ICynosure: April 2016

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Triumph unveiled its new brand identity with a beautiful gorgeous logo emphasising femininity and empathy at Grandmamas Café, Lower Parel. The brand has made waves with its exceptional craftsmanship in lingerie making for women since 1886.

At the launch were Femina Miss India finalists, Mrs. Jennifer Kapasi, Head of Operations of Triumph International in India and Mr. Shalindra Fernando, General Manager of Triumph International (India and Sri Lanka). With Triumph tying up with Femina Miss India as the confidence partners, the new logo was unveiled in the presence of the Miss India aspirants.

Mr. Shalindra Fernando spoke at length about the vision of the company emphasising the future with a walk down the company's past. The maker of lingerie since 1886 with a reputation for providing outstanding quality and exceptional craftsmanship with a reference to their heritage. Communicating the strength of the brand’s heritage in combination with its progressive personality, the beautiful new logo conjures up everything the brand stands for and where it is headed.

Mrs. Jennifer Kapasi spoke about the brand passionately. She emphasised saying, "Sensual without being overtly sexy, feminine, informal and warm with inner drive and strength, our realigned look is rooted in craft, and multifaceted to reflect our extensive range of products for various occasions. Emphasizing femininity and empathy, our new logo is influenced by vernacular German handwriting of the 18th century and our logos from the mid-20th century. The flowing and looped bespoke lettering balances warmth, femininity, fluidity and strength. We believe that our latest promotional photography truly catches each element of our brand personality as we speak woman to woman, capturing realistic aspirations and moments in her life."

During the event we had a change to catch up with Jennifer and asked her two-must have products from the brand and here is what she said...

At the launch of @triumphlingerie new logo, we caught up with #JenniferKapasi and asked her about two products from the lingerie brand @triumph_india every woman must own.... #TheNewTriumphxFMI #TriumphIndia #LingerieExperts #TheNewTriumph

A video posted by Heena Shah-Dhedhi (@heenadhedhi) on Apr 18, 2016 at 10:06am PDT

As an iconic global lingerie brand, Triumph has upgraded its image to really stand out in the competitive intimate apparel market, making the brand more enticing for the consumer. Looking to the future, we see Triumph leading the way with even more innovation, beautiful design and perfectly fitting garments.

Get shopping now,
- Heena

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As she grows up, my little princess has developed a mind of her own and is now dictating our travel itineraries. Even before we chalk out our travel plans, she wants to know what the destination has in store for her, whether there are activities for her age group, and how much time we allot for the said attraction. So the bottom line is to find places that will excite kids, and the South of the United States has abundant kid-friendly places that will keep your little ones engaged.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Image Source: Jason Perrone

The Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum offers the life cycle of the Packard Motor Company through the eyes of the gallery founder Arthur Stone. It features automobiles from the early to mid-1900s that showcase the history of vehicle evolution and emphasize the progress in automotive engineering.
Accommodations close to the gallery area a must, as every kid, little or grown-up will love the walk into history, especially the huge space dedicated to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Kissimmee, Florida

Image Source: Experience Kissimmee

Dubbed as the "Gateway to Fun", Kissimmee is just minutes away from multiple world-famous theme parks including Universal Resort, Sea World Parks and Resorts, LEGOLAND Florida and the magical Walt Disney World Resort. Beautifully tailored for kids of all age groups, with four different parks within, Disney World must be on every traveller's itinerary. Stay close to make the most of the Magic Kingdom that transports you to the world of your favourite Disney characters. The Animal Kingdom takes you on an animal adventure, while the Hollywood Studios helps you rub shoulders with the glitz and glamour of the movie world, and through Epcot, you tour different countries to live their culture.

College Park, Georgia

Image Source: The World of Coca-Cola

The World of Coca-Cola, located within driving distance of College Park, is a fascinating dream place for cola lovers. The attraction opened in 2007, giving visitors a glimpse into the history of the world’s most loved soft drink. You will be exploring 1200 odd artefacts from the company, the bottling process, and a never-before-allowed access to the vault of the "Secret Cola Formula".

Lafayette, Louisiana

Image Source: StricksRetirement

Named as the "Happiest City in America," Lafayette is known for its many avenues for being happy through a blend of culture, recreation and holidays. One such amazing recreational facility is the greatly accredited zoological park, Zoosiana. A perfect place to connect with animals in their natural habitat, Zoosiana (Zoo-of-Acadiana) offers exciting activates for both kids and grown-ups. You can take a safari train ride or sit back to enjoy the animal show. For the more adventurous ones, the park offers animal petting and feeding sessions.

