with varying bottoms, like
experimental dhotis and palazzos.

Kurta with brocade yoke, pants; both Payal

Khandwala. Sandals, Bombay Brown. Bangles,
Ritika Sachdeva

Hair and makeup: Deepa Verma

Assistant stylists: Naheed Driver; Jaishree Chhabra
Talent: Gurmeet Sangha Rai
Visual and bookings editor: Jay Modi

“My parents
had colonial
tastes. I bring
a vernacular
expression,
and Avani’s
generation
is focused on
ALL ROADS LEAD HOME
Two hours from Delhi is Chinar Haveli,
more universal
human values”
a farmhouse haven among lush foliage.
Built with natural materials including
lime mortar, the 15-year-old home
is made by hand and melds Western
concepts with Indian karigari

135
 From saving chimpanzees to saving the planet, whether it’s on global panels, through
youth-action groups or via a home-grown podcast, Dr Jane Goodall is a relentless
and tireless champion for a conscious and better future. She shares her life’s work and
learnings and tells us why there’s cause for hope. In this unprecedented and cynical
age, she might be the icon we need, finds Shahnaz Siganporia

D
r Jane Goodall points to a window that I can almost
spy in the corner of her Zoom rectangle. “We have a
big garden out there. The tree I used to climb as a
child, to be closer to the birds, is still there.” Back then,
the mighty beech in the back garden of her home, in Bournemouth,
England, was her playmate, in whose branches she read and whis-
pered her schoolgirl secrets. Their relationship has evolved over the
years and decades. The usually globetrotting, planet-saving
87-year-old has spent most of the last year and few months (ever
since the pandemic) at her family home. And every day since, she
GETTY IMAGES
favourite humanitarian, conservationist and primatologist hasn’t
only been enjoying the pastoral calm of her childhood home. “First,
I was frustrated. Then I thought, let’s do some good. Together with
a little team from the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) in the USA and
the UK, we created Virtual Jane. I thought it was ‘busy’ travelling
300 days a year...but that was a piece of cake. Virtual Jane has been
busier than I have ever been—I haven’t had a single day off!” She
remotely oversees all the good work being done by the 25 chapters
(including the recently launched India chapter) of JGI across the
world. Dr Goodall has completed season one of her first podcast,

has enjoyed a quiet lunch under the shade of her old friend. “I have the Hopecast, which received the 2021 Templeton Prize, and has
my sandwich and I’m joined by a robin and a blackbird. They come used every digital tool available to continue her environmental ad-
and sing to me,” she says with a smile. But Dr Goodall, the world’s vocacy and fight the climate crisis. >

137

AGE OF ACTION
But Dr Goodall won’t have it any other way. “For me, the silver
lining is that I have been able to reach millions more across the
world. But that’s on a personal level. I also hope the pandemic
serves as a wake-up call for us to change for the better.” She flits
often from ‘I’ to ‘us’. She might begin in her backyard but it isn’t
long before she takes the giant leap into life at large, covering both
the human and natural world. For Dr Goodall, this is humanity’s
big moment of reckoning. “We brought this pandemic on our-
selves by disrespecting animals and nature. We have created con-
ditions where it’s relatively easy for a pathogen, like this virus, to
spill over from an animal to a person. We clearly need to establish
a new relationship with our natural world, as well as a new and
more sustainable economy.”
While the will-we-or-won’t-we will only be answered in time,
Dr Goodall warns and reminds: “There are some just waiting to
get back to business as usual. But we need to remember that we
are on a planet with finite natural resources. In some places, we’re
already using them up faster than nature can replenish them.
We’re also on a planet with a growing human population, even if
eventually we’re told it’ll slow down, it’s not going to be for some
time. And finally, we’re on a planet where so many of us lead un-
sustainable lifestyles, consuming much more than we need. If we
carry on with ‘business as usual’, I wouldn’t want to imagine what
it would be like for my great-great-grandchildren. But we’ve been
given this precious window of time to turn things around.”
The pandemic is a lesson we need to learn from, and Dr Goodall
has her plate full. On one hand, she has her advocacy and the in-
stitute. On the other, she’s working on the Jane Goodall Legacy
Project, where she’s building up an endowment for her larger goal
of conservation. “I won’t always be here to go and give talks to en-
thuse people in different countries—some countries really rely on
me right now to go and give lectures to raise money for them—but
my life’s work will carry on as long as I can.”
138
Slowing down isn’t an option for the octogenarian. If anything,
she’s in a hurry to do more—be it trying to raise awareness or
funds, or simply getting people to do their bit to save the planet.
Her ultimate goal is to make humanity realise that we are part of
the natural world—on which we depend for clean air, water, food,
and life as we know it—and for us to protect and restore the bal-
ance that is required. “I see what we call biodiversity, which is a
nasty, scientific term, and which for most people doesn’t mean
anything. I like to call it a tapestry of life. Every time a species be-
comes extinct, it’s like pulling a thread from that tapestry. Eventu-
ally, it will hang in tatters. But what we depend on is healthy eco-
systems, a healthy tapestry. If that tapestry is in tatters, the
ecosystem collapses. That only hurts us. We are not immune from
extinction. Seriously, there’s this window of time and we must
take advantage of it. We must get together and take action. How
do I keep going with all this doom and gloom? Because I’m flip-
ping obstinate. I’m not going to allow the Trumps, the crusty old
CEOs and the old boys in the oil and gas industry to win.”
OUT OF AFRICA
But how did the little girl obsessed with her tree, the Doctor Dolit-
tle books by Hugh Lofting (“There was no TV back then”) and her
dog Rusty (“My hero, who taught me that animals have personali-
ties, minds and emotions”), become not just the world’s foremost
chimpanzee expert but a symbol of real hope for many of us across
the globe? “I was all of 10 when I dreamed that I would grow up,
go to Africa, live with wild animals and write books about them.
Everybody laughed at me. ‘How will you do that?’ ‘Africa’s far
away, you don’t have money.’ And of course, ‘But you’re just a girl.’
Yes, we didn’t have money and I was a girl,” she recalls the taunts
that young girls with big dreams have to often swat away.
GETTY IMAGES
At barely twenty-something, she was invited to Kenya by a
friend. “I saved money by working as a waitress. Once I was there,
I heard about Dr Louis Leakey, who was the then curator of the
“How do I keep
going with all
this doom and
gloom? I’m flipping
obstinate!”
Natural History Museum. I think he was really impressed because
I had read every natural history book I could. He gave me this in-
credible opportunity, to live not with any old animal but the one
most like us—chimpanzees.” She found herself studying the chim-
panzee community at Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania,
where she did her most path-breaking work, even as she took on
the basic tenets of academia and scientific study. To start with, she
named her ‘subjects’. They weren’t specimens one, two and three;
instead they were Flo, Fifi and David Greybeard, with the latter
making it to Time magazine’s ‘15 Most Influential Animals That
Ever Lived’ list. David, she points to a framed picture of the silver-
faced chimp on the book-lined shelves behind her, above a picture
of her mother and beside a picture of Rusty, she tells me, was the
very first chimp at Gombe to have trusted her. Not only did her
research challenge the idea that only humans constructed and
used tools (chimps do too) and that not all chimps were vegetari-
an, but most importantly, she saw them as living beings capable of
personalities, not anthropomorphising them but understanding
them through close observation. And with that, she introduced
science to empathy. “Empathy leads to ‘I think they’re doing this
because…’ Then you put on your scientific hat and say, ‘Okay, now
I’m going to prove or disprove it’.”
Whether academics or sitting across the table from anyone who
will listen, be it timber moguls or talking heads, controversial or
not, Dr Goodall, petite and polite in her signature turtleneck and
shawl, has taken on the establishment by going out there and en-
gaging. But in these polarising echo-chamber times, how does she
manage to bring such disparate groups together? “Give people the
benefit of the doubt. Maybe they honestly don’t realise what
they’re doing. Some people have never been to a rainforest or a
wetland, they don’t know the magic of it.” But there must be more
to it. What is the Dr Goodall secret to breaking through? “I always
go back to the way I was brought up by my incredible mother. And
the thing she taught me is that if you disagree with someone, num-
ber one, listen to them. Because maybe, you get to better under-
stand where they’re coming from. Or maybe they’ve got a point
that you hadn’t thought of, which will help you as you try and ef-
fect change. Number two, don’t be aggressive with them; commu-
nicate. Number three, try to find something to connect with, some
common ground. Like, ‘Oh you love dogs? I love dogs.’ When you
find something that you both can relate to, start off with it. If you
find a weak spot, don’t argue with them. Don’t try and get through
to the brain, you’ve got to reach the heart. And the simplest way of
doing that is by telling stories.” Going back to the very basics of
human communication, of listening, engaging and storytelling, is
Dr Goodall’s not-so-secret tool of diplomacy, learnt as much from
her decades of advocacy as from her mother.
GENERATION THEN, NOW, NEXT
Her mother comes up often as we chat. Dr Goodall tells me how
she was her greatest champion, right from the start. It’s her moth-
er’s words of wisdom that keep her going till date, and which led to
her big-picture vision for JGI and the legacy she would like to
leave behind. “She always said, ‘If you really want to do this then
you’re going to have to work awfully hard and you’ll have to take
advantage of every opportunity. If you don’t give up, you’ll find a
way!’ That’s the message I still live by, and now I take the same
message to young people everywhere, particularly in disadvan-
taged communities, and so many have written to me or said, ‘You
taught me because you did it I can do it too.’ I wish mum knew
how her message to me now helps children all around the world.”
She’s referring to Roots & Shoots, the global youth-led commu-
nity action programme run by JGI, which started in 1991 with 12
teenagers in Dr Goodall’s back porch in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania,
and is now spread across 100 countries. The programme aims to
“inspire and educate” young people to become compassionate
citizens of the world. Each group of Roots & Shoots tackles three
projects that it identifies and chooses: one to help people, one to
help animals and one to help the environment. Its India chapter,
headed by Shweta Khare, began in 2019, and while the pandemic
has stopped Dr Goodall from visiting, she’s hoping to change that
once things stabilise more. The message is simple: each one of us
makes an impact on the planet every single day. “Most of us have
a choice as to what sort of impact we have, be it what we eat, what
we wear or how we treat people, animals and nature. Unless you’re
very poor and then you simply have to do whatever it takes to
survive,” she explains.
It is in Dr Goodall’s interactions with young people that she
finds her hope, no matter how humongous the task she has at
hand of protecting and saving our planet—animals, nature,
humans et al. It’s what keeps her going, she says. “Alongside this
amazing intellect we have,” she’s quick to add. “We are coming up
with innovative solutions to combat climate change, like better
solar or wind energy. And individually, it’s all about how we live
our own lives and use our brains to try and make a softer ecologi-
cal footprint. Then there’s nature; she is so resilient, so strong. If
nature chooses, she will reclaim areas that we’ve absolutely de-
stroyed and all that’s on the brink of extinction can be given an-
other chance. And finally, the indomitable human spirit, the peo-
ple who tackle the impossible, which becomes possible because of
them. These are my reasons for hope.” n
139

