Retropoplifestyle

Sustainable Living Brands Helping Keep the Artisans their Legacy & Livelihood Alive

By Akanksha Dixit and Ajay Arjit Singh

India as a country is well known for her rich cultural history & art, a history that has become extremely relevant today, and one that can be noutured to flourish in years to come. And at Craft Maestros, we believe in curating products that exemplify authenticity, trust and providing the best of quality.
With the onset of the pandemic, one of the biggest setbacks has been on the lifelines of the karigars. At Craft Maestros, the aim is making Indian heritage arts & crafts more accessible for the consumers and sustainable for the artisans for whom these are a way of life and livelihood, handed down across generations.We are at a stage where so many rare craft traditions are slowly disappearing, and future generations might not get a chance to experience them, given the challenges of marketing, supplying, pricing etc. that’s keeping the artisans from practicing their craft in a manner which is rewarding enough for them and their next generations

Vishnu Viraat Roop Decorative Brass Conch

At Craft Maestros, we are working towards making Indian handicrafts be more integrated with the mainstream, so that they stay alive and thrive. We are integrating symbiotic fair trade practices and tech-enable functionalities to eliminate a lot of the challenges faced by the artisans, therefore helping them focus on the process of creating, without them worrying about seasonality, consumer outreach etc. While we ensure a consistent inflow of business for the craftsmen and women, we also share product and market inputs with them to keep them in sync with the times. At a macro level, we are fostering a community of master artisans who have us to lean back on. All of the above measures are geared towards a future-forward approach to handicrafts as an industry, where we don’t have to worry about reviving crafts because we are conserving them now. Having said that, we are curating with a keen eye to detail and bringing to fore a lot of not so commonplace crafts so that you will find Ajrakh, Shibori alongside Aari, Tarakashi, bone inlay work, jaali work on wood, gemstone carving among others – making sure we expand our range tapping into the untapped potential of our ethnic crafts, from across India, and helping their grassroots creators connect with national and international consumers. We pride ourselves on our commitment to nurturing regional crafts and artisans thereby staying vocal for local and doing our bit for an atmanirbhar Bharat. We believe handicrafts have the potential to play an important role in our long term economic revival, and also in strengthening the local artisan communities once they find the right framework, like ours, which supports them and helps get the right reward for their skills. Our aim is to ensure that the age-old traditions and craftwork don’t die out with the fast pace changing world, and people are able to enjoy the happiness which emerges when one receives a piece of work which has been so carefully crafted. Handicraft objects are slowly regaining its popularity and we at Craft Maestros, ensure that each piece is unique and has been made slowly and with utmost patience by our artisans as different to mass-produced artwork which unfortunately is of not the best quality.

We try and ensure that the hard work of the artisans are always highlighted and reflected in each and every product which we sell at Crafts Maestros. Hence, we provide detailed attention even to the packaging of the products which are to be received by our beloved customers. Each item bought from Craft Maestros will include a certificate of authenticity with the master artisan’s name and introduction, the craft technique deployed, and the year in which he/she has won the award for his/her craft. The reason we have added this to our product packaging is to make its sterling quality, it’s genuine value as an artisanal product sourced from a national/ ship guru/ padma shree or other awarded craftsman/women stand out, while also acquainting the consumer, holding the product, with its provenance, and connecting him/her, in that instant, with its creator.

Handicrafts entail a labour intensive process with the result being a unique piece of artistic value, so it’s not just any other product. A way to highlight this is to make sure the consumer interacts, even if for a moment, with not just what has been bought, but also with the human angle imbued in it – and the authenticity certificate is one way to ensure this. As for our community of master artisans, they are happy to have their name and their craft get due recognition, which so often is ignored but in the case of each Craft Maestros product where it is built into the brand, in spirit and in letter.

