(From top): Neha Hirani, Raveen Tandon, Pradeep Hirani and Malini Ramani at the Ayamik launch; Joey Matthews sports a Marks & Spencer outfit; a model in a Wendell Rodricks creation

Kimaya is a famous name in Indian fashion circles. But has anyone heard of Ayamik? Wordsmiths and crossword puzzle freaks may notice that Ayamik is Kimaya spelt backwards. And Ayamik is a brand new luxury pr?t store in Delhi’s One Style Mile, near the Qutb Minar. And, yes, before you ask, it’s the Delhi branch of Kimaya.

Make no mistake about one thing. When Pradeep Hirani of Kimaya calls, the top designers and filmstars come running. So, it was no surprise to see a clutch of designers trooping in including David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore, Aki Narula, Anamika Khanna, Shane and Falguni Peacock, Malini Ramani, Rohit Bal and Suneet Varma.

The Bollywood glamour quotient was more than adequately taken care of by actresses Urmila Matondkar and Raveena Tandon. While Matondkar did the diva act by just posing for shutterbugs in a Manish Malhotra creation, Tandon who looked stunning in green suit by Manav Gangwani was more than happy to talk about daughter, Rasha.

Ayamik has been opened in an old heritage building and there’s an ancient well in the courtyard. According to Ayamik, during medieval times whenever the Slave King, Qutubuddin Aibak felt the weight of the world on his shoulders, he used to visit this very well for solace and make a wish. In keeping with tradition, at the launch party, a platter of coins was kept next to the well, for all the guests to make a wish.

And, by the way, if you’re curious, Kimaya means ‘magic’ and Ayamik means ‘days’ in Arabic

Tropical highs

It was a Bali beach bash by the poolside at Metropolitan Hotel Nikko in Delhi, organised by the Embassy of Indonesia and Singapore Airlines. And the theme was as Balinese as it gets, with a Garuda guarding the entrance to the poolside, thatched roof pavilions, dancers swaying to traditional music, GadoGado and skewered pork and fish on the menu. And, if all this wasn’t enough, there was also a fashion show by Wendell Rodricks.

The chief guest of the event was the Indonesian Ambassador, Donnilo Anwar. As Rodricks termed it, the “cabaret act” for the evening was his fashion show, which had four different lines ? beachwear, whites, blues & greens (to reflect the ethos of Bali) and hot pinks (a very Indian colour, says the designer). True to the theme, loose flowing silhouettes ruled on the ramp. After the fashion show and dinner, DJ Alex had partygoers jiving to his groovy numbers. It wasn’t quite an evening at the beach, but it was almost as good.

All about attitude

Marks & Spencer is famous for its middle-of-the-road, unadventurous clothes. But now the department store that rules Britain’s high streets, is trying to give itself a trendy new image in India. What better way to catch the eye of the smart set than to announce the latest collection with a ramp show (something that the label hasn’t done often in India). Models including Aditya Bal, Amanpreet Wahi and Joey Mathews catwalked for the brand’s new line that’s all about attitude.

Split into three themes, the women’s collection had it all: casual, formal and lingerie. Inspired from exotic Santa Fe, Indonesia and Bali, the lines had plenty to offer women in terms of colours and styles. The colour palette went from earthy to bright tropical hues while the designs flirted with floral and geometrical patterns. Tees teamed with jeans and formal pants, voluminous skirts and printed summer dresses promised a cool season. As expected, the Bali collection will entice those who intend to head to the beach this summer.

Men too didn’t go disappointed. Nigel Hall and Timothy Everest, designers for Marks & Spencer, have created a special line for them. Autograph and Blue Harbour are heavy on linen and cotton shirts, silk ties and funky T-shirts. The tees for men come in fruity colours like green and yellow besides indigo, aqua and burgundy. The highpoints of the collection? Says Munish Rishi, merchandiser, Marks and Spencer, “Kaftans for women, while men should pick from the range of short sleeve shirts and drawstring linen trousers.”

The clothes may be high on comfort, but they come with prices to match. The collection starts at Rs 750 (for the lingerie), climbs to 3,950 (for trousers and blouses) and gets even more expensive for formal pants.

Photographs by Rupinder Sharma and Prem Singh