BENGALURU: Bengaluru, apart from being the IT hub, is also known as the fashion capital of India. Youth of the city not only keep up with the trends of today, but also take to online blogs to analyse and share insights on the subject. Fashion blogs run by 19-24 year olds in the city are garnering attention on the internet. Some of these blogs, while reflecting the admin’s personal style, have gone on to inspire their own line of apparel.
‘Don’t Follow Trends. They’ll Leave You Broke’
Allen Claudius, a Bengaluru-based creative director and storyteller, runs the blog Bowties & Bones. He was featured as one of India’s Best Dressed Men in the February 2014 issue of GQ India. “I have always been fond of writing. Growing up, I was short and fat and I never had any luck with girls. But I used to write love letters for other boys who wanted to impress girls in my class,” he says. After graduating from college, Claudius wrote for websites about hip-hop music, lifestyle and fashion. When his posts on the UK-based fashion blog Menswear Style were voted among the best 10 blog posts of 2013, he decided to start his own blog. While vacationing in Istanbul in the summer of 2014, he launched his own website. About his blog, he says, “I believe in making no bones about what I believe in. I do not talk like I know it all, nor do I separate my art from what I am as a person. All that you see is how my life really is.” Claudius advises his readers to “never try to follow trends, as it will leave you broke and with no personal identity.” Instead, he urges them to focus on developing their style. “I am minimalist in my approach. Easy, comfortable, no fuss fashion is what I worked into my image and have maintained it over the years. Every now and then, there is a bit of evolution but the core remains the same. Identify your image and the kind of fashion elements you would want to build into it,” he says.
‘I Learnt The Value of Indian Artistry Abroad’
Sayesha Sachdev is a fashionista who shuttles between Bengaluru and Kolkata. Her mother, Jyothi Sachdev, is a well-known designer who recently showcased her collection at the Shaan-e-Pakistan Show. “I love playing with textures, colours and fabrics. I used to look forward to skipping school and going to my mother’s warehouse. I would pick up stacks and stacks of waste fabric to work on ideas I thought of the night before,” Sayesha says. Sayesha did a course in fashion communication and promotion at Central Saint Martins, UAL, London, and realised the importance of the artistry we have here in India. She then came back to India to explore the Eastern region, where the craftsmanship is supposedly exceptional. “It is glamorous on the outside but hustles to stay alive on the inside. “ She has worked with brands in London and assisted designers on projects with Saint Laurent, Lanvin and even had the opportunity to meet and explore ideas with Domenico and Stefano of D&G. She has also worked with Harper’s Bazaar on their seventh anniversary issue. Through her blog Showsomeclarse, she shares her ideas and designs. “Fashion is something that comes naturally to me. Like how a New Yorker wakes up to a cup of coffee, I wake up to a universe of inspiration,” she says.
‘Keep It Simple’
Pankaj Soni is a men’s wardrobe consultant, designer and blogger who dreams of creating a fashion empire. His blog, named Psmenzblogger, focuses on lifestyle hacks and fashion trends with a touch of philosophy. His clothing line includes super formals, casuals, semi-formals, party-wear and ethnic outfits. His posts talk about summer fashion, quick looks for various occasions and skin-care tips for men. Soni organised a grooming session with 14 models. They were given makeovers and a photo shoot was held. “We are planning to expand the grooming sessions and bring in people from all walks of life,” he adds.
‘I’m Building My Own Store On Commercial Street’
Arzoo Sait (19) calls herself a ‘fashion addict’ and has a clothing line of her own at the renowned Anchal Bridal Gallery on Commercial Street. Her blog, called The Orange Bowtie, is inspired by her love for the fashion of the ‘60s. Her style ranges from simple to over-the-top glamorous. Sait has a diploma in fashion styling and product design from Istituto Marangoni, an Italian school. “That is what sets me apart. A lot of bloggers claim to be stylists or even designers without a proper background in fashion,” she says. At 18, she launched her capsule collection in London with the help of her tutors. “My big break was when I worked with British Vogue at the Vogue Festival last year. I later partnered with two of my favourite designers at London Fashion Week,” Sait says. When she came to Bengaluru, half way through her course, she decided to rebrand a section of her family’s designer gallery under her name. This spring-summer season, she started her own bridal collection that sold out in weeks. “I’m opening my own store on Commercial Street soon. It is now under construction.” she says.