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Spring fashion banks on the mid-'90s

Spring fashion banks on the mid-'90s

This spring, grunge is making a comeback of its own

Christine Laskowski
China Daily
Publication Date : 25-03-2010

IZZUE employee, Lucas, explains why grunge is back in this spring at the outlet's Raffles City location.

In 1994-5 an American teenage television drama called My So-Called Life (episodes are available on Youku.com) made a deep impact on my adolescent self. What I loved about the programme were the issues the show addressed, topics that seemed pretty radical for prime time television at the time: acceptance of gays, drugs, premarital sex.

Watching it now as an adult, what really jumps out more than ever is just how dated the fashions seem. Few television shows and films (music videos are a different story) really capture just how much grunge made its way into our closets, and our CD collections after Seattle grunge bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden stormed into the mainstream.

Angsty Angela Chase's dark flannel shirts and rebel Rayanne Graff's ripped jeans, tasty Jordan Catalano's leather jackets all made an impact. In those formative years, I looked to those characters for fashion advice and altered my wardrobe accordingly. If Rayanne was wearing denim overalls with a flannel shirt over it, well, then so did I. Like, duh.

It gives me great pleasure to announce that this spring, grunge is making a comeback of its own. It's not as, well, grungy, as its original self. Rather, it's politely modified with brighter colours and splashes of studded accessories and sequins here and there. For those of us ladies who prefer a slightly more femmy look, there are options.

The hallmarks of grunge are all there: Studded belts and purses, torn jeans, hats, baggy shirts and mid-length shorts, not to mention lots of blacks and leathers, flannels, hats and scarves.

IZZUEs collection, more than any other, truly harks back to the era with baggy midlength shorts, hats, baggy shirts and tank tops, and lots of punk accessories including leather studded boots, purses, belts, vests, skirts, you name it.

Motivi offers more in the studded accessories department, adding tough, rugged flair to any outfit. Bersheka's got walls of tattered, stone-washed jeans and country flannels (199 yuan). Zara's pretty ho-hum, clothing-wise this season, but it has really done well with its footwear this season: leather bondage pumps (399 yuan) and Egyptian sandals (399 yuan) H&M does well in the way of flashy gold sequined vests (249 yuan), a denim bodice dress mini (299 yuan), and short-sleeved knit sweaters. Mango offers denim overalls (569 yuan).

From fashion to films


From fashion to films


Devraj Singh Kalsi
The Statesman
Publication Date : 23-03-2010

Priyanka Chopra

Some former beauty queens have shown that they are more than just pretty faces

Ever since Sushmita Sen and Aishwarya Rai won international beauty pageants, there has been no looking back for Indian beauties who have in the successive contests during the last decade bagged the prestigious titles.

Making a smooth transition from the world of fashion to films, these divas have shown that they were more than just pretty faces and svelte figures to drool over. Getting a break in Bollywood was no big deal for the starlets who found much to their surprise that success and survival here depends on the masses, does not rest with a pack of judges.

While Aishwarya Rai zoomed ahead with big banner films, Sushmita Sen lagged behind only to realise much later that she did not quite fit into the mould of the conventional Hindi film heroine. She acted opposite many leading and upcoming heroes, had many hits, hummable item songs picturised on her in picturesque locales. Despite all that, she did not take the industry by storm. Lack of something called the X-factor.

Steady flow of offers from leading directors who wanted to fill the void created by the exit of the mesmerising Madhuri Dixit saw in alluring Aishwarya many positive traits that could perhaps catapult her to the epitome. From RK films to Sanjay Leela Bhansali, she could not have asked for more to prove herself. Predictably, Aishwarya Rai sustained her innings with several above average grossers.

Though she did not deliver what one can probably call a mind-blowing performance or a runaway solo hit, she has managed to present multiple strengths any director looks for to make that winning combination. Right from Rituparno Ghosh to JP Dutta to Mani Ratnam, she has worked with every film-maker of repute.

Winning a beauty pageant was a different ballgame vis-à-vis acting in front of the camera. Taking cue from this fact, another former beauty queen decided early that she had to train herself as an actress. Truly remarkable effort she has put in to emerge as an award-winning actress in a very short span of time.

No prizes for guessing her name: Priyanka Chopra. Right from Madhur Bhandarkar to Vishal Bhardwaj, almost every director in Bollywood is fawning over her, convinced that a truly complete actress has arrived on the scene to fill the gap created by the departure of Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit.

A keen learner and observer, she has kept in mind that a successful background in the fashion world does not amount to much in the world of films where one has to imbibe a lot on the sets. She seems to have mastered this art of getting under the skin of the character instead of restricting herself to mere skin show. Kaminey and Fashion have proved her mettle as an actress to watch out for despite turkeys like What’s your Rashee and Pyaar Impossible.

If Priyanka Chopra created waves and made the right noises, there is also a bevy of models who arrived from the world of glamour and fashion but they failed to make any impact here despite several trials. Beauty queen Lara Dutta has been revived several times and she has done everything possible under the sun to get into the big league. Hard luck. Kaal, Partner, Billoo barber, Mumbai se aya mera dost... Success for her is still a case of once in a blue moon.

Curvaceous Celina Jaitley was off to a promising start in a dare-bare Janasheen. Much to the chagrin, this debut did not add sheen to her lacklustre career. This film sank without a trace; her subsequent offerings trounced at the box office. Which prompted her to turn a vocal activist and shoulder social responsibilities instead.

Desperation drove another beauty icon Diana Hayden to participate in a reality TV show - an unprecedented move by all standards. In spite of strutting the ramp world and winning accolades that could be the stuff of fairy tales, she could not ramp up her career in the film world. Acting in B-grade flicks like Ab Bas wrote her obituary.

Relevant in this context is another sexy siren Tanushree Dutta who rose like a meteor with Aashiq Banaya aapne. Thereafter, a dry spell followed and she is nowhere in the reckoning today.

Just one dusky super model who used her super sexy image to sculpt success is Bipasha Basu. Though she has not been able to attain Priyanka’s level of success, she has shown her histrionic abilities to some extent. All depends on suitable roles coming her way to let her magic be seen on the big sizzling screen. From films like Jism to Omkaara to Shob Choritro Kalponik, it has been a long eventful journey for her in the world of films.

A new bubbly face hits the marquee every Friday. Most of these fresh ones are forgotten as they fail to create an impression. A background in modelling or glamour opens doors for many gorgeous women aspiring to be stars but the world of films does not have a special slot reserved for them. The kind of hard work the likes of Priyanka and Aishwarya had to put in means that all beauty winners should get it completely out of their system that they are sanctified beauty queens and the viewers would therefore queue up to see their films. No. It is a different medium, a new world altogether, so everything has to be done right from the scratch irrespective of the fact that the world has been bowled over by their beauty.

'Idol' singer cited for speeding

Mar 25, 2010 2:18 p.m.

The Washington State Patrol says former "American Idol" star Sanjaya Malakar was caught speeding 110 mph on Interstate 405 outside of Seattle at Kirkland.

He was stopped about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday and given a $411 ticket.

Trooper Dan MacDonald told The Seattle Times there was no one else on the freeway at the time so Malakar does not face a reckless endangerment charge.

The 20-year-old singer from Federal Way gained fame four years ago on the "American Idol" talent show.

Information from: The Seattle Times, http://www.seattletimes.com
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