LESS IS MORA...

"Take home a MORA for love and not to make a fashion statement. Whoever has money are not the only ones who can buy as many Moras. Whoever loves Mora, Mora will find them… somehow…”

Wow! How can one not fall in love with the above line - tell me? I did, a million times, after reading it in Ritika Mittal's latest post on her blog "A thousand fireflies" and I am sure this line will strike a chord with many of you MORA fans out there as well. Like I have said in my earlier posts, Facebook has been instrumental in putting me in touch with many creative souls around the world and in 2011 during one such browsing, I came across MORA. I was instantly attracted to the name MORA, which means MINE in hindi.

The logo, the weaves, the colors, the traditional textiles, the big red bindi, the kajal and above all, the lady behind MORA Ms. Ritika Mittal intrigued me. I clearly remember a line in her "ABOUT" section on Facebook back then which completely blew me away - it read "Mass production is not our thing and each MORA creation is an individually produced labor of love which is why no two MORA creations are the same".

Once you own a MORA, that piece of creation is yours alone since each piece is one of a kind. No other textile brand in India has this type of format and I was hungry for more and wanted to know all about MORA. Through this process I came in touch with its creator Ms. Ritika Mittal. After a couple of emails and a phone call, I made my foray into the MORA family by buying my first MORA saree and I have remained a MORA loyalist since.

ABOUT RITIKA MITTAL:

"Cotton doesn't necessarily mean cheap and nor is shine and shimmer the only expression of celebration" - this unique mindset of Ritika Mittal resulted in the birth of MORA. For her wedding, Ritika refused to wear the usual bridal attire available in the stores and designed her own wedding trousseau instead, made primarily of cotton. A bulk order from a lady who loved her wedding outfit encouraged her to start her own business and create one of a kind textiles.

She found her calling when she went backpacking to Ladakh and realized that all she wanted to do was work with the local women and their textiles. While she designed and travelled extensively to be with her weavers, her mom in Punjab translated her designs into sarees and in no time Ritika was reviving the traditional weaves that were almost dying in the north eastern states of India like Manipur, Mizoram,

Nagaland, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. She retails online just once a year and creates around 200 plus pieces mainly comprising of stoles, kalidar skirts, MORA Kalyanis for children, sarees and home furnishings.

The MORA 2013 collection is scheduled for its online release on Oct 4th, 8pm, IST and anyone who is passionate about owning a MORA can visit her page MORA by Ritika on Facebook for further details.

SHE INSPIRES AND HOW!!

She is fondly called "Jhansi Ki Rani" because she is absolutely fearless. Taking a path less travelled is not everyone's cup of tea but no matter how difficult the journey, Ritika, who travels alone, has dedicated herself completely to reviving the dying textile art and rich culture of northeast India.

Ritika accepting her "Fun & Fearless" Cosmopolitan Inspiration award.

It takes a lot of courage and passion to do what Ritika Mittal has been doing there in the last few years. She lives in the villages like a local amidst poverty, lack of electricity, floods and government politics. Be it her fight to revive cotton there or the "Batti project"- her goal of lighting up tribal homes ( 147 so far), Ritika’s journey has been a long one. She has surrendered herself completely to the love of the people of north east India by becoming one of them.

HER FIREFLIES:

From what I have understood, Ritika refers to people who belong to the MORA family as her "fireflies" and these include her weavers, her friends and all the people who own her labor of love, all those people who love, value and respect traditional looms and textiles!

Burning the midnight oil.... weaving her dream weaves!

When I wore my first MORA saree in 2011, I was showered with compliments and all my friends wanted to know more about MORA. I helped them buy their first MORA saree and I am sure buying and owning a MORA was a unique experience for each of them.

Due to her extensive traveling Ritika has limited access to the internet and one very rarely gets to see her on Facebook. In the past each time we both were on Facebook, our conversation mainly revolved around MORA. She was keen to know whether my friends who own MORAs had a chance to wear them yet and I could tell that she was hugely disappointed to see the two words typed from my end - NOT YET!

She repeatedly told me that MORA was not just about selling and buying but her way of connecting with all her fireflies. She wanted to know the owner of each MORA personally because it was important to her that they cherish their experience of owning a MORA. When I told her that we don't find too many occasions to wear a saree in America (because of which we hadn't worn our MORAs yet) she wasn't convinced!

Well, this gave me the idea of bringing all my friends together for a photo shoot and paying our tributes to Ritika's labor of love just in time for the release of MORA’s 2013 collection in October. As usual, one phone call was all it took and my friends were there for me in their best spirits and smiles and the result is for all of us to see.

