SAKHI is taking care of the world, one woman at a time. I’ll explain what I mean later, with my cryptic statement, but first let me tell you about this NYC-based organization. Founded in 1989 by a group of five South Asian women, SAKHI - meaning “woman friend” - was created to give a voice and a safe place to fall to women who are victims of domestic violence. 

This coming Friday, the organization celebrates their twentieth year of helping women. From work which began with community members taking calls from their apartments, they now represent women in need from the initial outreach to representation and help in putting their lives back together. And for their fantastic Gala they will have another exceptional woman among them, filmmaker Mira Nair, who is slated to release her film about flying explorer Amelia Earhart titled ‘Amelia’ later in October. Talk about one independent woman, shooting a film about another free spirit, helping an organization devoted to helping women, formed by empowered women. This sentence feels like a symphony to my independent heart!

I find SAKHI’s mission particularly poignant, because they understand deeply that the healing of our planet begins at home, from the caretakers of the human race onward. If a woman is distraught and abused, then her whole family nucleus suffers and when that happens, the community around her begins to break down. It is not an accident that parts of the world where women are considered second-class citizens are also the areas of most conflict and rage these days. Restore the mother figure and you’ll fix a country. Repair the family and you’ll heal the world. But those are big lofty words from a back-seat revolutionary like me. While I talk and write, SAKHI does, filling the ocean of womanly hope with one drop of giving, one at a time.

The conflict between the sexes is as old as the world. If we do believe in the Adam & Eve fairytale version of creation, even then male and female could not agree, and religion even delivers an additional unwelcomed blow to women by making them the ambassadors of sin. Coming from a Catholic Italian background, it has been a verbal leitmotif in my life - delivered as a joke by my chauvinistic uncles or as a tease by some of my more insecure suitors - that women can either be fantasy sex creatures or good wholesome mothers. Of course, their words were a bit more crude, but you get my point. Become a full-fledged whole woman, a bit of a mixture of both those qualities with a lot of intelligence and leading skills thrown in, and you’ve become a woman who is threatening to most males… In this age of confusion of the sexes, that’s a trigger in most violent relationships. If the male feels ‘emasculated’ then the woman must pay.

I was lucky to grow up with a mother who is fiercely independent and also possesses otherworldly courage, so naturally I became a woman who required respect and good manners from her men. Needless to say, as a result of such requirements I have spent longer stretches of my adult life being single than in relationships. Mine is not a bitter point-of-view, in any way, but rather a realistic version of the legend of Prince Charming. If I were asked to disclose my choice for a story which truly shows the battle of the sexes and a natural - albeit it taken to the extreme - version of what goes on in the mind of married men and women, I would probably take ‘The Kreuzter Sonata’ over ‘Cinderella’, any day! Again, it may sound a bit hard to some, but personally, that one story by Tolstoy has helped me to understand the battle of the sexes, the questionable reasons for that jealousy and conflict that arise in a relationship, even the inexcusable violence that is so often perpetrated against women. I am not a feminist, but rather someone who believes in and supports the unbelievable strength and beauty of the largest minority on the face of the earth: WOMEN. 

That is exactly why, come Friday October 2nd, you will find me at the SAKHI Benefit Gala, supporting their mission in the one way I know how - reporting about it. Stay tuned for a full piece about the event on the AVS TV blog, or better yet, join me…

Chickpea flour, known as besan, is a very versatile flour made from chickpeas. This type of flour is often used in savory Indian dishes such as pakoras, dhokla and kadhi. I decided to bring the sweetness of this flour out by making low fat banana chocolate chip cookies!

A few benefits of chickpea flour are:

• Gluten free
• Contains fiber (about 8 grams per cup)
• Excellent source of protein (about 28 grams per cup)

Enjoy this recipe for chocolate chip banana cookies and remember, chickpea flour is just as great sweet as it is savory!

INGREDIENTS

• 1c. Chickpea flour
• 1/4tsp. of vanilla extract
• 1 large ripe banana, mashed
• 1/2c. chocolate chips
• 1/2c. brown sugar (unpacked)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1tsp. of baking powder
• 1/2tsp. of baking soda

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl add the chickpea flour. Carefully add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until all is incorporated.

