DeeMix

New blog!

2006-08-27T21:21:00.000-05:00

I'm moving by blog over to Wordpress.com . Come check it out!

SF BBQ

2006-08-26T17:56:00.000-05:00

Good people, good food, good times…

Chow.com

2006-08-16T20:31:00.000-05:00

Please welcome chow.com! For a “younger, hipper clientele passionate about food but perhaps not too skilled at preparing it” – claims the NY Times. Know what, that’s me.

My usual online picks are Food Network, epicurious.com and whfoods, but now there is going to be more interesting food + lifestyle action. The site has not launched yet but will be in a week’s time. I would expect to see Mario Batali, Anthony Bourdain and maybe even some highly controversial Kaz Yamamoto.

creeeeeppieee!

2006-08-11T20:23:00.000-05:00

Alright stop! Before you get all spooked out, let me tell you what this spooky picture is all about. This is a picture of a glove factory. These guys have decorated their compound wall with some old glove moulds. When new moulds are made, for the first three months or so they are used for making surgical/better quality gloves. For the next 5 months + they are used for making construction gloves etc.

Later when it is time to discard them, these creative folk decorate their compound wall, also for security reasons, with these clay moulds/ just like how colorful glass shards, metal are used elsewhere.

Is Wine the New Perfume?

2006-07-23T18:57:00.000-05:00

Almost all fashion labels have a cosmetics line, mainly because it contributes to a fair amount of bread and (non-fat) butter. Cosmetic products enjoy high margins making them a natural selection for a product line offering. However, these days there are many players in this segment, too much noise and options that distract the consumer.

This brings the labels to a point where they need to rethink if there are hidden markets for something new. The understanding among many is that most designers have the finesse to know, understand and consume top-of-the-line lifestyle products - be it caviar, cigars, carpets, villas or wine! This “eclectic” perception lends itself to much credibility that may help sell an Alaia branded wine someday.

I have read somewhere that the region of Bordeaux has nine thousand chateaus with some that only have a couple of acreage. Appellation laws permitting, these designers may just be able to patronize/ brand some of the high quality wine producing chateaus. With wine consumption on the decrease in France and consumption increasing in the US, major changes are already happening.

Putvote.com

2006-07-23T17:58:00.000-05:00

Putvote.com works a lot like Digg for Indian blog posts, built together by Kingsley and Ravages. If you are registered your vote counts for 10 points, otherwise 3 points. Think I managed 20 points, first I used my right hand and then my left.

Gap this!

2006-07-16T10:44:00.000-05:00

For sometime I have been hearing cool things about Gap’s Fall Denim line, even the insiders are pleased and proud. This is especially important from a branding stand point, since they received a lot of flak in the past seasons for offering styles that were not exciting loosing shark bites of market share to Abercrombie, H&M and American Eagle.

Now I am more excited about their Fall Denim Ad Campaign.

There is much buzz in the media about their new campaign choreographed by the Talauega Brothers from LA. The ad will be in black and white with six dancers whose clothes will be in color. One style morphs into another to show different cuts and silhouettes that vibe with different dancers and moves. I believe these ads have a lot of potential given that much coolth will be added by the free style moves by these superlative choreographers who take their inspiration from b-boying, krumping, locking, etc

Rich and Tone Talauega have created much excitement in ad campaigns that use dance as the key medium of communicating “the feel”. Some of their work includes ipod, Pepsi, Covergirl, Mitsubishi ads, and music videos for Gwen Stefani “Rich Girl”, Jennifer Lopez “Get Right”, Michael Jackson “Ghosts”, Madonna “Rinvention Tour”, Chistina Aguilera “Dirty” etc. This list also includes movies like Take the Lead and Save the last Dance.

2006-05-10T20:20:00.000-05:00

The Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool by the National Cancer Institute may be an effective way to start looking at your personal health/risk. By default it is only for women >35. My mom, a successful gynecologist in India, detected my grandmother’s breast cancer before it got any worse, about 24 years back. My grandma is still one of the big smiling faces at the airport every time I visit home.

2006-05-09T21:55:00.000-05:00

Importing.

“Reeling in Asian Riches” on cnnMoney.com is a simplified note on importing from Asian countries in even simpler procurement, supply and demand words.

2006-05-08T19:50:00.000-05:00

A Product Management Question?

“Feature Bloat” on the HBS review talks about keeping your product clear and simple. On the outside it appears to be a fairly simple thing to do. But to boil a product or service down to this level takes a deep understanding of the end user, and to subsequently address his/her needs before requirements.

To think of it, this concept captures some key basics of managing a successful product such as product consistency, ease of use (though some may like it complex), and building expectations that can be met. ipod, the garage door remote control, and Wikipedia are pretty good examples of products/services that get the job done without frustrating or guess working the user.

