Kenzo Takada speaks to www.luxepointindia.com on his designs for Roche Bobois best- selling Mah Jong Sofa, his way of life presently and his views on Indian fashion industry.

It's not surprising that well-known fashion designer Kenzo Takada agreed to design for the French luxury brand Roche Bobois  to create the fabrics for their best selling  Mah Jong sofa. It's a 'creative-extrension' path where  fashion designers. like Jean-Paul Gaultier and closer home J J Valaya, Tarun Tahiliani have already walked and many more will do so in future. This Japanese-French designer, the creator of Kenzo perfumes, skincare and clothes now lives a healthy life as a yoga practitioner, visiting his home town and doing whatever appeals to him creatively. In his interview below Kenzo Takada talks about his love for the sari and the Jodhpur  jackets cuts and his views on Indian fashion.

How did you get the inspiration for the Mah Jong sofa?

I now travel back to Japan a lot more than before. I love rediscovering my native country so I wanted to bring a Japanese touch to the Mah Jong. I am an admirer of Noh theatre and was inspired by the patterns found on their kimonos. These designs and patterns were the main inspiration for this collection for Roche Bobois. Although I wanted to interpret them in a new way, it was essential that the fabrics we used respected the spirit of old kimonos, paying particular attention to the materials and jacquards.

Has your collaboration been successful/satisfying in terms of creativity and financially?

This has always been a strong friction in the creative environment. I believe both commercial appeal and creativity have to listen to one another. If there is no creativity, then you have no business, and if you have no sales, you cannot have either a business or creativity. Roche Bobois allowed me to bring my creative ideas forward and I am very proud of the final result. They allowed me to work on some aspects that were difficult to realize. We had fantastic chemistry between both our teams and we worked very well together; it was a joyous and a successful collaboration.

"I have brought many textiles

back with me from

India on several occasions.

Its fashion identity

has definitely

had an impact

on my career"

Please describe a day in the life of Kenzo Takada today as compared to 20 years ago.

I am not that young anymore, but I have a great team that surrounds me. I can’t stop working, it gives me a purpose, but I tend to take more care of myself  now considering my age. In the morning I try to do a yoga session and take my time to do what I feel like doing. Then I join my team, and work on the various tasks we need to cover for the day. The agenda remains important, but the people surrounding me make it easier.

As a world-famous fashion designer what is your take on the Indian fashion scene as compared to the fashion scene in other Asian countries for example, Japan, China, to name a few.

The Indian fashion scene will soon become one of the most important markets in the world. I have visited India many times and have always loved it. I love the sari, the scarfs, the Kurta and the Jodhpur Jacket cuts. India carries a strong heritage of traditional clothing with incredible cuts that can be adapted for today, and can influence a wide variety of designers.

In Japan design is often minimal, mostly in the home, though with great refinement. All elements need to bring a certain balance, and must not have a strong presence in order to respect the space and environment. It was interesting to work on the Mah Jong, as it has a multicultural aspect to its design.

Have you ever been inspired by Indian culture to create a collection?

I am extremely passionate about India. In India there are similar elements to Japan, you can see strong ethnical-cultural-traditional influences, mixed into a modern environment. Indian history is very rich; the colors are bright, joyful, very detailed. It is an amazing country and a culture I am deeply fond of. It definitely influenced me a lot, I have brought many textiles back with me from India on several occasions. Its fashion identity has definitely had an impact on my career.

What are your thoughts when you see young upcoming fashion designers around the world who are not scared to express as you once were?

I read about upcoming designers almost every day, I think it’s amazing. There are so many talented young people who I admire, but there are so many that it is now hard for me to follow all of them. Today, young people are given more opportunities and I really love that.

What after Mah Jong?

Many things I hope. I’m always working on something, not as much as before, but I will never stop.

What is the secret to your health?

Eating well, staying active, being curious and making time for the things I love. I think taking time to do these things has the same positive effect on us all.

From your experience what is the advice you would want to give to young fashion designers?

Never lose sight of your ambitions; don't let yourself down. Work is about solving problems, moving forward, and maintaining a certain naive approach that allows you to continue to pursue your dreams.

