Sunday, May 5, 2013

THE GOLD RUSH !


Hmmm.... where should I begin? I am super excited because I get to talk about all my favorite topics - clothes, make up, jewelry and Rekha, the bollywood Style diva, in one single post!

When I was styling a fashion show a couple of years ago, I clearly remember asking the models about their favorite Indian Style diva and most of them mentioned REKHA. I couldn't agree more. During my teen years, she was a huge influence on me. I would grab magazines like Cine- Blitz or Stardust just to get a glimpse of her red lipstick, gorgeous kanjeevarams, exquisite gold jewelry and mogra flowers. Starry eyed, I used to flip through the pages of these magazines and be fascinated by the way she posed for her favorite shutterbugs Askok Salian and Rakesh Shresta. Easily, she was the best Indian face when it came to still photography. And today, I attribute my love for kanjeevarams, gold jewelry and lipsticks to her - she made them look good and how!!

After my recent trip to India, I totally believe that the only place to shop for kanjeevarams in Bangalore is SAKHI. I walked in and out of many stores ( sari giants like Nalli, Kumarans, Deepam, Prasiddhi etc) in under 10 minutes as they didn't have anything that suited my taste and sensibilities. But SAKHI floored me. The colors and range they have to offer in terms of silk is unbelievable. From the traditional temple border, rising borders and the Mumbagam ( 3 parts), the concept weaves to partly pallu ( where the pleats are of a different color and pattern from the body), cutworks, Kalamkari & the Kundan work on Kanjeevarams – they have it all. This is my second feature on SAKHI and this time around, I would like to introduce its collaboration with the legendary jewelers from Jaipur, AMRAPALI . Sakhi unveils its new collection of saris inspired by antique jewelry motifs on the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Thrithiya on May 13th.

As a Mangalorean, it amazes me to see how my home town is fast growing to be a "City of Gold". The first things that welcome you as you step out of the Mangalore airport are huge billboards from various Jewelry brands.
If Aishwarya and Amitabh say "Kalyan Jewelry" is the best, Mohanlal and Hema Malini want us to try "Malabar gold" and our kannada super heroes are roped in too to represent other jewelry brands. Sultan, Alukkas, Bhima’s, Khazana, Abharana, Swarna, Laxmidas, S.L.Shet... the list is endless and it surely makes an interesting drive from the airport to home as you get a glimpse of the brand wars and the dazzling jewelry.

"Akshaya" means infinite or endless. Most Hindus consider "Akshaya Thrithiya" a good occasion to start something new because as per the belief, any new undertaking on this auspicious day is bound to prosper. So as a part of the tradition, in many parts of India people tend to buy gold and clothes on this day. I was in Mangalore many years ago to witness this madness on the day of Akshaya Thrithiya. The jewelry stores were decorated like wedding halls and people flocked into the stores to buy gold. What an experience that was!

For this post, I have chosen 3 off-white Kanjeevaram silk-tissue sarees from Sakhi and have paired it with some stunning gold jewelry from my personal Amrapali collection. This is my humble attempt to impersonate REKHA and I am sure that my favorite shutterbug and dear friend Vandana has done justice to the pictures by bringing out the right feel and the mood.

LOOK 1: (Images by Vandana Rao, Jewelry images by Jayashree Rao)
Off white gold  tissue Kanjeevaram from SAKHI with narrow gold temple border and gold floral buttas. 








Emerald kada and ear-rings from AMRAPALI.



Jadau- leaf motif dull gold neck piece.



LOOK2:
Off white Kanjeevaram from SAKHI with triangular border in the hues of dull blue and pink worn with an off white cut work blouse ( the cut work blouse comes in many colors and is a versatile piece that can be worn with a lot of sarees)






Dull gold Kerala neck piece from AMRAPALI.



The dangly ear-rings.




LOOK3:
Off white Kanjeevram silk from SAKHI with tissue gold border and mogul gold motifs on the body. 









Navaratan Antique finish Kada from AMRAPALI:



Dull gold Navaratan Jhumkas.




