Boys from Bodice

Boys from Bodice in Bodice.
Both studied fashion design, thrift shop excessively, like Yohji, are good with drapes, and mostly make their own clothes.
Good People.

Photographed at Delhi Fashion Week in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

Tetseo Sisters

Kuku, Mercy, Azi, Lulu - folk singers from Kohima, Nagaland. Photographed at Hornbill Festival in December ’12. 

“The white shawl on Azi & Lulu is Mhusu Khwu or young girl’s shawl. Mercy & Kuku are wearing Chipi Khwu – the chief of chiefs’ shawl or the shawl of merit.

The big necklace is called Tida(rich man’s necklace) - it’s passed from one generation to the other. Tida in Chokri means massive necklace. You get it from your mother when you hit puberty. Before that you only wear Tiza, a string of carnelians – common for both men and women.

The moment you are born your parents claim your soul by giving you Vokha - a necklace which is short in length, a choker of beads(worn as a head band).

The quills are made of porcupine spine.” Mercy’s words.

I first met and photographed the three sisters at the Péro stall at fashion week in Delhi more than a year ago. They also hosted me back in Kohima. I hung out with them almost every day. They knew all the thrift shops. We went cafe hopping & grocery shopping…

More stories later.

Note: They are in Bombay and are making their debut at Folk Nations, Blue Frog later today at 6pm. Listen to their stuff here. Come.

Photos from Kisama, Nagaland. Pragati Maidan, Delhi. Local Grounds, Kohima. A room in Mokokchung. Night Market, Kohima.

Carol Humtsoe

Has a cat called Piggy, a dog called Edie, and has been listening to Yesterday on repeat.

Is 24 years old. Works as a model. Is from Dimapur. Shuttles between Bombay and Delhi for work.

Photographed today(!) at Pragati Maidan, Delhi. Was there for Bodice/Paromita Banerjee show at WIFW. Is wearing her mom’s dress that she picked from a flea.

Paromita Banerjee AW’13:Preview

“It started off after I chanced upon this scrap of writing online. Loosely based on the concept of BORO – mended or patched textiles used as items of clothing in Japan by the peasants, merchants, & artisans. Born out of the forgotten values of Mottainai or “too good to waste” — an idea lacking in the modern consumer lifestyle. The collection would be a series of stories on the ramp, like our past collections.” – Paromita Banerjee

You mentioned cape somewhere. I picked it out randomly.
The cape is something I have always required as being an important item in my personal wardrobe. It is mainly waistcoat style, more drapy. Perfect for layering when you think the inner layer is getting too plain for wear.

I had been staring at these images from my archives while visualizing the cape. I have loads of them so I’m not exactly sure where each one is from. 1st photo is of a Sufi man taken in Uttar Pradesh in 1983. I’m a huge fan of “babasteve” image bank on flickr. Some images are from there. I think he’s brilliant.

Excerpts from a short talk with Paromita Banerjee about her Winter collection and inspirations. It’s her first show ever at WIFW(14th March 2pm). I’ll be there.

Pallavi Singh

Pallavi Singh, 23 year old fashion model…has a pug called Angel, loves Mickey Rourke & Kate Moss, likes Ray’s pizzas & salad, would like to walk for Karl Lagerfeld, has been listening to Brand New Me on repeat, and is mad excited about walking the runway at LFW in March.
Is wearing Huemn in this photo. 
Photographed at Lakme Fashion Week in August ’12.

A Good Girl is Hard to Find

You were a fat kid. How was growing up like?
I had a very happy childhood but that didn’t necessarily make me a happy child.  There were nicknames that stuck with me till the end of school… because of how fat and scary I was. And even now I am called by those names…by a few. No one expected me to be an athlete.  I wanted to be one…badly. But I couldn’t get myself to do anything about it. Most of my clothes were from the boys section.  I dunno if that’s what made me part tomboyish in school. There were days I couldn’t even recognize I was a girl…until I had to urinate.  I had really short hair. In fact, just to make a point…I have always had short hair…my whole life. I am proud of that. I don’t have too many things to be proud of. I was the strongest person in my class during my fat days..the big bully guys were scared of me too…in a funny way, mostly. We would arm wrestle in class and I’d win against everyone. I even beat two seniors at arm wrestling. And the glory of winning caught on…it made me feel good. And I stuck with that image myself apart from everyone else.