On parchment paper, dollop one tablespoon of the cookie batter, about an inch apart from each other. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cookies are golden brown.  

Allow the cookies to cool for 20 minutes before serving. This recipe makes 15 large cookies!!! Enjoy!

P.S.: Notice how we used no oil!!!

ABOUT KANWAL

My name is Kanwal Ullah. I am a 27 year old IT Professional living in good old Jersey City, NJ. As some of you may know, I have a deep passion for healthy living. Most importantly, healthy living starts with what you put in your body. Therefore, my passion also exists in healthy cooking. When I’m not in the kitchen working on healthy recipes, you can find me at the gym or roaming the streets of NYC for great food finds. Born as the daughter of two wonderful Pakistani parents, I particularly crave the culture and food from my ancestors. However, I do not like the fat and calories that have crossed continents to get to me! My passion has developed into revamping our South Asian Cuisine to make it more heart healthy and figure friendly! Bon Appetit!

So, on this one I may be a little late coming into the game. I’ve been following the making of this film ever since January of 2008, when an author/journalist I was dating at the time claimed to have some insiders’ info into the making of the film, the goings on behind the scenes. Having come to know ‘Road, Movie’ director Dev Benegal in person and a few of the others - behind and in front of the scenes - associated with this beautiful upcoming release, I now realize that my former ‘friend’ was feeding me a bunch of lies… I only wonder how much of his well-revered ‘true-to-life’ exposé book on my favorite city - regarded by many as a bible of truth - is as made-up as the little fables he told me. In the words of a dear friend of mine “as a writer, you must find the interesting story within the story. Even if that involves pushing some facts together and making others up along the way.” Ah, yes, who needs honesty when fiction is so much more fun?! Which brings me to why I love films!

Perhaps I have been waiting this long to write about the Indian Films/Studio 18 presented ‘Road, Movie’ because I am somehow too close to it, yet not close enough to have actually seen it. I typically refrain from recommending something I know little about. And with this, it’s been a guessing game all along. I was assured a while ago that “Nina, of course, will see it before everyone will see it” - ehh hem, you know who YOU are! - but it seems nearly the whole world has seen it and here I am, still in the dark about it. I do remember that I had some insider info back in the day, when I was privy to the fact that the film revolved around the journey of a young man discovering life with the help of two vintage Italian projectors and an old truck. I knew the film was shot in Rajastan and Gujarat, in the heat of summer, I also knew it starred belovedly great actor Abhay Deol and from ‘Brick Lane’ the divine Tannishtha Chatterjee, but see, these days that is all common knowledge. I kept my mouth closed so as not to give away any secrets, and find myself now with a bunch of old news. The film is being distributed by Fortissimo Films, which is also a well-known fact… Everyone from Cannes to Toronto has seen it now. So what is my angle on all this, I asked myself?

Well, from watching the trailer over and over - yes YOU, are you reading this? I wish to see a bit more than two minutes of the film, please! - I have discovered a deep connection to ‘Road, Movie’, which has the sound, look and flavor of some of those Italian movies I have grown up loving and identifying with. The title ‘Cinema Paradiso’ has been mentioned in nearly every single article written about the film, but to me that is drawing a comparison that is way too easy to make. Cameras, traveling cinema, it’s all too obvious. With Abhay Deol reminding me of a young Mastroianni - Marcellino’s name kept popping up in my head through ‘Dev.D’ in particular - and dealing with complex human relationships, bordering on the absurd as is often the case in real life, I am apt to feel a mixture of Fellini, with the picturesque interior/exterior design über-reality of Visconti thrown in. I know, that’s also too easy a comparison to make, but I’m Italian and heck, I even saw in Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Don’ a brother film to Benigni’s ‘Johnny Stecchino’. It’s just what happens to someone brought up on more than a healthy dose of Cinecittá.

