The word 'Waste hai' inspires me....!

Waste hai!(It's a waste) is such a commonly used words in our day to day life that you really don't take it seriously unless it is used against you. Then it pulls you down and makes you feel miserable. Last night exactly the same thing happened. As I am all set for my next event - Miss Tourism Uttar Pradesh 2012, so I posted some of the photos on the official page of MTUP on facebook
www.facebook.com/misstourism.uttarpradesh.
Within few seconds I started getting  feedback from the people. And one comment read "WASTE HAI". Out of sheer anger I deleted the comment.
Then I started thinking about the comment and I realized this is not the first time I was getting this kind of reaction. I have been hearing this a lot ever since I thought of making a mark for myself.

10 years back when I decided to shift my base from Mumbai to Lucknow everyone said, tumhara base shift karna waste hai (shifting your base is a wastage). Everyone thought there is nothing stored in Lucknow for a fashion professional. 'There are no opportunity in Lucknow, Mumbai is the place for fashion and you have been doing good for yourself", they reasoned out. They were not wrong. But for me it was the biggest opportunity to create a fashion industry here in Lucknow. And today 10 years later we are the National Director - India for two International Beauty Pageant.

Same thing happened when I decided to work exclusively on KHADI and handloom fabric only. In 2006 when  I made this decision again the same comment popped up. 'Why are you wasting your time and energy on a fabric that is considered to be the uniform of netas(Politicians)', they would ask. But I simply fell in love with the fabric and saw its relevance in the future. And today I I am known for it. It gave me an  identity. Today every one is acknowledging its worth. Mega fashion event like Lakme Fashion Week dedicates a day to these fabrics.

So now when I again thought of the last night comment on FB, I was rest assured some day in the near future Miss Tourism Uttar Pradesh would be one of the most coveted crown by every standard.

I really don't  know what does it means to you, when someone says 'waste hai' to your ideas. For me it only means that my ideas are way ahead or something that has not been tried upon. And it means I have to work harder and give my 200% to it to make it happen, so that by the end of the day I should be able to say, "Tab shayed waste tha but ab nahi hai(Probably then it was not relevant but today it is)".

  

Rohan Arora Collection of shoes in Khadi

And you thought KHADI is boring! Rohan Arora's Collection of shoes in KHADI and chicken leather can be called anything but boring.
Rohan's collection featured here is as fresh and relevant today as it was in 2010 when it was launched.

KHADI: The fabric of India

Today, as  I was browsing through the YouTube I came across this beautiful short film on Khadi by Kanika Myer.
A must watch...!

KHADI COLLECTION

Khadi Collection under the label 'IN SYNC - basant anuj'

www.insyncbasantanuj.in

FASHION NIGHT @ DE MELANGE - Lifestyle Lounge

Thursday night was dedicated to fashion at DE MELANGE - Lifestyle Lounge. We called it 'FASHION NIGHT @ DE MELANGE'. Within no time the lounge became the hub for the fashion professionals and the fashion lover to connect.

Lounge owner Anuj Singh & Basant Rai

Ladies Night Out

[To all gals.. here's to da shit v talk, da guys v stalk, da way v shop, da laughs v can't stop, da gossip v spill, da looks dat can kill. 2 watching each others bk, 2 da next morning getting all da facts, downin da beers, spillin the tears... v will stay together... Celebrate da spirit of being a woman in Ladies Night Out at CLUB DE MELANGE.. Date:25th Sept 2010, Day: Saturday, Time:8.30pm onwards..] Read the sms..

I dialed the club Manager's no to inquire about the evening. "Mam, today's evening is dedicated to you all. S we shall have all the male members, from bar tenders to the DJ to the waiters at your service to pamper and make you feel special. And not to miss the surprise event that is exclusively for you ladies. So try not to miss it" informed the manager.

The day was not very hectic. A few appointments here and there, that's it. Like I met the photographer and he showed me the rushes of the shoot. Attended lots of call from people because of what I wrote yesterday. I think it has started a new debate on 'work ethics, modeling and the things associated with it'. For a change people forgot about the CWG...

And yes Yukta also called up. She wanted to know if it was OK to get a guy along to the party as she was not feeling good and needed someone to take care of her.I can understand because her so called boyfriend from merchant navy was here for 6 days and just left today morning. So she was sad and needed someone to pep her up.

Monalisa wanted to know the guest list. Vaishali is also back from Lakme Fashion Week and said she would be coming along with someone we all know. When asked to reveal the name, she said, "Wait and watch, its a surprise". Too many surprises happening today it seems, I thought.

Any ways the day went by...

9:35pm: I enter the club....
Oh my God! is this the same club! i thought. But this is the best thing about Club De Melange. There in-house party is the to look forward to, always.Everything from the ambiance to the music is in-sync with the theme. Like the waiters were looking like one of the prince of those Maharaja days in maroon and gold brocade bandgalas with jodhpuri pants and multi-coloured safas. The bar tenders in leather pants and bare chested serving thee cocktail and few fantasies reminded me of 'master and slaves'. Songs like 'You are beautiful', 'lady in red', 'diamonds are forever' at the background made every guest feel special.

I saw Vaishali standing next to the bunch of photographers who was busy clicking a woman. I straight away went to her. After usual greetings she asked me to turn around. What I see! A woman in beautiful chunri print ghagra with a heavy gota work border and JJ Valaya signature golden jacket posing for the shutterbugs (yes the media was invited) effortlessly without missing a single cue from the photographers.

“Hi Ameeta” I almost screamed out of excitement, after all I was meeting her after 5 years. She looked up and came up to me. We hugged and kissed each other.

“You really kissed each other and not in the air. No mmuuaah… mmuuaah… the society thing”, one journalist pointed.

