The Budget Fashionista

Vogue Diaries

Hello to anyone who reads my blog ! 

1st - I have been a very mean blogger ! I missed my blog's 1st anniversary ! 11th Nov 2010 ! :'( 

Anyway, Belated Happy Bloggiversary to me ! 

So, its been 4 weeks since I started work at Vogue, India. 

I.Am.In.Heaven. 

Anyone who is more of a photo person may not enjoy this - its going to be a long read...

My day starts with my usual morning dreams (someday if I manage to remember all of them clearly I will write about my dreams and believe me if I made a movie out of my dreams I would be a millionaire!). Once I am out of bed I scan through my cupboard and pull out endless clothes (It is a task to actually fold and put them back before leaving!). I select my inspiration of the day (inspirations range from 80s, to hippie to a tree - yes i was a tree one day!), try things out, mix n match and accessorize. By this time I am late already. I dash to the railway station. Every morning is a marathon run, pushing, pulling and jumping into the limited fast train at the last minute. Indian Local Trains are a horror at peak hours. Lucky, I am tall, I can manage to breathe, or by now I would have died from either the stench of underarm sweat and unwashed hair or a major overload of grumbling fussy women who push and poke so hard, your bones Will crush.

Eventually, I reach CST station in one piece, take a share cab and head to the office. The Vogue office spells grandeur the moment I enter. I make it a point to freshen up in the bathroom and finally get to work. By work I mean first observing what everyone around me is wearing. Right from the Editor to the interns, everyone is dressed to inspire! I have not seen so many beautifully dressed people under one roof anywhere else. In fact just yesterday Bandana Tewari, the Fashion Features Director, made a gold sequin jacket work wonders for a day look! They make even the most basic white T-shirt and blue jeans look amazing with paying special attention to the accessories. It is true, Fashion is in the details. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get any photographs, since I am on a tight schedule
(Vogue Team Blog - lots of photographs available here) 

As more people start filling in, the office inhales the smell of strong coffee arriving on almost all the desks. In due course I begin my real work. I am working on the Spring/Summer Trend Report 2011 supplement. Every 6 months Vogue comes up with these supplements, S/S and A/W, covering all the major trends of that season. Basically, a photo and fashion lover’s delight.  My job involves going through every single spring summer runway photographs from Paris, Milan, New York, London and of course India, trend spotting, sorting trends and photographs, deciding which look fits best into which trend, shortlisting, balancing the advertisers, making phone calls and sending out e-mails to many designers. Its very interesting, especially knowing the fact that I am one of the contributors for the Spring Summer Trend Report and my opinion matters to Vogue! :)  

The first to weeks were tedious and we worked even on holidays since we had deadlines to meet. Last week was better, I managed to find time to socialize with some wonderful people at Vogue. The best part about being here is the friendly atmosphere. I had expected arrogance and rudeness, since I have heard such things from friends working at certain other magazines. On the contrary, there is so much respect, even for an intern. There isn’t one person who won’t smile at you. Everyone around is unconditionally helpful. Its a delight working here. 

Lunch hour at Vogue is a celebration, everyday. I am surrounded by mouthwatering lunch ordered from some of the most interesting places in town. Some days me and my colleagues also go down to Brittania, an old Parsi restaurant, owned by the sweetest Parsi man I have ever met. We also order food from Cafe Modal - amazing Pav Bhaji and Dosa! Also, almost every alternate day, somebody celebrates their birthday and cakes are ordered from Bad Addictions. I am willing to pay you with my life if you can find me a cake better than what arrives from this little bakery! The cake literally melts in your mouth! (That reminds me I have been on a chocolate diet since I joined Vogue... I don’t know how these people manage to remain so thin!!) 

Back to work, the other day, we had a meeting regarding the supplement with the Editor, Priya Tanna, Fashion Director, Anaita Shroff Adajania (my idol), Fashion Features Editor Bandana Tewari, and Junior Fashion Editor, Archana Walavalkar (the sweetest person I have ever known). I was so excited just to be in the same room with these remarkable people and actually witnessing a Vogue meeting, I don’t think I registered even 50% of the conversation. I was in my own little La-la-land!!!! Its like one of those moments you record in history, you just sit back and watch it all happen, like a movie. I am not even sure how to describe what I felt!

I was talking to Apoorva Singh, the Fashion Coordinator, a few days back. And guess what? Apparently I am not an intern! I am Freelancing for Vogue India. Its like they’ve hired me for 10 weeks. Because I get paid way more than the interns do! So hooray!

Vogue Facts:

• All the designers send their look books or press kits to magazines so they can select what items to call for shoots or which item to publish in the magazine. The presentation of these look books is very important. My favorite was the Diesel look book. They’ve presented it like a dvd, with a proper Diesel DVD cover - giving credits to the designers. When you open it there is a real DVD with the looks in it and on the other side there are 3 small look books - male, female and accessories. Each living up to the Diesel image. Sorry for no photograph. It would be kind of illegal to click pictures of the look book and publish it here before Vogue does.

• The advertisers are always given first preference because obviously that is where the revenues come in. (Even though some may have done a pathetic job, we Have to fit them in. They pay a BOMB after all!)

• The advertisements you see in the magazine, e.g. Dior ads, Burberry ads, etc are mostly designed by the graphic artists at Vogue. The advertisers send in a few photographs of their shoots and the graphic artists here select which photograph suits the magazine’s image best. Each magazine has a different layout of advertisements. E.g. GQ has a very classy clean look whereas Vogue is more feminine, fun. (Wow, I never noticed this earlier). Anyway, there are very few advertisers who design and send their ads exactly the way they want it to look in the magazine.

• At least three proof readings are done per page before it goes in to print. If the editor - the final proofreader points out even one mistake, the process is repeated again.

• Vogue has endless number of interns coming in from all over the world for brief periods.

• And to all you Vogue fans - NO the Vogue office looks NOTHING like what they show in Ugly Betty. But Yes it is the biggest magazine office compared to all the other magazine offices in India. And glamour is in the fashion here, not the looks of the office.



P.s – Did I mention about the Freebies? I was lucky enough to be around when they were clearing out the old magazines. I got quiet a few international Vogues home.

Another thing, the Beauty department had a sale with amazing beauty products. Everything was sold for Rs. 200. Even products worth 1500 to 3000! Of course me and the interns were the last ones to go in. But luckily there were things left for us.

So I got this for 200 !

And this for FREE ! Since the doors to the sale opened I could smell something heavenly and I knew I had to have it! The minute I entered I was delighted to know it was this little Forest Essentials Body Polisher. And luckily enough for me, no one else had touched it since the oil was leaking. But I picked it up in a plastic bag and was about to pay for it when the sweetheart Beauty and Health Director Geeta Rao stopped me and said I could have it for free! I was jumping (in my mind)! This was meant for me. Yay.

So, that’s about it for now. Again, my apologies for the lack of photographs. Will try to get some next week, if possible.

Till next time.

x,
Heta.

Fireworks!

It is festive time in India - Diwali or the Festival of Lights. The streets and skies are engulfed by roaring Fire Crackers. This is the time when India sparkles ! Also, according to the Indian calendar its New Year for us! So Happy Diwali and a very Happy New Year to everyone! 

The last two weeks have been very eventful for me. Diwali cleaning is a routine for all families in India. Your house gets a bath and your wardrobe gets a makeover this time of the year. So that led to two weeks of crazy shopping and an amazing makeover to my wardrobe ! Wu-hoo ! Also, my niece Avika completed a year on this planet on 3rd Nov 2010 and actually enjoyed her 1st Diwali with a lot of cracker bursting! 

