From a T-length Kaftan dress to an oversized maxi and deep neck Kaftan top to a partywear silk Kaftan midi, check out some amazing ways to style this versatile wardrobe staple.
Kaftans are a versatile and stylish wardrobe staple that can be worn in a variety of ways. These comfortable yet stylish clothes are back in trend in India and across the world! Their recent resurgence proves they are both comfortable, stylish, and versatile. Whether daytime or nighttime, it is possible to elevate your look in no time with the right choice of fabric and accessories. From a T-length Kaftan dress to an oversized maxi and deep neck Kaftan top to a partywear silk Kaftan midi – the options are many and can be worn in multiple ways, depending on one’s style. (Also read: Fashion guide: The return of the kaftan dresses and sartorial tips to style them )
Kaftans: Tips to style them for a trendy and chic look(Instagram)
Kaftans: Tips to style them for a trendy and chic look(Instagram)
Talking to HT Lifestyle, Prakruti Gupta Rao, Fashion expert and the Co-founder of The Kaftan Company, shared some useful tips that will help you pull off the Kaftan look like no other.
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1. Solids for lovers of simplicity
Just one or two solid Kaftans will go a long way! For those who have never worn a Kaftan and want to invest in a basic yet versatile version, a solid-coloured piece can be a breath of fresh air. A statement white or black Kaftan can be paired with accessories of any kind and are apt for all the seasons throughout the year. During summers, use vibrant chunky jewellery to enhance the outfit, while for winters, layer up with a jacket and scarf to achieve utmost warmth without compromising the style quotient.
2. Berets and boots with a short kaftan
People staying in colder weather or wanting to get their Kaftans out in the winter can instantly level up their fashion game by pairing it with a long jacket, thigh-high boots, and a complementing beret. A multi-coloured Kaftan with bright prints will grab eyeballs for all the right reasons and help you sail through the winter chills while looking chic and glamorous!
3. Embellished for the late-night party
Party enthusiasts looking for something unique yet comfortable can bet on an embellished Kaftan top with printed pants, a belt, and boots. This look goes well in winter, as it is comfortable and stylish. For summer, on the other hand, an embellished Kaftan would look best with dark denim shorts or a pencil-fitted skirt with heels as per one’s comfort. Add a subtle bling using diamond accessories and complete the entire look. With this, you are good to go!
4. Florals for the brunch or beach
Most of us have perceived Kaftans as a summer or beach-friendly outfit, which is partly true. But unlike earlier times, today, the market is full of Kaftans in different prints, fabrics, colours, lengths, and patterns. So, whether you have to meet friends for a brunch outing or stroll by the beach with your special someone, grab a brightly-hued Kaftan, perhaps in one of the trendy neon shades, and match it up with a contrasting bag and sunglasses. You can even don a bohemian look with a maxi Kaftan dress and silver jewellery. Brace yourself to grab all the eyeballs!
5. Ethnic kaftan midi for the upcoming wedding
Traditional Kaftans with embroidery, lacework, or stonework along the neckline are a total game-changer. Those wanting to ditch sarees and lehengas can opt for a Kaftan of this pattern and rest assured, knowing the outfit will be manageable for even long hours. A pair of blingy earrings with a suitable ring and bracelet will add fanciness to an otherwise simple ensemble.
Kaftan redefines comfort dressing like none other in a world that underrates the importance of garment ease and embraces fast fashion. It is no wonder everyone – from celebrities to runway models, influencers to expecting mothers – has begun investing in Kaftans. Rightfully so, they are giving all other ensembles a run for their money!
Publication : Hindustan Times
Author : Media Team
Source : https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/fashion/kaftans-tips-to-style-them-for-a-trendy-and-chic-look-101673615730288.html
Corporate Citizen: Tell us a bit about your growing up days. Prakruti Gupta: I was born and raised in a humble Gupta family. My father owned two businesses, a pharmaceutical company-it is a 45-year-old, Ayurvedic ointment compa- ny, which, I later took over. And a chain of sweet's shops which closed a long time ago. I studied in a boarding school. At the age of 17, I left for Canada to study at the University of Windsor where I pursued my Bachelor of Commerce Honours, Business Administration and Computer Science. I completed my MBA in Marketing, Strategy Management, at York University The kind of exposure that I received as a child, made me realise that I always wanted to be an entrepreneur, but just did not know when. With that, I also was into computers and the corporate world. It's just not easy to give up your corporate life and start a business. And I enjoyed working for a huge company. Howev- er, even there my manager felt that I had a little more than what I exuded. Just to put my jour- ney in short, I started my career as a custom- er service representative at Daimler Chrysler Canada in 2001, and since have moved a very long way, in terms of work and geographies.
