Asiana Bridal Show 2013: Catwalk & Event Gossip!

Model Sabeeka Imam wearing Nicky B

This January marked my 4th visit to the Asiana Bridal Show and once again I'll be writing the official catwalk report that will appear in the summer issue of the magazine... but that's a long way off!
So in the meantime I thought I'd do my own report of my 17-hour day working there!
It involved waking up super early to ensure we filmed and photographed the models in hair & make-up:

Young & talented hairdresser extraordinaire - Aamir Naveed

Getting my own make-up done by a member of the official catwalk make-up artist Ambreen's team:

Thankfully Rumana loves glitter too!

 Catching catwalk show rehearsals:

Interviewing approximately 50 exhibitors, fashion designers, sponsors and guests for the official video that I'm presenting:

The crew from Studio 4 Photography

Breaking my sandals: 

: (

Eating a curry:

Catering by Madhu's

Meeting high profile bloggers Nazma from AsianFashion Blog and Rabbia from Asian Wedding Ideas:

Check out Rabbia's report of the day here. Nazma is working on several posts but here's her first thoughts.
Posing with The Dreamboys: 

Get your hen & stag do organised by Asiana Events

Getting in the way backstage (I eventually got chucked out!) :

And of course catching the incredible show itself.
Celebrating the glamour, beauty, uniqueness, colour and sparkle of Asian Fashion, this isn't just a show where pretty people strut on catwalks, as Stephen Walker the choreographer told me, it's like a West End Show but with more style!    
As well as 14 collections from over 10 designers there was a snake:

Fire eater:

Khatak dancer:

Live performance by Rishi Rich:

 As well as music from tabla players, Japanese drummers, a violinist, amazing props and accessories and of course utterly gorgeous clothing.

I'm no professional photographer, so to see proper photos follow these links to see the catwalk collections accompanied by my trend reports:
RDC London
Nicky B
Kyles Collection
Charmi Creations
Yuvna Kim
Ziggi Studio
Frontier Raas
Frontier Bazar 
Harkiran's
Khushboo's By Chand
Monga's

There were some seriously stunning outfits with so much attention to detail and oh my....how they shimmered under the runway lights. 
The Creative Director of the Show was Anisha Vasani, pictured here with Style Coordinator Puja Mathia:

These girls, plus Backstage Production Manager Sonia and all the dressers worked non-stop for over three days to get the show in shape and it was spectacular. I'm not even being biased. I know I work for the company who produced the show but I have very balanced opinions on things and when I hate someone I say so!

Although it's labelled a bridal show, it's an annual catwalk show that really captures the flamboyance, eccentricity, fun and frivolous side of Asian Fashion. You don't get many chances or really any chances to see Asian clothes on the catwalk in the UK...so if you want to know more about it, make sure you visit next year!

It was  also a real honour to be the Presenter for the official video, when it's up I'll add the link!

In the mean time here's how I ended the night.....despite being on my feet for what felt like forever (wearing heels that were too big for me after my own sandals broke) I still had the energy to strike some poses in the Asiana Foto Pod...well when you've spent your day at a fashion show, model behaviour is bound to rub off! 

The Asiana Bridal Show 2013 took place at the Riverbank Park Plaza Hotel on Sunday 27th January.

 

How to make a Balinese offering

One of the first things I noticed about Bali was the beautiful handmade offerings. These are small baskets made from natural materials and filled with colourful flowers. Giving them is a ritual followed by Hindus who make them for the gods. They are normally offered three times a day, though some people I heard about (my taxi driver’s wife) make 40 a day and even 100 during festivals. It is hoped they bring prosperity to your home, family, business and health. 

  Inside temples they are often seen beside incense.

  Whenever you are out walking you’ll find them placed on the street.

 

  They even accompany drivers to ensure safe journeys.

Women can be seen making them all over town. While in the UK you notice stall holders reading a book or knitting while waiting for customers, in Bali, they occupy themselves making offerings.

 I discovered two ways to make them. The cheats, quick, modern method is to staple together strips of coconut palm into a basket shape while the traditional and extremely delicate way is to join the strips using a fine bamboo skewer; as demonstrated in this short video I filmed outside an art gallery on the Monkey Forest Road in Ubud. Below I’ve described in more detail how these beautiful baskets are constructed.

You need two raw materials – firstly coconut palm leaves.

  Secondly – fine bamboo skewers.

The first stage is to trim the palm into equal lengths and remove any rough edges.

 There is a vein running down the palm.

For stronger basket the piece of palm can be folded in half so it’s thicker – this is suitable if you’re intending to place a large object like a coconut inside.

To join pieces together you use the bamboo skewer to thread them together, you then break them off, leaving behind a small stitch. When I tried this myself I didn’t get far at all. The bamboo is so fine it snaps instantly so trying to push it through the thick palm takes incredible skill and experience. 

This is the typical small basket made from shorter pieces of palm with strips bent and ‘stitched’ together.

 Or you can make a taller one:

These ones were being made for a local temple to mark a full moon, due to take place in three days time.  

 

As for what goes inside, fresh flowers, rice and incense are common, all of which can be purchased from markets.

