(From top): Sania Mirza strikes a pose at the launch of Lotto Sport Italia’s Sania Summer Signature Collection; Noyonika Chatterjee and another model show off outfits at the Lycra event; Bikram Ghosh, members of the Mezcal Jazz Unit and other musicians perform in Mumbai

How does an Italian sportswear company celebrate a fruitful year in the Indian market? It invites India’s hottest tennis star to do the honours. Montebelluna-based Lotto Sport Italia launched its Sania Summer Signature Collection last week with the star making a fleeting appearance. The buzz at Hotel Le Meridien in the Capital had it that Sania, also the Lotto brand ambassador, would pirouette on the ramp, flaunting the brand’s latest offerings. But as it turned out, it was a blink-and-she-was-gone affair, with Sania retiring just after a few steps on the catwalk ? much to the disappointment of shutterbugs.

Wearing track pants and a casual tee from the range, Sania took time out to talk about her sense of fashion instead. “I am extremely comfortable in what I wear. So much so that I can carry off a pair of jeans and T-shirt at a wedding,” she said. The new range from Lotto is marked by Sania’s confident attitude and is a motley mix of on and off-the-court clothes including tees, skirts and capris. The material used for the performance apparel is tactel, a soft elasticised fabric that moulds itself to the body and is, hence, very comfortable.

“We are looking at doubling our market share in the next two years. For this we are expanding our distribution network to have a presence all over the country. The launch of Sania’s signature collection will help us to achieve our target,” said Jaswant Singh, CEO Brands & Licensing, Sierra Industrial Enterprises that has brought the Lotto brand to India. Besides its exclusive outlets, Lotto is also available at Metro and Bata outlets.

Lycra lures

Varma converted lycra into shimmery dresses, some of which had been showcased at the Lakm? Fashion Week in Mumbai. Govind innovated with saris in a special Italian fabric called Sensitive that has been patented by Italian company, Eurojersey. “The perfectly uniform surface of the fabric enhances colours and offers a high- definition or clarity of the prints. It also offers endless creative possibilities for decorating the fabric,” said Govind.

Nello Marelli, design manager, Eurojersey added, “For saris, Eurojersey has a special series of patterns that have been embellished with embroideries and shimmering detailing.” Made of 28 per cent lycra and 72 per cent nylon microfibre, Marelli promises that Sensitive is very comfortable when worn. He adds, “In Italy and France, the soccer teams wear Sensitive.”

The third designer of the day also played with different variations of lycra. Kochhar’s sporty and chic look went for separates in fine cotton lycra, viscose lycra and poly lycra. The designer’s line was also heavy on quirky elements, hand-painted three dimensional logos, Swarovski crystal designs and metal inserts. His palette went from the basic snowy whites and vanillas, to electric blues and powder pinks. Said Kochhar, “Whoever says that an easy and comfortable look cannot be glamorous too?”

Fusion forays

When tabla player Bikram Ghosh teamed up with French musicians of the Mezcal Jazz Unit for a performance at Mumbai’s NCPA, the result was magical. And given the popularity of jazz music, they became quite the talk of the town. The Mezcal Group, that had the audience mesmerised, is a four-member group with Emmanuel de Gouvello, as the bass guitarist and composer, Pierre Diaz, the soprano-saxophonist and tenor, Christophe Azema, the soprano-saxophonist, alto and baritone and Vivian Peres on the drums. The Quartet plays hybrid music that draws audiences by the droves each time they play.

Mumbaikars were all ears as the concert presented a blend of jazz,interlaced with the vivacious rhythms of Indian music by Ghosh. The works of offbeat jazz artists have inspired the Mezcal Jazz Unit and their music is born out of encounters and sessions with musicians from Europe and Asia.

The concert at the NCPA was well-attended and among those present at the show were socialites Jamal and Praveena Mecklai, Chaya Momaya and Anjali Mukherjee.

Photographs of Delhi events by Rupinder Sharma