Bollywood Influences in the Asian Fashion Industry

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Raishma

Outfits worn by both female and male actors in Bollywood films have an impact on the Indian fashion industry. Some classic outfits worn in these films are imitated to please a wide range of customers. Whether it be the classic purple sari Madhuri Dixit wore in Hum aapke hain kaun or the short collared kurta shirts Rani Mukherji wore in Bunty aur Babli.

Karan Johar’s film “Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham” had a huge impact on traditional menswear. This film made highly embroided kurtas, sherwanis and dupattas very popular amongst the male masses.

Raishma has similar kurtas and sherwanis in store. Below is a light cream raw silk sherwani. It has velvet appliqué work with stones and delicate embroidery on top of the velvet.

Fashion in the Indian film industry has really flourished over the past decade. Female actors such as Sonam Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai, and Katrina Kaif are known as fashionistas in the industry – just to name a few! Fans of these ladies follow their style avidly, whether it be in their films, or the events they attend.

Below is a photo of Katrina Kaif at the 2011 Filmfare awards. She wore a gorgeous long maxi styled light pink gown with a white skirt. The exquisite embroidery really sets of the outfit.

At Raishma, we have a gorgeous silk silver white gown with swarovski stones. This dress is very versatile as it can be worn as it is for a formal look. Or this dress can be custom made in a richer colour, such as red, to give the dress a more bridal look.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Rebecca Grant’s Art Exhibition

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Raishma

I was really pleased to be invited to Holby City star, Rebecca Grant’s art exhibition in the Philippine Embassy a few weeks back. I dressed Rebecca and Phoebe Thomas from the hit BBC drama series Holby City. In addition, I dressed model and TV presenter Chelsea Baker.

Rebecca wore a Grecian styled olive green georgette dress with hand embroidery and draping. Phoebe Thomas wore a gorgeous nude short cap sleeved dress, with contrast black georgette neckline and sleeves. This style very much complimented Phoebe’s red hair and fair skin. Chelsea Baker wore a one shouldered bias cut floor length dress with beautiful delicate embroidery. All three ladies looked fabulous and the paparazzi couldn’t stop snapping away!

This exhibition was a collection of portraits of her fellow actors. The night was a real success with many celebrity stars and friends there to support Rebecca. Other celebrities at the event included Holby stars Hari Dhillon and Paul Bradley. Some of the cast of Bombay dreams and “Cuckoo’s nest” were also present.

To make the event even more exciting, Rebecca sang with the Jive Aces band! Her voice was beautiful and amazed all of us! She was definitely the star of the evening

I had a fantastic evening and enjoyed meeting all of her friends – the event was a huge success. It was my pleasure to help out and support my friend Rebecca. We, creative people have to stick together!

Posted in Evening Wear, Fashion, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Lace Trend

Posted on July 18, 2011 by Raishma

One of the prominent trends of 2011 has been lace. It has recently been incorporated in casual wear; party wear, and has always been popular in bridal wear
White lace signifies a traditional English wedding. It’s feminine, romantic, elegant and chic. Nowadays, girls like to wear something their mothers would have worn at their wedding. This is because the whole vintage vibe is becoming very popular.

Lace had been quite popular before the Royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. This is because lace is commonly known as a bridal fabric. However, Kate’s dress was bound to have an impact on the bridal fashion industry. Her wedding gown by Sarah Burton, of Alexander McQueen had gorgeous ivory lace embellishment which made the 50s style gown more intricate and delicate. Her dress has already been copied by fashion designers all over the world. Raishma will also be doing her own take of this iconic dress in the future…!

The lace dress above is designed by Raishma. It is a beautiful silver grey colour which gives it a vintage 1920s feel. The angel sleeves compliment the look. This gown will be featured in the September 2011 issue of “You and Your Wedding”.

Lace is detailed enough, and looks amazing when worn in a minimalist, simple way.
On trend for 2011/2012, lace continues to be part of the working woman’s wardrobe and for nights out. Cream or coloured lace in tones of pinks and reds work well for simple blouses for day wear, whilst shift lace dresses and more flowy feminine styles work well for the evening with nipped in jackets or twinset cardigans.