What bothers you?
All that poppycock about how faith can move a mountain.  Why can’t it just remove the damn mountain? And word play really bothers me.

What do you do?
I think shallow thoughts. In my free time I develop a complex. I like to quote Buddha in any heated discussion I am not involved in. One can’t go wrong quoting him under any circumstance. Sometimes I make up quotes and give him credit for it. People listen.
Basically, I’m jobless.

What else do you do in your free time?
I try and keep my eyes open for really long, without blinking…until they start watering. And then I think of something sad and pretend like I am crying about it. I like to eat a lot of biscuits. I like to moisturize random parts of my body. Like, if it’s my leg…I only moisturize my calf…not the entire leg.

Tell me about your tattoo.
It says “His Lucid Dream Forever Young.” Let’s not get into what it means. I was 19. It made sense to me.

Where do you think the world is going?
It should be going to some place really angry.  The world isn’t angry enough…too many ugly things happen because the world is not angry enough to do anything about it.

What’s your favourite book?
None in particular. All the old ones. Because they smell nice.

What are you listening to these days?
Golden heart – Mark Knopfler – A Night in London

Tell me something that’s important to you.
I am like any normal girl my age, I think. I go out…get a few drinks with my friends…eat…smoke cigarettes…dance like a retard…throw up sometimes…get horny…go to sleep. But if in the middle of a Pitbull song where I am shaking my rear against a wall with my hands doing their own thing in the air, and everything paused because of some divine intervention and I had to choose to do something else, it’d be to sit in my room alone. Or be alone…anywhere. Solitude. When I realize I can no longer have it…and I have let too many people in to kick them out instantly or easily, I go bat shit crazy on them. The more I socialize and get out and fall in love and make friends, the more my appetite for being alone grows. Looking back at the question, I see I have deviated from the point.

What are you going to do now?
I’m going to get my cycle fixed.

–
Anila DJ. Studied Mass Communication. Currently unemployed. Turned 23 this month. Lives in Bangalore. Photographed in Versova, Bombay.

Tinali Sumi

Likes Daniel Day-Lewis, Boo, and Margiela. One of the many people I met(only at parties) who went out of Dimapur for studies and returned. Hasn’t been doing much for the last two years. Belongs to the Sema/Sumi Naga tribe. Lives in Dimapur.
Photographed at a wedding in Dimapur.

Rupfukhoyi Rhakho

Rupfukhoyi Rhakho. 20 years old. Sociology student and a fashion model.

Tell me something about yourself. 
I’m majoring in Sociology and I like poetry. I started modelling at the age of 18 in 2010. My first show ever was winning Mr. Fresher(CSUK) at college. I was also one of the finalists and winner of Mr. Personality at Mr. Northeast 2012 held in Kohima.

How do you describe yourself?
I am compassionate and easy going. I also have good intuition.

People you admire.
I have always admired Maria Sharapova ever since I was a little boy. She is tall. And pretty.
Also Aung San Suu Kyi– the Burmese opposition leader. She is a very strong woman and an inspiration to me.

Favourite Naga designers.
Rosou Rhi(based in Kohima). Rensali Tungoe(based in Dimapur).

Favourite place in Nagaland. 
Dimapur, for its night life. It’s dusty and warm but it’s adjustable. I like late night strolls at the railway station there.

Most watched channel on television.
Star Sports.

Magazines you read.
People. The Eclectic(it’s a northeast based magazine).

A song you’re listening to on repeat.
Marc Anthony’s “Love is All.” I recently got single and it’s kind of hard. This song makes me more sad..but also brings peace.

Where do you mostly shop from?
I don’t shop much. I love Viliethie Complex in Kohima because it’s easy and affordable. The jacket I’m wearing in the photo was bought by my sister. I did some alteration to it.

Where do you hang out in Kohima?
No particular places. I like going for car rides with friends. We usually hang out at IG stadium. It’s really quiet and pleasant there.

Is there anything you don’t like about Kohima?
We are developing and we will change, but for now, what I don’t like  is the lack of civic sense among the young people. Most people chew betel nut and tobacco and spit on the road. Also, they throw the plastic wrap without caring. I wish everybody cared a little more about sanitation.

Future plans.
I plan to join an aviation academy and work as a flight steward. Maybe I’ll freelance as a model too. At some point later in life, I also want to teach sociology.

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!
These are the last few lines from “If” by Rudyard Kipling — a poem I love.

Photographed near Kohima local ground in December ’12.