CC: You spent a fair amount of time in the corporate world, walk us through that. In 2004, I interned with Mercedes-Benz Fi- nancial. Within no time, looking at my prog- ress, I was hired there. I worked there for five years and was promoted every year. I started in the customer service position and within nine months I moved to an analyst position. After handling various positions, my last job there was as a global team lead for a project. There is no secret to success, you ought to keep learning at every stage. My splendid corporate journey pushed me to understand the nuances it had to offer. For- tunately, I learned a lot, so much that I still apply the learnings in my business. I had one of the most amazing managers, who enlightened me with the philosophy of working-how to work together and how to showcase empathy. I had watched my father quite closely; he was the first one who showcased the importance of empathy in the workplace. For me, it was simple-leadership is all about empathy and we should relate and connect with our employees. One more thing that I learned at work was the work-life balance which I still carry forward. I also understood the importance of technology and how to implement it.
CC: Were you hesitant to hang your corpo- rate boots?
Some things in life happen and unfortunately, you don't have any control over them. I wasn't hesitant to leave my corporate job, rather, I had no choice. Got married to Navin, who is a Ca- nadian citizen. He wanted to move to Dubai. Now, my team in Canada loved me, so, my manager, called our Dubai team saying that our
star employee is moving to Dubai, and it would be great if they had a position for me. Sadly, they did not have a job for my calibre. But Fiat and Chrysler did. So, we moved to Dubai. Un- fortunately, one month into the job and I was diagnosed with cancer. Hence, we had to shift to India for the further process. In turn, I had to quit my corporate job. CC: Can you walk through your journey of overcoming cancer? Just six months into my marriage, I was diag- nosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, which was to- tally unexpected. As doctors in Dubai couldn't diagnose it effectively, we flew down to Mum- bai, where the diagnosis began at the Tata Me- morial Hospital. The initial few days went into understanding what exactly happened. I did not know what to make of it. It was tough. My mom and my husband are headstrong and they helped me a lot. Dad and I are sentimental-I'm generally a positive person. I consoled myself saying whatever happened has happened-I can't cry over it.
CC: Kudos to you for overcoming cancer. How did it change you as a person? This process did change my perspective on life. Things that seemed important, later did not. I always knew family is important, but this pe- riod made me realise that they mean the world to me. And I did not want to leave them and go back. And a thought rose that I wanted to do something of my own. It is a fact that no one likes hospitals, and I am no different. The white hospital room started to annoy me. The bedsheet and other décor were dull too. So, like every cloud has a silver lining, and although this situation wasn't favourable, I thought of making the most of what I have. We started with brain- storming ideas. Digital printing on fabric was a fairly new idea back then. It wasn't launched in India. I thought of starting a home furnishing brand that would change the vibe of the house. In 2010, Shibumi Fashion was one of the first companies to start home furnishing with digital printing. We supplied to some of the big brands. And then there was no looking back.
CC: What happened next? And how did Kaf- taan come into existence? Shibumi Fashion was growing steadily. Soon came all the e-commerce brands in the mar- ket. Shibumi Fashion was just an online brand.
For three years we did that and people started recognising our brand. The best part was we started getting orders for bulk manufacturing for private companies. Within no time, we be- gan working with big companies. For the next five years, we did their production. It started getting quite unexciting for me. It was monot- onous-it was an order and supply job. There was no creativity from our end and my heart yearned for more. I was wondering what kind of brands we can start in garments. That's when I thought about Kaftan Company in 2016. That was something I loved as a garment. And when I was going through my treatment, my oncol- ogist always asked me to wear loose clothes. Tight clothes anyway aren't good for the body. Back then, there were no kaftans in the market. I thought it would be fun and challenging. But, I was sure that we will get through. Kaftan Com- pany began its journey, but we were still man- aging Shibumi Fashion too. We did not give that up. That's always a risk-we needed to mitigate that risk and see that our employees got paid. My husband took care of the manufacturing. And I continued with the Kaftan Company.
The next step Kaftan Company was an online brand. Soon we launched it on other online shopping portals like Ajio, Jabong, Amazon, Myntra etc. Eventually, now we are available everywhere. The company
aims to provide global buyers with the widest range of loungewear and kaftans through de- sign innovations, and adherence to sustainable practices. Our growth can be attributed to in- novation and the great customer experience provided by our Kaftans. The first three years were challenging. As people did not even un- derstand the product. Some people related to it as what grandmoms wore at night. It was night- wear, so they never bothered it should still look good. The prints were not vibrant. I wanted to do something different. Nightwears can be inter- esting too. So, we started a vibrant digital print for nightwear. This is what made us stand out in the market competition. Staying up with the trend, we have been a sustainable brand. And our production is completely organic. The Kaf- tan Company uses digital printing and natural fabrics to reduce waste generation and the over- all carbon footprint of the manufacturing pro- cess. There is zero wastage. It is an end-to-end garment house. We recycle even the smallest of waste of the fabric. Second, part of the sustain- ability is the kind of fabric you use-80 per cent of our fabric is made using cotton and sustain- able material. As a brand, you've to be conscious of these things.
