The innately fashionable know that true style comes from being comfortable in your skin — as well as in your clothes…. Madhu Jain goes down memory lane recalling the moments and people that impacted her.
Like me, my French roommate was on a scholarship in a rather waspish, well, to be frank, snobby, women-only college in new England. most of the other students were the progeny of rich Americans. And their clothes reflected it. Francoise (let’s call her that) had a spartan wardrobe. Yet, whenever she emerged for an evening out she stood out from the others, despite their Saks Fifth Avenue ensembles. There was a je ne sais quoi aura about her. it was the little touches that made her different — and the inventive way in which she accessorised. Francoise would tie a scarf around her neck and move it to one side, rendering it a bit off-kilter. The same scarf would metamorphose into a belt another day. Occasionally, she wore just one earring. The tilt of her beret would change to suit her mood: this was before berets became commonplace on the American side of the Atlantic Ocean. likewise, her hair would also somehow always match her changing disposition.
When i went to Paris for further studies at the Sorbonne, there were many Francoises swanning about the latin Quarter, or other haunts where my meager scholarship francs (before euro days) could go further. Paris opened my eyes to the fact that it wasn’t what you had but what you did with it that mattered. Jugaad! it was all about curating your own look. But, before that, you have to discover your look and personality. like Francoise’s long earring worn in just one ear. Years later, i saw author Arundhati Roy with one long, brightly-coloured wooden earring dangling provocatively.
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Esta historia es de la edición April 2017 de Verve.
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Making Amends
This generation’s penchant for thoughtless consumption gets Madhu Jain roiled up, and she wonders if nature is getting its own back for our missteps…
Diamonds With Provenance
In keeping with the company’s commitment to environmental and social responsibility, Anisa Kamadoli Costa, chief sustainability officer at Tiffany & Co. and chairman and president at The Tiffany & Co. Foundation, enlightens Shirin Mehta on the efforts that make the jewellery giant an industry leader in transparency
SARTORIAL ECONOMICS
Sisters Tashi and Tara Mitra demonstrate to Akanksha Pandey how deviating from the mainstream can bend the way we think, live and dress
NOTES TO SELF
An anthropomorphized tiger’s perspective, a viscerally worded futuristic interpretation of loss, a critique of performative activism, a meta reflection on the earth’s crises. Told through different lenses, Janaki Lenin, Indrapramit Das, Keshava Guha and Roshan Ali’s stories — written exclusively for Verve — attempt to make sense of the fraught reality that we exist in today
The Eternal Optimist
As Generation X and xennials grapple with fully transitioning to conscious living, young millennials and Generation Z are leading the charge to reverse human-caused environmental damage. Sahar Mansoor, founder and CEO of the Bengaluru-based zero-waste social enterprise Bare Necessities, has a simple overarching philosophy: consume less and stay positive. Verve gets deeper into the mindset of the action-oriented earth advocate
Redemption SONGS
Indian music festivals have been demonstrating a refreshing sense of responsibility in terms of their ecological impact. Interacting with stakeholders who strive to make these large-scale events greener, Akhil Sood investigates the reasons behind the improved attitudes of audiences and the increase in corporate support.
earth hour
Crafted using nature’s elements, these dials draw inspiration from the many heterogeneous materials and hues around us.Verve turns its lens onto a mesmerising few
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Children are holding adults accountable for both the grim future they are facing and the toll this is taking on their mental health. Madhumita Bhattacharyya initiates conversations with families of young climate activists and observes the extent to which parenting has changed in the face of catastrophe
NATURAL JUSTICE
Most of us are only just waking up to the urgency of climatic action. When the stakes are so high, what can individual action solve? Mridula Mary Paul, an environmental policy expert, is proof of the tenacity needed to effect systemic change. It’s not glamorous, and the rewards are few and far between, but that doesn’t stop her from aiming big, finds Anandita Bhalerao
Along For The Ride
Navigating Indian streets as a woman is hard enough. But what is it like while riding a bicycle? Bengaluru-based Shreya Dasgupta, a regular cyclist, speaks to five urban women about the pros and cons of this increasingly popular means of transport.