Salisbury, Maryland

Image Source: Expedia

The Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art, founded in 1975 within Salisbury University to promote wildfowl art and advocate the significance of art and culture is a must-stop attraction. Today, through its immense knowledge and professionals; the museum offers education about wildfowl art and carvings through exhibitions and you can enjoy a quick carving lesson at the Woodcarving Club or browse through art exhibits. Due to its growth over the years, the museum has moved to Schumaker Pond, that has a lot of tourist accommodations around.

Feel like a kid yourself, isn’t it?

- Heena

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The town of Pismo Beach is a classic beach town located on California’s central coastline that opens into beautiful white beaches and great weather. Pismo Beach is one of the five cities that is part of the 'Clam Capital of the World,’ and the town continues to celebrate the ‘Clam Festival’ every October to loads of clamming enthusiasts. With a gigantic clam statue that awaits at the entrance, the clam festival is buzzing with parades and competitions.

Image Credit: Pismo Beach by Always Taking Pictures via Trover

Apart from the regular beach fun, Pismo Beach offers a lot of high energy activities to enjoy including riding, fishing and dune-bashing. One must do-activity in Pismo Beach town is to rent an all-terrain vehicle and go on a drive all through the dunes to the highest peak and enjoy exotic views of the ocean.

Image Credit: Monarch Butterfly Grove by Angel and Michelle via Trover

Another aspect of the town that you need to experience is the Monarch Butterfly Grove that houses thousands of Monarch butterflies looking for shelter from the freezing winters. Pismo Beach is full of Eucalyptus trees that attract butterflies to form clusters with a shingle effect providing the much-needed warmth and support.

Once you have finished these must-do activities, travellers can indulge in some sporting activities like golfing, horse-riding, surfing, kite-boarding, sky-diving and sea kayaking. The Children’s Museum and the Athletic club also offer a unique experience to treasure. Just as there are a number of unique experiences to choose from in Pismo Beach town, there are a variety of stay options.

The Pismo Lighthouse Suites is the only all-suite hotel in Pismo Beach that has beautiful suite accommodations for the family. The oceanfront property is multi-themed with the nautical theme a perfect option to relax. Most of the suites have either a private patio or a private balcony for travellers to unwind.
Address: 2411 Price Street | Pismo Beach, CA 93449 | Tel: 805.773.2411 | Fax: 800.245.2411

The Cliffs is all about ‘living in luxury’ in a full-service resort with amazing views and world-class amenities. The resort also boasts of amazing golfing championships and wine trails along with exceptional guest experiences. The resort spa is known for its relaxing therapeutic body massages inspired by the elements of the sea.
Address: 2757 Shell Beach Road | Pismo Beach, CA 93449 | Tel: 805.773.5000 | Fax: 800.826.7827

The SeaCrest OceanFront Hotel is the perfect getaway that offers numerous activities for the whole family. The sunrises and sunsets from the retreat are said to be the most gorgeous. The retreat has many awards for its wine tasting programs, the sand dune adventures, and golf courses.
Address: 2241 Price Street | Pismo Beach, CA 93449 | Tel: 805.782.8400 | Fax: 800.773.4525

The Spyglass Inn is perfect for a romantic getaway with its perfect balance of casual approach and cosy retreat. Special rooms offers the latest in modern amenities whilst backed by private terraces and indoor fireplaces. With easy accessibility to the beach, the inn is a sought out stay for those who want some privacy while being close to the beach.
Address: 2705 Spyglass Drive | Pismo Beach, CA 93449 | Tel: 805.773.4855 | Fax: 800.824.2612

So what are you waiting for, get travelling! Start packing and head to Pismo Beach for your next holiday. After all, your stay is sorted already.

- Heena

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Shopping and travel go hand-in-hand, and when you’re in the United States Northeast region you must explore the shopping havens for their premium outlets, flea markets, antique and boutique shops, the massive shopping malls and the city centres. Some destinations have special villages dedicated to local products that will leave you mesmerised and wanting more.