About the Authors

Akanksha Dixit

With a sound experience of 15 years in the apparel industry that spanned sourcing, merchandising and quality, her unrivalled aesthetic sense and understanding of a product in all its dimensions, made her an undisputed authority among her peers. Following the perfect union of her head and heart, she looks forward to bringing a paradigm shift in Indian Handicrafts. Having worked as the Business Head of a leading sourcing industry in India, she carries with her the ability, skill, experience and wisdom to bring to the Master Craftsmen the platform and pedestal they rightly deserve.

Ajay Arjit Singh

A professional for over two decades, he stands tall in experience and expertise. With many ‘firsts’ and awards to his name, he gained the reputation of ‘the business multiplier’. Straight to the point, Ajay has an unforgiving eye for detail. A liberal of thoughts and a repertoire of great ideas, he has an ability to chisel coarse ideas to perfection. Ajay is an avid reader who dwells in cozy corners of philosophy, poetry and literature. Fathered by a writer and painter, he has witnessed rich culture and traditions thriving at home. He believes that art is the vehicle of meditation and those who create it are carriers of divine forces. And for someone who considers it sacred, Craft Maestros is Ajay’s way of taking a holy dip in the glorious river of art and craft. Ajay has also been part of FICCI Webinar as a key speaker, talking about Recrafting and Tailoring artisanal practices for a New Digital Economy.

Step up & Glow

Sulwhasoo Limited Edition Glow Gift-Set

First Care Activating Serum (15ml): This post-cleanse, preparatory product is designed to create the ideal canvas and boost the effectiveness of skin care that is applied afterwards, like serum or moisturizer. The secret is in JAUM Balancing Complex, a potent cocktail of five Korean herbs that hydrates, nourishes, and visibly firms. This much-heralded, best-selling serum is the secret step to getting a smooth, glass skin-level glow.

Overnight Vitalizing Mask (120ml): An overnight mask that reawakens skin’s natural glow as you rest. This rich hydrator features an innovative Organic Respiration Layer (ORL) technology that creates a breathable, supple texture, while scutellaria root, walnut extract, and angelica acutiloba synergistically to nourish the skin and help skin look energized.

Holiday Velvet Limited Pouch: Luxurious limited edition velvet vanity pouch in which you can store your skincare needs.

Availability: https://www.nykaa.com/sulwhasoo-festive-glow-set/p/976774

Price: INR 5050 (Special price for holiday season)

Available from 25th November-25th December’20.

DIY Facials

What You Should Know

By Dr Chytra V Anand,

DIY Facials have always been a popular home care regimen for women across the world,especially in India due to our closeness with Ayurveda. Now, DIY Facials have become the buzz, especially in the Post COVID world.

Any facial has 5 critical steps to it, and this must be followed even for a DIY or do it yourself facial at home. The 5 essential or key steps are

– Cleansing

– Exfoliation

– Massage for circulation and lymphatic drainage

– Skin boosting with actives

– Mask to seal the skin

Expert Tip:

You can make your own ingredients at home using fruit and vegetable extracts for a feel-good facial. If you wish to transform the skin, then you need you to use Active facials.

These have active ingredients that pass your skin barrier safely to help your skin from within and not just work on the surface. This gives you long-lasting results. Some of the active ingredients for you look for are Lactic acid, Glycolic acid, Salicylic Acid, Retinol, Licorice, Niacinamide, Hyaluronic acid in your Active Facial Kit.

Step 1 – Cleansing:

Cleansing is a critical step to performing a DIY facial. Don’t take this step lightly even though you’re doing the facial at home.The skin is porous and dust, grime and oil tend to settle in our skin on the surface. Supposeyou don’t cleanse before you exfoliate, there is a chance that you can introduce these foreign particles into the deeper skinlayers during exfoliation. This will clog the pores and make the facial ineffective. Hence we always recommend a double cleanse routine before starting any facial procedure.