I leave you now with the synopsis of the film and at the bottom of this post, the trailer. What you’ll take away from it, I can’t imagine. I always personally click with stories which deal with finding oneself through travel, a journey. Maybe because I have yet to truly find my place in this great, fascinating world of ours…

‘ROAD, MOVIE’

“A young man’s journey into the unknown becomes the odyssey of a lifetime. Vishnu, a restless young man, comes up with a plan to save his father’s faltering hair-oil business. It’s madness: an excursion into the unknown, driving an old, decrepit lorry across a harsh but stunning terrain. His personal journey becomes an odyssey across the mythical Indian landscape as he discovers he’s transporting not just a battered vehicle, but an old touring cinema. The expedition takes on carnivalesque proportions of endurance as Vishnu confronts a young runaway, a wandering, old entertainer with a bear, a beautiful gypsy woman, corrupt cops and a notorious water-lord. The key to his freedom is the eccentric collection of films and the two 40-year-old film projectors that lie inside the bowels of the lorry. Like “1001 Nights” if the films are good he gets to live and move on, otherwise he faces death in the isolated countryside. The road trip is to change the life of each of the travellers, especially that of Vishnu, who discovers life, love and laughter along the Indian highway.” 

All images courtesy of Dev Benegal and Indian Films/Studio 18 - Synopsis courtesy of Fortissimo Films

If a crisp pinstriped suit with a matching combo of handbag and shoes is your thing, or if a white linen dress worn with flat sandals and ironed straight hair is your favorite outfit for a summer’s night out, or even if you believe that pearls must always accompany that little black dress on a date, then New York Couture is not the hip clothing line for you. I suggest sticking to Ann Taylor and maybe straying off to Lord & Taylor’s to mix it up a bit, every once in a while.

But if you enjoy a bit of fluorescent pink with your black, favor crimping up your hair - and accenting it with a glittering sequin barrette and bright blue eyeshadow - and are the constant envy of all your girlfriends because you walk perfectly well in super high platform heels and look super glamorous in a purple tutu skirt and cowboy boots, then this line is just what you need to add even more hip to your closet.

During New York Fashion Week, New York Couture held their own fabulous fashion show at Webster Hall, a club that holds fond memories for me as the place where I met members of my favorite 80s band Modern English in person, as well as the spot - called The Ritz back in the days - where I heard my first Men At Work concert. I know, I know all this dates me tremendously, but just when you think you might have figured out the math on my age… Well, lets just say that I was in there way before the legal age allowed, which at the time was 18… The word teen in those days meant a faraway decade which sounded so very old to me.

Anyway, Webster Hall today is still the place where lots of young men and women go to have their first experience of pop, rock, fun, hip and cool music. It’s the club to see and be seen and that was clearly the case the night of the show, with huge lines both inside and outside the club. And those who were in attendance of the fashion show on the night of September 12th were not disappointed!

New York Couture is designed by Cassie K., at right, a beautiful young blonde with long dreadlocks and a glowing complexion. She is the poster image of her brand and that has helped her tremendously in developing the kind of celebrity following that most young designers only dream of. Katie White of The Ting Tings was recently photographed on the front page of fashion’s daily bible WWD wearing a New York Couture jumpsuit, rockstar Pink is a fan, Courtney Love was recently spotted shopping for some NY Couture clothing, Leele Sobieski has some of the stuff in her closet, Katy Perry constantly performs wearing it… The list goes on and on, too long to mention them all.

At the show, I was surrounded by a surreal mix of true Fashionistas, downtown club kids, finance boys there to scout the place for some cool East Village chicks and members of the press with different degrees of cool. In my view, the coolest appearance of the night belonged to FT Fashion TV host Jeannie Beker, seen above left, who arrived with her own camera crew and looked phenomenal in a black sheath dress and super-high heels.

The show was high energy, fun, fabulous and everything one would expect from a line so beloved by rockstars and pop icons alike. The tutus bounced, the sequined shorts sparkled and the girls looked divinely cool in teased out hair and spherical headdresses with exaggerated - and neon - 1940s style make-up. It was a bit Moulin Rouge, a bit ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’, all mixed with some fast tongue-in-cheek humor. Decidedly not your run-of-the-mill Mercedez-Benz hoity toity fashion presentation at the Tents but definitely one show I will always remember. 