So Ritika, here you go - your fireflies are finally draped in your weaves of love and through this post we would like to carry that love forward and wish you all the very best in your future endeavors - " Let every dream weave of yours adorn a woman of substance and may you continue to shine, sparkle and inspire - like the way you have been".

Every MORA comes in a handwoven white bag with a large red printed bindi on it. Inside is a handwritten letter by Ritika talking passionately about the fabric and the love that went into making one. There is also a packet of big red bindis for every MORA owner to wear and it denotes "Feminity".

ANVIKA AITHAL: 

I played dress up with moms dupatta when I was 6 and since then I have always wanted a little saree of my own. I was thrilled when I got a MORA Kalyani as my 7th birthday gift & everytime I wear my Mora kalyani and look at myself in the mirror, I think I look  like my mom - "Beautiful".

Photography: Nirmala Mohan.

Concept & Styling: Jayashree Rao.

VEENA NAYAK: 

"Draping this saree made me feel elegant and one with nature's beauty. The finest Andhra silk with its myriad of colors, details and handmade weaves brought out the beautiful creative and feminine side of me.”

 Photography: Nirmala Mohan.

Concept & Styling: Jayashree Rao.

The saying "God lies in the details" holds true for a MORA. The well finished corners and hand stitched sugar beads on the borders are a MORA signature.

VANDANA RAO:

“Just like all my different character traits make me the person I am, so also the varied colors and weaves in my MORA sari come together to make it unique and beautiful just for me. Mera MORA sirf mera!”

Photography: Nirmala Mohan.

Concept& Styling: Jayashree Rao.

JAYASHREE RAO:

 “MORA is ME" - earthy, Indian and traditional. MORA to me is my love filled weaves whose values I will respect and whose richness I will treasure year after year”.

Photography: Nirmala Mohan.

Concept & Styling: Jayashree Rao.

My first MORA...pic was taken in the year 2011.

ANU GUPTA: 

"To wear MORA was an unparalleled experience, an experience that made me feel hopelessly feminine".

Photography: Nirmala Mohan.

Concept & Styling: Jayashree Rao.

Anu is seen here wearing the rarest and the most expensive form of weave called " Muga Gicha", a weave that is normally worn by the royals.

Details and more details: Kalamkari patch work details on the inner side of the border.

NIRMALA MOHAN:

Though beauty is in the eyes of the beholder,the feeling of being beautiful is so wonderful. I feel lucky to own a MORA, as it makes me feel beautiful.

Photography: Vandana Rao.

Concept & Styling: Jayashree Rao.

It's not about how you look.... it's about how you feel.  
Bring home Ritika's labour of love, MORA this year. The online sale starts on OCT 4th-2013, 8pm ISD....don't miss it!!

LA VIE EN ROSE....

Eyes that gaze into mine, a smile that is lost on his lips,

that is the untouched portrait of the man to whom I belong.

When he takes me in his arms and speaks to me softly, I see life in rosy hues..... (La vie en rose).

LA VIE EN ROSE is one of my favorite songs and every time I listen to this signature song by Edith Piaf, it evokes a gamut of emotions in me. I experience the same love and passion in Edith's seductive voice as in every Sabyasachi outfit I wear. With "La Vie En Rose" playing in the background, I can close my eyes and visualize an opulent stage resembling the glamorous French era from the 1940s and me walking the ramp in my gorgeous Sabyasachi . Just when I began to feel an unknown equation between La Vie En Rose, Sabya and I, I discovered that "LA VIE EN ROSE" is Sabya's favorite song too. I was pleasantly surprised!

So through this final post of the trilogy, I reminisce about my favorite Sabyasachi moments and madness with you all. It is a tribute to my belief in him, his artistic vision, his creative pursuits and his lust worthy clothes.

Photography Credits: Vandana Rao.

I have people telling me all the time that they are either heavy or  short  to wear a Sabyasachi or they cannot carry off some of his styles & color. But I have always maintained that to wear a Sabyasachi you don't need a right body but a right attitude!

A block printed Jhoomar top with embroidered army lapels on the shoulder paired with a Khadi dhoti pant.

This is my definition of sexy, covered from head to toe & breathing elegance!

Georgette polka dotted tail kurti churidar paired with a French lace, hand embroidered dupatta and D&G sunglasses.

HIS SHOWS:

As many of you know, the music and setting play a very large role in his fashion shows. His shows are not just about clothes, they are a spectacle - a real tribute to his whimsical themes.

