The Review

While we weren’t looking, 2012 turned out to be fashion’s busiest year in a long time.

It all began with Vogue India’s absolutely amazing January cover girl — Mehr Jesia Rampal. Forty-three-year-old Mehr, India’s only supermodel, welcomed the year dressed as a Christian bride in Marchesa, looking every inch as fabulous, toned and taut, as she always has. Rampal’s cover not only celebrates a gorgeous woman in her forties, it also bravely takes back the magazine covers from the Big Five of Bollywood — Kareena Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Priyanka Chopra, Sonam Kapoor and Anushka Sharma.

In March, one of the fashion’s world biggest recluse, Hedi Slimane, was offered to take over the Yves Saint Laurent label. Slimane, who had fronted Dior’s menswear and made its slim suit an icon, famously upchucked fame and money for the life of a quiet photographer and moved to California. His return made all the right noises. His debut collection was a modern re-telling of Saint Laurent’s biggest hits. But his online battle with New York Times’s Cathy Horyn earned him some brickbats. Now, the news is that YSL’s team is asking him to move to France or simply buzz off.

It isn’t Katrina, Sonam or Kareena. Kalki Koechlin becomes fashion’s favourite muse. Right from Christian Dior to Sabyasachi, everyone wants a piece of this Indo-French delight. Kalki graced several magazine covers, but it was her impeccable appearances at Cannes this summer

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