Avika clapping and giving a thumbs up to her 1st Diwali

Also, U.S. President Barack Obama is in Mumbai at the moment, accompanied by the lovely and very stylish First Lady Mrs. Michelle Obama. This article by famous Indian author Shobhaa De reflects almost exactly what I feel about the President's visit.  

http://shobhaade.blogspot.com/2010/11/mumbai-masti-for-obamas.html

And so, finally, this is the best time to announce the best news I've had for myself probably since I was born - I AM GOING TO VOGUE !!!! :D 8th November 2010 will be the 1st day of the rest of my life!
I will be working with them for 10 weeks on a particular project.

So my posts will probably be limited - Lets face it, I am a lazy blogger ! 

Until next time ! 

Lady Dexter

I've been watching this soap - Dexter (No, not Dexter's laboratory! I love that too btw!) Anyway, Dexter is about this Blood Splatter Analyst who turns into a psychotic killer by night.. but kills only the Bad Guys who the cops can't catch ! Cool eh ?

I was very inspired to do this collage - What if I was Lady Dexter ?

I'd wear this heavenly Versace patent leather strapless dress - which gives me the confidence to rule the world !! 
I'd team it with THE McQueen Jacket
John Lewis Hat and Ray-Ban Black Club Master glasses would be an essential to hide my true identity ! 
I'd put on my DSQUARED Ring and Chain Gloves during the act 
A Michael Kors gold-plated stainless steel watch keeps me on my schedule !
These beautiful Gina Shoes for my flight ! 
And finally black lipstick and Max and Chloe Lionette Venus Necklace adds a touch of Sexy to the Murder !

India's got style !

So.. I've decided to put up different, New looks every time I'm free... Its about time I display how the locals in India dress - parties, street, or whatever kinds of looks I manage to find ! Anyone who's interested can mail me their look along with details about where the garments, accessories, shoes etc are from and whichever I like best will go up on my blog immediately ! You can send in as many pics as you like.. but just make sure its a solo picture and the garments must be clearly visible ! 

Here's my very first LOOK ! 

INVIGORATING ELEGANCE

Photo courtesy : Ananya Kewalramani, student

Dress : Forever 21

Shoes : Charles & Keith 

Vogue India : Manish Arora

As a tribute to this month's Commonwealth Games, designer Manish Arora guest-styled a shoot for Vogue India's October (anniversary) issue. This is by far THE MOST exciting shoot I have ever seen ! My favourite ones - Badminton and Swimming ! Hats off to Manish Arora. Photographed by Diego Fuga.

WINNER'S PODIUM

JAVELIN

HOCKEY

RUGBY

ARCHERY

BASKETBALL

BADMINTON

GYMNASTICS

HAMMER THROW

SWIMMING

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Look of the day!

Since I am so jobless currently, I decided to play my FAV. game - Dress your friend up, whether they like it or not!! So tadaa !! Another fun shoot with my darling photographer - Vidhi Doshi ! I tried giving a 50s tea party feel to this shoot... turned out pretty well !

Dress - Zara

Beads - Bangkok

Clips - Mumbai roads !

Ring - Accessorize

Bag - Vintage, hand-me-down

Red lipstick - Dior

Styling & Make up - Heta Bhuta

Photography - Vidhi Doshi

Model - My sweetheart Shraddha Bagrodia

xoxo

Heta Bhuta

Your Moment is Waiting

Its a calm day... after a long time.. So best option - to share something that takes me to my serene land every time I watch it - Your moment is Waiting - the latest ad film for Kerala tourism. It is a magical film that makes you drift away to the tranquil heaven in India.

The ad film was conceptualized and made a reality by the Vodafone Zoozoo fame director Prakash Varma who has been handling Kerala tourism brand promotion. Featuring upcoming international model Miriam Ilorah along with the soulful music this ad gives an exotic feel.

The film is part of an integrated campaign, kicking off in the U.K. incorporating advertising, public relations activity and social media components. In what is deemed to be another first for a destination board, Kerala Tourism is also targeting iPad users with an in-application advertising campaign.

This ad is highly intense and trance-like, the deep philosophical visuals form an eerie and supernatural mood. I am not sure how many would actually want to visit God's own country after watching certain haunting images in the film. Nonetheless it is an extremely visually appealing film and a treat to the senses.

