So last weekend, I decided to go check out the FDCI India Couture Week in Delhi, along with MissMalini, and boy am I glad I did! I mean it’s pretty hard not to have a great time when there’s high fashion, fun and crazy designers, Bollywood in attendance, parties and after parties, and super slick clothes for me to wear! #Winning
Here are the 11 things I loved about my weekend:
1. My designer threads – I was quite chuffed even before I reached Delhi, cos the day before I flew out, Aza Fashions, the multi designer store in Mumbai, suited me up in some super cool threads from some talented designers. My Bundi from Dev R Nil was a first for me, and it was so bloody cool, I can’t believe I never wore one before!
This beautifully textured black jacket from Sahil Aneja fit so amazingly, I’m gonna have to go check out the rest of his collection!
Both collections are available on www.azafashions.com.
2. Cool Show – The first show I attended was Anamika Khanna, whose women’s couture was as beautiful as her show music and the ramp and set she had created! Loved it all. She also had live props, which while pretty cool, must’ve given the models quite a crick in the neck, not being able to move and all!
3. New friends – What I love about fashion weeks is the ridiculously fun people you meet, some you reconnect with, and some, for the first time! MissMalini introduced me to Nikhil Mehra, one half of the uber talented designer duo Shantanu & Nikhil, and his gorgeous wife Vidushi Mehra, who took charge of our post show partying, and whisked away MissMalini and me to one of the best places to party in Delhi (more about that later). They’re rockstars, and super cool, except for some questionable selfie skills! (Sorry Nikhil, couldn’t resist!)
4. No. 8 | Kitchen & Bar – It’s not often that you find a bar that has so many things going for it! No.8 is definitely one of those places. Great looking bar, great drinks, beautiful crowd, lovely outdoor section that serves sheesha, and best of all, AMAZING music! The DJ switched seamlessly across genres, and rocked that dance floor all night! And all this, personally overlooked by the most generous and fun owner of No. 8, Shivam Bhaskar! If you’re from Delhi, or will be visiting Delhi, you gotta go check it out! Killer night guaranteed!!!
5. Gaurav Gupta – India has some ridiculously talented designers, who are making waves across the globe, and one of them is Gaurav Gupta! Besides making phenomenal garments, he has a sense of style that is quirky, fun and definitely unmissable. I sat with him and asked him about his personal style, and he was quite candid! His show was spectacular, and had beautifully architectured garments, which only reinforces the fact that he’s probably one of India’s best couturiers!
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Uber talented couturier Gaurav Gupta talks to the King Of Clubs on his personal style!
Posted by MissMalini on Friday, July 29, 2016
Check out how MissMalini was transformed in a gown by Gaurav Gupta!
6. Clubbing in Delhi – When you party with the stalwarts of the Delhi party scene, you get to check out some pretty great places. We partied with Gautam Kalra, and Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna, who have more energy than people half their age, and we went to Delhi party perennial Gaurav Karan‘s 40th birthday party, which extended over two venues at the Shangri La Hotel, Grappa, which was a beautiful indoor/outdoor bar, and Privee, a huge nightclub in the same hotel. What a night that turned out to be!
7. Manav Gangwani’s All Day Party and Show – And then there are the super flamboyant designers who know not just how to make beautiful garments, but also how to entertain you like no body else! Manav Gangwani did just that with his all day event at the beautiful Lodhi Hotel. First off, I loved that he had a stretch limo parked at the entrance with his logo on it! That’s pretty baller if you ask me!
He started the day with a Chandon Brunch, which had the who’s who of Delhi Society there, (and Bollywood), which then went into pre drinks at one of the other bars in the hotel, before his show.
His show itself blew people away! I loved the drama in his women’s wear, and would totally wear his menswear!
And his showstopper was the beautiful Kangana Ranaut, who looked stunning! His after party was just as rocking, and went on till morning!!! Now that’s how you do it!
8. The Lodhi Hotel – You gotta love hotels. It’s a little getaway from your everyday environment, and the Lodhi in Delhi will have you far removed from any semblance of reality! MissMalini stayed at the Lodhi when she was in Delhi, and she couldn’t stop raving about it! For one, it’s huge, and it’s worth every penny you pay, from their pool, to their rooms and suites, to the numerous amenities! The suite was over 2400 sq ft, and comes with its own plunge pool. The food was fantastic and so was the service. The spa is world class, and would have been a weekly haunt of mine if I lived in Delhi! I’d strongly recommend this hotel when you’re visiting Delhi next!
The Lodhi Hotel
The Lodhi Hotel
The Lodhi Hotel
9. My finale outfit – The extremely sweet Shantanu & Nikhil totally made my day by sending me this signature hand draped waist coat with structured kurta in textured silk, with slim stretch trousers to wear for the Grand Finale of the India Couture Week! How amazing does this look??!! Check out their new store in Colaba, Mumbai for truly great menswear!
10. The FDCI – The governing body of fashion in India has an able leader in Mr. Sunil Sethi, and it was great to see him in action, never flustered, and totally in control!
11. The Grand Finale – The India Couture Week ended with a lovely offsite show at Bikaner House by Rohit Bal, a beautiful setting for the big closing show! The garments were stunning, and I loved the menswear. What I liked best…that most the models wore crowns, and the clothes were truly fit for a King (or Queen)!
For more celeb interviews and inside scoop on nightlife in India and around the world, follow me on @kingofclubsIn on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat!