Deepika Padukone's favourite designer is Manish Malhotra

Model-turned-actress Deepika Padukone, who is in New Delhi to walk the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) ramp for designer duo Shantanu-Nikhil, says she does not follow any fashion trends.

"I believe in being comfortable in what I wear instead of wearing something in fashion that does not suit my body. I don't follow fashion trends," said Deepika.

Deepika says her favourite designer is Manish Malhotra, who is popular with most Bollywood icons.

"Manish always goes out of his way for me and does a good job. He also did my first film 'Om Shanti Om'," she said.

On Thursday, the actress was dressed in a one-shoulder, short salmon coloured dress designed by Shantanu-Nikhil, who are showcasing their collection at the WIFW as part of the sponsor show for personal care brand Fiama Di Wills.

"I am really looking forward to be a part of the show," Deepika said.

Deepika attended an event here to announce the winner of a Fiama Di Wills Beautiful Face 2008 Hunt, organised in collaboration with the Elite Modelling Agency.

Delhi-based Prerana Sharma was crowned winner of the event by the actress.

Deepika said: "During my days of modelling, I never got any such opportunity or platform to showcase my talent. But god has been kind to me."

Farah Khan's starry Eid bash

Farah Khan's Eid lunch party turned out to be a star-studded affair with the who's who of B-Town turning up. Farah and husband Shirish Kunder played perfect hosts. Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor and Shekhar of Vishal-Shekhar were the early birds.

Dino Morea, Lara Dutta, Mallika Sherawat with producer brother Vikram, Anil Kapoor with wife Sunita and daughter Sonam, Karisma Kapoor, Sanjay and Maheep Kapoor, Sohail and Seema Khan, Chunky and Bhavna Pandey, Farhan Akhtar, Rani Mukerji, Karan Johar, Tusshar Kapoor, Urmila Matondkar and Manish Malhotra, Fardeen Khan with wife Natasha, and Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan trooped in.

A lavish spread kheema pau to Kashmiri dum alu, mushroom pulao and mutton biryani. Kulfi and kheer were the desserts on offer.

The actual stars of the party were arah and Shirish's triplets Diva, Anya and Czar, all dressed in white embroidered kurtas. The trio seemed most at ease with the starry presence all around them. Their real faves turned out to be Deepika Padukone, Malaika Arora, and Mallika Sherawat the three bombshells were at ease handling the babies. Quite a party this!

SRK's cheerleaders get a makeover

Shah Rukh Khan’s cheerleaders will now sport Manish Malhotra’s ensembles; Ganesh Hegde’s outfits have been junked

Designer Manish Malhotra and Gauri Khan (Shah Rukh’s wife) have decided to re-style the cheerleaders of Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders.

Says B-Town’s favourite designer, “I was very unhappy with the gold outfits worn by the cheerleaders earlier during the Bangalore and Kolkata matches.

They have been designed by Ganesh Hegde. Gauri and I were discussing the outfits and we thought that the cheerleaders should look sportier.

Now I am re-designing new outfits for them before the next match.” Kolkatta Knight Riders are playing their next match on April 26, in Chennai, where they play Chennai Superstars.

Manish elaborates, “The outfits worn by the cheerleaders should look cool and racy. Earlier they were wearing gold skirts and tops but I want to design black T-Shirts and shorts in complete black with a gold emblem; that will look trendier.

The gold skirts worn earlier were taken from the music video which Ganesh had conceptualised and directed.”

Manish along with Anahita Shroff Adjania (and Reebok and Velmont) have designed the outfits worn by the Kolkata Knight Riders cricketers. Manish is all praise for Shah Rukh for his visualization and creative inputs.

“Shah Rukh has been involved in the minutest of detailing. He has an eye for details and is very passionate about whatever he does. The maximum credit of the cricketers’ outfits goes to Shah Rukh. The black and gold was his idea as it’s the philosophy of the Knight Riders.”

Manish adds that working costume details with Shah Rukh was exacting, “There were meetings galore; we even showed a storyboard to him. He had sent an email of the story and the emblem.

