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Economic Times
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Move over SoBo, Lutyens...Jaipur's where they really Royalty cosplay
JI HUZOOR, NAHIN HUZOOR, THREE BAGS FULL HUZOOR Yes, parties still happen in Mumbai and Delhi. But where does Dua Lipa perform on NYE? Where do film stars go when they want privacy? Jaipur. The Pink City has nurtured a distinct party culture that isn't a spillover from Delhi or Bollywood but something its own. Jaipur has long had its high-society ecosystem, rooted in royalty, polo, and heritage venues, drawing elite celebs, both Indian and global. Grand palace hotels offer a kind of luxury that Mumbai and Delhi, for all their opulence, struggle to replicate. But Jaipur has also evolved. A newer creative class - designers, artists, hoteliers - has deepened the city's cultural capital. Edgy new labels blend modern minimalism with craft heritage. Design schools thrive alongside block printers. Art residencies and pop-ups share space with durbars. Vivienne Westwood may still launch in Mumbai. But Rahul Mishra takes Rajasthan to Paris Couture Week. Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) began at the historic Diggi Palace. Even as it now unfolds across larger venues like Hotel Clarks Amer, its spirit remains royal boho. A writer's ball at The Leela Palace, a poetry reading under frescoed ceilings... the result is a literary scene with enough glitter to keep the global gaze returning. The polo circuit is key. Padmanabh Singh, 'maharaja' of Jaipur, is often dubbed the 'new polo prince'. Many of the city's exclusive parties orbit around the sport, bringing together aristocrats, industrialists, and an international crowd. These gatherings double as soft diplomacy and old-money networking, wrapped in candlelight and designers once came to Jaipur to 'source', Ralph Lauren recently sponsored a gala dinner to raise funds for the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation. Diljit Dosanjh has performed here. International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) chose Jaipur for its silver jubilee least one princess of yore now serves as a luxury brand ambassador. Gayatri Devi, 'brand ambassador of Rajasthan', never exchanged her name for official endorsement. She was a real princess -- until India abolished titles in an active - even public - palace life contribute to Jaipur's contemporary relevance? There's a connection between private palace parties shared on social media, and Jaipur's climb on global 'best party cities' lists. If Gaj Singh - who made Jodhpur a post-liberalisation destination by turning one part of his palace into a heritage hotel and hosting elite New Year parties - then descendants of Jaipur's royalty have carried that spirit forward by carving a niche for a certain kind of party, ticking all the right boxes of local heritage and global polish. Socially exclusive, but not as performative as Delhi. Culturally insidious in its way. If you're not inside the palace rubbing shoulders with modern courtiers, you're at the hotel next door, close enough to feel the aura. There's a sense of authenticity to the 'heritage'. A 2019 Daily Mail story asked, 'Would you go and stay with the world's most eligible royal?' It continued, 'Maharajah of Jaipur, 21, who's just listed his palace on Airbnb, boasts a £500 mn fortune, has modelled for D&G, and counts A-listers as friends.'It's about old-money ease, and quiet cultural prestige - the kind of soft spectacle where the powerful flex their might be it via an untagged post, or a centuries-old motif reinterpreted on a linen napkin. Just ask Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Or David Jaipur's cultural success also raises an unresolved question: should we still be backing a 'princess' brand in a land where royal titles were abolished by law? India was meant to break from feudalism, not repackage it for global consumption. Yet, the appetite for soft power royalty remains, just as Britain clings to the Windsors, or binges on 'The Crown'. Now, we too have 'Royals', a fictional version on a streaming platform. The difference? Brits still have a real crown. For us, as one 'royal' insider put it, 'It's a shortcut. The dazzle isn't built on substance. That makes it an unstable model.'Still, the illusion holds - by filtered Instagram stories, curated guest lists, and a heritage that never fades. The crowns may be gone, but in Jaipur, performative royalty plays on: globally admired, digitally staged, and always just out of reach. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. The BrahMos link that fired up this defence stock 45% in one month How Azerbaijan's support for Pak could put USD780 million trade at risk Under lens: A Turkish firm's India entry and its possible ties with makers of Pak drones Is it end of road for Damani-backed Protean eGov? RBI has cut repo rates twice in 3 months. But that isn't enough to boost the economy! As India steps up commercial shipbuilding, it needs a supply chain boost Stock picks of the week: 5 stocks with consistent score improvement and return potential of more than 27% in 1 year Stable and sustainable for long-term investors: 10 stocks from the energy ecosystem with upside potential of more than 20% Stocks to buy today: UNO Minda gets a rating upgrade; Nuvama sees over 20% upside in ITC
Jordan Times
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Jordan Times
Nostalgia and escapism: Highlights from Paris Couture Week
