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“Art, objects, or design considered to be in poor taste because of excessive garishness or sentimentality, but sometimes appreciated in an ironic or knowing way.” is how KITSCH is defined in the Webster Dictionary. Urban dictionary calls it—“As an art movement, lifestyle, or literature and film genre, that is pleasingly distasteful. It’s melodramatic, overdone, gaudy and tacky or sentimental and folksy.” So basically kitsch as an art/ design form when incorporated in fashion would generally imply a sartorial form that is tawdry or created to appeal to popular or undiscriminating fashion taste. Well all I can say is that this was perhaps the way kitsch as a design form was perceived almost two decades ago when it emerged on the art & design platform with interior designers, visual artists, painters, photographers taking a keen delight in glamorizing something that had its roots in raw and very rustic India. More gaudy & colorful, more kitschy!

But with passage of time, Kitsch has been toned done and got subtler. Fashion designers, brands & labels have experimented with this art form and created clothing using organic fabrics like khadi, cotton, linen & raw silk and incorporated different weaving & craft techniques  to come up with such trendy pieces that spell elegance & grace while being quirky, vibrant & kitschy at the same time. Over a period these brands have carved a niche for offering clothing that is remarkably kitsch-inspired yet quite understated and very wearable! Some of my top favorite Indian Kitsch brands are:

QUIRK BOX

ITOKRI

THE KHADI CULT

KHARA KAPAS

THE SECRET LABEL

It does take courage for any man to be able to carry a feminine style vest in pink tones like this one! Hats off to him. I spotted him recently amongst the all the buzz & brouhaha at the So Delhi Confluence held at The Lalit. He was all smiling and most obliging to pose for me for a remarkable street style look. Though most of the outfit is quite mundane, I love the panache with which he is carrying off his cute, little goatee and his long flowing vest knowing deep inside that he is definitely able to make the eyeballs move. More of such statement looks to you, man!

For details of the confluence, click here!

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TREE BOMBAY 2015

In the words of Woody Campbell, -” I take at least one photo every day and post it on my site. I upload when I have time, typically six or seven days after the image is captured. I started this project on October 16, 2009 and have posted a picture each day without fail. I am well into the seventh year of this long term project, which I will continue for the rest of my life” .

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OLD BOMBAY 2015

RAJASTHAN 2015

OPIUM CEREMONY 2015

LAUNDRY BOMBAY 2015