Get your Glenfiddich Experimental Series - a new range that combines the brand's passion for pushing Scotch boundaries and collaborating with trailblazers from the whisky world and beyond and celebrate life. It was unveiled recently for the Indian market at The Qurum in Gurugram by Glenfiddich’s Global Brand Ambassador, Struan Grant Ralph along with the Glenfiddich Project XX. We got to taste them while listening to live music.

Created from collaborations with like-minded mavericks from a wide range of different industries, the Glenfiddich Experimental Series focuses on using unique and innovative production processes to offer a new kind of malt whisky experience. Glenfiddich Project XX follows the first malt released from the series, Glenfiddich IPA Experiment; a Glenfiddich single malt finished in IPA craft beer casks carefully selected by Brian Kinsman and a local Speyside craft brewer. The Glenfiddich IPA Experiment is the first in the series which will include a number of unexpected variants over time. Glenfiddich Project XX is the result of a collaboration between 20 whisky experts and Glenfiddich’s Malt Master, Brian Kinsman, who developed one unexpected, extraordinary whisky by bringing together 20 very special single malts.

Going against normal whisky making conventions, Brian invited 20 whisky experts from 16 countries around the world, to explore and each select a cask from a warehouse at the Glenfiddich Distillery in Dufftown. The experts have accumulated a wealth of whisky knowledge between them and spend their lives introducing single malts to whisky connoisseurs, enthusiasts and novices, imparting knowledge and information. Many of them are the foremost experts on Glenfiddich in their respective countries.

This freedom of choice resulted in a 20-strong collection of some of the most unusual whiskies from Glenfiddich’s unrivalled stocks, amassed and carefully nurtured throughout the brand’s 130-year history. After each expert had chosen a single cask of extraordinary liquid, from aged malts matured in port pipes to ancient sherry butts and first fill bourbon casks, Brian skillfully produced the final variant to reflect their individual tastes and interests. Expertly married together in a small batch vatting, the final liquid was exceptional – and a special tribute to each individual cask the malts came from

Struan Grant Ralph, Global Brand Ambassador-Glenfiddich and James Pennefather, Managing Director, William Grant & Sons India

Sonia Jehan(R) with guests

Angad Singh Gandhi, India Brand Ambassador-Glenfiddich with Straun Grant Ralph

There are only 991 models of this car worldwide and only one of it is in India which belongs to a car collector. The Limited Edition Porsche 911 R sports car, the only one of its kind was born on the track and it is the very same car from which every Porsche stems from. It pays  tribute to the road-homologated racing car from 1967 and is a high performance sports car.

So who owns the car in India? The spanking new prestigious automobile gleams proudly and exclusively in the swanky garage of car collector Bhoopesh Reddy. It was delivered to him a couple of months ago by Pavan Shetty, Director of Porsche India at the Porsche Centre in Bangaluru.

The 911 R is light and weighs 1,370 kilograms only.

By the way Porsche just opened a showroom at Kochi last month, it is their second one in South India.

For those interested here are the technical specifications of the sexy super car

* A thoroughbred driving machine that utilises technology from the race track, the 911 R features a 500 hp naturally aspirated engine and six-speed sports transmission.

* The rear is a six-cylinder flat engine with a displacement of four litres, similar to the 911 GT3 RS. The racing engine generates 460 Nm at a speed of 6,250 rpm, capable of breaking through the 100 km/h barrier in 3.8 seconds and achieving a top speed of 323 km/h. Combined fuel consumption in the NEDC is 13.3 l/100 km. *The 911 R is a cornering specialist, with a specifically tuned standard rear-axle steering which guarantees enhanced direct turn-in characteristics and precise handling while maintaining high stability.

* Ultra High Performance Tyres are mounted on forged 20-inch lightweight wheels, boasting 245 millimetres at the front and 305 millimetres at the rear. * Motorsport development has specially adapted the control systems of the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) for the 911 R. A double-declutch function can be activated by pressing a button for seamless gearshifts when changing down, along with the optional single-mass flywheel, which results in a significant improvement in spontaneity and high-revving dynamics of the engine. * From the exterior, the 911 R bears greater resemblance to the 911 Carerra than any other model. Characteristic details such as the rear body, front and rear apron and nose bear similarities to the 911 GT3, hinting that it originates from the motorsport department in Flacht, Germany The body is comprised of lightweight components that originate from the 911 GT3, which can be altered for road use.