Blouse, skirt; both , Pyer
Moss. Boots, The Row.
Earrings, Simon Miller
Tanima Mehrotra
FILMMAKER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR
& PHOTOGRAPHER
Creativity wasn’t something Tanima
Mehrotra grew up around. As an
immigrant kid in Florida, she resisted her
artistic dreams until she had a job lined up
in corporate finance. A good salary, a safe
job—in her parents’ eyes, her future was
secure. A week before she would step into
the power corridors of corporate America,
Mehrotra took a trip to New York and fell
deeply in love with it. Days in, she swapped
the job offer for an internship with Rolling
Stone magazine and began chasing her
real passions, art and music, through
filmmaking and photography. It felt like
freedom, she recalls: “I always knew I was
deeply creative and passionate, but never
had an avenue to cultivate or channel it.
The only thing I could’ve predicted is that
I’d tell stories someday—that feeling has
remained the same, regardless of medium
or what stage of life I am in.”
Mehrotra’s storytelling would go on
to be physically printed onto the city she
fell in love with. She shot Lil Nas X’s first
portraits, which appeared on billboards in
Times Square in 2019. Iconic work that
she followed up by directing the music
video for Megan Thee Stallion’s ‘Captain
Hook’ in 2020, which has amassed over
80 million views. She creates in a rapid
and seemingly unending frenzy,
from album covers (Dave East’s
debut 2019 studio album Survival) to
documentaries (2018’s City Girls: Point
Blank Period) and more.
But she goes out of her way to work
with South Asian artists, given that in the
US there aren’t many global superstars on
the radar yet, and consequently, many turn
to other cultures for influence. To play her
part in shifting that narrative, Mehrotra,
just three years old in the industry, has
already aligned with a label representing
South Asian artists. “With a culture
as rich as ours, there should be more
translation and spotlighting. I want to
create opportunities for talented people.
I really care about building visuals from
the bottom up because, in today’s media-
saturated world, visuals are equally—if
not more—important than the music
itself. I want to create cultural moments
within that space,” she says.
140 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
CULTURE
EDITED BY SHAHNAZ SIGANPORIA
Ayesha Chugh
DJ, PRODUCER,
CREATOR, RELATIONS &
MERCHANDISING MANAGER
AT SPLICE.COM
Ayesha Chugh grew up assuming South
Asian women in music were either an
Anoushka Shankar or Abida Parveen.
She never dreamed of them being DJs or
producers. And that’s why this Chicago-
born, India-raised musician, who lives in
Brooklyn, tells a story of diaspora through
her musical journey.
But reconciling cultures was difficult
for Chugh. She recalls sticking out in high
school. She shares how on her return to
the US from India, she stood up whenever
a teacher entered a classroom (force of
habit). Her American peers thought she
was weird. Not quite fitting in saw her
spending hours on Limewire. Her love for
music stuck and led to a life in music as
a DJ and producer as well as a full-time
role at Splice (a music creation platform)
as the working creator’s advocate. Chugh
is keen on bringing more South Asian
expression to contemporary club music.
“I decided to incorporate the influences of
my culture into dance music. For instance,
in my latest EP Natural Phenomena, you’ll
hear bird sounds I recorded in Goa with a
field recorder. But you’ll also hear tablas
that I’ve turned into basslines,” she says.
Chugh also wants more space for people
in the industry who look like her. She adds, SP O T LIGH T
“As a South Asian woman, DJ and music
producer, I am naturally a voice for more
Beat the band
inclusion in this part of the music industry.
I carry that intention with me into the
daily work I do with creators. I’m always
simultaneously working to make what
has traditionally been a very white-male- In a city that embraces contrarians but doesn’t provide
dominated industry more welcoming to
creators of all backgrounds.” handouts, meet five women of South Asian origin who have
carved a space for themselves in New York’s music industry,
even as they remain audacious in their authenticity and
ensure that they represent. By Keshia Hannam
Dress, Abacaxi Photographed by SABREEN JAFRY Styled by PRIYANKA KAPADIA
www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 141
 SPOTLIGHT
Dress, jacket shoes; all
Dress, Naeem Khan
Bottega Veneta

Yelda- Ali Mahaneela

DJ, PRODUCER, STORYTELLER, PHOTOGRAPHER, FILMMAKER,
CREATIVE DIRECTOR, COMMUNITY DJ, AUTHOR & FOUNDER OF
BUILDER AND AUTHOR COZY GLOBAL