For me, this film is a piece of art, open to individual interpretation. Personally, I am in love with it !

Carrie Chau

Wow... its been ages since I've visited my own blog ! My apologies to all who bother to read this blog and even sometimes hope the author gets off her lazy ass and starts blogging! :p

So, here's my latest find !!

Carrie Chau, born in Hong Kong, creates some of the most beautiful paintings. I discovered this artist when I downloaded an interesting theme on my Nokia handset from the Ovi store. I loved the mobile themes by her so much, I had to google her. And voila ! I landed onto www.wunyingcollection.com and couldn't help but browse through all her paintings!

These are some of my favorite ones!

Adam & Eve

So.. my internship's going pretty well... learning quite a few things... at the moment I'm at work and pretty jobless for the time being(no it does not happen everyday!! I have a lottt of work on regular days!)... so here's another random thought I had in the train the other day (yes I traveled by Indian Local Train after ages and yes it was scary!!)

A few days back I was watching one of my favorite movies - Before Sunset (Anyone who hasn't seen this.. MUST WATCH NOW!! ) Its a story of two strangers in a foreign land exploring the place and enjoying the day with each other and talking about a million topics all of which I can talk about for hours !!

One of the topics in the movie included something about all of us being a part of 1 single soul... something I have been thinking about in periodic philosophical moments. So the other day while I was in the train.. my brain had nothing better to do.. I ended up noticing everybody in my compartment -eyes, nose, smile, face structure (some may have even thought I was gay 'coz I was staring so much..:S ) Anyway.. Its so weird how you can classify the face types - big nose, small nose, square face, round face, big eyes, hardly any eyes, big lips, small lips etc and then theres the 'medium'. There is beautiful and theres ugly and theres 'hmm..common' (again this depends on different perspectives)

So thats when I remembered the movie and thought well maybe all of us are a million pieces of one special soul... Each of us resemble someone or the other.. My eyes may look like someone else's , my lips may resemble someone else... So in some way or the other all of us are somehow connected...

Thats when this theory struck me!!
God divided 1 soul into two parts... Adam and Eve...

Eve was the pretty damsel, perfect features, perfect body, perfect hair, everything "perfect and pretty"

Whereas Adam was the ugly guy - probably fat, with bulgy eyes, rashes, broken or twisted teeth, with a big beard and everything ugly

They fell in love... coz they didn't have a choice (!!) and had kids - the pretty ones, the ugly ones and the "middle" ones... and probably the world expanded thus.
This again raises another pile of philosophical questions.. who was the good and who was the evil? How did all of that start?? Was Eve the snobbish evil bitch and Adam the poor fat aimless guy? Or was Adam the gigantic evil man who ruled over his petite innocent princess? :S

Why is pretty and ugly predefined ? Who decides this? Why can't tall and fat be the in thing? Why can't 'black' be the hottest skin color on everyone's list? Whats with the pretty/ugly/normal discrimination?

Hmm... so that was the pondering brain of a jobless woman who should now really shut up and get back to work... so until next time!!

tata!

Heta

P.s- Before Sunrise has a sequel before sunset... which they shot with the same cast literally after 10 years.. also really awesome!

Latest finds

My awesome owl necklace!! The moment I se my eyes on it I knew it belonged to me!

And this genuine leather butterfly laptop bag... I want it so much for my new Mac but unfortunately it costs Rs. 5,400 *shattering heart* If anyone's willing to gift it to me.. u can find it at the store "Taxxi and Vitamin K" at Bandra, Linking road, next to Mango... *sigh*

Anyway, so i finally start my first round of internship at an export house called Vaishali Garments Pvt. Ltd. (www.vemb.biz).. will be working with the creative head of the company... merchandising, styling etc... starts tomorrow... 22nd june 2010... marking the beginning of my hunt for the career that was meant for me... Need all the luck in the world!!

MJ Photoshoot!!

Finally got down to editing the pictures of MJ Shoot!! It was a low low budget shoot + am just an amateur so please forgive any faux pas! The garments are up for sale!

