When the bigwigs of the retail, apparel, footwear, sportswear, jewellery and watches sectors gathered together at the two-day Images Fashion Forum in Mumbai recently, it wasn’t just to discuss the challenges facing their respective businesses. For what better occasion could they have found to launch their brands, show off their new collections and in general, have some fun? So, Day One of the forum culminated with a glittering fashion show.

There was Jatin Kochchar showcasing his women’s wear for Lycra, originally designed for the Singapore and Kuala Lumpur market. Next came the launch of the Power Puff Girls brand of kidswear in India by Liliput. Spykar Jeans too launched its Spring-Summer 2006 line. And Park Avenue displayed its new collection while Siyaram’s showcased its formal wear. The show was choreographed by Sameer Bhayani while Pooja Bedi was the hostess for the evening. And the ramp walkers included Anchal Kumar, Tapur, Shawar Ali, Aryan Vaid and Muzamil Ibrahim, among others.

It wasn’t just the apparel that the models showed off, however. For they also draped themselves in the Ebony and Ivory range of bed and bath linen released by Bombay Dyeing. Besides, Liberty showcased its new footwear and accessories range for men and women. The finale was a special show by Titan Industries. On display were Titan watches for women, bridal jewellery by Tanishq and the Fast Track range of eyewear for men and women.

Spec-tacular

It seems to be the season for big international brands setting up shop in India. This time around, it was the turn of the Italy-based Safilo Group, one of the world’s leading names in fashion eyewear, which launched its latest collection of international brands for the year 2006 in Mumbai’s J.W. Marriott hotel recently. And when it’s international eyewear brands, the list has to have Yves Saint Laurent, Dior and Gucci among other big brands.

All the brands on show exuded understated elegance as models sashayed down the ramp sporting the cool sunglasses. Yves Saint Laurent presented sunglasses and optical frames in classic, timeless designs. The choice of colours too was unique. Dior’s collection also stood out in the show in terms of styling and design. On the other hand, Gucci’s range of sunglasses was designed giving particular attention to detail. As for Giorgio Armani’s Eyewear Spring-Summer 2006 men’s line, emphasis has been more on sophistication rather than on showy ostentation. The glasses stand out because of their meticulous attention to detail.

Some of the country’s top models like Sheetal Malhar, Nina Manuel and Deepika Padukone, walked the ramp while also spotted were Page 3 people like Aditya Pancholi and Udita Goswami.

Australia calling

Australia is a land of surfboarders where life is lived on the beach. Right? Actually, not. Australia is a modern multi-cultural nation with a vibrant cultural life. That’s the message that the Australian government would like to send out to the world. And that’s why the Australian High Commissioner to India, John McCarthy launched AusArts: Celebrating Australian Art and Culture, 2006-2007. Over the next year, the Australians will spread the word about modern Australian cultural life through a series of events promoted by the Australian International Cultural Council (AICC) in India. There will be art exhibitions, plays, films, literature and other art and cultural events across the country.

Launching the AusArts programme were three award-winning Australian authors: Larissa Behrendt, Isobelle Carmody and Luke Davies who interacted with bureaucrat and cultural czar Ashok Vajpeyi. Behrendt’s first novel Home, Carmody’s The Gathering and Candy by Davies are among their best-known works.

Launching the programme John McCarthy said, “Australia’s participation in the Kolkata Book Fair and the presence of major Australian authors in India present a chance to highlight and strengthen the shared English language and literature connections between Australia and India.”

The three writers will also lead the Australian delegation to the forthcoming Kolkata Book Fair. Spotted at the launch were eminent lawyer Soli Sorabjee, painter Jatin Das and Leila Seth, ex-high court judge. While they are touring this country, books by the three authors will also be published by Penguin India.

Staying power

Here’s a new coffee-table book for inveterate travellers who are always in search of exotic places to stay. Indian Heritage Hotels, Legacy of Splendour by journalist Anuradha Kapoor is a smartly illustrated compendium of the 50 most colourful hotels in India which combine lashings of history and superb service.

Inevitably, there are familiar names in this book, like the Oberoi Grand and Delhi’s Imperial Hotel. Also, Rajasthan, which has more than 150 heritage hotels, is heavily represented. From the East, there’s also the Windermere in Darjeeling and from the South there’s Kochi’s Malabar House.

The chief guest of the evening was Arvind Singh Mewar whose HRH Hotels makes several appearances in the book and who spoke about how competition in the sector is ramping up steeply with more and better hotels throwing open their doors. “We cannot afford to stand still,” said the ex-maharaja turned hotelier. The book is divided into luxury, mid-price and budget sections.

The book has already been translated into French and is on sale there. Next it will be coming out in German and the publisher, Roli Books is taking it to the Frankfurt Book Fair in October, where it’s expected to do well.