1. THE ABSOLUTE ROYAL: 2013, Lakme Finale:

From the darkness emerged a strong voice resembling that of popular singer Nina Simone. As the chandelier lights slowly brightened, one could see a tall singer dressed in an outfit from Sabyasachi’s latest "Absolute city Royal" collection crooning the famous song " It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a

new life for me....I am feeling good". As soon as the song came to an end, the models started strutting on the runway in their gorgeous ensembles - each piece more elegant, classic, royal and chic than the other. Beige, black and the color sindoori red dominated the ramp and the audio- visual aspects of this show transported you to a different era... the rich, regal Indian era!!

My favorite model Indrani Dasgupta in a luxurious velvet/net lehenga  saree from the collection.

Another classic saree with an understated bling!

A "Sabyasachi by Sabyasachi" fad, the most popular one from the collection. I was told that there is already a bee line to place an order on this one. The striped sweater tops are paired with Satin crepe/ net saree.

Easily my favorite look from the collection because of the " role reversal" aspect. Loved men in short Kurta, Jhodpuris & kolapuri chappals and women in masculine bandh galas.

2. "OPIUM" - 2013, Delhi Couture week opening.

The set resembled that of an old haveli and the inspiration came from the 1920's era. "OPIUM" showcased a collection that was very evening wear and glamorous, yet very Indian. The fabrics ranged from khadi to tulle, from velvet to lace and the silhouettes included flapper jackets, coats, peplum tops, lehenga sarees and ghararas paired with vintage jewelry from 1800s. The collection included tilla sequin work, ari- tari embroidery and applique work. The opening evening by the designer at the Delhi couture week gave the audience a big high befitting the name of the the collection.

Parvathy Omanakuttan in a classic beige saree with applique work. A hot favorite!

Supermodel Nayanika Chatterjee.....

The peplum top, vintage rose prints and subtle bling, my favorite pick from the show.

3. "NEW MOON" - 2012.

This collection emerged as a result of his travels and the inspiration came from some of his favorite cities like London, Barcelona, Kolkata and Paris. Models walked on a vintage set/ ramp to Madonna's song " You must love me" from Evita. The collection had a very global and retro feel to it. Black, beige, red and emerald green filled the color palette and the fabrics were mainly nets with french dots, parsi gara embroidery and lehenga sarees paired with printed underskirts.

A fabulous collectors peice, a net lehenga saree in sindoori red paired with a high neck blouse. The saree has "Gara Parsi" embroidery all over and looks stunning in person.

Model: Nethra Raghuraman.

Model Diva John is seen here in a lehenga saree with printed underskirt, which is an interesting concept.

Model Jessie Randhawa in a stunning emerald green lehenga saree.

4. SAVE THE TIGER: 2011:

This has been one of my favorite Sabyasachi collections so far for its fun, stylish and quirky elements. The concept was woven around the campaign "Save the tiger" and Sunderbans. Florals, tiger prints on the hem and striped dresses dominated the collection in tones of hot yellow, black and beige. The

collection was mainly western but had an interesting mix of Indian textiles and prints. It captured the fun element from the 20s, freedom from the 30s and 70s’ boho chic. The models walked the ramp to a jazz medley ( Love the way, models catwalk for Peggy Lee's song...give me some money too) showcasing dresses with flutter sleeves, daring bras and Chotu sarees. 

5. Autumn/ Winter: LFW: 2011:

I clearly remember waiting for this show with baited breath and then watching it live online. The show opened with a Kathak dancer performing and singing. There were no elaborate sets or bold silhouettes like in the past but a quieter sort of drama in this one. The freedom fighter hats, waistcoats, velvet and net combo sarees, floral tissues and the most gorgeous silver embroidered long sleeve blouses were the highlights. Most of the pieces shown in this collection will be heirloom pieces for sure.

It was such a well put together show...

Vintage floral print tissue sarees paired with maharani blouses, the headbands added the right pizzazz!

The most popular one from the collection, a play of velvet/net and elegance. Seen here are models Nayanika & Nethra.

6. SANCTURY: 2008:

When the designer believes that life is more beautiful with a little bit of everything including noise, crowds and contradictions, the outcome is a collection called Sanctuary.

Gigantic clotheslines were hung high up on the ramp with miniature lights woven into them depicting a pretty home in the French countryside. Models walked to Anne Lennox's "No more I love you" and Coldplay's "Yellow". Mini skirts and scaled dresses were shown with colored leggings and platform shoes. Well, there were Sabyasachi signature sarees too.

Model Carol Gracias in an old floral print blouse and satin wide leg pants.

Model Monikangana Dutta in a scaled short dress, bindi, colored legging and platforms.