.

Bhoopesh Reddy  (right) gets his exclusive 911 R Porsche

There was a bit of darkness around us, but the pillars with beautiful murals were highlighted by discreet lights. We were sitting at the Spice Route restaurant at the Imperial Hotel that takes you to a different world of ancient charm filled with hand painted murals, beautiful gods and goddesses painted on thick pillars around the restaurant. The restaurant is almost two decades old and was designed by Rajeev Sethi, a celebrated Indian designer, noted for his love for preserving the rich cultural heritage. By sheer luck and on this very day the designer of the restaurant Rajeev Sethi is sitting just a table away with a guest enjoying lunch.

There are some things in life that must stay the way it is, the Spice Route restaurant at the Imperial is one of them. It is an architectural stunner that offers a unique dining experience in a distinctively beautiful setting. The Restaurant, that took seven years in the making, is completely hand painted with vegetable and flower dyes by mural painters brought in especially from a temple in Guruvayur in Kerala with a tradition dating back to 3000 years.

We are seated at the sanctum sanctorum of the restaurant which is fairly well lit up, it gives us the best views of the four corners of the restaurant that is a must visit if you are a fine dining connoisseur. I am seated next to Chef Veena Arora who has been with Spice Route since its inception. Soft spoken and humble she declared the winter menu open while taking us through the winter menu that she innovates every season making her own set of additions and deletions.

I opted for the vegetarian rasam that had just the right amount of tanginess and warmed you up with its variety of whole Indian spices. The table by then of course had been filled up with Meen (sea food) rasam, Rendang Udang - a Malay styled prawn curry with roasted coconut, lemongrass and coconut milk. This was served with Khao Phad Thalay - stir fired rice with seafood and flavoured with Sri-racha sauce. Although it's not on the menu, if you are a vegetarian the tofu and bean curd here is a must try which is what I did exactly. 

Among the winter menu Chef Veena this time has included the Kung Hom Pha-prawns flavoured with lemongrass and white pepper wrapped with por-pia skin and crisp friend which is just one of the appetizers. The main course includes Kadugu Meen Masala or the fish stir fried in mustard paste, bishhop's weed and garnised with cilantro leaves. You can also opt for Kung Nang Phad Saparos or the wok friend lobster with cubes of pineapple flavoured with oyster sauce.

Chef Veena Arora

The much talked about Chicken 65 gets a twist here Year Arvat Anjj with prawns and Kerala spice. There are really a good mix of dishes from Thaliand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Kerala according to your taste in the menu to spice up your taste for the winter. Finish off your delicious meal with green tea, coconut or the cinnamon flavoured ice cream.

Arati Thapa

Iconic Italian luxury carmaker Maserati has announced its entry into South India by inaugurating its dealership in Bengaluru/Karnataka, in partnership with Jubilant AutoWorks Pvt Ltd. It has chosen South India as its first dealership while in India it will be its second. The state-of-the-art showroom located at MG Road in Bengaluru is in line with Maserati’s global standards, equipped with modern facilities, and ample space to display six Maserati models.

The dealership offers sales and servicing for Maserati’s full range of two-door and four-door luxury and sports cars in South India. The premium showroom showcases an exclusive collection of iconic Maserati models: the Trident brand’s flagship - the Quattroporte, its latest E-segment sedan – the Ghibli, as well as the sports coupe and cabriolet – the Maserati GranTurismo and GranCabrio. The showroom will also have a high class visitor lounge, which introduces clients to the Maserati’s history and houses a special section for exclusive Maserati merchandising items as well as a configurator area where clients can customize their new vehicle. This, along with internationally trained sales and service personnel, is set to provide clients in South India with an ownership experience befitting of the Maserati name. The dealership caters to other southern markets with dedicated sales managers at Chennai, Hyderabad and Kochi within the region.

Marking the occasion, Bojan Jankulovski, Head of Operations for India, said “As part of its over 100 years of heritage, exclusivity and sophistication with a generous dash of Italianity, are embedded in Maserati’s genes. We believe that the southern market, and Bengaluru especially, is embedded in a culture that understands and appreciates luxury, thus holding immense potential for a brand like ours.”