Step 2 – Exfoliation:

Exfoliation is critical to a well done DIY facial. The skin cycle is a 28 – 30 days cycle. Every 30 days your skin changes, hence it is vital to exfoliate once every 30 days for normal skin types.If you have dry, dull or pigmented skin or oily skin, then you should exfoliate every 2 to 3 weeks till the skin normalises. Don’t use scrubs or exfoliants with microbeads as they cause micro-tears in the skin, which leads to long term damage,especially in Indian skin.The safest exfoliants are peel based or enzyme based.

Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid etc. like those from Skin Q DIY Active Facial Beauty Boxes are safe DIY peel facials for Indian skin

Or you can use Papaya / Pineapple based enzyme exfoliants like the Kosmo Enzyme Peel mask from Kosmoderma.

Step 3 – Massage:

Massage helps withcirculation and lymphatic drainage. The massage butter you use is just a medium for the movements that you follow on your face. For circulation, to increase the blood flow and bring oxygen to the skin surface, circular motions are performed across the face and neck area. Forlymphatic drainage to remove the toxins from the skin surface, it is fingertip movements from the centre of the face going towards the outer edges of the face and neck.

The procedure time should be a minimum of 5 mins

Step 4 – Skin Boost:

After the massage, the skin is receptive to receiving skin-boosting active ingredients. So what to apply in this step before applying the mask will determine the skin quality you achieve. Based on your skin type, you can choose from either of these active.

For dry skin, dehydrated skin use Hyaluronic acid& Vit E active serums like Skin Q Hydra Elixir, for pigmented dull skin use skin brightening serums with Licorice,Kojic acid and Lactic acid like the SkinQ detan Elixir.For oily skin or acne-prone skin use oil control products with Niacinamide, Retinol, Azelaic acid etc like the Skin Q Oil & Acne Control Elixir.

Step 5 – Mask:

The mask is the final step to seal the skin pore. Peel mask or sheets mask made of algae infused with aloe Vera, gooseberry extracts, turmeric etc.is commonly used in Indian skin.

The Mask step takes 5 – 10 minutes to seal the skin and protect it from the external environment.

Like anything else in life, you need to keep repeating to maintain the results. Your skin is dynamic, and hence the DIY Facials need to be repeated every 3 – 4 weeks to achieve and maintain healthy skin.

About the Author

Dr Chytra V Anand is a Celebrity Cosmetic Dermatologist ,Chief Formulator @ Skin Q

Carpisa launches Its first retail store in India

Carpisa is an Italian brand famous for its handy yet glamorous products, which include: bags, small leather goods, luggage, briefcases and accessories both for men and women. Established in 2001, the brand boasts a network of over 600 stores (present in 40+ countries) worldwide.

As the other Carpisa stores in the world, the concept store presents a clean and modern design. The structure and the furniture perfectly convey the style and the brand identity. The products from the two different core lines, handbags and luggage, are in perfect synergy: a modern integration, versatile and simple between architecture and product.

The store has the aim to give to the consumer a completely renewed shopping experience that enhances the Italian Carpisa style: a unique exhibition space created to offer an enjoyable and friendly shopping experience able to transform the consumer’s visit from necessity to desire.

“I’m really proud of this first opening in India – declared Gianluigi Cimmino, Pianoforte Holding CEO, without any doubt, this is a big challenge for us, and I’m sure that our liaison with this market will be progressively more and more significant. This Mall is a very important shopping destination in this area and home to some of the world’s biggest and most desirable brands.”

Anurag Ahuja, partner Shopaholics, Master Franchisee for Carpisa (North India) said, “ We are excited to launch our Brand Carpisa in India at the most important location DLF Mall of India, Noida. It’s our pleasure to serve Indian customers by providing world class & unique products at very affordable pricing. We are looking at rapid expansion across North India despite the tough economic scenario, as we believe in Uniqueness of Carpisa Products. We also thank the entire Management team of DLF under Pushpa Bector, who have provided us unflinching support during this Pandemic and Look to increase our association with DLF in their other prominent locations.”