Smuggled out of war-torn Afghanistan Mahaneela is one of those people who

in her mother’s womb and raised in has endless good ideas and believes in
Toronto in a faithful Shia home, Yelda- Ali them all enough to bring anything to life
didn’t come to New York to chase her at any moment. Within a year of living
dreams. She moved to the city to be a in New York, her first photo book,
wife. In her marriage she realised, partly Through My Lens, centring on black
due to a religious upbringing, she didn’t and brown joy and featuring artists like
have a hobby. So, during her divorce Raveena and Sampha, was launched at
three years later, she started DJ’ing as Maison Kitsune’s flagship in the West
a creative therapy outlet—she held no Village alongside her photos in large
desire to become a DJ. But once she had format, mid-pandemic. Her work focuses
cultivated an inspiring community of on diasporic history, music and culture.
creatives through DJ’ing, Ali’s trajectory Some of her collaborators include FKA
was set as a community builder and Twigs, Tyga, Denai Moore, Steve Lacy and
shifter of narratives. Since 2012, her Adwoa Aboah, among others. Meanwhile,
work has ranged from spinning gigs like her clients range from Apple and
famed baseball player A-Rod’s retirement Adidas to the Tate Modern and Toyota.
party and art exhibits partnered with Mahaneela translates her global citizenry
Beyoncé, to NYE ball drops alongside Lil’ (she’s Ghanaian and Indian by way of
Kim. However, it was in the release of Uganda, with a little Jamaican in there
Ali’s first single ‘Cuckoo’ in 2021, which too) into an inclusive vision and creative
sampled ‘Choli Ke Peeche’—a childhood partnership.
favourite that she had performed as Mahaneela desires to keep creating
a teenager in Toronto—that she felt a with artists across African and South
different kind of alignment. Asian diasporas and adding a sense of
Because Ali grew up watching respect for them and their craft. “It feels
Bollywood, learning English from great to know that I didn’t have to
Lauryn Hill, dancing at Afghan and fit in with the ‘norm’ that Western
Arab weddings and memorising rap media pushes onto us to reach
verses in many languages, integrating my goal of shooting a magazine
her roots with her reality—particularly cover,” she says. Mahaneela
as an Afghan and Muslim woman— wants the world to know that
became her goal. And she does so by musical artists are artists,
removing narratives of shame from and points out that while
women in music. “I care about safety, I many [black and brown
care about mental health, I care about artists] operate in spaces that
opportunities for women, I care about are hugely popular, they are
my Afghan roots. I want to add access often sidelined and not given
and awareness to these things wherever the pride of place they deserve.
I am,” she says. She founded the women’s “That’s how I see music and my place in
safety organisation Camel Assembly in it, re-establishing that deep respect and
2015 and then Listening Party in 2017, space given to white artists and returning
which brings artists together in music it to the people who made it in the first
studios to talk about mental health. place,” she says.
“Representation is a new privilege of
our generation (because of our parents’
sacrifices) and so we will naturally
witness a rise in the distribution of our
stories, sounds, and styles. I say this as
both a believer and participant.”

142 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 143
SPOTLIGHT
Zainab Hasnain
DJ & SENIOR MUSIC MARKETING MANAGER FOR HIP HOP AT SPOTIFY

Zainab Hasnain got her first dose of life in New York as a 14-year-old, during a creative writing programme at
Columbia University. Though she grew up in Long Island and would frequent Broadway shows and visit the Rockefeller
tree during holiday season, it was after a pizza-eating, firsts-of-all-sorts, rat-infested summer that she fell in love with the
city. That set the tone for Hasnain, who believes that the true glamour of the city lies in the ability to survive its chaotic,
ever-evolving environment—and keep going. She would know, having lived the highs and lows through the lens of the

` 150
PHOTOGRAPHED BY MANASI SAWANT
music industry. She began exploring the music scene as a 13-year-old who wasn’t allowed to go to house parties (‘good’
brown girl syndrome) and so would attend shows in Williamsburg instead, camping out at the Bowery Ballroom hours
before the show to meet her favourite artists. Then, as a struggling artist in her twenties, Hasnain became a full-time DJ.
Now, she’s an influential figure in music as senior music marketing manager lead for hip-hop at Spotify, where she’s
overseen the marketing of campaigns like RapCaviar Day 1 Club, and for artists like Bad Bunny, James Blake, Burna
INDIA
Boy, Travis Scott, Megan Thee Stallion and more. “When I started, I was a lone desi woman navigating an intimidating
white, male-dominated industry. I know it’s rare to see someone like me in any of these spaces, so I’m a living example of SEASON OF SPORT

representation. I think the most important thing you can do to honour your roots is to pay it forward to your community India’s Most
Exciting
and acknowledge that it made you who you are. I’m a proud Pakistani and love everything my culture has given me.” Olympians
Hasnain is cognisant of the position she holds, both as a Muslim immigrant and a global DJ as well as a marketer at
the world’s top streaming service. As a woman, she’s honest that the industry can be discouraging—from sexism, to The Best
Watches
harassment, to self-doubt—but that it all works to make you stronger and more self-assured if you fight for it. Of 2021

Hair: Antoine McCants

Makeup: Amrita Mehta; Antoine McCants
Photographer’s assistants: Kendall
Bessent; Taylor Brown
Assistant stylists: Naheed Driver; Jillian FARHAN AKHTAR
Hardeman-Web; Jye Leong
Retouching: Nadia Selander
Visuals editor: Jay Modi

POWERHOUSE

` 150
PHOTOGRAPHED BY MANASI SAWANT
INDIA

SEASON OF SPORT

India’s Most
Exciting
Olympians

The Best
Watches
Of 2021

FARHAN AKHTAR

` 150
PHOTOGRAPHED BY MANASI SAWANT
POWERHOUSE
INDIA

SEASON OF SPORT

India’s Most
Exciting
Olympians

The Best
Watches
Of 2021

FARHAN AKHTAR

POWERHOUSE

Cropped cardigan, Danielle Guizio.

Trousers, Bibhu Mohapatra

144 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in


How we rise
They shattered glass ceilings, challenged the boys’ clubs and held their own. They’ve taken
risks, persevered and transformed their lives and ours. Fifty-something and thriving, Aruna
Jayanthi, Vani Kola and Falguni Nayar tell Gayatri Rangachari Shah how they made it
A RUNA JAYANTHI
5 7, M D , L A T I N A M E R I C A
AND CANADA, CAPGEMINI
On leadership today…
How did you lead people across countries
and continents during the pandemic?
Relationships helped. Once you build
relationships with people, transitioning from
in-person to virtual is seamless. I know my
teams and their working styles well, so we
didn’t think of it as disruptive. Respecting
personal time helps. But the most
important thing for me was continuing
the organisation’s rituals. For instance, if
you have a sales strategy meeting once a
month and then head out for dinner after,
simulate the same online.
Were there changes at work you drove
as a leader that will continue in a post-
pandemic world?
I was always a flexible leader. I was never a
nine-to-five person for myself or my team. I
never looked at work time, I only looked at
work output. The pandemic reinforced that
need for flexibility as well as respect for our
people’s private lives and how they manage
their time. We are talking a lot more about
mental health and we will continue to do
so. People have different levels of stress and
anxieties. We have to carry on focusing on
the emotional well-being of our employees.
How do you stay positive?
I have never been a person who has not
been positive. For me, it’s a way of life. I
look forward to every single day. I think
about how to become a better version of
myself every single day.
Your go-to life lesson:
Discover the value of relationships. Stay
focused with your family, friends and
colleagues. Difficulties like the pandemic
will come and go. We have to learn to rely
on the people that are near and dear to us
and support one another.
146 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
VAN I KOLA
5 7, F O U N D E R A N D M D , K A L A A R I C A P I T A L
On keeping at it...
The venture capital world has historically had very few
women at the top. Do you see yourself as a trailblazer?
Others may see me that way, but I don’t. I don’t feel I have
achieved anything impossible. I have simply focused on doing
what I enjoy doing. But along the way I have ignored those
who told me that I couldn’t do it.
How did you tackle the gender biases women so often face
in male-dominated industries?
With humour. Change what you can, accept what you can’t
change, but don’t get distracted from your purpose. Our
actions can bring a change in attitudes. You are what you
believe you are, so ignore the bias and keep at it.
How do you understand your role in the world of start-ups?
Founders only need capital if they’re inspired to create. And to
nurture inspiration and opportunity is where I come in.
What inspires you?
Human potential—the inner journey into our self that
manifests on the path to achieve our purpose in life. Once I
decide to do something, I simply focus and remove all doubt
and distraction and get on with it.
Your go-to life lesson:
If you have patience and endurance to stay in the long run,
reaching your goal gets easier. It’s the sprint to success which
takes a harder toll than you realise.
VIEWPOINT
FALGU N I N AYA R
55, FOUNDER AND CEO, NYKAA
On pursuing your dreams...
What made you start a new career at the age of 49?
While I was leading investment banking at Kotak Mahindra, I
met many entrepreneurs who truly impressed me. I saw the
need for a multibrand retail format in India that would give
consumers easy access to beauty, with a guided and educative
approach. In 2012, I decided to take the plunge.
In 2012 the start-up ecosystem in India was nascent, but
you convinced investors to support Nykaa. Your advice to
founders today?
It’s all about a strong business model. Investors show faith
in thought-through scalable business ideas with a clear road
map for the future. I think that patience, commitment and
consistency is required, but most importantly, believe in your
idea and stick to it.
Your go-to life lesson:
The name Nykaa comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Nayaka’ and
is inspired by a message to all women—that one must pursue
their dreams. Decide what makes you happy and make choices
that will allow you to achieve your goals. Don’t be afraid to lean
in. Make choices based on your passion. If entrepreneurship is
the journey you’re embarking on, think long-term and have a
plan that extends up to at least five years. Entrepreneurship is
not easy, but the rewards are immense. n
www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 147