New York Couture can be typically found at Patricia Field in NYC - though they are unfortunately sold out of it at the moment - but can otherwise be purchased through their own SHOP online. I think one of those jumpers is going to have to find some space on one of the very few empty hangers in my closet. Or maybe the Marilyn dress up top can be my new ‘black tie’ look for winter. Hum… Definitely too cute to resist!

All photos ©2009 Steve Prue, courtesy of Carol Leggett PR

Eid may have passed by a few days, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the comforting goodness of warm seviyan. In fact, if you have a sweet tooth, it could be a wonderful change to your ordinary oatmeal in the morning! This sweet milky dessert is made from vermicelli noodles, soaked in sweet milk and cardamom. Have no fear; we can transform this sinfully sweet dessert into heavenly healthy delite! This particular recipe serves six but you can also split it into more generous portions for extra personal delighting…

INGREDIENTS

• 1tsp. of canola oil
• 1 package of dry vermicelli noodles
• 1/2 gallon of skim plus milk
• 1/2c. of granulated sugar
• 3 cardamom pods
• 2 teaspoons of cardamom powder

PREPARATION

Heat the canola oil in a pan, on medium heat. Add the dry vermicelli and fry until golden brown, stirring continuously. Add the milk, sugar, cardamom pods and cardamom powder.

Bring the heat to low, and simmer until the milk has thickened and the vermicelli has fully cooked.

Enjoy!!

If you would like to learn how to make a recipe more healthy and figure friendly, please email your suggestions to kanwal.ullah@gmail.com and I will happily try to help you out with this! You never know, your question may be featured in the next ‘Kanwal’s Healthy Corner’ column!

ABOUT KANWAL

My name is Kanwal Ullah. I am a 27 year old IT Professional living in good old Jersey City, NJ. As some of you may know, I have a deep passion for healthy living. Most importantly, healthy living starts with what you put in your body. Therefore, my passion also exists in healthy cooking. When I’m not in the kitchen working on healthy recipes, you can find me at the gym or roaming the streets of NYC for great food finds. Born as the daughter of two wonderful Pakistani parents, I particularly crave the culture and food from my ancestors. However, I do not like the fat and calories that have crossed continents to get to me! My passion has developed into revamping our South Asian Cuisine to make it more heart healthy and figure friendly! Bon Appetit!

There are clothes which fill your dreams, garments that are what dreams are made of and fashion shows which features outfits that make you dream out loud. Well, the Toni Maticevski Spring 10 show turned to be all three of the above, with a few cherries - courtesy of visions of Bollywood, beautiful princesses and fantasy brides - thrown in. It was THE perfect show.

Held well away from the frenzied circus atmosphere of the Tents, at the Altman Building in Chelsea, the show was an early Sunday surprise that truly set the tone for all other presentations that followed it. From the venue itself, to the fantastic clothes, to the audience - spotted with ethereal creatures outfitted in visions of Maticevski - to the music, the hair by Cutler, the make up by M.A.C. and the models, the show was the embodiment of elegance and the magical power of fashion.

Now, where would you go and wear a ballgown like the one shown above left or even this sequin studded number here right you ask? Well, therein lies the real mastery of this designer. I can see taking a piece from here and another from there and creating a truly one-of-a-kind outfit that - of course! - can’t be worn to your 9 to 5 job or Sunday food shopping with the dogs, but can find its rightful place at any black tie event in any city around the world, a cool friend’s wedding or a hip girls’ night out.

How is that possible, you ask again? Well, that ballgown up top is really three pieces: a cotton silk blend splat tee over a silk organza printed skirt, all tied together by a gold mesh lace and diamante belt, while above right on sexy Teresa - who looks eerily like the next hot Hindi film industry discovery - is a brown leather skirt with contrasting ties, topped with a taupe stretch tee layered under a one-sleeve matte sequin top. You do see where I am going with this… Take the splat tee, add the leather skirt and it’s the perfect girls’ night out outfit. Or top the organza printed skirt with a black leather jacket and you are the belle of many a Rock n Roll ball. Of course, leave the outfits as they are and your up-to-the-latest-fashion-minute elegance will be talked about for ages to come.