"BEDAZZLED COLLECTION" by SAKHI for Akshaya Thritiya:

SAKHI is a niche boutique run by the mother daughter duo Chandra and Neeta. They have 3 branches in Bangalore and one in Hyderabad. Their collection ranges from timeless concept kanjeevarams to breezy chiffons, light tussars to elegant pure silks involving traditional techniques of embroidery and modern cut work.
As a part of the unveiling of their new collection "Bedazzled", they had organized a fashion show in their Indiranagar store on May 3rd and Sage & Slingback has the first hand pictures.
The models here are wearing saris from SAKHI's new collection along with stunning 22k gold, Jadau, uncut diamond and Kundan jewelry from AMRAPALI. 
The motifs are inspired by Jhumkas, Maangtikas, Earrings and Malas. 
The new clothing collection and the jewelry are for purchase and to place your order, please contact Neeta Rajendran.


Contact Info:
Neeta Rajendran – CEO SakhiFashions, Sakhi by Chandras: #305, 6th Main, Indiranagar, Bangalore - 560038
Ph: +91 9880003636 Ph: +91 80 6570 3388 
Email:Neeta@SakhiFashions.com. Website:www.SakhiFashions.com
Sakhi Boutiques located at Bangalore: Indiranagar, Jayanagar, Sadashivnagar.

GIVE AWAY  DETAILS:
On this auspicious occasion of "Akshaya Thrithiya" we have a giveaway for our readers:

1. Leave behind a comment here, telling us how you liked the post. Don’t forget to write your name.
2. On May 25th, a raffle will be drawn and one lucky winner will get a gift voucher of Rs 5000/= from SAKHI, that can be used for any purchase at their store.
3. Like SAKHI & Sage&Slingback on FB.


THE COLLECTION:

Kanjeevaram Half & Half, where one half is plain and other half has Jewelry motifs. It comes in many color combinations and the "BEDAZZLED" collection is priced from Rs 4,500 to Rs.36,000.






A glimpse of the new jewelry inspired Kanjeevarams in different color combinations.




Neeta & Chandra in their "Bedazzled" collection.



SAKHI joins hands with AMRAPALI:





 Kadi print on Tussar silk with a rising border:








Kadi print on Silk Kota with a rising border:





















Jewelry motifs on pure silk.



Embroidery on Silk Kota.



Multi stranded Dolki neckpiece from AMRAPALI:






Chandra & Neeta looking resplendent in thier SAKHI's and AMRAPALI's.






71 comments:

  1. I love the nostalgia this post brings about. Most of my mom's wedding jewellery is from SL Shet and Canara Jewellers and she passed them all to me during my wedding! This post makes me want to fly to India, wear my wedding Kanjeevaram and Amma's jewellery and lounge on a brocade deewan like a diva ;)

    - Shrinidhi (nidhi14jan at yahoo dot com)

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  2. Beautiful, Jay, the jewellery and the 'model'. :)

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  3. Oh my Jaya...can't tell you how eager I was for this post....after your sneak-peak....and its lovely... you are stunning ...I wont get tired of saying that....I love Rekha too for her style and you have added your own zing ..loved it....and the jhumka saree's ....I have to get that one...its so different and traditional na...one of its kind...... will visit sakhi in hyd...hope they will have them here as well..... and no words for beauties from Amrapali...all I need is loads of money ...hahaha.....
    Love,
    Rupa....

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    1. Ah my gorgeous Rupa.... you are too kind. Can't wait to see you in your Jhumka Kanjeevaram in Sakhi!

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  4. Beautiful Jay...I loved seeing the beautiful collection of sarees again and again. The sarees from Sakhi Fashions are simply mind blowing.Simply feel like buying a few of them.

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    1. Vijaya Shenoy.... Thanks for being an avid follower of my blog... appreciate it!