Look out for lace influences in Raishma’s 2012 bridal collection – watch this space… :)

Posted in Evening Wear, Fashion, Royal Wedding | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

How to Dress to an Asian Wedding

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Raishma

The first question that pops into my head when I receive an Asian wedding invite is…what should I wear?? One of my favourite aspects of an Asian wedding!
Others may be confused as to what to wear as they do not know where to start.
So here’s my guide on what you should think about when deciding on your outfit for an Asian wedding…

1. Theme: First find out if there is a dress code theme, for example, colours or styles.

2. Shop in Asian areas: The best places to hit the shops are Asian areas such as Green Street. Shops in these areas provide customers with traditional Asian clothing, including some pieces being flown over from Asian countries, allowing you to achieve an authentic look!

3. Focus on loud, rich colours and items of clothing with exquisite bead or stone work. Contrary to most traditional English weddings, here it’s all about extravagance, therefore heavy detail and embroidery goes down well.

4. Accessorize! Accessories must compliment the outfit. So, for a traditional look, opt for matching Asian shoes and beautifully matched bangles. Here at Raishma, we love the fusion look and like to mix Asian and western styles. Shoes by Jimmy Choos or Gina shoes would look great with an Asian outfit, along with Swarovski and crystal jewellery from Kyles Jewellery.

5. Make-up and Hair: Finally your hair and makeup must live up to the outfit. Volumised hair, coloured eye shadow, black liner and lashes help to set off the overall look.

Going to an Asian wedding does not mean having to dress up like a Christmas tree! But you can get away with a lot more accessories and loud colours – so don’t be afraid! I enjoy dressing up to Asian weddings as you can experiment with colours and makeup as there is little scope of going wrong. So, go hit the shops, remember my advice, and your outfit will be a winner ;)

Posted in Brides Maid, Evening Wear, Fashion, Swaroski | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Rise and Rise of the Long Kameez

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Raishma

The long kameez has been around for years. If I asked you for your thoughts on the long kameez only five years ago, you would have probably related the style to something worn by your mum, or the older generation. Then, why is it that the long kameez has become SO popular in the span of two years? Especially when most regarded it unfashionable not so long ago…

Raishma London

The design above is by Raishma! The velvet kameez paired with a jamawar panelled skirt looks gorgeous and colourful. The sleeves are made of net with gold embellishment.

Anamika Khanna

Far left: Model wears the long kameez trend designed by famous Indian designer, Anamika Khanna. Most Indian designers like to keep the long kameez tailored and fitted.

Why does this trend work? Answer: Its’ universal appeal. This style suits women of every age group and body shape. Most designers have incorporated this trend into their casual, formal and bridal ranges.

I’m a big fan of this trend. I loved the fact it was different from the hundreds of short kameez suits I had! In my opinion the style is sophisticated, elegant and easy to wear. At first, some people believed the style sounded like a recipe for disaster – long on long? Yet it works effortlessly…more is more! I can’t imagine wearing a short kameez in the near future – or is this just me being blinded by the latest fashion trend which is so popular?

So, is the long kameez craze a fad? Or has this trend come back for good? Well I sure hope it is…!

Posted in Evening Wear, Fashion | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Dressing Shozna from Centre Point Charity for the Royal Wedding

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Raishma

I was asked by ITV’s ‘London Tonight’ programme to make a complementary bespoke outfit for Shozna, to wear to the Royal Wedding on the 29th April 2011. Shozna is a lovely person, and has had a very difficult past, so I thought it would be a nice gesture to do this for her. Prince William personally invited her to the wedding; I wish I could have sneaked into her handbag and have gone with her!

I sketched out several designs for Shozna before the filming by looking at her picture, and working out what would suit her in terms of cut and colours.

I decided to go for a 50s style prom dress in a block colour scheme of papaya orange and red to give the look a modern take for 2011. I designed an embroidered border with delicate silk roses and hand beading to be positioned on her neckline.

The time line was so tight, but the dress was completed in 2 weeks from sketch to final fitting. Continue reading →

Posted in Evening Wear, Fashion, Royal Wedding | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Wedding Advice – Why I am so tired of people copying!