“DLF Mall of India is proud to be the debut choice for yet another marquee international fashion brand like Carpisa in India. We are delighted to welcome customers to our mall in this new normal with all safety protocols being followed rigorously and give them an opportunity to experience the rich and high quality Italian craftsmanship by Carpisa. DLF Mall of India promises to be bring alive the new trends in style through an aesthetic portrayal for our new age Indian consumers who have a global outlook and admire fashion in their everyday life.” said Pushpa Bector, Executive Director, DLF Retail

Availability

Carpisa store, B-201, First Floor, DLF, Mall of India, Plot No – M, 03, Sector 18, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201301

FENDI x K-WAY®

Capsule Collection

FENDI presents a surprising Capsule Collection developed in collaboration with K-Way^®, just in time for the chilly and rainy season, the best combination of chic and functional for the whole family.

Highlights

The Roman Maison’s signature luxury yet ironic aesthetic meets the timeless functionality of K-Way^®for a range of Women’s, Men’s and Kidspieces injected with a cool and urban appeal.

FENDI’s iconic FF logo pattern steals the spotlight, printed ton-sur-tonon K-Way® legendary reversible nylon windbreakers, which can be folded in a pocket and carried as a pouch. The printed face, coming in mat black, is matched with a solid one, – black and gold for Women, dark blue for Men and black and pink for Kids. In addition to the regular shape available for all categories, the Women’s linepresents also a shorter bomber-like version for an extra edgy twist.

For a truly luxurious touch, FENDI and K-Way® also developed a Women’s and Men’s exclusive style, where nylon is combined with an FF logo printed on mink fur in brown, which is also used for a bib-like accessory to layer under jackets and outwear giving an extra sophisticated touch.

Available in FENDI Boutiques and on fendi.com starting from November 2020.

ABOUT FENDI

The house of FENDI was established by Adele and Edoardo Fendi in Rome in 1925. The opening of the first FENDI boutique – a handbag shop and fur workshop followed. Soon winning international acclaim, FENDI emerged as a brand renowned for its elegance, craftsmanship, innovation and style. The collaboration with the late Karl Lagerfeld began back in 1965 and in 1992 Silvia Venturini Fendi seconded him in the creative direction. In 1994 she is given responsibility of leather goods accessories and then the direction of the kidswear and menswear lines. In 2000 the LVMH Group acquires FENDI becoming in 2001 its majority shareholder. Today FENDI is synonymous with quality, tradition, experimentation and creativity.
www.fendi.com
@fendi

ABOUT K-Way®

K-Way® was born in Paris in 1965, on a rainy day. Clothes retailer Léon-Claude Duhamel observed as people rushed by in soaking wet clothes, with uncomfortable umbrellas. He had an idea: creating the first windproof and waterproof packable jacket in history. Classic, modern, hi-tech, functional, and bright, with its iconic tricolor zipper, K-Way® is a registered trademark in the Italian and French dictionaries. K-Way® is a brand of BasicNet S.p.A., the parent Company to Kappa®, Robe di Kappa®, Jesus® Jeans, Superga®, Sabelt®, Briko® and Sebago®. BasicNet operates worldwide through an international network of entrepreneurs, licensees of the brands, which produce or distribute the products. BasicNet offers its network various services, including research, development, industrialization of the products, and global marketing. All the company processes are entirely web-based, making BasicNet a “fully web integrated company”. BasicNet, with headquarters in Turin, Italy, is listed on the Italian Stock Exchange since 1999.

Video (Youtube Link https://youtu.be/M6szaeOoYl4 )

‘Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2’ actress Rumana Molla currently shooting for the second season of Dev DD

Rumana Molla who was recently seen in Virgin Bhanupriya Co-starring Urvashi Rautela and Gautam Gulati is gearing up for her upcoming Webseries Dev DD 2.

Rumana just returned from Palghar after a hectic schedule of the thriller and talking about the same she shares, “The process has been long and hectic. I was actually surprised to see how much has been put into this show and the scale of it. And I was really happy to see that all precautions were taken to ensure that everyone is safe.”