A model presents a creation for Germanier during the Women's Haute-Couture Spring/Summer 2025 Fashion Week, in Paris on Thursday (AFP photo) PARIS — Nostalgia-tinged evening wear, fantasy-fuelled escapism and messages about world peace featured during a packed Paris Couture Week that also saw new changes on fashion's artistic director merry-go-round. Twenty-nine houses showed off collections during Couture Week, which wrapped up on Thursday, following Men's Fashion Week last week. 'Past centuries' Dior chief designer Maria Grazia Chiuri said her Spring-Summer 2025 collection was inspired by 'the creativity of past centuries', making the Italian one of several artistic directors who was looking back for inspiration. Retro draped skirts or short crinolines, as well as trapeze dresses and coats inspired by Yves Saint Laurent's designs in the 1950s for the venerable Parisian brand, were highlights of a show watched by a star-studded audience at the Rodin Museum. Daniel Roseberry, chief designer at Parisian house Schiaparelli, sent out models including Kendall Jenner in a range featuring corsets prominently, saying he had been inspired by ribbons he discovered from the 1920s and 30s. In his notes accompanying the show he said he 'wanted to travel through time, to create silhouettes that might conjure up the haute couture of the past'. Escapism For many fans of haute couture, it serves as pure escapism, a celebration of beauty, creativity and craftsmanship. But just like everyone else, designers have the rapidly shifting and unpredictable nature of our world on their minds. Zuhair Murad, who has been working with his homeland Lebanon under Israeli bombardment, said his collection was inspired by the idea of a tropical island that would be a refuge from the harsh realities of life. 'The message of this collection is about escaping from our hectic world. I imagined this beautiful island, far from the cities, far from technology, far from the world that we live in right now, a peaceful world,' he told AFP. 'Out of the bubble' But as conflicts rage from Ukraine to Congo and Sudan, French designer Franck Sorbier tackled war and peace directly in a theatrical show that combined music, singing and dance. Titled 'Symphonie Barbare' ('Barbaric Symphony'), it featured bare-chested 'barbarian' men and female 'warriors of peace' dressed in trapeze gowns adorned with tassels or sequins. It ended with a 'peace' phase and concluded with Sorbier appearing in a black anorak bearing the words 'peace and love'. 'The idea is not to get stuck in a bubble of haute couture,' he told AFP afterward. 'Even though we do haute couture, we can still talk about the news and worrying issues, without sounding like we're lecturing people.' Eccentric Dutch duo Viktor & Rolf riffed on technology and the advent of our worrisome AI-powered era by sending out 24 variations of the same outfit, announced each time with the same slightly robotic voice. 'It is a collection of 24 variations of the same dress, taken to the extreme. It is somewhat a human interpretation of the unlimited possibilities of artificial intelligence,' Rolf Snoeren told. Change at the top Amid the ruffles and glitter, the game of musical chairs among top fashion houses continued this week. British designer Stella McCartney announced Monday her departure from the LVMH group, while Belgian designer Glenn Martens was appointed artistic director Wednesday at Maison Margiela to succeed John Galliano. Meanwhile, rumours continue to swirl about Grazia Chiuri at Dior, with speculation she is set to cede her place to British designer Jonathan Anderson from Loewe, which is also owned by LVMH. Chanel is currently in flux, with its latest show crafted by the brand's creative studio following the sudden departure of artistic director Virginie Viard in June. Her successor, Matthieu Blazy — who made his mark at Italian leather goods specialist Bottega Veneta — was appointed in December but is not expected to present a collection before September. One of the traditions of Haute Couture Week is that each fashion house closes its show with a bridal look. This season, several designers from Chanel to Giambattista Valli sent out white dresses that were short at the front and long at the back. Jean Paul Gaultier's collection featured a full-length feathered gown that was highly transparent, also leaving the legs prominently visible.
Ya Biladi
28-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Ya Biladi
Giambattista Valli's spring 2025 haute couture collection celebrates Moroccan heritage
Designer Giambattista Valli unveiled his Spring 2025 haute couture collection at Couture Week, drawing inspiration from the Moroccan heritage. The show featured signature voluminous designs, including a standout pastel-pink tulle gown with plissé detailing and hyperreal fabric roses. According to ELLE magazine, Valli's backstage comments highlighted Morocco's prominent rose production as a direct influence on the collection's designs. The designer noted how the Moroccan environment impacts creative perspective, particularly through its interiors, colors, and unique architectural elements. The collection's mood board incorporated images ranging from rose fields to tiled interiors, translating into detailed plissé work, embellishments, and intricate draping. The collection showcased 1960s-inspired pieces, including caftans, silk faille sets, and lamé jacquard jackets. Notable elements included structured bows, floor-length floral gowns, and embroidered silk dresses adorned with organza peonies. The show attracted high-profile attendance, with American singer and rapper Megan Thee Stallion appearing in the front row.