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  5. Kancheepurams and jewellery bring back Nostalgic memories for me.My ammas kancheepurams have the fragrance of a mogra lit dusk.Nostalgia flooded in each of these lines written above.Let Sakhi and Amrapali relive the sense of style,that had left an indelible ink on many of us.
    Lakshmi Arvind)(dr.lakshmi@live.in)

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    1. What a pleasant surprise Lakshmi... coming from you it's a huge compliment... thanks!

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  6. Sakhi kanjeevarams + Amrapali jewelery is a match made in heaven. Looking forward to adding both to my collection. I loved all your jewelry shots, very appealing!
    Vandana Rao

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    1. Vandu.... thanks. I would love to see you in AMRAPALI & the Sakhi combo soon.... You will look gorgeous!

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  7. My My how are you able to replicate so many avatars.....u look so much like Rekha in most of the pics, especially in Look 2 - pic 1 and 2....those were Rekha's classic poses in most of the magazines.....u have done a great justice to her style....loved the fact that u were able to replicate her mole above the lips..amazing display of jewelry....u have some unique collections....
    sharmila

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    1. Shammi, thanks for your kind comments.... appreciate it!

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  8. Love your posts as ever! This post has me mesmerized and nostalgic about how my love for sarees came to be, here's my part of the story......
    For me the love for sarees started very early at the age of 5 or so and my maternal grand father still keeps telling me about how I used to go for walks with him near the Mysore market and point to the sarees and Jewellery which were on display at the big showrooms and ask him if he'd buy me those and get me married:-) My great grand mother(who's not with us anymore now) heard all this, stitched a saree out of her old Kanjeepuram saree.....needless to say, I made total use of it and still have it with me. It all started there and my love for Kanchee grew to no leaps and bounds. I was even more fascinated with the Madisaar which my grand-mom and M.S.Subbalakshmi would always wear. The diamond choker necklace, ear-studs and the nose-pin would shine no less than the kohinoor diamond on my grand-mom. By the time I was a teenager, I would try to imitate how my granny would dress up and everyone in the family were surprised by my interests. Then, I started collecting the old sarees which my mom or grand mom would never wear and make full use of it and I have quite a collection of antique sarees now. I've seen many people selling the old sarees in exchange to get something else(I could never imagine doing that) and yes they do hold a very special place in my heart. Most of my friends and family know my love for kanchee sarees now + I'm fortunate to have a MIL who supports me for my Kanchee madness. Even I always bought a piece of gold on Akshaya Trithiya in India and don't know if any of the beliefs attached with it came true? However, still have faith in it and look forward to buying something on the pretext of Akshya Trithiya. Ever since you wrote about Sakhi in your blog, have been wanting to own an artistic piece from them. However, I'm waiting for my trip to Bangalore so that I could spend hours at the store and enjoy the experience. Maybe Sakhi+Amrapali will fulfill the wish for me to bring the traditions into my family like my granny has left a loving impression on me.

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    1. Enjoyed reading your saree story Ranjani. I love all your Kanji's too... you look great in them!

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  9. Loved this post. ...the sarees....the jewellery. ...wl surely visit them in my next trip :)
    Seema

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  10. I think sarees are timeless and make any woman look ethereally beautiful...needless to say kanjeevarams are at the top of the list :-) Love this post and will definitely visit Sakhi on my next trip to B'lore!

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    1. Thanks Priya. Yes, please visit Sakhi... I am sure you will not be disappointed!

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  12. In aakhon ki masti ke mastaane hazaaron hain!!!!! Lovely post Jay..I remember seeing the whole commmercial street decorated and lit up on Akshay Tritya . Love your Rekha 'look' :)

    Anu

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    1. Ha Anu.... Thanks for the Umraojaan line. Glad you liked the look!

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  13. This is the first time ever I am commenting on your blog, though i follow it religiously.This is such a lovely post and love your look from head to toe.Always been a huge fan of Sakhi fashions and now Amrapali too.Beautiful Pictures.. Love your sari and Jewelry..
    Loveeee how ethnic and pretty you look Jay!!

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    1. Anu, appreciate your comment. Thanks for liking this post!