Produced by Ekta Kapoor, Dev DD 2 sees Rumana reprising the role of Radha, the independent, spirited and feisty girl who has no qualms about her sexuality and this season revolves around her relationship with Chandni. After giving an enthralling performance in Pyaar ka Panchnama 2, Molla will surely leave a mark with her magnificent screen presence.

On the work front, Rumana has some really exciting projects in her kitty. She will also be seen playing one of the leads in Akhilesh Jaiswal’s directorial “How to kill your Husband”, co-starring Aahana Kumra and Vikram Kochhar.

Rizzle Goes Big With Rizzle Series

Rizzle, the fastest-growing short videos app, has become the talk of the town with its groundbreaking venture, Rizzle Series – short vertical episodic content that spans for an average of 12 minutes.
The popular app has grown exponentially in the past few months and with the Rizzle Series, it is set out to make a mark in the short series space.

Rizzle Series are originally scripted or unscripted episodic video series created by Rizzlers using just their smartphones. Rizzle’s unique features aid and enable the creation of binge-worthy Rizzle Series content. With popular YouTubers and creators like Funcho, This Is Sumesh, Half Engineer, Anam Darbar, Sushma Chhikara, Angry Prash, Naveen Sharma, Humm Tumm on board, the series caters bite-sized content to all kinds of viewers. Rizzle Series boasts a multitude of short series ranging from drama, comedy, horror to thriller, romance and action, available in languages Hindi, English, Telugu, Tamil and more.

Padosan Ke Saath Setting, starring This Is Sumesh is a fun rom-com where a simple guy falls in love with his neighbor only to find out his feelings are reciprocated by the girl too. Loaded with hilarity and dramatic twists, the series is a hit among Rizzlers having amassed 1.4 Million views already on the platform.

Mumbai based agency No Filtr launched their highly anticipated second exclusive series on Rizzle titled Road to her Heart this Diwali. Featuring Anam Darbar and Naveen Sharma, this series has gathered nearly 700k+ views on Rizzle within a matter of days. This follows the successful launch of Aakhri Dinner last month starring Funcho and Angry Prash.

Half Engineer released his exclusive Rizzle Series – Pati Patni aur Sala last month and it has already crossed 100k views on the platform. This is another comedy series where a husband tries his best to get rid of his freeloading brother-in-law.

With nearly 380k+ views, Middle-Class Father by Nishant Chaturvedi is a heartfelt drama about an aging single dad neglected by his son and daughter-in-law. It’s an emotional rollercoaster with flashbacks to the past that shows the importance of taking care of one’s parents.

Youtuber Sushma Chhikara’s Rizzle Series titled Types of Neighbours is an accurate take on your average neighbors. She portrays the hassle of dealing with different characters in one’s neighborhood with a touch of comedy. This series has garnered an impressive 200k+ views within a few weeks of its release.

Rizzle has many more exciting series on the platform that you can binge in under 12 minutes on your phones. These minute-long sketches are scripted and shot on phone – a testament to the demand and success of vertical series. With 100+ series already available on the app, Rizzle Series have already been making large strides in bringing short episodic content to your phone. Download Rizzle now to binge entertaining short series!

Bhushan Kumar (T- Series) and Om Raut (Retrophiles) produced Adipurush to release on Independence Day Weekend 2022

Prabhas and Saif Ali Khan starrer, Adipurush is slated to release on 11th August 2022! With Independence Day 2022 falling on a Monday, it will have a 5-day extended opening weekend at the box office.

The film will be directed by Om Raut, produced by Bhushan Kumar of T- Series, Om Raut, Prasad Sutar and Rajesh Nair of Retrophiles, and is in the pre-production stage, scheduled to go on floors in January 2021!