“Yep! Because we are real chicks in the real world.. so no fake mmuuaah… mmuuaah…” prompt it came from her. She has not lost it, I thought. The witty side of her that is.

{Ameeta an ex model -and now runs a small store in Delhi and collects accessories from all over the world. She secretly runs a small sex store in her shop which only a select few are aware of..Many a famous bollywood stars were in love with her back in the day, but she chose to stay single and totally independent... Over six feet tall she cuts a striking figure and she is almost always dressed in ghaghra skirts and block printed tops...Needless to say she intimidates people very easily...}

As Ameeta got busy with the photographers again, me and Vaishali went on to take our drinks. She had few tequila down and she was at her bitchiest best flaunting the lady with the capital L. And she could afford to as she was looking stunning in this Red and Black off shoulder drape gown. She got it as a gift from Malini in bargain to give a full page coverage to her finale show in the fashion week. Later she revealed.

We got into the chit – chat, as she had a lot to share from her latest assignment at the fashion week.

Then entered Sadanjali and Monalisa. As usual Sadanjali was busy over the phone. Every one turned around. Reason all the men present there wanted them and all the women wanted to be like them.

As Sadanjali was dressed to kill in her string Grey over-sized top with Issie short Dior skirt, L.V. bag and Prada shoes.

Monalisa tried to keep it very minimalistic with this short number from Alexander Mcqueen and Jimmy Choo shoes.

We ordered some more drinks. Sadanjali was flirting with the bartenders. What I overheard was like this..

Sadanjali: Can I have 'Virgin Merry' the drink that represents me.

Bartender: Why don’t you try 'Screwdriver', that’s what I can offer you.

Sadanjali: Sure. Any time. And yes we can have 'Sex on the beach' together..

They went on. I wont be able to give you the details of the whole conversation but the end result was the complementary drinks that made us happy and the cell no. of the bartender that made her happy.

As usual Yukta came with a boy. “Not again” was our reaction. She straight away went to the bar counter and said something to the bartender. He fixed up a drink and offered to the boy. Then she gave some orientation to the boy. He nodded his head and stayed there.

She came to us and started explaining, “I am not a slut, its just that my boyfriend left today morning so I was down and I needed a support. That’s how I got him here. You people will never understand me”.

Today she looked like one restless soul shuffling between the boy at the bar counter and us. On the process she became the eye candy for all the men present there because of her pure white chiffon sari teamed with swarovski studded blouse with the generously low neckline and the diamond solitaire she borrowed from her mother. Not that she was not enjoying all the attention.

By now Ameeta also joined us. The we had the usual conversation on the topics ranging from gossips, serious stuff, CWG, boys, fashion and all the other things under the sun and the moon.

Suddenly the dance floor was filled with smoke. Strobe lights, strokes, parkins were lit. the floor looked like clouds filled with colours of life. Then the SPOT LIGHT… Wow! What we are seeing is for real?

Mmmm! I am very tired and feeling sleepy now. May I continue it tomorrow…

What do you thing we saw? Post your answer and email id..

The best answer will get the Scarf/Stole from "IN SYNC by basant anuj"

Wanna be SUPERMODEL.. SUPER MOM... & a PHOTO SHOOT

Got up early today, as I had to coordinate a photo shoot for the print ad. campaign for a designer.

7:45am: I am at the studio.
8:80am: Everyone (including the unwanted element) is at the studio including the designer, makeup artist, stylist, photographer, assistance and moms..
Wait! did I missed something..!?!

Oh! Yes. The 2 models who is the face of the whole campaign, but was so much in the shadow of their moms, I could hardly notice them.

Scene 1: The Makeup room

Mom1: Arre meri beti par ye bronze nahi peach eye shadow achchha lagta hai, bilkul AAisha ki Sonam Kapoor ki tarah lagti hai is makeup me. Eye shadow change karo bhai.
(Wonder! why the designer, the makeup artist and the stylist spend hours to decide on the looks. See aunti hardly took seconds to dictate it)

Mom2: Betu ko palla aise nahi, thoda pichhe se dal ke niche tak jane dijiye, tabhi to uski height lambi lagegi. Aur ye blouse bhi iske sang nahi jaa raha hai contrast ki jagah matching hona chahiye.
("Why did I hired a stylist, when mom can decide as to what to wear and how to wear it", I thought)

Scene 2: Model is posing in front of the camera, following the photographer's cue.

Mom2: Betu, poise aise nahi aise do, pav itna failao.. aur right hand aise upar uthao.. kamar bhi thoda curve karo.. arre..(Have a heart aunti! what you want to prove.. that you are a better model than your daughter)

Today's incidence made me wonder, why do these mother tag along with their daughters at shoot, in shows, inside the greenroom and other places.
The most common answer is, Modeling as a profession is not good and safe for girls.
then why the hell are you here.... EXIT.

This profession is as safe (or not safe) as you want it to be. Here is how...

• Everyday the newspaper carries the headlines mentioning the rapes, eve teasing, and sexual harassment happening in the colleges. But you still send your daughters to the college. And you DO NOT ACCOMPANY them there.
• We all have heard the stories about how the females are treated by their seniors and co workers in the corporate world. Yet you are the happiest person when your daughter gets the appointment letter. And you DON'T ACCOMPANY her to the office.
• Like models even journalists has erratic working hours, dead lines to meet and all by herself in the so called Men's world. Still you DO NOT ACCOMPANY her at her work place.

Then why do models needs moms to be always there by their side where ever they go.

Treat it like any other profession and have faith in your daughter. Like any other profession all it needs is hard work, dedication and honesty towards your profession. It is no different from any other profession except for the fact that here GLAMOUR comes as perk..

A piece of advice:
Do not try to be a SUPER MOM;
If you want to be a proud mother of a SUPERMODEL.