India Chic

When my grandmother moved to India over 60 years ago she was fresh out of college and newly married to my grandfather, a United Nations diplomat. They settled in Delhi just as the subcontinent began the transition from being ruled by white sahibs and maharajas to becoming the biggest democracy in our world today. While my grandfather filled his days with UN business, my grandmother submerged herself in urban India’s art and culture scene. She aided struggling artists get visas abroad, where they were soon catapulted into fame. Modernist painter M.F. Hussain and Ravi Shankar were amongst her friends. My grandmother helped these artists leave India to achieve their dreams because in India it was en vogue to emulate Anglo culture. So-called positivism art and distinctly Indian music was not chic to the few wealthy Indians who could afford to support the artists. It must be noted however that M.F. Hussain one of India's best known artists is also highly controversial artist. Hussain has been accused of obscenity in several cases filed against him in a number of Indian states. He is alleged to have offended Hindus with a painting in which he represented India as nude goddess. 

Nude 'Bharatmata' Painting by MF Hussain

Photo: This Year's India Fashion Week

I am happy to say that "not chic" is is the case no longer. I recently returned from three months in India, a trip that I had been dreaming of since childhood when I sat enraptured by grandmother’s tales of exotic adventures across the Subcontinent. Having read numerous books about the growing “consumer class” in India and the globalization—or Americanization—occuring around the globe, I worried that I might find Mumbai (formerly Bombay) and other cosmopolitan hubs filled with women in jeans and Wal-Marts. Wealthy Indians are indeed growing in number and in wealth, but I discovered that this does not necessarily coincide with the forsaking of Indian culture and style.  In fact, it has lent itself to a fantastic convergence of Western trends that you might spot at New York’s fashion week and Indian traditions.  Luxury malls not only contain Louis Vuitton and Prada, but also local designers. Wandering around Colaba, in South Mumbai you can stumble upon a number of designer shops. They contain western-styled fashions made from beautiful Indian cut-silks, elaborate wedding sarees, printed cotton kaftans for the beach and beaded gold sandals. What’s great is that these aren’t just exotic finds for wealthy tourists to wear in Goa, but are pieces that you see Indian women wearing out on the street (though she may have a Prada handbag to accessorize…).

For one, you can see this in the case of music. Mumbai has a number of hip, high-end music venues and clubs where you can find a renowned tabla player just as often as an international jazz quartet. Musicians no longer must seek financial stability abroad, but can find a base of support from Indian youth and adults alike. South Indian film composer AR Rahman has been a national celebrity in India for decades and only recently came to international attention, winning a Golden Globe and Academy Award last year for Slumdog Millionaire. He is known for combining rock, pop, Carnatic, Hindustani and Western classical styles to create a uniquely modern—yet Indian—sound. 

Indians have always been adept at creating great hotels (the Taj Mahal in Bombay was established in 1903 after its creator was refused entry into the “whites only” British-run luxury hotel), but this year the ITC group has taken it to a new level. The ITC’s Royal Gardenia Hotel in Bangalore has opened India’s first LEED-certified eco-hotel and is based on the concept of merging luxury and environmental-friendliness, proving that you don’t have to forgo one for the other. Décor is inspired by local Mysore design, and Indian reviews raved that the bathrooms even include Indian-style toilets (a surprising rarity in the country), also proving that you mustn’t trade Indian traditions for Western-style luxury... as exemplified by the unique vertical gardens in the Royal Gardenia's lobby. 

Finally, and what was most exciting to me, was the fashion in India’s urban centres. While I was expecting to find the great fabrics of Rajasthan and chunky Tibetan silver in the North, I hadn’t anticipated the fantastic, rather high-end shopping in Mumbai, Delhi and Calcutta. 

My favorite store was Bombay Electric, where they source hand-woven cashmere sweaters, vintage photos of maharajas, and sequined mini-dresses made from Indian cut-silk (as shown above). 

Guest Post Author For Globally Gorgeous:

Sarah Malachowsky

Modernist Dollhouse with Education for Kids on Eco-friendly Living

Im not sure if I want to put this on my wish list or my daughter's wish list either way, the Emerson modernist dollhouse by Brinca Dada just unveiled at the New York City Toy Fair is a dream.  The whole family will want to get involved in decorating and pretend living in this house.

Not only is it modern, open and clean...its "green!" Its features include six rooms with a large open floor plan, floor to ceiling windows, mitered-glass corners, two fireplaces, sliding glass doors AND solar panels, recessed LED lights, and non-toxic lead-free wood stain and paints.

Brinca Dada's Emerson dollhouse is designed by architect Tim Boyle and is inspired by Neutra's Kaufmann Desert House.  

 What's more?  Its actually affordable ($299) and built for playing as compared with others of it's type such as Sirch's Villa Sibi ($850)

While on the topic, another great dollhouse that has many amenities to help educate your children about the importance of "living green" via play themes is the Plan Toys Green Dollhouse.  It features a solar cell panel with electrical inverter for generating electricity, a rain barrel for collecting rain and recycle bins.  A vegetable garden can also be purchased separately.

Post Author for Globally Gorgeous:

Tamara Wallop

Eco Tree! Recycled, Green & Sustainable - Vintage Aluminum Christmas Trees

We finally won a couple of auctions on eBay for Vintage Aluminum Christmas Trees. We bought a 4' tall tree and 7' tall tree. I consider these trees recycled, green and sustainable. They have been used over and over again for 60 years. Hip and Green!

              

Video shot with my iPhone of this Vintage Aluminum 1950's Chris tmas Tree with Color Wheel in our modernist home in Montecito. This tree is 7' tall and came from Detroit via eBay.

In the John Elgin Woolf Estate in Montecito, this Vintage tree looks perfect in this Hollywood Regency Style home.

This 4' Vintage Aluminum Christmas Tree was placed on a pedestal table in this glamorous mid-century  estate in Montecito. The table will be used as an hors d'oeuvres serving table. The ambience of this room is completely animated and illuminated by this shining, glimmering, retro tree.

Where is Eartha Kitt and her Sable!

A Kitchen Design that is Modern, Hip, Glam...Oh and Functional!

    We wanted to create a 21st Century look in this mid century modern house. A professional style kitchen that would be "eat in" intimate but also accommodate a staff for larger catered events as well.

The Floors are Italian Silver Travertine. This gray (silver) and brown marble has exactly the perfect warmth and depth of color to coordinate nicely with the quarter sawn oak cabinets and stainless steel appliances and countertops. We used Italian Statuary marble, white with heavy gray veins to contrast  and offset the other materials in the room. Note that the Statuary countertop on the island is one very large piece and it is book matched with the vertical end panels. 

The elliptical table is 1960's Milo Baumann and the Oak Chairs are 1950's Hans Wegner. 1950's' Italian blue gray Glassware.  

The Light Fixtures are from Boyd Lighting in San Francisco. The Professional Dual Fuel Double Oven Range is a 48" Wolf Range with Six Burners and a Griddle.

The kitchen cabinets were built by Henrybuilt in Seattle. We worked closely with Henrybuilt to create a look that blended the modern with the authentic appeal of this mid century home.  We achieved a look for this kitchen that is both sophisticated, modern and technically advanced. We combined horizontal and vertical grained quarter sawn oak panels with stainless steel countertops and appliances. We used linear full length steel pulls that added just the right punctuation. We made custom oak doors with frosted glass panels that concealed the pantries. All built out of oak to be cohesive with the kitchen design. 

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