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The Hindu
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
How Duchess Kumari Brings Vintage Charm to Modern Indian Fashion
It was during the shoot for Love Story of 90's, that former Miss Universe India contestant Divita Rai and her co-star actor Adhyayan Suman shared their common desire to venture into the world of fashion. Alka Suman — Adhyayan's mother, and designer who runs Label Alkaline — has been in the fashion industry for several years and the duo wanted to spotlight her creations on a larger platform. 'Alka aunty has a huge inventory of fabrics, and has been doing this as a personal interest for many years,' says Divita, 'Adhyayan and I felt there was a need for an affordable luxury label, and we wanted to own our heritage and also give it a contemporary twist.' The name of the brand, Duchess Kumari, spotlights their ethos of giving Indian crafts a Victorian touch. The label's first collection features a heady mix of rich Indian textiles such as brocade, raw silk, Chanderi, and ikkat, coupled with contemporary design elements such as bows, polka dots, pearls, and crystal embellishments. Divided across categories such as cocktail wear, resort wear, luxe wedding wear, and high fashion, the range comprises dresses, jackets, skirts, pantsuits, kaftan pant sets, skirt sets, and more. While Alka is the Indian textile expert, Divita has brought in the contemporary touches to the apparel. 'I have been working in the field for 35 years, and draw inspiration from designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee. My focus has been on crafting salwar suits, kurtis, etc in rich Indian textiles like Banarasi, Chanderi, with ethnic, vintage embroidery,' says Alka, who has a team of karigars in Mumbai who work from home. 'Divita and Adhyayan pushed me to launch this label, and I will keep adding designs to the label once they are ready. We don't go by seasonal launches, or fixed collections,' she says, adding that the team is now focussing on lighter fabrics such as linen and mul for the summer. Elaborating on the first drop — a combination of dresses, skirt sets, pant sets — Divita says the aim was to craft occasion wear and statement pieces in the mid-luxury range. 'Our first range has eight bespoke pieces, and 24 ensembles in the pret line. We will be adding more to these as a part of the summer range,' says Divita, who has given the apparel a contemporary spin. This has been done by way of embroidered buttons, bows on collars, etc. 'This has been done to reject the brand's duality,' she adds. For example, Bella, a magenta pink dress is crafted in raw silk, but the velvet bow at the collar gives it a Victorian touch. Similarly, the Scottish checks pantsuit set has been given an Indian touch with hand embroidery, and Sanyukta, a double tissue skirt set comes with a Victorian style blouse with puffed sleeves, embroidered suspenders, and an emerald silk collar bow. 'With our outfits, we are not leaning heavily on casual wear or bridal apparel, but are in between the cocktail and occasion wear range,' says Divita, adding how the team ensures every piece becomes an extension of the wearer's story. 'We believe true royalty isn't about status; it's about owning your narrative,' she concludes. The pret line is priced upwards of ₹4,000, and bespoke wear starts at ₹25,000 on
USA Today
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Kendall Jenner's modest Coachella look and why Gen Z is wearing 'milkmaid dresses' to the club
Kendall Jenner's modest Coachella look and why Gen Z is wearing 'milkmaid dresses' to the club Show Caption Hide Caption Pamela Anderson reveals surprising fact about her current fashion Pamela Anderson chats with USA TODAY's Ralphie Aversa before receiving a Muse Award at the New York Women in Film and Television gala. In da clurb, we all fam. And that fam wears "milkmaid dresses" now, apparently. TikTok is abuzz with a new Gen Z fashion trend: wearing long, flowing dresses− dubbed "milkmaid dresses" − out clubbing. Kendall Jenner, 29, even seems to have gotten in on it, turning heads in one of these types of dresses at Weekend 1 of Coachella. The trend has stoked fascination and ire from some millennials and older Gen Zers. "How it feels to go out at 25 and see that 19-22 going out attire is now little house on the prairie themed," one TikToker wrote, in a video with 2.1 million likes and 20.6 million views. The comments are full of people expressing similar sentiments. So, what's really going on with the milkmaid-dresses-as-club-attire trend? Well, quite a lot actually. According to Lorynn Divita, a professor of apparel design and merchandising and the author of the book "Fashion Forecasting," fashion has always reflected larger cultural and political trends − and the milkmaid dress is no different. "The present is always changing − always − and fashion is very quick to respond to changes in taste that reflect modern life," Divita says. "We are seeing this reflected at a time where women's roles are − in some places − in a lot of flux, not in a way that we had even a couple of years ago." Why Gen Z is wearing 'milkmaid dresses' to the club In some ways, so-called "milkmaid" dresses were ripe for a resurgence no matter what. First off, they're available for purchase at a variety of price points, which makes them widely accessible. They also offer a silhouette that's flattering on many different body types, Divita says. But there may be bigger reasons for their comeback too. As Divita points out, women's clothing tends to fluctuate with their place in society. For example, when women took on more prominence in the workforce during World War II, their fashion became more masculine. When the war ended and they returned to the domestic sphere in the 1950s, it became more feminine. "In times of social and economic advancement for women, a more minimalist, or even masculine, silhouette is popular," Divita says. "But, when we see a regression of women's social and economic advancement, we see a corresponding rise in hyper-feminine fashion." Could this be what's