The film will be released in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada

Yo Yo Honey Singh releases new song – First Kiss

Choreographed by Atul Jindal, the song is a funky take on young love

Yo Yo Honey Singh has released a new music single titled First Kiss. The song, which marks the singing debut of Ipsitaa, has a funky ‘90s feel to it. The young talent has also shared screen space with Singh in the song video.

First Kiss, a peppy and upbeat track, conveys the first feeling of rush in one’s veins when one falls in love. The video, which was shot in Delhi post the lockdown, has an international sound and new-age vibe. It is a massive and sleek song in terms of production value.

The song is choreographed by Atul (Big Dance) – director & choreographer of the dance company Big Dance Centre. Atul and YoYo have had a long journey of dance hits right from Blue Eyes, Love Dose, 4 Bottle Vodka to Loca Loca, which topped the chart and became top party anthems for people. With their new song “First Kiss” they are taking the choreography as well as the production to an even bigger scale. Atul who was choreographing Ipsitaa, for the first time trained her and YOYO virtually because of the lockdown. It was their first shoot after the lockdown, hence the team ensured to follow all covid guidelines during the shoot. Needless to say, the track has already generated a stir among the audience, which is a testament to Singh’s popularity and strong fan base. The song – First Kiss which was released on 24^th November, and only within 24 hours it became a trending song in India and worldwide charts and has already crossed a whopping 10 million views on the video and still counting.

But what sets this song apart is the fact that it is a girl who narrates her experience through the song. Talking about the funky track, Singh says, “First Kiss is a fun track which talks about what one goes through when they fall in love. We wanted to create a song that has an international feel to it and resonates with our youngsters. So, we made sure that everything, from the casting to the technicalities, was planned according to international standards. I put a lot of effort into the lyrics so that girls can connect to it. Ipsitaa has done a great job. I am so thrilled to be sharing this song with everyone.”

Sharing her excitement, Ipsitaa says, “I feel extremely fortunate and grateful to be starting my career with Honey Singh. He is a legend and is loved by millions of people all over the world. First Kiss is really special because working with him has taught me so much. He wanted to convey the essence of this song through a female voice and I am honored to be a part of this amazing song.”

Sharing his experience of choreographing the song, Atul said, “I am so happy to collaborate with Yo Yo again for the song -First Kiss. Working with him is always fun; he is an exceptional mover and his positive and fun-loving attitude always keeps us inspiring to do more together. We were planning to shoot this video in February, but with Coronavirus and lockdown, it took us 8 long months to complete the song. Have to say, it was a bit challenging at the start to choreograph people virtually but everyone was a quick learner and made it a smooth ride. This time with Ipsitaa and Yo Yo I have created two hook steps – because I wanted something unique for them and their fans.”

The lyrics are penned by Singh, Lil Golu, Hommie Dilliwala, and Singhsta. First Kiss has been produced by T-Series.

Link to the video – https://youtu.be/HO7CRp44s10

Heelein Toot Gayi

Guru Randhawa, is known for his vocal styling but he now steps in for close friend Badshah’s next!

Bhushan Kumar’s T-Series ropes in Guru Randhawa for ‘Heelein Toot Gayi’ -Badshah’s promotional music video for the film ‘Indoo Ki Jawaani’.

It is for the very first time that Guru Randhawa will be featured in a song that isn’t sung, composed or written by him but instead will be rapping to Badshah’s tunes and lyrics, in this peppy dance track.

Promising to be a party anthem this wedding season, ‘Heelein Toot Gayi’ also starring the gorgeous Kiara Advani, is sung by Badshah and Aastha Gill. The hit duo reunites for this track after the blockbuster song ‘Buzz’.

Both Guru Randhawa and Badshah are path breaking artists who’ve owned the music scene for years. The two, who share mutual respect and admiration for each other’s work, will now be part of this high-tempo song thanks to music mogul Bhushan Kumar.

The highly stylized video will be a treat for fans, as it brings together some of the most popular youth icons in a track that’s guaranteed to have you on your feet! Get ready for ‘Heelein Toot Gayi’! You don’t want to miss this one.