Shooting star
Determined, strong and focused, 19-year-
old para shooter Avani Lekhara has
battled adversity and is now on a mission
to win gold for India at the Tokyo
Paralympics, finds Sheree Gomes Gupta
GO FOR GOLD
Avani Lekhara
has been
practising
relentlessly
and is all set
for the Tokyo
Paralympics
I
t’s 3pm when I ring Avani Lekhara
for our interview. The para
shooter has already finished her
mental training exercises, yoga
and meditation, an hour-long physi-
otherapy session and three hours of her
daily morning rifle shooting practice.
Later in the evening, she’ll shoot for two
more hours at the 10m digital target she
had installed at her home in Jaipur when
India went into lockdown last March, and
at some point in the day she’ll catch up
with her reading for the BA LLB degree
she’s pursuing at Rajasthan University.
“I’ve always wanted to become a judge, and
my shooting has actually helped with my
studies as well—I am more focused now,”
she says.
The 19-year-old is currently training for
the Tokyo Paralympics, scheduled to begin
this August. She will be participating in
four events: the R2-10M Rifle Standing
Women, R3-10M Rifle Prone Mixed, R6-
50M Rifle Prone Mixed and R8-50M Rifle
3 Position Women. “My dream is to win a
gold medal for India,” says Lekhara, who
started this year on a high, winning a silver
148 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
medal at the WSPS World Cup in Al-Ain,
UAE, in March and several gold medals at
the first para-national shooting champi-
onship held at the Manav Rachna Shoot-
ing Range in Faridabad, Haryana. “I was
disappointed for a while when the Para-
lympics got cancelled last year due to
COVID-19, but then I decided to look at
the bright side—I had one more year to
practice,” she says.
TAKING AIM
Lekhara’s enthusiasm and positive
attitude belie the severe mental depression
and agony she’s had to overcome to reach
this stage of zen. She wasn’t born with a
disability. Growing up, dancing was her
first love. “I participated in all my school
competitions and won several prizes as
well,” she reminisces. At the age of 10,
however, she met with a life-altering
accident that left her paralysed waist-
down. “I had injuries on the L1 level of my
spinal cord and was in the hospital for
three months as a result. I even underwent
surgery, but doctors were of the view that
there is no treatment for traumatic
SPORT
paraplegia,” she recalls.
The nightmare continued when no edu-
cational institution would accept her and
she had to be homeschooled for two years.
“I was very angry with my condition and
barely spoke to anyone,” she says. Despite
the physical and mental pain, Lekhara
pushed through, eventually obtaining ad-
mission at the Kendriya Vidyalaya No. 3
school in Jaipur. During the summer vaca-
tion, her father took her to a shooting
range in Jagatpura to watch players per-
form and doubled it up by giving her a
biography of India’s star shooter, Abhinav
Bindra. That set her on her career path
in 2015.
STRIVE TO WIN
Of course, the initial days were tough—
there was no ramp at the range, causing dif-
ficulties in running the wheelchair, which
incidentally was not according to the
norms, and she didn’t have her own gun
and shooting kit either. Within a year of her
professional debut, however, Lekhara
jumped from school to state, to national
and finally, to international champion-
ships. 2016 was a particularly exceptional
year for her. She won a gold medal in the
10m air rifle at the state and national para
shooting championship and silver at her
first para shooting World Cup in Al Ain. “I
was very stressed looking at the senior com-
petitors, but I played with full determina-
tion, vigour, zeal and confidence,” she says.
For someone who has dealt with
adversity early on in life, Lekhara has not
just battled hard but she continues to strive
to win. “All these achievements are a bless-
ing from God and due to the support, love
and encouragement of my parents. My
mum comes with me to every tournament,”
she says. What keeps her going? She strong-
ly asserts: “I know it seems hard sometimes,
but never give up. Time is the biggest heal-
er. If you are passionate about something,
just go for it. Even if you fail, you’ll learn so
much from it. Many told me I would never
be able to shoot, let alone win competitions.
But I drowned out that noise, put in the
hard work, and here I am today.” n
www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 149
 LIVING
EDITED BY MEGHA MAHINDRU

T
here’s no way to know what the sprawl-
ing homes of Pushpanjali Farms, near
Delhi international airport, are like till
you actually enter the gated community.
But driving down its serene lanes, there’s farmhouse
after farmhouse displaying a range of sensibilities,
from Gothic to Art Deco to modern. Here lies well-
ness expert Mini Shastri’s home, tucked in a corner,
revealing nothing beyond its tall, metal-slatted gates.
What is undeniable is an aura of calm. Setting the
tone are the carefully preserved remains of an old
monument that resemble a mini gumbad, and pea-
cocks flit in and out of its arched entrance. When the
gates open, there’s a daisy-lined garden, bougainvil-
lea-wrapped trellises, tall concrete slits and a small
water body leading to her glass-ensconced home. All
very Wordsworthian. So naturally, I expect one big
this-is-how-it-came-together story.
But right off the bat, Shastri tells me she has no
significant stories about the striking, light-filled
home she shares with her husband Diwakar, chil-
dren Devika and Kartikeya (their eldest daughter
Gayatri lives in New York) and their three dogs,
Luna, Caramel and Cookie. What exists, though, are
many smaller, memorable stories. An anecdote
about how she found the two intricately carved
wooden columns, which occupy pride of place in the
living area, in Sri Lanka. Another about how she
created her version of a courtyard indoors, replete
with a palm tree. And a third one about her rigorous
search for buttery kadappa stone that makes up the
flooring of the area where she does her havans,
which are an intrinsic part of her practice.
CAS A
CALMING CORNERS

Mind
These may seem like stories about the house but they
are as much about Shastri, the founder of the yoga
studio Om Yogashala in Delhi, and her beliefs. Also

space
a product development consultant with Paro, a
holistic wellness brand from the Good Earth stable,
Shastri’s home is a reflection of her passion for well-
ness along with all things Indian and sustainable.
Spread over 10,000sqft (the farm is two and a half
Calm and carefully put
acres), the home is an eclectic space where concrete together, yoga proponent
walls and a high, wood-slatted ceiling sit comfortably and wellness practitioner
with lithographs and framed phulkari from Quetta.
Traditional elements abound, but their presence is
Mini Shastri’s Delhi
softened by a strong minimalist air, the starting point farmhouse is designed to
of which is that the home is split into two levels—the Clockwise from top: The keep up with her holistic
open-plan ground floor with the living and dining swing atop Art Deco flooring
by KG Tiles is the Shastri life, says Preetika Mathew
area, and the top floor where the bedrooms rest. The family’s favourite unwinding
living area has several seating nooks, though the ma- zone; A Hanuman mask
jority of the space is dedicated to the modernist area scoured on a trip to Varanasi; Photographed by ABHISHEK BALI
At the entrance is a stone
by the fireplace, dominated by earthy tones. Sur- jali with rhomboid patterns, Styled by RIA KAMAT
rounding it are smaller corners, like the family-fa- handcrafted by craftsmen
from Jaipur and implemented
vourite near the stairs, where a glass window over- by Manish Bhatnagar
Interiors styled by IQRUP
looks a sofa and a swing hangs atop Art Deco tiles. > DHAMIJA/IQRUP + RITZ