happening with the milkmaid dress? "We're in a bit of a regression period, so it's not surprising that a hyper-feminine look is coming back into vogue," Divita says. Even the name for these dresses − apparently bestowed by the internet − speaks to this, she adds: "Milk maids are non-threatening and nurturing. There's a whole lot of cultural associations with them that are very much in sync with our times." Milkmaid dresses may also be getting a boost thanks to trad-wife influencers, many of whom embrace a 1950s aesthetic and advocate that women submit to their husbands. Love them or hate them, trad wives, Divita says, have had an undeniable influence on pop culture. That influence may now be seeping into fashion. For many, milkmaid dresses may also offer a way to feel safe and nostalgic. "It stands in sharp contrast to the chaos that we are currently living in right now," Divita says. "It's a calming, serene aesthetic, and I can see why people gravitate towards it." Will 'milkmaid dresses' as club attire last? Are most of the people who wear milkmaid dresses trying to make a political statement? Probably not. Many likely just want to stand out. As one TikToker put it in a video: "We have never had more attention in our lives than when we wore these flowy Mormon looking outfits to the club." This approach definitely seemed to work for Jenner at Coachella. The music festival has become a beacon of off-beat, boho fashion − but, now that that style is mainstream, a milkmaid dress is what makes people stop and pay attention. "Everybody else looks like they're at Woodstock, and she looks like she's at a garden party," Divita says of Jenner at Coachella. "She not only stands out, but she looks very romantic and beautiful doing it." Milkmaid dresses have yet to prove their staying power as club attire. But Divita says one thing is certain: Once a trend gets exhausted, it means its opposite is likely on the horizon. It's probably how milkmaid dresses took off as clubwear in the first place. "We have gotten to a point with clubwear that we are so used to tight, revealing clothing that we're fatigued of it," Divita says. "We've seen it. We've been there. We've done that." Degrading or empowering? Why people can't stop talking about Bianca Censori's naked dress. And, if you aren't a fan of milkmaid dresses, that's good news for you too. Because, one day, like every fashion trend, it too will likely run its course. "The one thing that we can always know is that nothing in fashion lasts forever," Divita says. "It's always in flux."
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Yahoo
Seminole County invests in security improvements at fire stations
The Brief Seminole County approved $184,000 for security upgrades at Fire Stations 12 and 14 after a string of vehicle break-ins occurred while firefighters were out on emergency calls. The funding will cover new fences, lighting, and cameras to help deter future crimes and protect first responders. SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. - Seminole County's Board of Commissioners has just approved $184,000 in funding for safety improvements at Fire Station 12 and Fire Station 14, after a dozen vehicles were broken into. What we know The money just approved will go toward fences at Fire Stations 12 and 14, and toward lighting and cameras at other stations if there's money leftover. Officials say the fire stations may have been targeted while they were empty due to firefighters responding to calls in the community. What we don't know We still don't know who's responsible for the break-ins, or whether specific fire stations were targeted for any particular reason. What they're saying "I don't think anyone ever thought that type of thing would happen until it did," said firefighter Lt. Jonathan Divita. "Then now that thought's on your mind that, 'Hey, we got to get back real quick to see if our car is still there or if our possessions are still there.'" "People were pretty frustrated and they were looking for some action to be done to kind of deter the criminals," Lt. Divita added. Commissioner Chair Jay Zembower told FOX 35 the break-ins seem to be crimes of opportunity. "As our firefighters get alerted to come help the community, then everybody leaves the station, but then all the things are left behind at the station unattended and unmonitored," said Zembower. "Unfortunately we've got to take these steps to protect that." "Since the break-ins, we have worked closely with the Seminole County Sheriff's Office to reinforce safety measures," said Seminole County Fire Chief Matt Kinley. "We want to ensure our first responders are not victimized while acting in service to the community." "You would hope that it was an isolated incident," said District 3 Commissioner Lee Constantine. "Certainly now with the security measures. If they try it again, they're going to get caught." FOX 35 News spoke previously with John Westmoreland, the Division Chief of Logistics for Orange County Fire Rescue, which had 3 stations suffer break-ins. "It's unconscionable, it's criminal," Westmoreland said shortly after the burglaries. "And it's preying on folks that are literally taking an oath and willing to give their life to help serve the community." STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local: Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source FOX 35's Marie Edinger called Seminole County Fire Rescue about this. She talked over Zoom with Lt. Jonathan Divita, a firefighter at one of the Seminole County fire stations that was targeted. Fire Chief Matt Kinley couldn't interview the day of the story, but sent a detailed statement discussing the issue and the funding. She also reached out to every Seminole County Commissioner. She talked via Zoom with Commission Chair Jay Zembower and District 3 Commissioner Lee Constantine, and over the phone with the Vice Chair, Katherine Herr, who is the District 5 Commissioner. Edinger also talked on the phone with the Public Information Officer for Orange County Fire Rescue, and reviewed documents from the Seminole County Board of Commissioners meeting.
