Source: India today
By: Deepti Jakhar
Date: February 25, 2010
The address was unmistakable. All high-heeled steps led to the flashbulb-lit red carpet and the sound-free steps down to LAP at the Samrat where Harper's Bazaar India unveiled its first anniversary issue.
Beyond the velvet rope was a night where films and fashion came together like it was only the most natural thing to do. It is after all the central theme of the special issue. The cover with Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif was unveiled on a mammoth- sized poster for all to see.
Dressed in the best of 'Bollywood Glamour', as the dress code on the invite said, it was hard to tell which of the two worlds - films or fashion - did one belong to.
Chiffon saris, exaggerated bouffants, winged eyeliners, poster art jackets ... feathers and dark glasses - the coveted invite list that included the creme de la creme didn't disappoint in forgoing their love for black and playing to the dress code. Neither did the film fraternity that came to celebrate this union.
All eyes, might have stopped primarily on Hrithik, who looked just as dapper in person as he does on the cover along with the stunning Katrina. Hrithik was wearing a suit by Suneet Varma, who has also designed the actor's look in the much-hyped forthcoming film, Kites. Hrithik might have more than made up for Katrina's absence, but he got support from a full house comprising familiar FASHION faces from Bollywood. Few of the first to walk and last to leave were directors Karan Johar (he is one of the contributors to the special issue) and Anurag Kashyap, as well as actors Arjun Rampal, Rahul Khanna, Kalki Koechlin and Kunaal Kapoor.
They partied late into the night with Cathleen Black, president of Hearst Magazines dubbed by FT as the "First Lady of American Magazines," who wore a net sari with a Swarovski-studded red and silver border (also designed by Varma), and Duncan Edwards, president and CEO, Hearst Magazines International.
Hearst Magazines has 19 magazine titles in the US, including Harper's Bazaar, Cosmopolitan and Good Housekeeping (all published here by the India Today Group).
The director- muse duo of Kalki and Anurag seemed quite at home at the high- fashion do, "I loved seeing her metamorphosis in the Harper's Bazaar shoot. Inspiring stuff!" said Kashyap, to which Kalki added, "It wasn't just high-fashion but also high on fun." That's precisely what Bazaar stands for - fashion that's personal.
The mood was further heightened as the resident DJ played the best of current Bollywood and old remixes even as the crowd mingled in their filmy finery at LAP Garden, where mannequins were draped in iconic Bollywood designs, with detailed information cards describing the time and impact of the design.
Designer Manish Malhotra, who has often been credited for changing the face of filmy fashion, and has also contributed to the anniversary issue in a story on the rising generation of Bollywood stylists.
"It's about time the world of fashion recognises the power of films and vice versa," he said cheerfully. "The two are mutually dependent for creating and promoting trends that finally trickle down to the masses." The night celebrated just that.