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Vodka
shots: At the Smirnoff International Fashion Awards  2000
in Mumbai, eight aspiring designers (picked from 365 entries) presented
shows on- "Liberation". Judges-Mehr Jessia Rampal, designers
Monisha Jaisingh and Wendell Rodricks picked-Rambhia, 19, (centre) who
used the tape in audio cassettes on a bikini. "I was inspired by
a spider's web," she says.
-Himanshi
Dhawan
The
Maharaja's Moves
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| New-look
Air-India in-flight attendants in teh company of a pilot |
Along with
talk of a makeover for Air-India, it's makeover time for Air-India in-flight
attendants. An in-house design team has just finished revamping the uniforms
to be worn by the ladies. And since "those who ultimately have to
wear it are behind the design", says Managing Director M.P. Mascarenhas,
the outfits have been given a practical dimension. Or as he puts it, "functionality
has been balanced with style". Says former in-flight attendant Mahrukh
Chikliwala, now a senior manager, in-flight services, who was part of
the four-member core design team: "All of us on the team have been
with Air-India for over 25 years. We realised that uniforms have to be
compatible with comfort and easy maintenance as flights could mean 14
hours of serving at a stretch."
So, besides
plans for privatisation, what's new? For the first time, crepe silk has
been used for saris, for wrinkle-free, easy-to-wash convenience and a
slim look. The churidar-kurta comes without troublesome dupattas, and
with a no-fuss sleeveless jacket instead. Even the colours-pepper red,
deep blue, bright green-are suited to all climates, Chikliwala insists.
The cuts are modern but the motif, a mix of paisley and Orissa filigree
prints, are traditional Indian.
The current
makeover move has taken a year and cost the airline an estimated Rs 1
crore-plus. But this is not the first time it's happening. The Air-India
team has seen eight different looks since in-flight attendants were first
introduced in 1946. The original European suit with a jauntily angled
cap made way for the sari in 1960. Churidar-kurtas made an appearance
in 1969. There was a brief flirtation with the Rajasthani look in silk
ghagra-cholis and silver jewellery in the early '70s. Skirts are now seen
only on Japanese and French in-flight attendants serving on flights to
Tokyo and Paris, while the Indian staff on these flights will sport the
elegant new desi ensembles.
This is
part of an overall grooming drive, Mascarenhas says. The Entertainment
and Product Innovation section will soon bring out a handbook of grooming
regulations while special cells have been set up at airports to monitor
the crew. The handbook will contain tips on being well turned out even
when intervals between flights are too short for visits to a stylist,
coming complete with do-it-yourself manicure and pedicure routines. Earlier,
the only rule was that shoes should be black with a hint of gold; now
accessories such as bags and shoes are to be standardised. A whole new
look for the Maharaja's attendants.
-Shuchi
Sinha
You
2
 First,
let's get this out of the way: yes, he can sing. But that's not the only
talent Asha Bhosle's grandson Chaitanya Bhosle (he prefers the alpha-numeric
handle, Chin2) can boast of. In Calcutta last week, Chin2 put the whole
gamut of his genes on display: he acted, directed (his mom, who was married
to Bhosle's son, is into theatre) and scored the music for a stage production
of the classic Wait Until Dark. That's routine for this 25-year-old MBA,
who's been an adman, radio jockey and actor. But truth be told, Chin2
is keen on a career as a musician. He headlines with a Mumbai band called
Oxygen, and has taught himself to play the guitar, drums and piano. Any
plans for a duet with granny? "I don't have the guts to ask,"
says Chin2. Now that would be the real test of genes.
-Labonita
Ghosh
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INDIA TODAY Deputy Editor Swapan Dasgupta voices the despair of a community that Jyoti Basu forcibly converted into a diaspora in his 23 years of zero-contribution rule. 