(Might wanna click on the images for larger view!!)

Garments by H+I (Heta Bhuta and Ishani Tolia)

Models: Irfan Fafoo, Bijal Sharma, Katrina

Make up: Shraddha Lotlikar

Photography: Again, Vidhi Doshi, my luv!!

Styling: H+I

Photo-editing: Heta Bhuta

Luv,

Heta

Pirate of the Indian Ocean ;)

Another shoot... helped a friend with styling for a college project...comments are welcome!!

Phototgraphy : Vidhi Doshi

Make up : Vidhi Doshi and Heta Bhuta

Styling : Ishani Tolia and Heta Bhuta

Photot editing : Heta Bhuta

Sex and the City 2

Sooo!!! After a long long wait "Sex and the City 2" released!! The most awaited movie of the year!! I went to watch the movie with my girls - high expectations, excitement, in spite of bad reviews I knew I could watch it on mute only because its SEX AND THE CITY!!

Half an hour into the movie and my dreams were shattered!!

Beginning with the story... RUBBISH!!! For the first 2 hours I kept waiting for something to happen... everything HAPPENED in the last half hour. No sex (since the Indian Censor Board practically cut out half the movie), No City (why the desert and sand and sand and sand?) I even yawned in the middle of the movie... in the middle of SATC!!

Carrie - If my husband gave me a black diamond solitaire for every guy i kissed, I would have covered half the world by now....what was that about? seriously??

Samantha - U know you are in Abu Dhabi, you can see they take offense if u try to seduce your male counterpart in public, you both stay in the same hotel, GET A ROOM! why the beach? why?

Charlotte - If you have a bra-less nanny and your husband's sprinkling water on her white t-shirt... GET ANOTHER NANNY!

Miranda - Hmm didn't really notice you much in the movie except a few nice dresses here and there..

Acting - SJP why why why were you so over excited to be in the sequel? Why were you hopping around like a new born bunny? And why in the name of God were your breasts pushed up so much through out the movie and shoved right into our faces? why??

Now, the fashion...

DISAPPOINTMENT!! Sex and the City 1 was heaven compared to this one... sorry but who can help comparing? SATC2 did not have one dress or accessory at which my heart jumped!! Except for the Christian Loubotin golden sparkle pumps.. I felt so let down... could have done so much better... But not entirely Patricia Field's fault... she did what the movie required... Never mind...

Heres a look at some of the garments:

Halston Heritage dress by Neiman Marcus along with a Chiristian Loubotin shoes, which I love, a Solange Azagury-Partridge necklace, Aviator and a Chanel clutch.

Emilio Pucci gown. I like. Those glasses!! I want!!!

Dress, Halston. Bag, Christian Loubotin. Pumps, Christian Loubotin. Orange Aviators, Ray Ban. Cuff, Amrita Singh. Jennifer Zeuner Clover Necklae.

Kim Catrall and Miley Cyrus in the same dress. Dress, thumbs up. But did those hideous shoes come with the dress? Miley, halloween's over, those horrendous spikes need to go, now!

I luv Kim's necklace though.

On Miranda - Bottega Veneta Dress. On Samantha - a dress by Patricia Fields, Very very sexy! On Charlotte - Dior all the way!

Like only what Carrie's wearing. Rest scares me!

SJP!!! How could you even agree to wear THAT!! The PANTS!! *Barf* need fresh air NOW NOW NOW

Back to the 80s ?? I like. Especially Samantha! Love that confidence!

And finally, the John Galliano for Dior newspaper print dress from his Fall 2000 collection... Some things are best left in the past... Sure newspaper prints rocked back then... no matter how much even SATC tries, it cannot hope to revive this!! Today, it is simply HIDEOUS!! Sorry SJP!

So thats about SATC2... I apologize for any kind of offense but I had extremely high hopes from this movie... Overall, apart from a few dresses and the golden sparkle shoes, its a thumbs down.

Later,

Heta.