Williamsburg, Virginia
The shopping options in the capital city of Virginia are unlimited. The city is full of premium product outlets, high street boutiques, one-of-a-kind antique shop and a large mall. The Yankee Candle Village in Williamsburg is an uncommon, unexpected and unforgettable experience; that of being in the midst of the world's largest candle stores with 250,000 candles and more than 200 different scents.

Reading, Pennsylvania
It is said that Reading is the best place to splurge while shopping as the shopping options available suit all enthusiast whether spontaneous and impulsive or dedicated and true bargain hunter. As the antique capital Reading has numerous stores brimming with the treasures of history. With more than 30,000 square feet, the Antique Complex is a tremendous barn with 12 individual shops and a flea market. The Antique Complex is like a department store of antiques, that might take a while getting used to.

Stamford, New York
All shopping in Stamford in saturated in the Town Centre that offers a gigantic mix of retailers and services. Over a hundred brand stores under one roof including the likes of Armani Exchange, Coach, J. Crew, Brooks Brothers, Macy’s, Michael Kors, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sidney Thomas Jewellers, Williams-Sonoma and XXI Forever; the town centre is the place to be at. So make sure your credit card limit is upped before you head in the direction.

Atlantic City, New Jersey
The best of both the shopping worlds is present in Atlantic City by way of the Tanger Outlets The Walk and the Boardwalk. High-end retail brand stores to discounted brand factory outlets, the city offers great options. The addition benefit of tax-free shopping on clothing and shoes makes is the shopping haven for men and women alike. So it’s best to rack up during the sales and make the most of shopping time.

Long Island City, New York
A self-contained town known for its industrial commerce and production Long Island City’s new shopping stretches and traditions staples provide diverse shopping options. It does give visitors an edge with its thriving independent business scene with a cosmopolitan approach. Art is the one thing that one should look at picking up when visiting this New York city.

If you ask me about my shopping habits, I'd say that I would first love to explore all available shopping options, going from one store to another to understand what the city offers. Once I know what the local offerings are I'd then go hunting for the best gifts and souvenirs to take back home. For that systematic craze I call shopping, I sure need to stay put in one place for at least a couple of days. Finding good accommodations that are budget-friendly, in the centre of all the action and above all very comfortable is a must.

- Heena

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As a fashion week regular, one thing I sure swear by are some of the essentials that a fashion blogger needs to keep in mind. There are a few must have to survive the fashion week and make sure you turn up every morning as fresh as a daisy and go back home with an amazing bank of images to write about.

Comfortable shoes, a roomy bag, statement pieces of accessories, long lasting make-up and blogger tools are the most important things one has to carry all around. I see a lot of bloggers carry multiple gadgets like a camera, video recorder and voice recorder around and I really wonder how they manage juggling all of these things. I prefer to carry just my LYF mobile’s #LYFsmartphones, Earth ‘Element’ from their range which not only helps me give my readers and followers an insight into the fashion world, but also is an all-inclusive tool completely fuss free.

The Earth is a gorgeous looking phone in white with gold trims all around, and though its a very common design there is something about it that instantly appeals to me. Apart from the standard stuff, the phone has a notification LED around the power button that lights up in different colours depending upon the type of notification received. I am in particular going to speak about the battery and camera performance as that's what is most important to us bloggers.

The battery is simply outstanding, especially with the multiple apps running on the phone at the same time, it sure outlives most of its competitors. The plus point for me was that in-spite of continuously using it for practically the entire day that phone did not feel warm at any point in time. The screen is quite large and good to navigate through the social media platforms easily.

I took a little time to completely understand how the dual camera feature works but once I did, there has been no looking back. The phone beautifully guides the users to the camera's app and it offers numerous setting to play with. The primary sensor is 13 megapixels and video quality records at 1080 pixels, which is really promising. Apart from this the camera has two important settings Refocus and Foregrounder. Refocus allows to set focus on a particular point on the screen and then vary the density accordingly. Foregrounder is a more manual refocus that allows colour filters and allows to further refine the pictures.

So a smart phone with a great battery life and one that can ensure good quality pictures and videos is a must -have. If your current handset doesn't do the trick and you are forced to carry multiple gadgets that weigh you down, invest in a great friendly phone like LYF mobile's #LYFsmartphones.

Here is a glimpse of my #LakméFashionWeek Summer Resort 2016 closing show by Rohit Bal through my #Earth LYF smartphone. Enjoy.