If you don’t want to make your own offering they are in abundant supply on street corners to purchase. Or if you just don’t have the time to make such complicated versions, you can simplify them, by simply placing your offerings on a small leaf.  

It’s quite difficult to get hold of the raw materials to make these offering in the UK in exactly the same way but I plan on making some of my own versions with substitute materials. They don’t have to be religious, they could be offered to friends as gifts by assembling cardboard baskets made with strips stapled together and filled with flowers – also a perfect activity for a craft workshop.

How to make a Bollywood movie

Opening scene of my Bollyflick!

I don't just like making crafty stuff. I also like to dabble in a spot of home movie making too. And here's my latest escapade. A bollywood blockbuster with a special message! (You'll need to watch it in full by following the link to see what I'm talking about!)


After viewing, you may be so hooked, that you're wondering how you too can become Sharmila Tagore and Rajesh Khanna in your own home movie?


Well here's the essential Need to Know for how to make your own DIY Bollywood masala film:


LOCATION

It's all about the white stuff

Breathtaking surroundings, stunning architecture, picturesque palaces, fabulous forts, magnificent mansions, all these wonderful places enhance the dreamy escapist elements that help make a Bolly flick into a superhit. But there's one place that has traditionally been a staple location for Bollywood - the snowy backdrops of the Swiss Alps.


Switzerland is a popular holiday destinations with Indians because of this very fact; thousands of Bollywood movies have been shot there. Regardless of the storyline,dream sequence songs just seem to work well in the snow, you'll often find couples one minute in the noisy streets of Delhi and the next minute, serenading each other on a mountain top.


On a recent visit to the the Swiss Alps I encountered tour groups of Indians keen to go to the very spot their fave Hindi film songs were shot. And at the bottom of the slopes, I discovered the perfect post tour refreshments to make them feel at home:

Masala tea and samosas are the just the thing to warm you up after prancing around in the snow!

Of course these days who needs to go to Switzerland when global warming is resulting in freezing cold winters across the globe i.e. London where today it hailstoned despite being May.....


A few months ago when the Capital was covered in snow I found my own replica Switzerland in the guise of Greenwich Park.


GLAMOROUS HEROINE

Transform into a Bollywood babe with big hair and lashings of eyeliner

From the earliest heroines like Nargis who ruled the screens in the 1950s through to more classic divas like Rekha to recent babes like Bipasha Basu, Bollywood beauties all have these things in common - beauty, style, grace, charm, an ability to dance, seduce, be dutiful and appeal to the hearts of millions with her overall loveliness. How did I manage this transformation? With a retro wig and layers of MAC make up!


HANDSOME HERO

Velvet jackets and vintage clobber are a must for the main man

What makes the ultimate Bollywood hero?
Big pecs are a good start as the man in question will need to battle with villains, impress the leading lady with his dance moves (topless scenes are common) and be the most romantic man in the world, knowing how to organise candlelit meals in secluded spots is a compulsory skill. If the delicious John Abraham is too busy body building to hire, than you can cast a fine Englishman in the lead instead as long as he's prepared to lip sync accordingly.

DANCING & ROMANCING

Graphics in the vein of Batman, the 1960s TV series, are a welcomed addition

So now you have your Jodi - the leading couple, they need a chance to dance - it's how they seal the deal of falling in love. You don't need to be too coordinated but your facial expressions do need to evoke some passion. Dance alone and together and of course if you can run hand in hand, across a field and convince the audience you are more than just acting, you may receive a Filmfare nomination.

ACTION

Guns are not always necessary!

Shootouts, confrontations, fight scenes, thugs being beaten up people who leap out of their wheelchairs, grab the yobs by their ankles and fling them across the room; when it comes to action in Bollywood, they are the most creative scenes in film history. Hypnotic and well choreographed, in some films, like last year's Wanted there are over 100 different ways in which a goon can be defeated.

But action doesn't just mean violence, stunt work can be less intensive - all that matters is that you do it yourself!


EMOTION

pyaar, ishq....whatever you call it,lurve is always a sub plot if not main plot!

Karan Johar is the king of emotion when it comes to Bollywood, known for his heart tugging tear jerkers, such as Kal Ho Naa Ho (my fave film), Khabi Kushi Khabie Gham and the recent My Name is Khan, a viewer is set to embark on an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish when they watch one of his masterpieces.
But my film is all about the 'L' world so pyaar, ishq..whatever you wanna call it, runs through the whole film.

SOUNDTRACK

If it gets you moving on the dancefloor than it's a winner. The appeal of a soundtrack is as important as the plot. If the tracks don't cut it with the fans, your film may flop. My film uses the delightful and sweet 'Hum Aur Tun' from 1970's action romance Daag, which my mini movie is based on.


PROPS etc

Extras? If you can't get 'em, make 'em!

Think carefully about your props, product placement is fine, in Jaan-e-Man, there were numerous references to a malt drink called Bournvita, I was so hooked that I tracked some down in India and bought it back to the UK - a much more energising version of Chocolate Horlicks - sweeter and more addictive!

Have lots of wannabe star extras loitering around, if you can't find anyone then making them is fine too!

Finally you need a video camera and someone who can edit it all together to create the final cut. Today YouTube.....tomorrow Film City.....a girl can but dream.....