Going places

“Jimmy Choo has always had a strong connection to India. It has not only inspired parts of our collection with an emphasis on jewels and craftsmanship,but we have witnessed loyal support from our Indian customers globally,” says Tamara Mellon,Founder and President of Jimmy Choo.

Black showed an Indian fantasy collection at the London Fashion Week inspired by the drape,print and regality of the Indian turban. His collection also featured jodhpurs in fine fabrics and vivid colours teamed with satin blouses and cropped jackets.

Canali scion Paolo Canali says of India,“Our historical roots are definitely the same,the artisan skills are strong. If you look at the fashion industry per se,the most prominent companies lost that heritage because they found it more suitable to explore other avenues and became mass market and quantity oriented. But in Italy emphasis remains on artisan skills and on custom tailoring.”

For designers like Roberto Cavalli and Hermes,their love affair with India is long past its infancy. Cavalli describes in

The New York Times a trip to Chennai for one of his collections made of leather as “one of the most fabulous trips of my life.” Hermes’ latest Indian offering is its Beloved India scarves in bold and contrasting colours with floral and geometric patterns and traditional motifs like the elephant. The scarves are in cashmere and embroidered silks embellished with sequins and glass beads.

It was Wes Anderson’s film,Darjeeling Limited,crowded with images of the Himalayas and children walking in their school uniforms,which inspired Paul Smith’s Fall/Winter Collection ‘09. The collection comprises of jerseys,frock coats and knit wear with a lot of layering,intricate embroidery and detailing.

“India has long held a deep fascination for the Germans,” says Lutz Bethge,CEO

of Mont Blanc that launched its limited edition Mahatma Gandhi fountain pens and rollerblades on Gandhi Jayanti. “It has the same potential as China,which was not even in our top 10 markets but is now our biggest.”

Also high on the exotic quotient is singer Shakira’s new album She Wolf. “I have music from India,the Middle East and a little bit of Columbian influences. I have always loved disco,so the new record has disco elements but also house and electropop,” the sultry singer told Vanity Fair.

Close on Shakira’s heels is Drew Barrymore who’s planning her next documentary in India after her directorial debut Whip It. It will be a follow up to her self-financed report about the youth vote in America Choose or Lose Presents: The Best Place to Start,shown in MTV in 2004.

These are good times indeed when the world might be facing an economic meltdown but the Indian star still seems to be on the rise.