150 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 151
CASA
And while it seems like a lot, each element exists
in harmony with the rest. “It took us two and a half
years to construct, and when we finally moved in last
year during lockdown, I was exhausted,” says the
52-year-old who has been teaching yoga for two dec-
ades. “So I rested, slept, took the space in, saw where
the light goes, and began setting things.”
ROOM FOR EVERY MOOD
Shastri’s live-and-adapt approach also features
ideas that have been stewing in her mind for years.
“I was invested in the house to the point of mad-
ness. In retrospect, I’d advise people to just get a
designer,” she says, with a laugh. She remembers
how the late style savant Jivi Sethi once told her to
create a mood board of all the things she’d like in
her house. “That was the most helpful piece of
advice I ever got. I tore pages from magazines and
filled my diary, which I still have. I realise now that
if you are confident in what you like, then you’ll like
it years later.”
The result is the hybrid we call India Modern,
where the pièce de résistance is the floor-to-ceiling
metallic and wood screens near the indoor palm.
152 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
Clockwise from left: Shastri in
front of the wood and metal
screens by Ayush Kasliwal,
beaten brass stools by Geetanjali
Kasliwal of AnanTaya and the
flooring is kadappa stone; The
dining room with chairs from
Ethan Allen, red resin ‘Ava’ chairs
from Roche Bobois, original
waning and waxing of the moon
artwork by A Balasubramaniam;
The bedroom with table lamps
from SCE Lighting, the bed and
foot table are antiques from
Tangalle; The bathroom with
handmade banana flower
and leaf art.
Opposite page: Shastri with her
children Devika and Kartikeya
and Luna in the living room;
Baluchistan Phulkari shawl
frame from Quetta next to red
Bal Krishna by Garima Jain in
the passageway; Cement cast
wall columns at the entrance of
the house
“Only Ayush [Kasliwal, furniture and product
designer] could help me translate the idea. I had
found a circular piece of metal in his workshop,
which he later cast for me. It was a bold pattern, but
he felt it would cut existing lines and bring a certain
softness.” A similar idea was executed in the Jaipur
stone jali by a local artisan for the entryway.
PIECES OF INDIA
Many objects and details have been carefully
collected over the years and placed perfectly so that
they get their due, be it the old Indian brass details
on the main door or the beaten metal Hanuman
masks that Shastri picked up from Varanasi. At the
entrance, a Nathdwara painting looks down upon a
settee with legs shaped like a lion’s paws, and a work
by A Balasubramaniam hangs by the dining area,
reminiscent of a time when Shastri would pump her
modest savings into buying art. Close by are photo-
graphs by Dinesh Khanna and an aerial view of the
Rann of Kutch acquired at the Serendipity Art Festi-
val. A Manjunath Kamath work greets you by the
stairs, while a painting by an Odia artist looms over
the staircase landing. Chairs by Iqrup + Ritz and
“I was invested
in the house
to the point of
madness. In
retrospect, I’d
advise people
to just get a
designer”
—MIN I SHASTRI
Hair and makeup: Ashima Kapoor
Art direction: Snigdha Kulkarni
Production: Jay Modi
pieces by Gitanjali Kasliwal in the living and dining
areas, and lighting by Murano India (Diwakar’s
company) in several parts of the house, add an edge.
In a closet rests a cherished family heirloom—a por-
celain set gifted to Diwakar’s grandfather, India’s
second prime minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri, on his
last trip to Tashkent by the government of Russia.
Given the glass walls, it’s evident that natural light
was key. Shastri tells me she’s a sun worshipper and
that the house was born out of her love for sunsets
and sunrises, and so it faces east. She’s followed
basic Vastu practices, so everything is a combina-
tion of energies. She does yoga in different parts of
the house, indoors and outdoors and “whether it is
doing an agnihotra at sunset or sunrise, whichever
side I face, I have a space for havan”. Also part of the
havan are the marble lotus feet (charan) she
designed for Paro. Adding to the holistic aura are
the gardens with a wealth of medicinal plants—
moringa, amla, neem—the power of which she har-
nesses in her daily menu, and has even used in a
range of teas for the Dharamsala Tea Company.
“My house is an extension of my life. My favourite
compliment is when someone says it is tranquil.” ■
www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 153

