Saying that there was a lot happening in the city this week would be putting it mildly. It took some next-level planning as we rushed from one event to the next, truly spoilt for choice.
The M·A·C Pro Tour Bridal Artistry Masterclass felt less like an event and more like the coming together of a community—united by our shared love for M·A·C. Led by the ridiculously talented national artist Leiya Phinao Ningshen, the afternoon was packed with bridal beauty tips, techniques, and plenty of product swatching. We got to play with an array of products, pick up some seriously useful tricks and, naturally, take a lot of pictures. Leiya was an absolute sport, posing for selfies with her many fans and followers. The tips were taken seriously. The selfies, even more so.
Now you’ll have to forgive me for hopping from one topic to the next because we have a lot to cover. The launch of KRAF Illumination’s new Experience Centre on Harrington Road brought together a mix of Chennai’s architecture and design community, along with several familiar faces from the city. Founded by Arnav Chandan, the three-floor space is all about experiencing lighting in context rather than simply looking at fixtures. We explored the different lighting applications and were especially wowed by the museum space, where light, shadow, art, and materials came together beautifully. It was quite something to see how dramatically lighting can change a space. A very impressive new addition to Chennai’s design scene.
Saturday was not designed for people who like to take things easy. We started bright and early at Kat & Kin Coffee Roasters with Folk Machi, where original music by Sakshin Mohan and good coffee made for a great start to the day.
Next stop was The Folly at Amethyst for Péro’s showcase. Beautiful textiles, embroidery, and lots of colour made for a very tempting browse. From there, we headed to Pernia’s Pop-Up Studio for the Festive Closet, where the range of designers meant there was something for every fashion mood and several things that we immediately decided we “needed.”
Then came Rivioraa, the new demi-fine jewellery brand built around the idea that every woman is rare. The launch, which took place at Canvas, had a wonderfully easy, stylish vibe, with people trying on pieces, chatting, and generally having a good time. What was especially nice was the age range, from sweet 16 to the big 50, everyone was finding something they loved.
By the end of the day, we had done music, coffee, textiles, fashion, and jewellery. At this point, all we were missing was a spa appointment and a bed. As fate would have it that is not where I ended up, being carted off to a Bollywood right for remixes and lots of dancing.
Speaking of drama, influencer Nishat’s birthday bash ensured that the theme set the stage for a picture perfect evening. Pastels and pearls, followed to a T by all the guests, along with the golden-hour light made for loads of Instagrammable moments. Here’s wishing the bubbly birthday girl a fab year ahead!
Meanwhile across town the IRIS Face of Chennai and IRIS Face of Tamil Nadu finales was underway at the Radisson Blu GRT Chennai. The evening brought together models and plenty of popular faces from Chennai’s fashion and entertainment circles. After multiple rounds of auditions and sub-rounds, the finalists took centre stage, with the evening culminating in the crowning of the winners.