Himanshu Singh

“Being an army kid, I grew up travelling around India — Delhi, Calcutta, Agartala, Shimla, Baroda, Ahmedabad, Pune (to name a few). I studied photography and film from Symbiosis, Pune. I juggle between commercial photography, theatre, and modelling.”

Fashion It intrigues me. I think it’s worth studying and observing on a day-to-day basis. Fashion habits can reveal so much about an individual or a society.

Style icons Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, Margiela, Formichetti and Gaga, The Beatles, Annie Leibovitz, Andy Warhol. Why? Because they have all realized the potential of fashion and have communicated heavily through it.

Favorite film: Ordinary People

Bombay Bombay is elusive. It comforts me as much as it vexes me. I continue being here doing my thing and I think I like that.

Himanshu Singh. Lives and works in Bombay. Likes Glen Hansard and the Ballet Men. Photographed in Lower Parel, Bombay in April 2013.

Natasha Ramachandran

Natasha Ramachandran. 22. Fashion model. Half Tamil/half Bengali. Likes oversized clothes, Haider Ackermann, Di Caprio, Thom Yorke, & The Black Keys. Has been listening to Alt-J’s Fitzpleasure on repeat. Has a thing for Bradley Cooper. Wanted to be a journalist as a kid. Has a degree in fashion design from NIFT. Thinks she’s a loud person.

Has been in Bombay for about 8 months. Likes the pace of Bombay. Hangs out mostly at The Bagel Shop.

Is signed up with Next Models, London.

Photographed at Lakme Fashion Week in Bombay.

Meera

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Meera Ganapathi. 26. Can’t focus on anything for long, likes Punjabi music, one half of Two Material Girls, and is currently suppressing an urge to sing. Photographed earlier this year in May in Bandra.

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What are the names of your cats?
Norman Francis and the other one is yet to be christened. Right now we’re going by, ‘Aye! Noooo!’

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What are you listening to now?
Keep you by Class Actress and  Thrift shop by Macklemore.

Films you have watched the most number of times?
City of Lost Children, Edward Scissorhands, Napoleon Dynamite, and predictably Amelie.
 
How would you describe your work?
Material Girls is where I take out all my creative frustration. My needle pierces cloth with very righteous creative anger. “You won’t let me do this advertising???? Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you!”

What’s your favourite book?
The Great Gatsby. It’s set in my favourite time period, when minds were open, fashion was incredible, music was deeply romantic….

…your worst vice?
I can’t focus on anything for too long. It’s frustrating. Like, I have no less than seven tabs open at any point on Chrome. Or if I’m watching a movie, I’m simultaneously googling the plot. Or I have to read two books at once; one when I’m bored and one when I need to sleep.

… your favourite sound?
Like every unhealthy Indian I respect a good oily sizzle in the pan; a very comforting sound. Second most favourite sound would be teeth gnashing. On a separate note, ‘gnashing’ is such a great word.

…your favourite website?
www.flavorwire.com People who run this site might know me personally. They have articles on all off-beat, weird things I’m usually interested in. Like, “Strangely Beautiful Photos Of Fake Cakes and Bodies Of Water.”

…your favourite label?
I’m not loyal to any labels. I like a healthy mix of street shopping and travel shopping. And I look terrible in over fancy clothes, like a priss ball.

…your worst fashion secret?
There are too many Bata school shoes in my house that I use way too often and way too shamelessly.

…a secret you’re tired of keeping?
For some reason I really, really, like Punjabi music. It’s very odd.

…best thing about NH7 Weekender?
Seun Kuti and Manganiyar Seduction.

…worst thing about NH7 Weekender?
The boob grope(at the security check).

What’s the best thing about where you’re now?
Mumbai is so awful, polluted, crowded, and shitty, but one week in Bangalore and I crave Mumbai. I can’t tell why, but I guess that is the best part.

Mickael Inayatealy

“I was born and raised in Madagascar — spent seven years of my childhood there before leaving for Paris. My mother tongues are French & Gujarati even though I barely speak Gujarati now. I speak fluent English and Italian & have basics in Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, and Hindi.

My favourite films are: Slumdog Millionaire, Rang De Basanti, Okuribito, The Japanese Wife, Farewell My Concubine, 99 francs… I like realistic films which deal with society and its problems. Last interesting films I watched: The Dirty Picture and a Japanese mystery drama called The Suicide Club which talks about the danger and excess of pop culture.

I listen to eclectic music, all depending on my mood. I like “New French Wave” for their lyrics, a smattering of pop and RnB, electro. My favourites right now are:’ Pony Pony Run Run’ and ‘Something a La Mode’. I also like Bollywood music for its celebratory vibe.

I have been in Bombay for six months. I like Bombay for its energy, for its people who are open to new experiences, and for its multiculturalism. It feels like home now.”

Photographed in Colaba in Oct 2011. Conversation from April 2012.

The Peddler

Photographed at VT station. During the Cobra shoot. Not sure if he was a part of the shoot..but he was there.

A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.

“I was surprised, as always, be how easy the act of leaving was, and how good it felt. The world was suddenly rich with possibility.”
-Kerouac

Connecting the Polka Dots

Aayushi Bangur, fashion blogger, wearing a polka dot top from Zara.

Polka dot dresses hanging in a shop in Asansol, West Bengal.

Girl in polka top, with siblings, en route to Lotus Temple.

..and the Lotus Temple.

A ragpicker in Delhi…in a polka dot skirt.

Niamat Bakshi in Stella McCartney.

– Scarf at Ogaan in Hauz Khas Village.

Divyak channeling Dr. Strangelove at LFW..wearing tailored polka dot shirt and bow tie from Selfridges.

Peter Sellers as Dr. Strangelove in polka dot sunglasses.

Tania at LFW in tailored polka dot pants.

Ruchika’s polka dot pouch.

Paloma Monnappa channelling Hepburn in a Zara dress, her mom’s vintage glasses, and a thirty rupee scarf from Asansol.

The polka dot story ends here…and another begins..

Below is a daily wage worker in Asansol, wearing the same scarf(gamccha) as Paloma...

The story I did for HT Brunch Quarterly is out now. It’s a 6 page spread of about 3000 words and 8 such analogies+ I’m also talking about undesirably stumbling upon trends in the unlikeliest of places, about runways & Bollywood, and my experiences in general with people and the streets…

Buttoned Up

Street girl. Photographed in Santa Cruz.

Mathieu G. An old photo..taken precisely a year ago in Versova.

Other buttoned up people: Michael Pitt in The Dreamers, Kyle Maclachlan in Blue Velvet. Donna Hayward in Twin Peaks, David Lynch, Comme des Garçons men, John Turturro in Barton Fink..a few Bollywood actors in the 60s(couldn’t get any picture references) Sadly there aren’t many buttoned up Indians I can think of…Anybody else…?