Sonali’s Society: From the runway to the races

Million dollar museDelna Poonawalla centre proves that while the horses provide the speed the fascinators are the mane event Sunday saw style stakes and sunshine aplenty at the Poonawalla Breedersrsquo MultiMillion at MahalaxmiGlobal desiWhat is fashion and what isnt According to Sanjay Garg that fundamental question is too often answered beyond our borders The gent who calls himself a textile designer mdash we prefer to call him the genius behind Raw Mango mdash rues the fact that India doesnrsquot define this narrative As ambitions go his is a lofty one he hopes to change that And letrsquos just say hes already on his waySanjay GargLast week The New York Times Style Magazine listed Sanjay as one of Six Rising Fashion Designers Who Have Our Attention and yesterday he showed us why His was the first show on the final day of London Fashion Week mdash the closing slot reserved for legendary British brand Burberry Suffice it to say Sanjayrsquos craftforward collection sparked wonder making an emphatic statement as his LFW debutFor India by India has always been the quiet manifesto behind Sanjays work mdash but this season it was delivered to the world And that world appears ready to receive it For too long modern Indian fashion has sought Western validation like a reluctant rite of passage Thankfully a fair few trailblazers are fighting to flip the compass with Sabyasachi Mukherjee Rahul Mishra and Gaurav Gupta at the forefrontHeavenly harmoniesWithout intending it Rishab Rikhiram Sharma finds himself firmly on our radar mdash first for his fashion choices and now for something more sublime Having already ascended significant heights as a sitar star we spotted Sharma midclimb on a far less musical stage on MondayRishab Rikhiram SharmaAt Babulnath Temple while on the steps the young musician found his prayers intercepted by several starstruck fans Despite the venue the crowd did not keep it holy devotees selfieseekers and the casually curious all going absolutely wildKudos to Rishab who kept his calm composure intact and indulged his audience navigating the chaos like a pro It seems some days you plan one darshan and end up with another entirelyCouture crowns and a cute cameoSilver is skyrocketing again with Alia Bhatt making her BAFTA debut in a mesmerising metallic gown on Sunday And yes weve been Guccigushing ever sinceLast year Mission Impossible star Michelle Monaghan wore a sequinned stunner by the Italian fashion house mdash a similar sparkling homage to old Hollywood glamour Creating redcarpet magic in consecutive years is no small feat especially with one look delivering cinematic sparkle while the other roared with modern radiance But the brandrsquos clean sweep of the BAFTAs doesnt stop thereAlia BhattBedecked in a bespoke blushtoned gown in a category of her own was the Princess of Wales mdash making an appearance at the awards after a threeyear hiatus Catherinersquos glorious Gucci gown has my heart for being a rewear she first wore it in 2019Catherine Princess of WalesAnd yet if wersquore talking scene stealers one more creature mdash culled of couture mdash simply cannot be ignored Handing over the Best Childrens amp Family Film BAFTA to Lakshmipriya Devi for Boong was Paddington Bear A great honour for India presented by Britains best loved bearSecret soireeTriptii DimriAway from the paps and any other prying eyes Triptii Dimri brought in her February 23 birthday with a secluded soireacutee on Sunday night While her guest list could easily have featured Bollywoodrsquos biggest and brightest the actor chose instead to limit her celebration to the clique closest to herWith her parents in attendance Triptii took to cutting at least half a dozen cakes while her friends sang with gusto Once the majors and the minis had hit the sack we hear the party continued mdash fun frolic and high jinks running into the wee hours A wellearned bash for the blossoming beauty with a film in theatres and a new home to toast