Diwali is just around the corner and there’s a palpable sense of excitement as everyone’s calendars fill up with party after party. “We’ll finally be able to celebrate ‘properly’ someone was heard saying and I have to say, I agree. Elemental Stories’ Celebration Edit was the highlight of the week for me, with festive feels all around, but done the sustainable way. Curated by Shweta Mahtani, the pop-up saw some really interesting items.
Earrings made out of factory waste, stuffed animals made from scrap fabric, handmade wood and ceramic home décor, pre-loved saris converted into home furnishings and a range of sustainable clothing that we couldn’t resist indulging in. So much for my no-shopping rule. I left with bagfuls of stuff. The same vibe continued at the launch of the all-electric EQS by Mercedes-EQ, which included a fashion show with a sustainable theme, choreographed by Sunil Menon. I loved both collections by Rehane, the first one a tribute to Chennai with Jamakalam and the second one, a spring-summer resort wear in cotton, featuring buttery pastels. The models snaked their way through the audience with the car as the backdrop. Of course, everyone was excited to get up close and personal and take a closer look at the latest offering from Mercedes.
The rest of the week was a mixed bag with lots of celeb presence, starting off at the launch of Sai Silks’ 50th store Vara Mahalakshmi Silks in Anna Nagar, with actors Raadhika Sarathkumar and Khushbu Sundar doing the honours. All of the ladies present were in stunning silk saris making us want to stop what we were doing and stare. Next up was the launch of Thottil Maternity, a new-age maternity and new moms store. The tea house-style vintage florals extended from the décor to what everyone was wearing, making for pretty pictures. And finally, we had the Serendipity Club with a library of human books. This time, the guest speaker was RJ Shruthi Vijayakumar.
This week also included a screening of Chello Show, India’s entry to the 2023 Oscars, at Sathyam Cinemas which had plenty of VIPs on the guest list.