HIT REFRESH HOUSE OF HOPE
From learning an art Bengaluru-based Jay Ahya was looking at the bigger
form to kick-starting
a business, brain picture when he launched The Beach House Project
vacation is like an edu- (BHX) in 2016, a unique travel and rejuvenation
exchange for adults
programme designed just for creatives. “It brings
together 14 people from different backgrounds,
places and stages in their career, who intend to chill
in a nice villa with martinis by the pool, but at the
same time help in each other’s growth,” says Ahya,
before cautioning, “I’d say we are a ‘conversations’
company rather than a travel company.”
It’s not serendipity that brings together this
cohort of artists, filmmakers, start-up entrepre-
neurs, musicians, hackers and designers. Since
2016, the BHX team has been diligently sifting
through hundreds of entries to hand-pick creatives
for each of the 20 editions it has hosted so far.
Amidst Kerala’s lush Attapadi hills, a similar nar-
rative is being carved by Aditya Kapoor and his team
that hosted the debut edition of Free.wav electronic
music residency this January. The week-long pro-
gramme, which brought together eight musicians
from different genres and geographies, was organ-
ised with a desire to build a community around elec-
“I’d say we are tronic music—a space to share, discuss, and inspire
a ‘conversations’ each other, while attending curated workshops and
company rather classes. For most musicians, the pandemic may have
stopped any interaction with a live audience, what
than a travel with the shuttering of music venues across the coun-
company” try, but this pause became a catalyst more than a de-
—JAY A HYA , terrent for Kapoor and crew: “We knew we had to do
C O- FOUNDER , BEA C H this now because creatives [after months of
HOUSE P R OJECT virtual performances] were looking to get out, be
inspired and meet like-minded people,” he says, “In
this heavily virtual context in which musicking was
taking place, Free.wav was able to create a tactile ex-
perience of sharing, discussing and creating music.”
CREATIVE HUB
Ahya credits the rise of creatives in India to the
noughties, when careers once deemed alternative
started gaining mainstream interest. “Somewhere
around 2013 or 2014, the creative agency took a big
Ever tried a brain vacation? leap. Not only were there ample opportunities, but
parents too were okay with children pursuing
careers in design, music and photography,” he says.
Creatives across India are opting for holidays that can juice up tired batteries and reset the It was around the same time that he attended The
Coalition, a weekend-long creative boot camp of
brain. Megha Mahindru finds out more about the trend of rewiring with wanderlust
F
sorts organised by OML, which debuted with heavy-
weights like celebrity manager Anjula Acharia, film-
or a generation that is equally celebrated and critiqued for its multitasking maker Anurag Kashyap, designer Anita Dongre and
abilities, there’s new research to suggest that millennials are finally feeling the musician Ankur Tewari sharing their creative jour-
burn. In her book Can’t Even, journalist Anne Helen Petersen goes on to call neys and offering a platform to discuss, debate and
them a ‘burnout generation’. But who is to blame? With increased screen exchange ideas with others looking for creative
time, always-on notifications and the daily challenges of modern life—to land the stimulation. Here, Ahya met many inspiring twen-
perfect job, have the best social life and exhibit a banging body on social media—we are ty-somethings: a photographer dedicated to captur-
all feeling woozy brain fog, much like a tired laptop with too many browser tabs open. ing climate change, a pilot-turned-skateboard mak-
154 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
TRAVEL
er, an illustrator working on women’s rights and
every cool kid worth following on Instagram. “They
all had the potential to change the world for good,
but they were so busy doing it that they were not
spending any time outside of their cocoon to seek
others like them,” he recalls.
With no template to success or Quora to turn to,
Ahya set out to create an ecosystem for creatives to
foster and thrive. Through BHX, attendees can
travel to locations like the Andamans, Goa, Kash-
mir, Shillong, Ladakh and Nainital (and pre COV-
ID-19, even Croatia, Sri Lanka and Bali) where the
lure is two-fold: to explore and to feel enriched. Like
Ahya and Kapoor, New York-based Geetika Agraw-
al was relying on travel’s ability to increase one’s lev-
els of creativity when she started Vacation With An
Artist (VAWAA), a platform that allows people to
connect with artists and vacation at their studios to
learn a new skill. Similar to Airbnb’s Experiences in
concept, but wider in scope (a holiday can be any-
thing from five days to a month, depending on the
art), her pursuit-driven adventures feature a curat-
ed list of creative encounters—holiday with a fash-
ion designer in Vietnam, a calligrapher in Japan or
a shoemaker in Prague. “It’s targeted towards peo-
ple who are not happy being tourists but want to
experience something immersive,” says Agarwal,
who during the pandemic shifted her in-person ses-
sion format to interactive online sessions with art-
ists around the world. “With borders closed, we
knew that creativity and connection would serve as
an antidote to uncertainty and isolation. It instantly
became an outlet for people to step away from the
daily stress of the pandemic, feel a sense of freedom
and express through learning and making with their
hands,” adds Agrawal, who has hosted over 140
virtual sessions this past year.
What makes these holidays different from a digi-
tal detox—popular among high-flying techies to
recalibrate and heal mental jet lag—is the outcome.
While Agrawal promises a new skill set added to
your résumé, Kapoor’s gatherings provide a magical
setting, in the lap of nature, for musicians to rewire.
Set at the remote Bhoomi Farms, which Kapoor
calls “a ripe environment, with limited connectivity
to the outside world,” his residency offers musicians
a space to create with trees, insects, birds, and the
natural world for company. Here, each day starts
with a hearty South Indian breakfast, after which
attendees take over an open-air gazebo and turn it
into an electronic music studio. A swim at the near-
by Bhavani river or a forest walk punctuated with
sightings of unique birds and animals fills in the
evenings before the group settles in for a synth jam
in unison with the sound of crickets at the farm eve-
ry night. “At a time when the global mood is that
of hopelessness and malaise, we required this >
www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 155
TRAVEL
physical and digital cutting-off to refresh, gain per-
spective on the potency of our creative minds, and
how it could be multiplied by sharing,” he says of
Free.wav, where on the agenda are conversations
around synthesis, deep-listening and music-making.
Ahya, on the other hand, is exploring the prob-
lem-solving nature of creative thinking with his en-
deavour. A typical week at BHX Project has plenty
of R&R, but also brainstorming sessions to push
creatives to collaborate. “The first few days, when
people share the stories of how they got there, are
the most vulnerable—the screw-ups, the challenges
and the successes,” he shares. Then come the ‘mind
dates’, which are facilitated between two creatives to
stimulate deeper conversations and unlock certain
parts of the brain. Vignettes of jamming sessions
and bonfires on their social media offer a peek into
the week, but what’s also captured is a camaraderie,
wherein attendees not only learn about each other’s
industries but also come together to form a support
network of sorts for future collaborations.
NO LIMITS
A majority of takers for such immersive holidays fall
under the 20 to 40 age group, but age is just inciden-
tal. Agrawal has seen “guests as young as eight years
old to 77 years old,” while among BHX’s famous
alumni includes the veteran actor Shefali Shah, of
International Emmy-winning show Delhi Crime.
Kapoor says he was pleasantly surprised to see more
female participants than male for his debut edition.
Up next, he’s planning a larger, more inclusive round
in October with musicians who identify as trans and
non-binary, along with other underrepresented
communities.
What motivates such creative getaways to exist is
the dire lack of creative spaces in India. At 15,000
(inclusive of food and stay), Free.wav offers an acces-
sible environment outside of everyday life where
musicians can pause, come together, be inspired and
156 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST.IN
2.5M+ design connoisseurs. 1 destination.
Connect with over a million art and design enthusiasts only on our digital platforms.
learn from each other. Ahya goes on to compare his LONG PAUSE
The pandemic has seen
BHX to residencies in Europe and programmes like a surge in off-beat
the Harvard Summer School, which few can afford. travel experiences
among Indian creatives
Priced between 40,000- 80,000 (depending on if
it’s in India or abroad), it works as a cost-efficient
think-tank where “the knowledge exchange isn’t
DIGITAL REACH
about global ideas but contextualised to India”. 2.5M+
Magnetic Fields’s Munbir Chawla was on a simi-
lar brainwave while planning the debut edition of Website Users
Nomads, a festival in Ranthambore, held this 1.4M+
March, which he’d rather call an open-air gathering
of creatives and community. Bringing together a Instagram
line-up of creatives from music, design, food and
more, Chawla shares that he aims to “fill a gap and
472K+
build a creative community. We see Nomads as a
Facebook
meeting point for the creative-minded.”
The pandemic may have pushed Agrawal to offer 615K+
her micro-apprenticeships online, opening them to
many more takers, but it has inspired Ahya’s team to Twitter
widen its horizons. “COVID-19 put a stop to a lot of 10K+
creative interactions, with gigs on hold and art exhi-
bitions going virtual,” says Ahya, who also organises Social media numbers are as
a two-week road trip edition for crea-
of June 2021. Web users are
an average of April May and
tives as well as the four-day long F&X June 2021.
festival that attracts over 300 creatives at
Jim Corbett every year. Before the sec- GET SET,
ond wave hit, he had plans to scale up LEARN
and host 24 more BHX editions this
BEACH HOUSE PROJECT
year in Nainital, Shillong, Goa and
BIKRAMJIT BOSE FOR AD INDIA
Ladakh and more. But he remains hope-
Learn about its next edition
@bhxproject THE AUDIENCE:
ful for more travel after the vaccination
drive is complete. For now, he’s relying FREE.WAV
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BHX’s appeal among its 21,000 follow- @bhoomi.farms the most inspiring homes in the world
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TASTE

MANISH LAKADONG TURMERIC PAT T H A R K E P H O O L RADHUNI

MEHROTRA A deeper shade of yellow, this Meghalayan Rich in antioxidants, with a mossy, earthy Don’t be fooled by its looks. Radhuni isn’t related
CORPORATE CHEF, turmeric is higher in curcumin than regular haldi. flavour, this magic ingredient, also known as to carom seeds. Extensively used in Bengali
INDIAN ACCENT CHEF SAYS: “Best had with hot milk or in a dagad phool, lifts a lot of Awadhi recipes. kitchens, it has notes of parsley and celery.
RESTAURANTS CHEF SAYS: “Never used in isolation, this herb
hot cocktail, this turmeric can used in batter to CHEF SAYS: “Perfect for a cocktail garnish, it
fry Amritsari fish or paneer. For bakers, it also shines in spice blends like garam masala, or to can also temper a curry. You can even add it to
flavours butter flawlessly.” Paushtikstore.com flavour kebabs and curries.” Urbanplatter.in your panch phoran spice mix.” Bonghaat.com
different parts of India and the many ways they
Sonal Ved picks nine distinctive spices from
Beyond the clichés of turmeric and pepper,
Go on, rub it in
can notch up the cooking experience
Illustrated by NAMRATA KUMAR

P RAT E E K
SADHU TIMUR SIRARAKHONG CHILLI NAGKESAR
This seed-sized spice from Uttarakhand is This vitamin C-rich, mild chilli grows in the A game-changing ingredient with a sweet
CHEF, MASQUE AND
ADVISOR OF SPICE related to the Sichuan pepper family and is Sirarakhong village of Manipur’s Ukhrul region. accent and medicinal value, it is used to make
LABEL, PAUSHTIK generously used in Nepali cuisine. CHEF SAYS: “Traditionally used to make kangsoi goda masala, Malvani masala and dhansak.
CHEF SAYS: “Use it for tempering or add it to (a local stew), it pairs well with walnut and can CHEF SAYS: “It works best with ingredients
chutneys. Its spicy notes also pair well with be crushed into a chutney. Dunk it in vinegar to such as chilli, garlic and ginger. Add it to your
chocolate-based desserts.” Hilans.org make home-made chilli vinegar.” Hillwild.com home-made jams and murabbas.” Shreejifoods.in