Sassy designs We take inspiration from the Paris and New York runway for what's coming un. Our creative team figures out the print we want to de- velop. We have a designer who works only on prints. We had just launched a line-up called Alpha-diva, a corporate clothing line. Owing to Covid pandemic we had to discontinue the brand. We focused on comfort. It was a clothing line that did not constraint the person's move- ments. We are into subtle but happy colours. Such things brighten your mood and in turn your productivity. The fabric was flowy and comfort and style were our priorities. CC: Any fashion tips for the corporates? Wear what you feel comfortable in. Don't follow the norms. If you like something - go for it and make a style statement for sure. CC: When not working what keeps you oc- cupied? I love spending time with my children Sanmay and Vismany. The moment I'm free, I plan some activities with my boys. That's the most import- ant thing for me. When you have a business you rarely get time. I love to travel as well, whenever I get time.
CC Tips for entrepreneurs? Hon a never give up attitude. Life keeps on changing, there's no guarantee of anything hence you ought to have patience and you should believe in yourself. Success takes time, meanwhile, life goes on. Embrace whatever it offers, and move with a lot of happiness, posi tivity, and confidence. CC: What's your philosophy in life? Just keep on going, life isn't about finding your self, it's about creating yourself. The thing you can control is yourself. (okta.katti@corporatecitizen.)
Publication : Corporate Citizen
Author : Ekta Katti
Source : https://online.fliphtml5.com/ottei/msfv/#p=36
Billions of viewers are expected to tune in to the World Cup on television or streaming platforms. And as they concentrate on what is happening on the pitch, the names of some of the biggest brands will be flashing behind the players on a rolling, bright-coloured loop: Coca-Cola, Bira 91, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hindustan Unilever, Maruti Suzuki, MRF Tyres, among others.
These brands are expected to cumulatively spend about Rs 2,000–2,500 crore, according to industry executives, in a bid to cash in on the ever-expanding cricket viewership in the world's biggest market for the sport.
After the results of two preceding tournaments—the Indian Premier League and Asia Cup—this year, it is clear that cricket is a big reach builder in India, said Shashank Srivastava, senior executive officer, marketing and sales, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. The homegrown automaker has been associated with the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup on both television and over-the-top platforms.
"The reach of these properties is phenomenal, touching almost 500 million users on TV and around 450 million users on OTT," Srivastava told BQ Prime. "And hence, with the World Cup happening in India and India being one of the favorites to win, the sporting event offers a great opportunity for brands to talk to their audiences and solidify their brand propositions."
Srivastava, however, said that the ad rates for television have increased in the range of 10-15% per spot for both India and non-India matches, while for digital, they have increased by around 50–60% in terms of per thousand impressions or cost per mille. Even as digital rates seem to be very high, Hotstar is promising an increase in reach from 300 million in the 2019 edition. "Hence, the reach has also increased by close to 50%," according to him.
Companies in sectors like automobiles, FMCG, and consumer discretionary are generally the big spenders during the festive season, which accounts for about 40–45% of a company's annual ad spends. This year's advertising expenditure may jump 15-20% over the previous year during the Dusshera-Diwali period—the busiest shopping period of the year—led by the cricket tournament, according to marketers. A potential spend of around Rs 30,000–40,000 crore is expected during this festive season.
"Festive spends this year are likely to go 15-20% higher than last year," said Amit Dhawan, partner and chief executive officer, Art-E Mediatech. He expects the cricket-related ads to comprise about 10% of the total spend.
Thums Up, the beverage brand from The Coca-Cola Co., is the official beverage partner of the ICC World Cup. As part of its marketing campaign, the brand is inviting fans to predict the winning team. "By purchasing Thums Up, finding a unique code, and collecting digital victory coins, consumers can stand a chance to watch the game live," the company said.
The move is aimed at connecting with fans at a deeper level and pushing sales ahead of festive season when consumers are on to binge eating.
To be sure, this is not the first time that Coca-Cola is trying to attract Indian consumers' attention by offering a free ticket. It has been doing this for several years now. However, Britannia is a pioneer. It had first launched the ‘Britannia Khao, World Cup Jao’ before the 1999 cricket World Cup, and later several brands such as Uber and Bira 91 followed up with their own versions.