I was lucky enough to get front row seat and thus just went clicking with my #LYFsmartphones.
- Heena

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The 16th edition of Lakmé Fashion Week held in Mumbai, featured more than 90 designers some of who are the whose who of the industry. I witnessed most of the shows first hand, sitting admits the fashion industry thanks to LYF mobiles who were the associate sponsors. The euphoria of Manish Malhotra who kicked off an elegant opening show, the heritage collection of Gaurang Shah, the ElektroCouture from Berlin showing they edge, bespoke electronic wearable technology to the Emporia collection by Wendell Rodricks to the closing show of avant-garde designer Rohit Bal has made the last four days spectacular.

With bollywood showstoppers to standout collections, #LFW 2016 also has it’s share of talented young designers who did make a mark on the Indian Fashion scenario right next to the big names in the fashion world. Though I’d love to have a piece from each of the 90 designers who showcased at #LFW, my must-have designer from this years showing are:

Ka-Sha by Karishma Shahani Khan

Karishma who graduated from London College of Fashion showcased a collection that focused on a form of storytelling. Highly influenced by multi-layered cultures and ever-changing social landscapes, Ka-Sha endeavours to celebrate handcraft in all its forms, adding to the individualistic expression in each product. Through a balance of localization and globalization, matching contrast with harmony and merging art with sustainability, the label aims to re-interpret materials with love from India.

Aiman by Aiman Agha

The design philosophy that the collection by Aiman followed was illustrative exploration, experimentation and expression. The show was an absolute transfusion of sophisticated and meticulously tailored garments with exquisite embroidery and fresh colours. The silhouettes and forms were futuristic with beautiful cuts and bright coloured embroidery. The line 'Recreate’ represented a pictorial documentation of a love sonnet, that emphasised the dainty collection beautifully.

Just as the week comes to a close, I cannot wait to go back and experiment with my style and inculcate some amazing things I’ve witnessed and captured on my #LYFsmartphones. The Earth element of the phone did not let me down and went on to compliment me and my style throughout the last 5 days of the most fashionable event of the city.

- Heena

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The surprises that Lakmé Fashion Week has in store every year keeps fashion enthusiasts on the style edge. This year there was a huge buzz about #DoubtIsOut with a huge photo wall near the main stage with fashion conscious labels. The hashtag #DoubtIsOut kept the intrigue going and I was looking forward to know more about it.

On day 3, a day of back-to-back line up of amazing designers was making my heart flutter, my mind race with design elements and my #LYFsmartphones click click. After attending Aiman, Dhruv Kapoor and my favourite Payal Singhal, Nikhil Thampi, Little Shilpa I was tuned to finally end the day with Anita Dongre’s magnetism. However that was when the surprise trust the scene! In came a flash-mob in their full glory and began an most amazing dance routine without the cautiousness of gender, age and size.

With an afternoon show the next day, #DoubtIsOut was upmost on my mind since the amazing flash-mob, with its unique theme of nothing should stop you irrespective of who you are.

Cut to 3.00 pm the next day, Reliance Industries launched its online fashion portal Ajio.com with the preview of its collection on the show that unveiled its #DoubtIsOut campaign with five unexpected show stoppers. Actor Sunny Leone, transgender activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, comedian Bharti Singh, evergreen star Helen and first woman fighter pilot Suman Sharma. With so much thought going behind creating that engagement, keeping the mystic alive and bringing together these amazing woman the team deserves a huge round of applause.

Bollywood’s original dancing star Helen walked the ramp emphasising that ‘age is no bar’

Actor Sunny Leone sashayed down to reiterate ‘personal choice is no bar’

Fighter pilot Suman Sharma walked for ‘career is no bar’

Transgender activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi wrapped up the show with her belief of ‘gender is no bar’

With a fabulous range of apparels, footwear and accessories AJIO.com will leverage Reliance’s strong sourcing, supply chain and retail operations capabilities to make a huge difference.

Apart from the amazing shows, this year Lakmé Fashion Week has been breaking a lot of stereotypes, what with a very pregnant Carol Gracia walking the ramp for Gaurang Shah to an out-an-out mens line 'Between the Lines’ by Kunal Rawal. Amazing isn't it.