The fabrics and shoes were in collaboration with Velmont and Reebok. Anahita and I have done the formals — the black and charcoal grey blazers and pants. I had never worked with Belmont and I learnt a lot in the three months that we worked together. I

want to be versatile. The outfits look smart, stylish and glamorous with gold helmets and pads. Cricket just got more glamorous.”

Upala KBR

Lakme Fashion Week takes Mumbai by storm

The who's who of the city of Mumbai made their presence felt at the on-going Lakme Fashion Week which kicked off in the city on March 29.

The fashion extravaganza which goes on till April 2nd saw many established and some new designers show their designs to the world. Day 1 had Manish Malhotra display his designs in a spectacular fashion show and needless to say, B-town celebs turned up in full strength to support their favorite designer. Manish's show had stars like Saif Ali Khan with lady love Kareena Kapoor, Kajol, Urmila Matondkar, Amisha Patel amongst the audience. The same day also saw Bollywood's latest pin-up boy Ranbir Kapoor walk the ramp for the first time for his good friend- designer Arjun Khanna. Cheering the Kapoor dude was his mommy dearest Neetu Singh and lady love Deepika Padukone. What's more? Ranbir even decided to give an impromptu flying kiss in the direction where the two most important ladies of his life were seated.

Day 2 (Sun- Mar 30) saw one of Bollywood's top lady designers Neeta Lulla show her unique designs and for all you people wondering who the showstopper at her show was, it was none other than child prodigy Darsheel Safary. Yes you heard it right; in a moment which took everyone by surprise, the small boy-wonder walked the ramp in style along with the designer herself. Indeed a moment to cherish for the young child.

Day 3 saw yet another prominent designer Narendra Kumar Ahmed showcase his collection on the ramp. 'Nari' as he is fondly known as, had the pretty Kangana Ranaut as the star attraction for his show. The evening also saw designer Nandita Mahtani who walked the ramp with model turned actor Kelly Dorjee.

And for all of you who thought it was only Bollywood which made its presence felt at the Lakme Fashion Week, you couldn't be further from the truth. Gregory David Roberts, author of the best-seller Shantaram also walked the ramp along with his fiancée on Day 2 of this Fashion extravaganza.

With tomorrow (April 2) being the last day , and some more impressive designers set to showcase their work, get ready for a grand finale to one of the most hot-n-happening events of the week. As they say The Best is truly reserved for the Last.

Bollywood Hungama

Manish blasts Vidya

In the past year, Vidya Balan blamed designer Manish Malhotra on several occasions for her disastrous look in Heyy Babyy. But her statement during the Filmfare awards was the last straw. Now Manish is hitting back.

Says a furious Manish, who is currently in Milan, “In my 17-year career as a designer, never before has any actress made such an issue about it.

She has been blaming me for her bad outfits and I have been quiet for a year. Not any more! Vidya has been talking about me at public events.

She feels I gave her a bad look in Heyy Babyy! Pray what about the make-up, hair and outfit (Abu-Sandeep) she sported at the Filmfare awards? It was something like what people used to wear in the 1980s! And what were those horrible gaudy tassels that were hanging down her dress?” he sneers.

A phone call away

Manish adds sarcastically, “According to her, I screwed up her style. If she thought my styling wasn’t right, why didn’t she put her foot down or simply call me and say ‘Manish, please send something else?’
“I’m just a phone call away.

All I can say is that I am sorry to do this to a huge star like Vidya Balan, India’s answer to Paris Hilton with her impeccable dress sense, fabulous carriage and great knowledge of style,” says Manish.

The designer is most upset about Vidya’s statements that he apologised to her for his botched-up work. He fumes, “I sent her a message saying ‘sometimes some clothes don’t work on location but maybe we can work together next time’ but she told the whole world I apologised to her! And after that story, I haven’t called or texted her at all!”

Manish thinks that what Vidya did is in bad taste, “If my clothes don’t work, I am just a call away. She hasn’t called me even once but gripes about it in public. What she’s doing is not in good taste. It’s not as if Vidya Balan has always been impeccably turned out. How can she speak about fashion sense with her fantastic figure? Who is she?”

Author: Upala KBR | Source: Mid-Day