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  14. I enjoy reading your blog and for me, each post brings back a memory hidden somewhere - be it a festival we celebrate, the saree, the jewels and all that is tied to being Indian. This post has some amazing pictures and I absolutely love Amrapali. It takes you back in time and reminds you of the amazing Ravi Verma paintings. I have been a Sakhi fan ever since my mom introduced me to their sarees and I can't wait to visit their store come July. I hope to own a piece from both Sakhi and Amrapali.

    I love your sense of style and wish you the very best in the future. I look forward to more lovely posts, and drooling over your Sabyasaachi saree collection and the Amrapali jewels, esp. the jhumkaas.

    Thank you so much for sharing and offering the viewers a chance to win something wonderful!
    Megh

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    1. Megh, what an inspiring comment. I have Raja Ravi Verma's antique prints at home, particulary the Krishna- Yashodha one. The kadas in the picture on Yashodha, matches so much with the one that is shown in the post by Amrapali.... indeed timeless!

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  15. This bedazzled collection appeals to my love for Kanjeevarams and traditional yet artsy jewelry. The dolki necklace and the navratan antique finish kada are my absolute favorites from this post. I wish I had met you 8 years ago, Sakhi would have definitely been a huge part of my wedding trousseau. Maybe I can entice Rohit into committing the same mistake again? :-)
    You have transformed into Rekha in this post Jay, love your attention to detail. You nailed her style, her poise and her look right down to that sexy mole. :-) Keep this up, you are definitely upping the style quotient on this side of the pond!

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  16. I have always been a a big fan of Sakhi. Beautiful interpretation of traditional Kanchi Sarees! Such a nice post Jaya. I am definitely putting your blog on my RSS feed and looking forward to more posts like this!

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  17. loved, just loved all the deep reds, blues, purple and greens in the jewelry and sarees. seeing everything makes me want to go to Bangalore and shop. Jayashree i have also loved all your posts and seeing all the beauty threw your eyes that India has to offer the world. I am one proud Indian.

    sarita

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  18. Beautiful!! I'm a huge fan of Sakhis and have bought quite a few sarees from them. They really have mixed the traditional with the modern. You really brought back a lot of beauty to our traditional kanchivarams and just love your style... bold, yet sophisticated. Its one of your best posts :-)

    I have just used up my entire budget this year on saris and jewelry but after your post, I think I am going break the bank :-)... Everything, just lovely, lovely, lovely...

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    1. Thanks Prasantha...I know you are a big Sakhi fan.

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  19. Dear Jayshree...I just love to go through your blog. It is very informative (with respect to saree's, be it Sabyaschi’s or UDD collection and jewellery) and everything is nicely put together. You look gorgeous in your current post. Looking forward to more such post's. Will definitely check out Sakhi's and their Amrapali collection. I have always wanted to own atleast one Amarapali piece of art and all i need is a bag full of money. Keep up the great work.

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  20. WOW Jayashree! Simply amazing, whether it be the the Western Couture, Imperfectly Perfect, or traditional sarees, you make them ALL look amazing! I cant simply stop admiring how wonderful your collection is! Wish I could afford such a wonderful range of collection. Feast to my eyes, being an ardent Rekha fan in my teenage years, this was awesome. I have drooled over Amrapali jewelry for years and am absolutely stunned with your collection. So perfect, off-white sarees to compliment stunning Amrapali pieces. Speechless! Just admiring it all!
    Hugs
    Deval

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  21. Hi so lovely! So evokes the mood and the memories!! But my quandary is finding any of this: could you give us a link to amrapali online, if they have it? Your pieces are just superb!! Thanks!
    Sujatha

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  22. Hi Akka,pretty good combination of off white kanjeevaram sarees and dull gold.i loved navaratan kada ,jhumka and the Kerala neck piece very much .you look very beautiful in all pictures ,the mole made u to look sexy as rekha!!!!!