- Heena

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Everyone at some point or another feels a cash crunch especially at the end of the month as money matters get worst. I have been on that side of the fence more often than not, especially since I’m a freelancer and invoice clearances get stuck in the bureaucratic mess. In such tight situations it becomes difficult to indulge in luxuries and yet sometimes we need to and still cannot; especially since I know the money is soon coming but feel the #MonthEndBroke sometimes even when it’s not the month end.

But now I can wait patiently as there is an avenue that gives me more flexibility to have cash in hand when I’m broke without having to ask my family, my friends or my colleagues for a loan. CASHe, the brain-child of private equity investor Mr. V. Raman Kumar is an ambitious venture that redefines credit in a smart-social way and assists to deal with short-term finance requirements.

At the launch of the app in Mumbai last week Mr. Kumar emphasised the need to bridge the gap in the present banking system by simplifying the borrowing experience for consumers; especially those with short-term loan requirements. The idea of CASHe app stems from this need, and thus offers a personalised experience to borrow cash anytime, anywhere within minutes.

The mobile-only lending platform CASHe was unveiled at a glittering ceremony with Bollywood’s rising star Arjun Kapoor along with CASHe’s eminent Board of Advisors comprising Dr. Rakesh Mohan, Former Deputy Governor of RBI and Director IMF, Mr. Suhel Seth, well-known marketing guru and media personality and Mr. Yezdi Lashkari, technology thought leader.

As I sat through the launch, I simultaneous downloaded the app and browsed through it. The steps of the loan are quite simple -

§ Register on the CASHe mobile app through Facebook or LinkedIn profile
§ Upload proof of employment, a scan of PAN card and a Photo
§ Within two hours the eligibility is made
§ Log in, select an amount and apply for a loan
§ CASHe will deposit the amount in the registered bank account

Using sophisticated proprietary technology that mines the borrower's social network and requests basic documentation to arrive at a 'Social Loan Quotient' (SLQ), a loan eligibility amount is attained. CASHe is going to be GenNext’s go-to modern moneylender; that makes them financial independent and responsible at the same time.

So are you ready to CASHe?
- Heena

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One of few designers that I was looking forward to this season is the master of weaves, Gaurang. His exquisite handcrafted masterpieces that have a huge jamdani influence is a rare technique that is used in the current times, especially because it takes over 2 years to weave depending on the design, colour mix and intricacy. So even before you actually land a piece it is an heirloom piece, making it a very desirable piece of art one can even wear.

The range of sarees he puts together are a fusion of yarns like khaki, mugs silk, hussar silk, organza and silk. Bringing back the discontinued technique of weaving with no machine work Jamdani, is kept under the warp in the loom and is replicated by the weaver to the finest details with floral and geometrics references drawn from nature. In kanjeevaram sarees, the korvai weaving technique on the jacquard loom is revived with traditional motifs inspired by the temple art of the 16th century. The sarees and dresses created under the banner is textile art that is an amalgamation of traditional motifs with contemporary textures.

At his show on Day 2 of Lakmé Fashion Week Summer Resort 2016 vintage silhouettes and traditional textiles worked in tandem to bring out majestic earthly colours. Aptly titled Calico, the collection showcased an exquisite range of Indian wear especially saris, crafted to display a fusing handwoven textiles like khadi, muga silk and organza with the jamdani technique. A combination of motifs that ranged from Mughal floral elements to paithani designs.

The show was buzzing with live music by Manasi Scott and her band while models strutted down the ramp. The showcase had a display of saris along with other Indian outfits that reminded me of the Belle Epoch era with puffed up and ruffle-sleeved blouses after a series of dramatic floor-grazing gowns in nudes and delicate morning hues. The sharp pleats and dramatic ruffles were a refreshing break during the season with a spectacular Spanish twist.

Another aspect of the show that I loved was Carol Gracias looking as gorgeous as ever with her baby bump and kudos to the team to taking a step in breaking fashion week stereo-types and carving a path for all women alike.

Just as his collection was inspired with natural elements of life, the range of LYF Mobile phones too is inspired by natural elements… Earth, Water, Wind and Flame. I am covering this fashion week using the Earth phone that unleashes the photographer in me. With a dual camera of 13MP + 2MP, the phone ensures vivid pictures even at night. The breath-taking detail with ChromaFlash, Re-Focus, Fast Focus, and OptiZoom adds life to images and even allows to edit and perfect photos with intuitive tools. Apart from this the phone comes with marathon 3500 mAh battery which is a desirable piece of technology one can use.

- Heena

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