"Our brand activations will engage consumers through offline and online promotions and create memorable experiences for sports fans," said Arnab Roy, vice-president, marketing, Coca‑Cola India and Southwest Asia.
Billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Consumer Products Ltd. has also rolled out a cricket-themed drink, Campa Cricket. With an attractive pricing point of Rs 20 for a 250-ml pack, the company will widely distribute the brands across key states as it looks to aid sales after a washout summer.
Brands are also turning to athlete endorsements. Rival PepsiCo India has roped in cricketer Hardik Pandya for its Gatrode sports drink, while Reliance's Campa Cricket is endorsed by young cricketer Ishan Krishan.
Tyre maker CEAT Ltd. has signed women cricketer Shafali Verma as its latest brand ambassador. Shafali joins the CEAT's list of cricket brand ambassadors, which includes Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Mathew Hayde.
Small Advertisers Find A Place
Typically, small or mid-sized brands don't advertise during the World Cup owing to the high rates.
"But this year we are seeing such brands spending a considerable amount of money in the form of sponsorships, ad spends on OTT, sports media, etc.," said Dhawan.
Disney Star's advertisement plans that start as low as Rs 1–5 crore across television and digital have attracted all kinds of advertisers.
Startups are also capitalizing on the World Cup, if not through sponsorships but via OTTs and tactical moment marketing, Dhawan said.
A seven-year-old women's clothing brand, The Kaftan Company, unveiled dresses and kaftans that match Team India's jersey.
"We wanted to provide something unique, exquisite, yet very comfortable to wear for the female fans of Team India," said Navin Rao, the company's co-founder, hoping the promotional event would push sales and recognition. In just two weeks since the launch of the cricket collection, the company has sold over 20 pieces, said Rao.
Overall Ad Spend Muted
Despite all the frenzy, the overall ad spend growth may remain under pressure as the gaming and new-age categories are missing this time because of several factors including a funding winter and higher tax rates.
Other companies in sectors EdTech, fintech and Fundtech are also curtailing ad spends.
Elara Capital has revised the overall advertising expenditure growth downwards to 10-12%, including the positive impact of the Cricket World Cup, in 2023, from an estimate of 16% growth projected by ad agencies.
]]>A bit of a wake-up call has occurred in the past decade with many supporting “slow” fashion and the ability to re-use more while also considering ethical sourcing for companies to support the world’s currently depleting environment. Eventually, this has all led to the term “Sustainable Fashion” - a term describing products, processes, activities, and people (policymakers, brands, consumers) that aim to achieve a carbon-neutral fashion industry built on equality, social justice, animal welfare, and ecological integrity.
Its importance is stressed even more now as the global population continues to rise, air quality indexes are within questionable levels for normal living, and effluence in the rivers continues to be a challenge. However, reducing carbon footprint doesn’t happen overnight and while there seems to be momentum gathering from many parts of the globe - the practical aspects of achieving carbon neutrality will still take some time to become a reality.
Unlike Western Wear and Traditional Ethnic Wear, kaftans are sustainable almost by default. During its production, a very small part of the garment is eliminated, generating virtually zero waste. With its comfortable fit, breathable nature and easy-to-wear attributes, kaftans are truly versatile. This allows kaftans to be created in a variety of fashion categories including - Maternity Wear, Nightwear, Loungewear, Daywear, Occasion Wear, and even Resort Wear. Essentially, the kaftan lends itself to be a garment that can be used in a number of beautiful ways. Complemented the right way, a kaftan can be worn on each and every occasion.
At The Kaftan Company, we take sustainability seriously. Given the uniqueness of kaftans - from a sustainability standpoint we pride ourselves on continuous improvement towards helping our environment via our processes daily.
This translates to:
Virtually Zero Waste: Our production process ensures minimal waste, making our kaftans environmentally friendly choices.
Upcycling: To complement our nightwear range, we repurpose excess fabric into stylish masks, reducing waste and promoting reuse.
Compostable Packaging: We've replaced plastic packaging with compostable alternatives, prioritizing eco-conscious choices from start to finish.
As a company we are responsible towards the environment from our daily business processes and our perspective adapts accordingly. As consumers, you have a responsibility to choose a brand that is conscious in its approach towards the environment and strives to help reduce, recycle and reuse as best as possible.
Summary
To help summarize, we hope you received a basic understanding of what Sustainable Fashion is, its importance in today’s day and age and also how The Kaftan Company addresses these concerns.
Feel free to browse and choose from our collection of Sustainable kaftans here and know that you are buying fashion responsibly while supporting the environment.
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