(Top to bottom) Models pose in ensembles by designer Anamika Khanna that will be showcased at ?Haridra ? the Spirit of Yellow?, a fashion show organised by Spandan, Tollygunge Club and HSBC Premier, on Sunday. The show will also feature creations of Ritu Kumar, Sharbari Datta and Sabyasachi Mukherjee; creations from Richa Kanoria?s new collection; a Turkish spread laid out by the students of International Institute of Hotel Management. Pictures by Pabitra Das, Rashbehari Das and Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya

Richa Kanoria, who retails from her store at 105 Southern Avenue, has launched a new line of ethnic women?s wear.

In touch with global trends, Richa says, ?I realise the need to fill the gaps that exist in the clothing needs of the contemporary Indian woman. I, for one, would always find something missing every time I went shopping. If you?re planning to sell in this country, it?s absolutely essential that you keep in mind the Indian body type and ensure that comfort and style co-relate.?

The collection ? offering both retro and modern styles ? is all about quality and affordability. According to Richa, clothing for today?s woman needs to be individualistic and have an attitude. Her range of saris, salwar suits and kurtis uses fabrics like georgette, crepe, linen, jute and brocade. Embellishments include mirrors, stones, resham, zardosi, wool and intricate crystal work.

Richa also stocks accessories like batuas, brooches and other jewellery.

Prices range from Rs 600 to Rs 18,000.

Turkish treat

If you have an adventurous gastronomical journey in mind, students of the International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) in Salt Lake have lined up a Turkish treat for you. The three-day food fiesta that started on Thursday at the International Tower address in Sector V, is part of an academic assignment of the second year students of the institute.

The enterprising lot, however, seized the opportunity to open the food fest for lunch to the public in a bid to raise funds for tsunami survivors. The philanthropic intention also rubbed off on another young bunch, Insomnia ? a psychedelic rock band of college students ? to propel them into doing a free show on the opening day.

After a satisfying lunch, they launched into a gig comprising numbers from their debut album Cry of the Spirit, peppered with popular covers like Summer of ?69 and Smoke on the water. ?We wanted to keep it laid-back to go with the mood of a lazy lunch, otherwise our energy level is a little different from what you just witnessed,? bragged vocalist Sayantan.

The handful of diners couldn?t agree more as they heartily dug into a sumptuous buffet spread of Yogurt Cholba (cold mint-flavoured soup), Tavak Cholba (hot chicken vermicelli soup), Xoriatiki Salates (an exotic salad of green and white combination with vinaigrette dressing), Sheesh Kebab (skewered marinated lamb pieces), Aftab Kebab (cottage cheese dipped in yogurt dressing and skewered), Haslama (steamed lamb with vegetables), Mehtaab (cottage cheese cooked in spinach and tomato paste), Riz Pilaf Mantar (rice flavoured with mushroom and tomato), Lavash (white flat bread) and Aflatoon (a khoya-based dessert with nuts), topped with a colourful array of cocktails and mocktails ? all for an entry fee of Rs 150 per appetite.

All the students needed after their ?extensive research and marketing exercise? to put together the gala, was a pat on the back from restaurateur Rakhi Purnima Dasgupta, who dropped by on Thursday afternoon to sample the offering. ?The students actually managed to get their herbs and spices right. I must say the food was pretty authentic,? smiled Rakhi.

The students, however, were candid enough to admit having improvised on the cuisine to suit local conditions and palate. ?We had to innovate according to the availability of the ingredients. Besides, we had to keep local sentiments in mind as well. For example, we played safe by supplementing lamb in Turkish dishes which traditionally use beef,? said Saupayan Nag, part of the gang that organised the gourmet gala.

Item bomb

Dusky damsel Mumait Khan, who danced her way into the limelight with the hit number Dekh le in Munnabhai MBBS, will wow party-goers in Tantra on Saturday night, giving the city a taste of Bollywood-style jhatkas.

Mumait has a vast repertoire of dance performances like the music video Mere piya gaye Rangoon and Aitraaz the album from the film Aitraaz.

Other bump-and-grind scores to her credit include Ishq tezaab hai from the film Julie, Mashooqa Ruby from the film Asambhav, Tu qatil hai from Nishaan and Lut gaye from Hulchul.

Mumait has also set her sights on the international arena, performing in a music video alongside Enrique Iglesias, which is yet to be released. She intends to be at her sizzling best on Saturday night with a series of dance moves from her various songs, to be showcased in three sequences.

Ready for some Mumait mania?