PRAVEEN
M A N AT H A K K A L I VAT H A L
ANAND
High on medicinal properties, this South Indian
EXECUTIVE CHEF, spice comprises leaves and sun-dried berries.
SOUTH INDIAN
CUISINE, ITC HOTELS CHEF SAYS: “Cook it with lentils or greens like
spinach and keerai. I use fried bits of it in a salad
with mesclun, topped with tender coconut and
strawberry.” Ammisamayal.com
CAMBODGE
Also known as hill tamarind or kodam puli, use it
sparingly as it can overpower all other flavours.
CHEF SAYS: “Use it to make Kerala-style
meen curry, Coorgi pandi curry or Sri Lankan
ambulthiyal. It can be used to pickle seafood or
as an extract for Pad Thai. Valleyofspices.com
PEEPLI
This long pepper is used in Ayurveda and Chinese
medicine and is typically added to spice blends.
CHEF SAYS: “It forms the body of many spice
mixes and is used to flavour curries, kebabs and
gravies. It can also be dusted on soups with
seafood, meats and veggies. Thespicemarket.in ■

158 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 159
FOOD HOTEL

It’s raining HOW

TO GET
THERE

health from S na
ri
te drive
A 90-minu ar

airport
g

e monsoon always comes

with its share of dos and don’ts.
Ayurvedic chef Radhi Devlukia-
Shetty shares tips for adapting
your eating habits to the season
Even without the

I
snow-capped
mountains, summer
in Gulmarg offers
n Ayurveda, ritucharya (ritu means season plenty of sensorial
and charya means routine) is a recommend- experiences
ed practice that involves changes in our diet
and lifestyle as we move through the seasons.
After the hot, dry summer season, we welcome the
cooling monsoon—the ‘green season’ when nature
is replenished, the trees revive, the sky fills with

In bloom
black clouds and the rivers rise up. Our bodies are in
sync with nature, and in Ayurveda it is said that the
monsoon is the time to restore strength lost from
the scorching heat of summer. During the dehydrat-
ing heat of summer, the qualities of air and ether Gulmarg’s appeal among skiing enthusiasts is well-
(vata) and fire and water (pitta) increase in our known. Explore its verdant charms with e Khyber
body and the environment around us. As the sea- Himalayan Resort & Spa, a sylvan paradise near the
sons change, those qualities come to the surface and
can weaken digestion and increase illnesses. So here Pir Panjal range, says Neeti Mehra
are eight tips to balance your doshas (the trio of en-
ergies that dominate our bodies) and maintain opti-
mal health during this time. STAY in a room with spot to take in the sun smear the sky gold. decadent picnic goodies
a view dramatic peaks and Then, tee-off at the of kathi rolls, sandwiches
Gape at the jaw-dropping rolling valleys that make historic 18-hole Gulmarg and hot cups of kahwa.
scenery of Sunshine up Gulmarg’s spectacular Golf Course next door,
Peak, tucked away in the scenery. a contoured setting of FEAST on a traditional
KEEP IT SEASONAL haritaki/harad boil half a teaspoon of prioritising warm, the easiest and most majestic Pir Panjal gentle slopes and steep Kashmiri spread
Nature provides us (Terminalia chebula) in fennel seeds, coriander cooked foods over raw effective way of range, from the coveted RELAX at the spa inclines. Opened in 1911, Indulge in Wazwan, a
with what we need the monsoon acts like a and cumin seeds with items. Avoid yoghurt, disinfecting it. Room #2017, a luxury Surrender your knotty it is set amidst a lush traditional Kashmiri
during a particular natural cleanser. It has a small piece of ginger meat and deep-fried balcony room with the shoulders and achy meadow speckled with wedding feast, on the
COURTESY THE KHYBER HIMALAYAN RESORT & SPA, GULMARG; REN FULLER
season. Seasonal fruits a balancing effect that and drink daily. foods, which take THE NEED FOR NEEM best Himalayan view. bones to the skilled wildflowers, dazzling covered deck of the in-
like pomegranate, helps prevent almost longer to digest. Pick Neem is rich in Designed in gorgeous masseurs at THE daisies and luscious house restaurant Nouf,
plum, litchi and pear, all seasonal flus. SKIP THE grains and lentils like natural antioxidants walnut timber, the KHYBER SPA by lupins. in the lap of nature.
vegetables like carrot, MIDDAY NAP barley, basmati rice and is known to be interiors are bedecked L’OCCITANE, in rooms The curated set meal is
radish, bottle gourd, CHOOSE Avoid sleeping in the and jowar. And dals like an effective blood with intricate Kashmiri surrounded by whispery UNWIND with a picnic served in taramis (beaten
okra and pumpkin, CHYAWANPRASH daytime as it hampers moong, which are the purifier. Ayurveda silk and wool carpets and pine trees. Choose from in paradise copper dishes), topped
and herbs like neem Having Chyawanprash digestion and slows most easily digestible of recommends regular feature beautifully hand- their romantic ‘For Us’ Settle in for a quaint by sarposhs (copper lids)
and turmeric contain everyday provides a down metabolism. all pulses. cleansing of blood carved furniture. massage for couples picnic by the dreamy and includes Tabak Maaz
antioxidants and dose of vitamin C that to boost immunity, or the sensorial ‘Royal Ningle Nallah. Loll by (double-cooked lamb
medicinal properties can build resistance. AVOID UNCOOKED DRINK MORE WATER prevent infections and TRY a gondola ride Pamper Bath’ if you are the gurgling stream, ribs), Rogan Josh (tender
that prevent infections. AND HEAVY FOODS Water boosts our promote overall health. Hop on to the Gulmarg travelling solo. cossetted by the lush lamb slow-cooked in
GO FOR GINGER In this humid immunity by flushing Include neem (leaves gondola to Kongdoori landscape, soaking in the Kashmiri spices) and
SAY HELLO TO Eat a small piece of weather, the body’s out toxins. Make sure or tablets) in your daily mountain, the highest ski TEE OFF in style silence of the Himalayas Gustaba (meat balls in
HARITAKI ginger before meals digestion is weaker, so to boil your water diet to balance your point in the Himalayas. Linger over a languorous with the odd call of the gravy), among other
Consumption of for better digestion or Ayurveda recommends before drinking—it’s doshas. ■ Perched at a staggering breakfast on your private bulbul floating through. regional delicacies. ■
13,780ft, it is a great balcony, watching the Gorge on the chef’s Khyberhotels.com

160 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 161
 THE NEW YO(U)
Stemming from the ever-evolving universe of
Fabindia, their new sub-brand is made for the
modern Indian woman. Flaunting a whole new
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For more information, visit Fabindia.com
There’s no denying that the post-pandemic world has seen sustainability
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This August, we bring you the best in luxury and fashion
MALDIVIAN DREAMS
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Discover the magic of Maldives from your own overwater or

egance
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Aurus is a fin Choose from 115 villas—each one is equipped with its own private
e jewellery b
wearable wo rand that off lounge deck, plunge pool and modern conveniences. Soak in the BIJOY IN
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standards of ith uncompro promisingly breathtaking views as daytimes are filled with traditional
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technique of using the ag
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with uncut d Each pendan
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THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HOMES IN THE WORLD INDIA

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diamonds, is uncut Designer Richa Goenka’s eponymous label is home to all

hung from ea
the reverse su ch of them, w things trendy and high fashion. Featured here is a one-piece
rface boasts hile
embossed b a minutely ha asymmetrical drape dress in an exquisite satin blend with an
ed of bloom nd-
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tional vision endering
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statement p ding
of Indian artis iece endures The combination of mustard and black with the gold foil
anship with a a legacy
For more in contempora print makes it dynamic enough to swing by a brunch-do, a
formation, ry flair.
visit Aurusj
ewels.com sundowner, fancy resorts, as well as evening cocktails.
For more information, follow @richagoenka on Instagram