“The southern part of India has witnessed a strong growth in luxury car sales, which makes it clear that having a representation in the area is now a necessity for Maserati.

Commenting on the alliance, K. Subramanian, Director of Jubilant Autoworks Pvt. Ltd. said, “The legendary Trident brand from Italy has garnered a lot of attention among car enthusiasts prior to its launch in South India. We are devoted to serving Maserati customers with a superlative experience that reflects this lineage, building a strong sales and service team for managing all aspects of the retail operations.”

Maserati had announced its re-entry into the Indian market in synergy with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles India (FCAI) earlier this year. The next dealership launch is scheduled for Mumbai later this month.

If you happen to get one of these, it definitely deserves the 'show-off' space in your bar. The handcrafted Glenlivet is the much enjoyed, respected, relished and according to the information given to the media the No 1 single malt all over India and abroad. The first distillery in Scotland's Speyside region to be granted the distilling licence, it is according to Wikipedia the oldest legal distillery in the parish of Glenlivet in Moray, Scotland that produces single malt Scotch whisky. It is described in packaging and advertising as "The single malt that started it all". It was founded in 1824 and has operated almost continuously since then. Today, the distillery is owned by the French alcoholic beverages company Pernod Ricard.

The Glenlivet Founder's Reserve, a tribute to its founder George Smith is the latest from the house of the single malt which was introduced with the fan fare it deserves at the city's Oberoi hotel recently by brand ambassador Alex Robertson dressed in the traditional Scottish kilt and spiked additionally with his humour.

With Founder’s Reserve, The Glenlivet house style is skilfully complemented with creaminess and sweetness from the addition of First Fill American oak casks, resulting in a malt of exceptional smoothness; the very quality for which George Smith’s The Glenlivet was widely admired and appreciated in his day.

We also got to taste the 14 and 18 year old malts paired with some delicious food while being guided every step by Alex on the tasting of the malts. Every note in the single malt was whiffed and introduced to us. I tasted mine with ice while cleansing my palate with the interesting passion fruit sorbet served with a perfect meal. 

The evening saw poetry reading (a first for me for the launch of the single malt) by well known author of the book Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth to exemplify the core philosophy of The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve - going back to the original, and paying tribute to a rich heritage. Seth read a few of his poems to the pleasure of the august guests.

Also adding to the lovely evening was the beautiful Nush Lewis who played the harp delicately and serenely while we indulged in the delicious food.

Remarking on the occasion While Kartik Mohindra, Head - International Brands at Pernod Ricard India said " Founder’s Reserve brings to life the heart and soul of The Glenlivet. A single malt that traces its roots to the original flavors – The single malt that started it all. We are proud to present this new expression,   as the latest addition to our prestigious portfolio of premium spirits.”

Nosing and tasting notes

·         Colour: Pale Gold

·         Nose: Delicate aromas of citrus fruit, notably sweet orange.

·         Palate: Sweet, fruit notes of zesty oranges and pears, with a hint of candy,                   toffee apples

·         Finish: Long, creamy and smooth 

Price starting from INR 4750 to 6800 per 75 cl bottle (prices vary in each       state)

The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve will be available in NCR, Haryana, Mumbai     and Bangalore.

Additionally, it is available in Travel Retail – Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore for $48 per litre bottle.

Finally the iconic luxury car manufacturer Maserati officially entered India with a dealership in partnership with AMP Supercars. The state-of-the-art 3S facility located on Mathura Road is fully in line with Maserati global standards.

The ultramodern showroom showcases an exclusive collection of iconic Maserati models: the brand’s flagship - the Quattroporte, its latest E-segment sedan – the Ghibli, as well as the sports coupe and cabriolet GranTurismo and GranCabrio. The 3S facility combines both sales, aftersales service and parts facilities making the dealership a one stop solution for Maserati owners.

There is an exclusive customer lounge that takes you through the impressive brand history of Maserati and a configuration area where one can customize every detail of their car. The showroom is attended by internationally trained sales and service personnel to ensure a customer satisfaction experience that is on par with the brand Maserati.

