Ring in the festivities with fashion

Over the past year, the coronavirus pandemic has impacted the wedding industry, bringing about changes to the (once) thriving culture. With couples mindfully choosing to downsize their weddings to opting for more economical decor and catering, the biz has seen unprecedented changes. However, fashion and shopping for clothes for the big day has not lost their sheen, it seems. In line with the wedding and festive season, popular fashion and lifestyle exhibition brand, Melange, is back to serve a slice of opulence and elegance to its shoppers.

“The consumer behaviour has changed over the last year. Weddings have become more personalised — with a shorter guest list but more fun! However, there is no compromising on what people wear. After all, weddings are the only occasion where people can deck up without thinking twice. Through our exhibition and our offerings, we hope to cater to people with different needs. Be it bridal wear, party or casual wear; festive or western, we have it all, across categories from clothing, jewellery, ring, clutches, footwear, home decor and pouches,” shares Neelam Garg, one of the three partners spearheading Melange.

An indulgent affair, the twoday exhibition will feature the creations of entrepreneurs and brands across the country. Deepa Thakur from Delhi, Preeti Mehta from Mumbai, Dabka Stories from Mumbai, CYYNOSURE from Pune, Manjari, Pehchan by Anju Khanna from New Delhi, Vibrant by HNR, Mumbai, Saanchi Creation from Chandigarh, Raps Creation from Mumbai, Bobby Creation from Mumbai, Sumans Lucknovi, Almas by Anjum Khan from Mumbai, Women’s Fashion from Jaipur, Nita Shah, Pritees at Rumourss, Story of Threads, Vibrant Jaipur, Sid n Vani, Water Colours, Safetypinz from Varanasi, Alankrit, Elegance from Ahemdabad, GH Studio by Neha, Kuber Jewellery from Bengaluru, Rekha jewellery from Hyderabad, Adans by Rizwana, Simran Collections, Varsha Bajaj The Tulips, Fiddaa, Ankan Creations from Kolkata, Indo western studio, ANZ Designs and Sada Footwear, will be participating brands, leaving customers with plenty of choices to explore.

“From stitched and semi-stitched skirts, kurtas for men, embroidered and embellished clutches, gotta patti-work e d dresses, silks and cotton to pickles and mouth fresheners, the customers will be presented with a diverse range and will not have to look further,” she says. Melange’s previous outing in January, saw the brand honouring female COVID-19 warriors from the city. This time, the founders have decided to honour homemakers for their relentless contributions, which, Neelam notes, often go unnoticed. “The members and senior coordinators of Junior Agarwal Mahila Mandal, a 25-year-old ladies club affiliated to The Agarwal Sabha will be inaugurating the event. The theme is about friendship and sisterhood and us supporting each other, ” she enthuses. The products are priced from Rs 1,500 onwards.

Everyone is obsessing over ethical gold jewellery.

What is more beautiful than wearing gold? Wearing it consciously! With the rising need to take a step back and rethink our everyday choices, trends and terms like recycled, redipped and fair trade gold is making a lot of noise across the globe, to ensure that both production and purchase of gold is done ethically. From white gold being reused by redipping, to heirloom pieces being worn and restored, and fair trade paying their due to gold miners, gold lovers are ensuring that wearing/buying gold is ethical by all means Here’s why there has been a lot of focus on ethical gold lately. White gold means redipping to make it look appealing

Certainly, while gold looks more appealing, but it requires redipping to retain its lustre, shine and colour. “While one can always have the option of exchanging an old ornament for a new one, redipping helps restore white gold, thus reducing carbon footprint generated while making a new piece of jewel,” says jewellery designer Kanan Mali. Recycling gold is an eco-friendly measure Several jewellery brands and gold lovers are now making recycling gold mainstream in order to save the environment and promote ethical gold jewellery. “Old jewellery that is broken or needs a makeover or is out of fashion, recycling is a great way to infuse a new life in them without hurting the environment,” says Kanhaiyalal Sharma, who deals in gold recycling. Heirloom pieces are back in vogue While heirloom pieces are a great way to stay connected to your roots, they are also great for nature. “A couple of years ago, youngsters would often exchange the inherited gold for something new, but now they are gravitated to wearing these traditional pieces with pride. The rise of heirloom jewellery is also a result of their belief in sustainability and saving energy used in creating new gold items,” adds Kanan. The rise of the fairtrade gold According to Fairtrade Gold, a platform that works towards the upliftment of gold miners and artisans, buying fairtrade gold ensures that small-scale and artisanal miners were paid a fair price and given financial security. “In recent times, due to several fashion revolutions, the fairtrade certification has got momentum which means gold is not just sourced responsibly, but the hands behind them – the miners, small scale artisans and jewellers – get a fair share in the business,” adds Kanhaiyalal. It also ensures that no child labour is involved or there is over-exploitation of mines in the world.

How to clean jewellery if Holi colour is stuck on it.

As we are done playing Holi, you must have colours all on your body, clothes and jewellery. And if you are looking for ways to remove it from your jewellery.

We celebrated the festival of Holi with full fervour and enthusiasm. From applying colours on your friends’ faces to splashing water, you must have enjoyed the festival of colours and are now looking for ways to remove the same from your face, hair, clothes and jewellery.

While we love playing Holi, we dread when we have to remove the stubborn colour from ourselves and our jewellery and clothes. While some colours get off easily, there are also a few who take days to get off. While there are many ways to remove colour from your face, clothes and hair, there are only a few options available to remove the same from your jewellery. And if you are looking for those ways, then you are in the right place.

Below, we are sharing with you a few ways by which you can easily get rid of the Holi colour stuck on your jewellery. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

How to clean jewellery if Holi colour is stuck on it

Dish soap

Dish soap can easily help you to get rid of the stubborn Holi colour stuck on your jewellery. Wondering how? Follow these steps:

1. Take 1 tablespoon of dish soap

2. Add 1/4 cup of water and mix well

3. Dip your jewellery in the mixture for not more than 7 minutes

4. Take out the jewellery and clean with a microfiber cloth

Baking Soda

Baking Soda is not just for cooking. It can also be used to remove Holi colour from your precious jewellery. Follow these steps to do the same:

1. Take 1 teaspoon baking soda in a bowl

2. Add 3-4 drops of water. Mix to form a paste

3. Take a soft brush and dip it into the paste

4. Gently brush your jewellery using the mixture

5. Later, clean the jewellery pieces with clean water and puff dry

Air dry

Instead of removing the stubborn Holi colour from your jewellery right away, let it air dry. Once it is dry, the colour might automatically dust away and you can get your precious jewellery back.

Toothpaste

Toothpaste can also be used to remove Holi colour from your jewellery. Follow these steps to do the same:

1. Take white toothpaste and apply a dab on your jewellery.

2. Using your fingers, rub the paste gently on your jewellery

3. Rinse with lukewarm water .

Follow these easy steps to remove Holi colour from your precious jewellery. While you may follow these steps, it is still advised to avoid wearing any precious ornament while playing Holi.