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  23. Hi Jayashree, love all 3 avatars but 1st one is the one I liked the most both the jewelry and saree. I also liked your 3rd picture ear-rings. You look gorgeous just as Rekha. I appreciate the way you artistically present each and every post. This post appeals me for my love to jewelry, make-up and Kanchi saree, and also for good photography and beautiful background. Simply love it!

    Manasa

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    1. Thank you Manasa. Glad you liked the sarees and the jewelry.

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  24. I had visualized the second off white Kanjivaram saree with the exact blouse and it came out really good. I have been an online customer. Of Sakhi for the past 3 years and I am always amazed at the different types of Kanjivaram and silk Sarees. Thank you for the wonderful pictures and description of the Sarees and jewelry.

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  25. Simply loved it Jay! Thanks for introducing Sakhi to me. Love my first Sakhi Kanchi:)
    You look stunning in all pictures. Look 3 is my fav of all....its got the ahaa effect...saree to jhumkas and antique Kada is just too good!
    Keep up the good work Jay:)

    Love, Chaitra.

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    1. Thank you Chaitrs... your first Sakhi is simply gorgeous. Enjoy it.

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  26. Jay,
    As always, loved your awesome fashion sense. Your posts exhibit tremendous creativity in the combination of off white Sakhi Kancheevarams and Amrapali jewelry. Your style and expression add to the beauty of the sarees. Sakhi silk sarees with the jewelry motifs compliment each other in a unique way. Great Job!!

    veena nayak

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  27. So beautiful! ...this is not anonymous this is Sunita and this is the comment I wrote on FB..and I wrote this number 8- I counted so am I in the contest..please...ok pretty please!!!:)

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  28. Loved the old world look in the new world...I have loved Amrapali jewelry form a long time every time I am in bby I always visit the amrapali store their jewelry is just to die for... loved the saris from sakhi and love the way they look together with the jewelery.. but my favorite photo was the one with you with the mole... and may I add you look better than all their models....

    Aash

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  29. Jay, did not know about your blog till couple of months back and have been a fan since! The pictures are fabulous and you have a way or writing !! Your Dosa article was superb.. made me drool. This particular one is again, simply superb ! Awesome saris, stunning jewelry and a classy model ! A terrific combination.. totally love it !!

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    1. Thank you... glad you are an avid follower of Sage&Slingback!

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  30. hi,Jay just came across your blog...loved the pics .these sarees are lovely but I would like to see you in more colourful combinations of south indian sarees ..I m based in Hyderabad and love collecting these...many a times I do shopping of these sarees for my friends bcos they think that I always choose right kind......nice finding this blog..I AM Sara.

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    1. Hey Sara, We have done a Kanjeevaram post in colors for diwali...please check the archives, it's called "VASUDHARINI". Also the recent post " Destiny's child" has colorful MASABA.

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  31. Jayashree, I'm sort of getting addicted to your blog....which woman wouldn't ?
    I think I first saw UDD stuff from your blog which was shared by my cousin (actually aunt ;) ), Poorna. So, I HAD to have anything from UDD in my wardrobe...I just got it this time I went to B'bay. Last week, I went to a jewelry exhibition, the first stall I went to was Amrapali's ...loved something...will get it mostly this week....2 struck off the list...though I want more from UDD as well as Amrapali. I can even quote the prices of the jewelry that have been featured here...most of it was there.
    Next on my wish list is a Masaba saree :))

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  32. Hi Jay and all the ladies..........beautiful presentation of beautiful sarees, if any of you are interested in pure silk kanchi sarees....drop a mail at hny197838@yahoo.com

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  33. Hi,

    I have always loved Sakhi, have been shopping at their store since the time I was in Bangalore.
    Recently, I purchased 4 sarees online from their store. The quality of two of those makes me really wonder if they are keen to maintain their image...the fabric quality is poor, workmanship is faulty and the design is not as shown in the saree picture online.
    I have a detailed review at http://www.mouthshut.com/review/Sakhifashions-com-review-pnsulltsrr with pictures.
    I am posting a comment here because I want your readers to know that famous brands do not always mean quality, specially true for online shopping.

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