HIS STYLING:

Minimal makeup, head bands, a little black bindi, tinted sunglasses, vintage purses and geeky glasses have become the staple in most of his shows and there is an inspiration behind each one of them. He finds a woman beautiful when she is pretty but unaware of it. Being geeky is okay, boys do get attracted to geeky girls, he asserts and that's why he uses glasses on each one of his models.

Red roses make recurring appearances in his shows and when asked what ideas a rose brings to him, this is what he had to say - "Red roses are extremely decadent and romantic. You can't replace a rose with an orchid. A rose is a rose. I think for me a rose is almost perverse and that's what I love about it". It's a known fact that Sabya's designs and styling ( the way rose headbands came into the picture) are strongly influenced by his idol Frieda Kahlo. To him she is the definition of beauty and there has been no one quite like her. With her limp, amputation and unibrow, he finds her a bundle of energy, wit and enthusiasm.

Frieda Kahlo.

I love the styling here, done by Sabyasachi himself.

One of the rare photographs of Sabya's sister Shinjini Mukherjee ( Payal) from the "frog princess" collection styled by Sabyasachi and brilliantly shot by ace photographer Swaroop Dutta.

Out of the many pictures of Vidya Balan that is floating around this one takes the cake. Brillinatly styled by Sabyasachi, I love everything about this picture. Love the interplay of clothes, lighting. make up & jewelry. Vidya looks divine!

Straight out of a Satyajit Ray movie - tribute to womanhood, styled by the king himself!

HIS MOVIES:

Back in 2005, When Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Black" was released, people loved this landmark movie for different reasons. Many for Rani and Amitabh's towering performances, some for Sanjay's directorial skills and visual brilliance, some for the Hellen Keller inspired story line and a few for Sabyasachi's stunning outfits that matched the mood and feel of the movie. I am sure only a minor percentage of the crowd who watched the movie might have noticed and appreciated Mr. Sabyasachi's work in the movie and I was one of them.

Be it the Peter pan collared blouses shown with long monochromatic skirts or the print on print maxis and lace tops, I felt there was something more to his clothes and styling than them being just costumes. And this was the time I fell in love with this man and his vision. I was very happy when he won the National award for the same movie and let the whole world know that he had arrived. Though he is clear about the fact that movies are not his forte (unlike many other Indian designers), he is open to working with directors who understand his sensibilities. Black was followed by many other movies like Babul, Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, Guzaarish, Ravan, Paa and lately English Vinglish.

And finally, MY MADNESS:

My love for everything vintage, beautiful and Indian got me closer to Sabyasachi's work, I guess. His design aesthetics suited my sensibilities and even before I could realize, I was in love with this man and his work. After years of following his work closely and owning many of his couture pieces, I now think of myself as one of Sabyasachi’s biggest fans in the U.S.

I still remember that day in 2008 when the FEDEX guy delivered my first Sabyasachi . I made sure that my husband was right in front of me when I opened the package as I wanted him to be a part of my madness. I was like a kid in the candy store, jumping with joy and feeling my dream weaves again and again and draping it all around me. Having tried many Indian designers, I have realized that HE is the one for me. I have found my designer- one whose clothes I can relate to and whose clothes make me feel special and very feminine!

Right after Sundari’s birth in 2009, I was going through a low phase creativity wise and this was the time I decided to do a couple of fun Sabyasachi fashion shows here in the U.S just to spread the awareness. Alongside good friends like Vandana, Nirmala and Poorna , I decided to have some of my other friends model for the shows which took place at some special events here in Chicago.

Dear friend Poorna opened the show....

And she nailed the look !! 
Seen here in a Sabyasachi flecther with Banarasi brocade pleats & Kasab border.

My good friends in Sabyasachi, just before the show. Vandana Rao ( second left) is seen in an off white flecther with tapestry embroidered border.

Good friend Shailaja modeling my first Sabyasachi saree, an offwhite flecther with a hand embroidered border.

Dear friend Nirmala Mohan in a Chanderi Sabyasachi with pearl embroidered border.

My 6 ft showstopper in a Sabyasachi Vasanthalakshmi kanjeevaram.

A backstage Sabyasachi moment with all my Kannada friends, just before the show.

On a flight to Delhi, Sabya sketched Ms.World. Kanishtha Dhankar's outfit for Cannes 2011 on a piece of paper napkin.  He then wrote my name on it, signed his name and asked me to preserve it. 

With Kanishtha Dhankar...

Though things went slightly wrong in Cannes 2013, I am so glad that the king is back with a winsome collection called "OPIUM" and I would like to quote Femina editor Satya Saran here: "A finale brings out the best in a good designer and for a good designer, every show is a finale".

As I sign off, I repeat - more power to you Mr. Sabyasachi, may you shine the brightest!!