Expresso Lifestyle News Highlights of the week

In fashion news: The BAFTA awards, known as the British film industry’s equivalent of the Oscars, showcased the best of red-carpet fashion on Sunday, 18th February with many Hollywood A-listers flaunting their sartorial glamour. Among them, our very own Deepika Padukone turned heads as she took on the role of presenter at the awards function. Deepika stunned in a shimmering Sabyasachi sari adorned with sequins throughout, paired elegantly with a matching strappy blouse. She completed her ensemble with statement earrings, minimal makeup, and a chic messy bun. Margot Robbie exuded old Hollywood glam in a custom gown by Giorgio Armani Privé. Her velvety opera gloves, drop earrings, nude makeup, and perfectly knotted bun complemented her look.

London Fashion Week was kicked off on Friday, 16th February with Irish designer Paul Costelloe championing classic looks and bringing a little bit of nostalgia to the catwalk as the showcase event celebrated its 40th birthday. The 78-year-old designer, who could not attend the show due to illness, presented a mix of whites, dark greys and plenty of tweeds in his “Once upon a Time” autumn/winter 2024 collection, described as “Where Limerick meets Downtown New York”. Costelloe said in show notes, “This collection expresses my view that classic design still has its place in high fashion. I have added a personal moment of nostalgia by adding a print based on the street where I once lived.”

Beyoncé's ability to uplift any look to haute couture status is indisputable, and she arrived at New York Fashion Week looking nothing short of spectacular. This wasn’t the first time the singer-songwriter left audiences awestruck in the Indian couturier’s creations, having donned his designs for her Renaissance tour. To support her nephew (her sister Solange’s son) making his debut as a model, Beyoncé effortlessly rocked a celestial grey embellished blazer dress layered over a matching hooded sheer bodysuit and thigh-high boots. Embracing the cowgirl theme to match the news of her latest singles, she polished off the look with oversized sunglasses, a holographic Luar bag, and, naturally, her trusty cowboy hat.

In travel news: The idyllic island of Bali recently implemented a new tourism tax, effective February 14, 2024. While this might add a small bump to your travel budget, don’t let it dampen your spirit. The tax amount is IDR 150,000 (approximately USD 10) per person, per visit. The tax applies to all international visitors except for Indonesian citizens, permanent residents, and specific visa holders. Visitors can make an online payment through the LOVE BALI website or app before arrival. Cash payment options are available at designated entry points. If you’re planning to explore other parts of Indonesia like Lombok or the Gili Islands, consider a multi-destination trip to optimise your tax payment.

The Ministry of Tourism has curated the Swadesh Darshan program, highlighting exceptional destinations for an unforgettable experience to showcase the country’s incredible beauty and cultural wealth. Here are some of the top destinations to visit. 1) Hampi in Karnataka which offers intricate architecture, ancient temples, and vibrant bazaars. 2) Ajanta and Ellora Caves, Maharashtra. 3) tranquillity of the backwaters at Kumarakom, Kerala. 4) White Desert during the Rann Utsav in Gujarat. 5) Leh-Ladakh offers breathtaking landscapes. 6) wildlife safari at Kaziranga National Park, Assam. 7) Varanasi.

In arts and culture news: At the recently concluded India Design ID 2024 in Delhi, the 31-year-old Dimapur-based designer, Aku Zeliang brought the skills of his family craft to his cane and bamboo furniture. Talking to The Indian Express, he said “One of the collections is inspired by the Konyak dances where people are dressed in black and wear colourful jewellery. With an ancient civilisation that had no script, it was the tattoos that became a way of communication. These are the motifs you see on our tables and chairs. We have also reimagined the tiger spirit tattoo, usually seen on Naga warriors."

The time of Basant Panchmi, which celebrated the onset of spring with colourful flowers, was an apt backdrop for the annual Delhi Tulip Festival — a unique initiative that celebrates Indo-Dutch maitri or friendship. Several roundabouts and parks in the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) area greeted visitors with these vibrant and happy tulips. For the last four years, the roundabouts in Delhi’s Chanakyapuri have lit up in these effervescent tulips in many colours as the NDMC has been organising the Delhi Tulip Festival across a 1.5 km stretch of Shanti Path. The festival’s second edition was held from February 10th to 21st 2024.

Lastly: Renowned Urdu poet Gulzar and Sanskrit scholar Jagadguru Rambhadracharya have been named the recipients of the 58th Jnanpith Award, the Jnanpith selection committee announced on Saturday, 17th February. Gulzar is known for his works in Hindi cinema and is considered one of the finest Urdu poets of this era. He earlier received the Sahitya Akademi Award for Urdu in 2002, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2013, and the Padma Bhushan in 2004. In a statement, the Jnanpith selection committee said, “It has been decided to give the award (for 2023) to eminent writers from two languages: Sanskrit litterateur Jagadguru Rambhadracharya and well known Urdu litterateur Shri Gulzar.”