Bojan Jankulovski, Head of Operations for India, said on the occasion “We are thrilled to begin our journey in India with our first dealership launch in in the capital. Not only is there a demand for exclusive luxury products in the market; clients also expect world-class standards which we aim to meet with this new facility under the leadership of AMP Supercars.”

Gurmeet Anand, Dealer Principal of AMP Supercars, said, “It is a matter of great pride for us that the first Maserati showroom in India is being launched under the AMP Supercars banner. We look forward to a strong, long-term association with the trident brand.”

Maserati announced its re-entry into the Indian market in synergy with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles India (FCAI) earlier this year. The brand will soon be opening dealerships in Mumbai and Bangalore.

With its long history of appeal, tradition and sporting success, it was founded by Alfieri Maserati in September 1914 as a mechanical workshop which became a designing, building and selling company by the end of 1930s. With the dedication, hard work and brand value it has incorporated, the name is now synonymous with luxury and is a status symbol that stands out.

At the Seventh India Art Fair which concluded recently, BMW India- mobility partner for the event, showcased the all new BMW i8, at the BMW lounge. Leading artists who were part of the prestigious art fair held from January 29th- February 1st, 2015 along with the visiting guest got to experience the most progressive sports car of its time, which will soon make its launch in Mumbai this month. The India Art Fair was held at the NSIC Exhibition Grounds, Okhla, New Delhi.

The current edition of India Art Fair featured a range of 90 Indian and international exhibitors and approximately 1100 artists. New galleries made their debut alongside key returning exhibitors, thought-provoking art projects and curated walks.  

“Cultural communication has been one of the long-standing traditions among BMW Group’s social commitments. For more than 40 years now, BMW has been promoting artistic exchange between cultures, people and within the company. India holds an important place for this commitment. India Art Fair is a perfect platform for artists to showcase their creations and for art connoisseurs and enthusiasts to appreciate it. We are proud to partner this unique art project,” said Philipp von Sahr, President, BMW Group India.

In 1972, three large-scale paintings were created by the artist Gerhard Richter specifically for the foyer of the BMW Group's Munich headquarters. Since then, artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Olafur Eliasson, Jeff Koons, Zubin Metha, Daniel Barenboim and Anna Netrebko have co-operated with BMW. The company has also commissioned famous architects such as Karl Schwanzer, Zaha Hadid and Coop Himmelb(l)au to design important corporate buildings and plants.

Mumbai got a taste of French design and Italian engineering as Roche Bobois hosted a cocktail soiree in association with Lamborghini at the Roche Bobois flagship store in the city.

The glittering party was hosted by Mr. Samvit Tara, Managing Director, Roche Bobois India & Mr. Abhijeet Pandit, Group CEO Auto Hangar. The evening pulsated around the theme ‘instinctive technology meets cutting edge design’ and very aptly so as it showcased exquisite pieces of furniture from Roche Bobois’ Winter Collection 2014 alongside the breathtaking new sports car from the Lamborghini stable, the Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4. Guests were seen enjoying an array of aperitifs, single malts, luxury vodkas, tantalizing cocktails and mouth watering snacks. 

Roche Bobois Winter Collection 2014 includes exquisite furniture for drawing rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms along with accessories like mirrors, bookshelves, cabinets, and sophisticated lighting. 

Samvit Tara, Managing Director, Roche Bobois, India with wife Alesha Tara

 
Firoza Kavrana, Aruna Tara, Sabira Merchant ; David Fischer & Skye Bradshaw of Soho House, Mumbai

 
Sanjay Arora with wife Ina Arora of D'Decor ; Ramona Narang

We are drooling over this gorgeous Marc Jacobs collection, all 120 of them which will debut exclusively at Sephora India stores from November 2014 onwards. They are provocative inviting you with exquisite textures and will make you feel like the girl you really want to be, beautiful and confident. “I see beauty in many things and I am attracted to all sorts of imperfection, to syle to confidence or experimentation. It’s unexpected and surprises you,” says Marc Jacobs of his namesake cosmetic line.

The range include everything a girl can wish for in  her beauty wardrobe including the blackest of the black eye liner, genius gel super-charged foundation, amazing array of colours for the nail paints, lip colours and lip balms, soft brushes among many others. Get set to make heads turn with this label already known in the world of fashion and  fragrance.