162 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in

 SHOPLIST
THE MERCHANDISE FEATURED EDITORIALLY HAS BEEN ORDERED AT THE FOLLOWING STORES. SOME SHOPS MAY CARRY
A SELECTION ONLY. PRICES AND AVAILABILITY WERE CHECKED AT THE TIME OF GOING TO PRESS. BUT WE CANNOT
GUARANTEE THAT PRICES WILL NOT CHANGE OR THAT SPECIFIC ITEMS WILL BE IN STOCK WHEN THE MAGAZINE IS
PUBLISHED. WE SUGGEST THAT BEFORE VISITING A SHOP YOU CALL TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE YOUR SIZE
FASHION
431-88: (www.431-88.com) (www.ogaan.com) 1101: (www.elevenoone.
in) Abacaxi: (www.abacaxi-nyc.com) Alexander McQueen: (www.
alexandermcqueen.com) Alighieri: (www.alighieri.co.uk) Altuzarra: (www.
altuzarra.com) Anamika Khanna: (www.anamikakhanna.in) Atsu: (www.
atsu.in) Balmain: (www.modaoperandi.com) Bibhu Mohapatra: (www.
bibhu.com) Bluemarine: (www.bluemarine.com) Bottega Veneta: (www.
bottegaveneta.com) Burberry: (www.burberry.com) (www.farfetch.
com) Celine: (www.celine.com) Chanel: (www.chanel.com) Charles &
Keith: (www.charleskeith.com/in) (https://luxury.tatacliq.com) Chloé:
(www.chloe.com) Christian Dior: (www.dior.com) Danielle Guizio: (www.
danielleguiziony.com) Deme by Gabriella: (www.demebygabriella.com)
Desigual: (www.desigual.com) (https://luxury.tatacliq.com) Dolce and
Gabbana: (www.dolceandgabbana.com) Erd Jewels: (www.erd-jewels.com)
Fendi: (www.fendi.com) Gucci: (www.gucci.com) H&M: (www.hm.com)
Jacquemus: (www.jacquemus.com) (www.net-a-porter.com) (www.
farfetch.com) Kate Spade: (www.katespade.com) Khaite: (www.khaite.
com) KoAi: (www.koai.in) (www.ensembleindia.com) Kshitij Jalori: (www.
kshitijjalori.com) (www.aashniandco.com) Loewe: (www.loewe.com) (www.
mytheresa.com) Louis Vuitton: (www.louisvuitton.com) Luxottica: (www.
luxottica.com/en) Mango: (www.shop.mango.com) Marks & Spencer:
(www.marksandspencer.in) Massimo Dutti: (www.massimodutti.com/in)
Mirayah: (miyarah.official@gmail.com) Misho: (www.mishodesigns.com)
Miu Miu: (www.miumiu.com) Naeem Khan: (www.naeemkhan.com) Nike:
(www.nike.com/in) Nykaa Fashion: (www.nykaafashion.com) Philosophy:
(www.philosophy.com) (www.farfetch.com) Prada: (www.prada.com)
(www.farfetch.com) Pyer Moss: (www.pyermoss.com) Ralph Lauren:
(www.ralphlauren.com) Saint Laurent: (www.ysl.com) (www.net-a-porter.
com) Simone Miller: (www.simonemillerusa.com) Simone Rocha: (www.
simonerocha.com) Sneak-A-Peek from AJIO: (http://www.ajio.com) Tara
Fine Jewellery: Mumbai, 9820100748 Ted Baker: (www.tedbaker.com)
The Row: (www.therow.com) The Summer House: (www.thesummerhouse.
in) Two Fold Store: (www.twofoldstore.com) Uniqlo: (www.uniqlo.com)
United Colours of Benetton: (https://in.benetton.com) URA: (www.
wearura.com) VIAM: (www.shopviam.com) Vince: (www.vince.com) (www.
farfetch.com) Westside: (www.westside.com) Zara: (www.zara.com)
164 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in
JEWELLERY & WATCHES
Anmol Jewellers: Mumbai 022-61333444 (www.anmoljewellers.
in) Aurus: Ahmedabad 8866286000 Birdhichand Ghanshyamdas
Jaipur: Jaipur 0141-2379228 Buccellati: (www.net-a-porter.com)
Bulgari: DLF Emporio, Delhi 011-40538620 (www.bulgari.com)
Forevermark Diamonds: (www.forevermark.com) Fred Leighton:
(www.net-a-porter.com) Goenka India: Mumbai 9892621886,
9820407087 H.Ajoomal: Mumbai 022-26418247 Hanut Singh:
(www.hanutsingh.com) Hazoorilal by Sandeep Narang GK-1: Delhi
011-4173 4567 (www.hazoorilaljewellers.com) Hazoorilal Legacy -
South Extension: Delhi 011-48733333 (www.hazoorilallegacy.com)
House of MBj: New Delhi 9810831950 Jaipur Gems: Mumbai 022-
66356881 (www.jaipurgems.com) Occasions Fine Jewellery: Mumbai
7926307606 Raj Mahtani Couture Jewels: Mumbai 022-23622221
(www.rajmahtani.com) Ratan Jewellers: Mumbai 9819958581
Reliance Jewels: Mumbai 022-66990187 (www.reliancejewels.net)
Renu Oberoi Luxury Jewellery: 9136968499 (www.renuoberoi.
com) Rose: (www.therose.in) Sabyasachi Jewellery X Bergdorf
Goodman: 8336901259 (www.sabyasachijewelry.com) Sunita
Shekhawat: Jaipur 0141-2361385/95, Delhi 011-24331395/97 (www.
sunitashekhawat.com) Tanishq: (www.tanishq.co.in) Zoya - A Tata
Product: Mumbai 022-6559000 (www.zoya.in)
BEAUTY
Anastasia Beverly Hills: (www.boddess.com) Benefit Cosmetics:
(www.sephora.nnnow.com) Charlotte Tilbury: (www.nykaa.com)
Charmis: (www.itcstore.in) La Mer: (www.cremedelamer.com) Dior:
(www.nykaa.com) e.l.f Cosmetics: (www.nykaa.com) Hermès: (www.
hermes.com) L’Oréal Paris: (www.lorealparis.co.in) Pixi: (www.sephora.
nnnow.com) True Elements: (www.true-elements.com)
LIVING
Bouchra Boudoua: (https://bouchraboudoua.com) Raffles
VIVEK VADOLIYA
Udaipur: (https://www.raffles.com) The Khyber Resort & Spa:
(https://khyberhotels.com) William Morris Gallery: (www.
wmgallery.org.uk)
www.vogue.in VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 165
PS

About time
By Shobhaa De

When I was two years old, my parents and uncles celebrated my birthday with great
enthusiasm. I had demanded—and got—a specific shade of pink for my party
frock, with a cake and booties to match. There is one sepia-toned, faded picture
in the family album which shows me looking totally blissed out, with grubby little
fingers and a mouthful of creamy icing. I was already ‘living the life’, on my terms!

Life is ‘perfect’ at any stage and age—if and only if, there is love. It’s important to
actively seek, recognise and cherish, love—the emotion, not necessarily a person. I
recently fell in love with a Brahma Kamal, a rare and beautiful flower that
blooms for a few hours once a year, and exudes a delicate, unforgettable fragrance.

At age 20, I made an informed choice and decided to invest in myself. Not
selfishly, but sensibly. I came from a middle-class home and we were expected
to row our boats pretty early in life. The returns took time coming but come they
did. I lived by a few golden rules: make sure you earn enough to feed yourself.
Stay debt-free. Never borrow. Buy what you can afford, Delight in the little
things—like those tiny, crisp, heart-shaped biscuits that seem to have disappeared.

Most of us wait till we hit our forties before taking stock. My advice? Don’t wait!
Take risks as soon as you learn how to sign cheques. Ditto for emotional
entanglements. Relationships come with collateral damage. Factor that in when
you deep dive. Never underestimate your core strength or let anyone shake your
self-belief. Age? Your age is your business—to act it or not. You decide which
age you want to be—which age ‘suits’ you the most. I am stuck at age 34.

Own every bit of you, yes, even the flaws and fault lines. Make peace with
nothing! Live with unbridled fury. Ferocious is good! Burn every day. Never
leave home without your attitude, it says who you are. Remain unapologetic till
your last breath. But don’t forget love—express it! Revel in those tender memories
of resting your tired head on your mother’s lap. Regress at will. Dance with
abandon, wherever and whenever. Reach out and share, kindness has no substitute.
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Enjoy each moment with every fibre of your being. Know yourself. Be yourself.
Live your life.

166 VOGUE INDIA AUGUST 2021 www.vogue.in