But to add a layer to this article, I have always been in love with Excel and Google. The reason being both are designed so well they can be molded by the user to fit his/her needs, and grow with changing and increasing requirement. When I started using the Excel sheet, to me it was just a table, but as I grew up it grew with me to help in Poisson distributions, decision trees etc. That is a great product.

2006-04-30T18:49:00.000-05:00

The Devil wears Prada on youtube.

Merrill Streep just doesn’t cut it. She is neither sharp nor fashionable, not even bitchy. Well, take a look and let me know what you think.

2006-04-26T20:34:00.000-05:00

www.Mojizu.com

To justify my new Mojizu membership, I have been sketching away for the last few days. I am having fun, I am also apprehensive about how my work will be received etc etc. I was looking at a few of the illustrations and strangely the one that attracted me most was the one that belonged to Lungs… more importantly what Edgar stood for.

I have not posted my work yet, but will be this weekend.

2006-04-24T20:20:00.000-05:00

Poster Children of Beauty...

It has been a while since anyone wrote about Waris Dirie or Alek Wek, both extraordinary women. Also check out “WARIS DIRIE SPEAKS OUT” a short film where she speaks about the horrors of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) .

2006-04-24T19:53:00.000-05:00

The Media made up for the other!

Among the things I want to write about are the Duke Lacrosse case and the recent Karachi bombing, probably because I live in Durham and was in Karachi a couple of weeks back on a business trip.

It was sad to hear about the bombing, especially since the people there are warm and friendly and even managed to find a Sushi Restaurant since I had mentioned it. Sushi was not great… but the thought made up for it.

2005-12-04T11:12:00.000-05:00

Ritu Kumar is one of those rare finds among fashion designers. She has studied and revived some forgotten ancient fabric art. Her book, Costumes and Textiles of Royal India, talks about techniques such as Bandhini, Chikan, Zardozi, Kashida, etc., and the way they evolved with history.

India has a rich tradition in fabric design because the Indian Fashion history consists mostly of drapes: for example saris, turbans, dhotis, etc. Explains why there are several printing, dying, embroidery and weaving techniques but not as many construction methods or constructed styles. Ironically though, economic shifts have made the country one of the big manufacturers of stitched clothes, presently contributing to 14% of industrial production and 27% of total exports.

2005-12-02T22:48:00.000-05:00

Cirque du Soleil - Costumes and Prêt

Some people know their colors and are not afraid to use it. Take the costume designers at Cirque du Soleil.

Dominique Lemieux: This Montreal based costume designer has been with the circus from 1989-1998. Her work includes We Reinvent the Circus (1989), Nouvelle Expérience (1990), Saltimbanco (1992), Mystère (1993), Alegría (1994), Quidam (1996), "O" and La Nouba (1998).

François Barbeau: One of the most famous theatre artists in Canada. Winner of the 2001 Emmy - "Outstanding Costumes for a Variety or Music Program" for his work in Dralion. He has taught and directed the Set and Costume Design Program at the National Theatre School of Canada for several years.

Eiko Ishioka: Her debut at the circus started with Varekai. This costume designer from Tokyo has won an academy award for Bram Stoker’s Dracula, a Cannes Film Festival Award, a Tony nomination and a Grammy Award. Her work in “The cell” was incredibulous!

Thierry Mugler: He is known for his signature structured look and an emphasis on shapes and curves. Examples of his work include costumes for George Michael’s “Too funky” and Spielberg’s "A. I." “Zumanity” is his debut work at the circus.

While the on stage costumes are incredible, I find the silhouettes of their Prêt line mostly bland. This circus has brand equity and the creativity to sustain it. Given a more on-stage element and drama blended into their merchandise and I’d be sold. Speaking of Cirque du Soleil merchandise and markets, I could not help but think of Harajuku…

2005-10-23T13:48:00.000-05:00

Asian countries have the power to shift world trends in manufacturing. However, there are some variables that cannot be altered easily: Fuel and freight cost. Recently, in spite of the price war waged by countries like India, Pakistan, Vietnam etc, (China was obviously out because of the embargo),the countries of choice for cotton knit shirts seem to be Honduras and El Salvador at prices that were about $10 below the world average of $32.57/doz. At the same time, Pakistan was at $37 and Vietnam at $42. The geographical proximity to the US gives these Central American countries an advantage.

What about manufacturing in the USA? Labels like Forever 21, based in LA, source 40% of their merchandise from local LA manufacturers. This is a big plus for companies focusing on fashion speed-to-market, especially when some styles last only a few months.

In my opinion, going forward there will be several factors apart from lower and lower costs that will change strategic sourcing trends.