What Do You Know?

India all the way

Summer in New York is never the same without Umang Hutheesing,quot; said a senior curator of a national museum. We were sipping Vueve Clicquot at a tasteful functionorganised by Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia to raise money for the Balkan8217;s Relief Benefit. The Princess, a charming and entrepreneurial lady who has a perfume named after her, had collected some fabulous art and craft items donated by the who8217;s who of American society, which were being auctioned. Helping her with this cause was another royalty-in-exile figure, the Marquise Antonia De Potago, who though legally blind, coordinated the entire event. The guest list itself was impressive as Rockefellers? nudged elbows with Trumps and Barbara Taylor Bradford revealed the plot of her new epic novel to Joan quot;Shall we talkquot; Rivers. Not possessing a black tie I went wearing a gram udyog khadi churidar kurta set and was amazed to find that I was not the only person that evening in Indian garb! Several of the evening8217;s guests came wearing Jodhpurs, bandh gallas and sarees. As I met several of them I was amazed to find how the article in the June issue of Vogue titled quot;All the Rajquot; had influencedthe dress code of the evening. This article featured a part of the exquisite and priceless collection of antique costumes and accessories of princely India, a collection owned and maintained by that patron of Indian textile, Umang Hutheesing. His passion for fashion is already legendary in the world8217;s capitals, from Milan to Paris to London to New York. So when Vogue decided to come to Bombay to shoot a small feature on Bollywood and its phillum stars, the editor of the magazine made a courtesy call to Hutheesing. In conversation Hutheesing mentioned to the editor his current venture to restore his ancestral wadi and make it into a cultural playground for artists and craftsmen. Vogue immediately seized the opportunity and implored Hutheesing to let them display some of the amazing pieces in his collection. This then came to be the centerpiece of the magazine titled quot;All the Rajquot;. Hutheesing, a stickler for detail not only lent his collection for display but also used his creative eye andimmense production skills not to mention his enviable contacts and participated in art directing and coordinating the mammoth shoot. The results are spectacular and the effect the article had on this summers fashion scene is stellar.

Transgender trust

The past fortnight the city became the Big Fruit as over 6,00,000 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender folk took part in celebrating gay pride.Marching down 5th Avenue the parade celebrated three decades of gay liberation and equality rights that ensued post the historic Stonewall Riots. Back in India gay icon Ashok Row Kavi and a band of merry fairies marched through the gutters of Calcutta in what one hopes will eventually become a annual movement for equality rights and social acceptance of what is a scientifically proven fact, sexuality is not a choice, it8217;s a genetic inheritance. Meanwhile the gay scene in Bombay thankfully is becoming more vocal and assured about its rights. A new group called Gay Bombay is complimenting the yeoman effortsof Humsafar Trust in providing a support group for more and more gay and lesbian persons tired of living a life of hypocrisy and patriarchal subjugation. Here in Manhattan the South Asian diaspora celebrated their pride in style with participating in the parade and hosting one of the best parties. This year8217;s attendance soared to over 700 revelers and the association that organised it SALGA recorded more subscriptions than ever before. Way to go.

Riyad Wadia, avant garde film-maker, is currently at home in New York.