The Bridal Files : Mehendi

The next morning of the Youngsters Party,We had the Mehendi Function.The theme of the Mehendi was Rajasthani Kitsch.I wanted it to be a really fun event with lots of dancing and filled with the colours of my heritage.I had made matching leheriya outfits for all the women of my family and had a really fun photo booth,complete with a jazzed-up scooter!

We used a lot of DIY for this event and I love how it all turned out. I had made my lehenga infact before I had decided on the theme of the event but somehow it all worked out together!Even the Potlis for the favours were done by my in-house brand and are still available for sale in a modified version!

We handed out these potlis with Rajasthani Doll Hangings as Mehendi Favours.

The Kitschy Scooter!

  And,lastly my favorite picture of the lot. Us <3

Lehenga and Sari draped as Dupatta : India Kitsch

Shoes: Verushka

Bangles: Radha's,Kolkata and Nidhi Tholia,Jaipur

Jewellery : Mom's 

Potli: India Kitsch

If it's Written in the Stars...

I have always had a love-hate relationship with horoscopes,sunsigns,numerology and all things mystical.There are days when it everything I read reminds me of myself and there are days when it all seems like a lot of rubbish.On most days the usual predictions are quite generic which could happen to anyone.And the tone more cautious and predictive...like be careful about your health or look after your finances(for some reason I get this almost always when I check my horoscope...hint much?).But more than horoscopes,I'm of a believer of sun-signs.And in most respects,I am an out and out Sagittarius if you minus the sporty part! .:p

Honest to the point of being blunt,positive thinker,philospical,an unquenchable wanderlust and extremely  independent.Maybe it's this independence that leads me to believe that we can carve our own destiny rather than leave it to the stars.

Coincidentally I was wearing this tee on a day I decided to click some pictures at the store and decided to have an impromptu shoot.Let me know what think!About sunsigns and about the outfit!

Top-Ole for Koton,Istanbul

Leggings and Cuff-Forever 21,New Delhi

Shoes-Street shops at Gk M-Block,New Delhi

Laptop Bag-Clocharde for India Kitsch

Iphone Cover-Gifted

Ring-Amalaan for India Kitsch

Tasssel Earrings-One of the local shops at Senado Square,Macau

Stories of Anarkalis

It's been a crazy hectic past few weeks with relatives down from all over the country,endless weddings and a busy office.Both me and the store have been doing quite well indeed but we are extremely tired and in need of a weekend off!
Coming to the outfit,We bought this stunning embroidered stole from Kashmir last year and I knew I just had to do something amazing with it.So since this year seems to be a year of weddings,I decided to use it as a yoke for this beautiful anarkali maxi (Anarkali is the Indian version of an empire waist dress).The colour and threadwork is beautiful and I had my cousin's engagement on Sunday so it was the perfect occasion to wear it as soon it will be too hot for silk.Since,It came out quite well,I decided to hop on to the terrace and click some pictures.And what better than a self-made outfit for my first outfit post!

Anarkali Maxi-Self Designed-Rs.12000 approx by India Kitsch

Bangles-Full Fataaka-Rs.1150 pair(Mumbai)

Earrings- Grand Bazaar in Istanbul-Rs.1000 approx

Ring-Kolkata Exhibition-Rs.500 approx

Shoes-Adaa (Mumbai)-Rs.2150

Clutch- Kali (Kolkata)-Rs 1650

Redefining Kitsch

Ever since I opened my store in Kolkata, I have been asked a countless times what Kitsch means. Ofcourse most people think its 'kids' the first time.Then comes the plethora of unique pronunciations like Kits, Kitsech and if they're cool,its keesh like the french delicacy.The correct pronunciation being 'Kich'.
Audio Link to the Pronunciation
Even more misrepresented is the definitions of Kitsch found online.If you look up KITSCH on Wikipedia,it is defined as 'an inferior, tasteless copy of an extant style of art or a worthless imitation of art of recognized value.'
Which it was,In the 19th Century.As a descriptive term, kitsch originated in the art markets of Munich in the 1860s and the 1870s, describing cheap, popular, and marketable pictures and sketches.The concept was applied to art that was over-sentimental and melodramatic.

                                             American Kitsch in the 1950's

However,In more recent times,Kitsch art embraces and celebrates melodrama.If it's loud,colorful,folksy and completely over the top.Its Kitsch.It's so bad,it's cool.It's like how girls are always attracted to the bad boys.You know they're not good or smart,But they're so wrong that they're right.

Betsey Johnson -Queen on International Kitsch Fashion

In India,Kitsch is generally denoted through cultural references:Truck art,Nimboo Mirchi,Bollywood,Taxi art et al.It started as a desi-chic art form which was so cool because it was new and unique after a generation of modernism and art that 'meant something'.It was cool and fun and rebellious.

Truck Art Key Holder by Happily Unmarried

More recently though,It's been popularised to an extent that it's losing the POP factor.Instead of succumbing to cliches,there is a need to reinvent the same old motifs.Because,the charm of Kitsch is that it is Out of The Box even though it uses everyday icons.
Below are some pictures of my favorite Kitsch designers.Hope you found the article informative!

Nida Mahmood 

Masaba Cow Print Blazer

                                  And Ofcourse the Indian Dancer Saree by India Kitsch.:)