(From top):A model poses with the new Hummer fragrance for men; Amrit Kiran Singh at the launch of Finlandia Vodka, actress Preeti Jhangiani flanked by Falguni and Shane Peacock at the launch of the designer duo’s new store

Scent-sational

It’s the car that oozes pure machismo that many men with Arnold Schwarzeneggar-style dream of owning. Well, Hummer came to Mumbai city all right, but it wasn’t the four-wheel drive that sets any car-crazy male’s heart pounding. This was smaller, sleeker and smelt a whole lot better. Yes, we’re talking about the new Hummer fragrance for men, a non-traditional perfume that promises to have its user smelling uber cool. Cosmos Brands International, one of the major distributors of international perfumes in India, along with Riviera Concepts Inc, Canada launched Hummer, at a rocking party in Mumbai’s newest hotspot, Ra.

Some of India’s top models stripped to the waist to launch the perfume. Amongst the top male rampwalkers were Shayan Munshi, Shawar Ali, Harisson, Ajit, Muzammil and Faiz who showed off their gold-painted bare torsos, even as they went about spritzing and spraying everyone with the new fragrance. Choreographed by Marc Robinson, cat calls and hoots of encouragement echoed across the venue as the males strutted their stuff.

Later in the night, a Hummer vehicle made a grand entrance and a huge crowd gathered to catch a glimpse of the rugged car, with equally brawny models posing around it.

Playing gracious hosts at the event were Marc Robinson and Chaya Momaya, besides the team from Cosmos Brands and Riviera Concepts. A host of celebrities from the fashion world and Bollywood also turned up for the glitzy affair. They included, among others, actors Jackie Shroff, Aman Verma and the soon-to-be-married Suchitra Pillai with good friend Sandhya Mridul in tow.

In high spirits

Its blind tasting sessions in east European countries like Russia, Poland and Czechoslovakia were phenomenal successes. And spurred by that, Finlandia, a premium vodka from Finland, has finally decided to make inroads in the Indian market. The launch at the Eau Bar in Le Meridien by Brown-Forman saw its Vice President and Area Director, Amrit Kiran Singh, wax eloquent on the subject.

“The essence of Finlandia vodka is pure glacial spring water; the finest six-row barley ripened under the Finnish midnight sun and state-of-the-art distillation. These all combine to produce a refreshing product of unequalled purity,” said Singh.

Finlandia vodka is distilled exclusively in Koskenkorva, a tiny Finnish village and was first launched in 1970. Singh describes it as a luxury vodka brand.

Why luxury? Because it uses high quality ingredients and the world’s best distilling technology. And why can it not be termed a designer brand? “Designer vodkas have been created by marketing people who create premium imagery to justify a premium price,” explains Singh.

Finlandia is available in four flavours ? Classic, Cranberry and Lime and the completely new mango. “It’s only when I told the company about the popularity of mangoes in India, that this flavour was launched here,” says Singh.

In India, Finlandia is priced at $13 in duty free shops and Rs 1,500-1,600 for a 1-litre bottle inclusive of taxes in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Calcutta and Bangalore.

What’s in store?

Business is booming for Falguni and Shane Peacock, fresh from their success at the recently concluded Lakm? India Fashion Week. The designer duo recently launched their second store at Napean Sea Road in Mumbai. Guests at the 1,600sq ft store saw a profusion of stunning creations from the designers’ signature Luxury Pr?t, Diffusion and Couture collections as well as their menswear line, all under the same roof. The collection with a very bohemian and chic look is a rhapsody of fluid and glamorous lines complete with a mix of floral and animal prints. To lend the collection an elegant and classy look, other design elements including a hint of embroidery have also been incorporated.

The store, done up in shades of ivory and brown, is a visual treat with its minimalist interiors and elegant detailing complete with a porch at the front. A full-bodied, sensuous mannequin as its centre of attraction, best describes the essence of the label as sexy, sensuous and aesthetically pleasing.

Speaking on the occasion, Shane Peacock remarked that the “launch of our second store is in response to our clientele from this side of the city”. He went on to add, “The store will also be housing all our four lines like pr?t, diffusion, couture and the men’s line.”

Present at the store launch were a host of well-known personalities including socialite couple Aarti and Kailash Surendranath, model Deepti Gujral, stylist Anees Muss, model-choreographer Achla Sachdev, stylist Sapna Malhotra, veejays Ramona and Sophia and pretty actresses Kim Sharma and Preeti Jhangiani.

Photographs by Rajesh Kumar and Gajanan Dudhalkar