Posted on April 4, 2011 by Raishma

A lot of the bridal magazines always ask me to put in my best pieces in the magazines, but how can I when I constantly get copied by other retailers! The main problem for me is that I am a designer, 99% of other retailers are just that; retailers and not designers. They lack inspiration  and are influenced heavily by what true designers create. I design the majority of pieces in my store, and it takes a lot of hardwork, planning and time as you can imagine.

It is one thing being influenced; another being ripped off, and it very upsetting after putting so much hard work in to each couture design, when you see it being copied. It has been happening for years, and it affects many small businesses like me.  Plenty of manufacturers from India have set up stores here, and  they can undercut other retailers with watered down cheaper copies, as their production is on a larger scale.  Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

On Friday 4th Febuary, Sharon and I took a break from our hectic shop refurbishment to take a trip east  to Brick Lane. We met up with Coronation Street actress Shobna Gulati who we were dressing for an important photo shoot. Shobna was asked by Comic Relief to promote Gorden Ramsay’s new curry sauces, with all the proceeds going to the famous BBC charity. Shobna really wanted to be dressed in red, in a very Bollywood style. To fit the occasion, it needed to be glamorous and chic. We certainly didn’t disappoint her… Continue reading →

Posted on April 4, 2011 by Raishma | Leave a comment

Grooms Wear – Nailing Down Your Man

Posted on April 4, 2011 by Raishma

Young men are notoriously vague about weddings. So many times I’ve heard the words “Whatever you want” spoken to an increasingly frustrated fiance when asked anything whatsoever about wedding arrangements. Whilst it’s probably to good idea to get your wedding planner to take charge of most of your arrangements, something she can’t do is take your fiance by the scruff of the neck and march him into the bridal store. That’s your job…

The groom needs to look as good on the wedding as the bride. He will need an outfit that extenuates his youthfulness and physicality. He should look well-groomed and handsome. The correct outfit goes a long way in achieving these goals, however dishevelled he may sometimes look!

A groom’s outfit needs to display a sense of opulence and extravagance; it needs to say “I am successful and a man of taste and honour”. Since groom’s wear is by its very nature more subdued than that of his bride, there is usually no danger of going overboard.

High quality fabric is always important, usually sewn with a recurring motif design. Like bridal gowns, a groom’s outfit should be bespoke. This does mean, however, that you’ll need to get your fiance organised enough well in advance to choose a design, be measured, and attend fittings. It may be something that involves other male members of the family and friends, perhaps treated as a pre-wedding warm-up with the promise of a meal afterwards.

The most important thing when organising your groom’s wear is to plan well in advance. There are too many stories of preoccupied men leaving this responsibility to the last minute. You may be accused of being a nag, but at least you’ll rest easy knowing you and your fiance will enjoy a stress-free wedding day.

Tagged | Leave a comment

Bridal Wear – Traditional – The Unique Qualities of Jamavar Shawls

Posted on April 4, 2011 by Raishma

Traditionally a jamavar is a luxurious shawl made in Kashmir. In the past, fabrics used to make the finest jamavars sometimes took decades to complete, and antique examples are extremely valuable. Even today, an excellent quality jamavar shawl is highly sort-after, seen as a clothing item of finesse and distinction.

Although suitable for many formal occasions, the jamavar shawl is particularly well suited to Asian bridal wear and forms part of the traditional outfit. The great beauty of a jamavar shawl is matched by its versatility: looking sensational on a bride’s wedding day, the jamavar can be used on many quality occasions.

Jamavar shawls can be highly patterned, although this patterning maybe subtle. The design is a rendition of the mango motif and is beautifully floral in nature. As a quality clothing item, the jamavar shawl is usually made from either silk or finely-woven cashmere wool. Kanika silk or Pashmina wool represent the absolute top-end of jamavar fabrics, and should be considered a wise long-term investment in the finest of occasional formal wear. Other fabrics used include satin, velvet and jacquard.

Jamavar shawls used as bridal wear are further decorated with embroideries and bead-work. Techniques such as applique are used to further enhance the fabric, alongside the use of pearls and Swaroski crystals.

The use of silks in wedding shawls affords the bride an unmistakable elegance as the material shimmers and hangs in its unique folds. Whether the wedding is traditional, contemporary or fusion, a jamavar shawl is sure to complete the look.

Tagged | Leave a comment