This is not a collection for the wallflowers, which is why I liked it so much. My favorite word of the year is ‘COURAGE’ and I’ll stick to it as a personal mantra while everyone around me cowers and whimpers about the recession. Yes, I know, it’s a really hard time for all of us, but think of how much worse it could be… And anyway, life is all about making choices. For me, choosing unglamorous and mousy is never an option. Come Spring, I’ll begin shopping again, with my typical flair. Winter is never a good fashion time for me anyway as my Leonine sunny nature typically takes to spending lots of time at home, or prefers traveling to a country where Winter is not welcomed.

With celebrities Kim Kardashian, Beyonce and Sheryl Crow touting Maticevski as their favorite, it is obvious I am not alone in recognizing the strong-woman allure of these clothes. As ethereal and whimsical as they appear to be, there needs to be a true soul connection to their beauty - not to mention some serious self-confidence - in order for these stunning creations to come alive. A woman with no understanding of the clothes or her own grandiose place in the world will simply end up looking like a live hanger for a seriously overwhelming dress. It’s not about body size but rather depth of wisdom here. Which is why the Ajnabee woman declares Toni Maticevski a hands down winner for Spring 2010.

Most images by E. Nina Rothe

If it wasn’t fantastic enough that our beloved Anurag Kashyap was chosen to be on the jury at La Biennale 66th Venice Film Festival - it is an honor bestowed only upon the best of the best! - then the proverbial icing on the cake was his film ‘Dev.D’ getting screened out of competition there.

The stars came out to sparkle, with nearly the full film cast in attendance. Kalki Koelchin looked as radiant and pretty, as only she can, in the color of the moment, a sage satin gown. Mahi Gill dazzled in a white and gold sari, while Kashyap and Dev star himself Abhay Deol both wore what looked like matching and dashing tuxedoes. 

But the evening could not possibly be the complete success it ended up to be without the presence of that fabulous Greek chorus of Delhi, the dancing brothers trio of The Twilight Players. If the song ‘Pardesi’ is deeply etched in my sense memory it is certainly to their amazing grace, elegance and generosity of spirit.

So, I leave you with some latest news on fantastic filmmaker Kashyap himself. He and Danny Boyle have decided to collaborate on the project ‘Bombay Velvet’ which is going to be directed by AK and produced by DB. The film is also rumored to star Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan and is a project close to AK’s heart. With those four names, I foresee a big success and lines to see the movie that will last through the first 100 days straight! OK, official Ajnabee prediction, you can quote me on it!

So, let me leave you with some special thanks going out to the dashing Sinbad Phgura who was so kind to provide the exclusive shot above, which in turn inspired this post. As always, he is an endless source of inspiration! Thanks!! To find out more about Sinbad Phgura and the Twilight Players, read my interview with him on Chic Today. Rock On!!

Images courtesy ©2009 Sinbad Phgura

In these trying times, I find the word that helps me the most - as a personal mantra and in dealing with the world - is ‘COURAGE’. I use it frequently to describe the well thought-out moves of friends who choose to tough it out in these precarious economic moments and still pursue their artistic dreams. I use it often when talking about love, in an age when being honest about our feelings and fears appears to be a bad thing. But most importantly, I find that being in the presence of courage makes me breath a sigh of relief.

It is exactly because of the courage they have displayed throughout the ages that I will enjoy celebrating and honor the Sikhs of NYC - their art, food and films - come this weekend. And with two jam-packed days of fun and culture, it will be an easy and joyous task to undertake!

Indeed, Friday September 18th marks the first day of the Sikh Art & Film Foundation Heritage Gala and Festival and it’s going to be THE affair to remember. Last year’s Gala at Cipriani was a fashion lover’s dream come true and the screening of the touching film ‘Ocean of Pearls’ has stayed in my heart, as an anthem to the power of true human courage.

This year’s line up of exquisite films will include the documentary ‘My Mother India’ by Safina Uberoi, which deals with the anguish felt by a woman of mixed background and her family - Australian mother and Sikh Indian father - during the 1984 riots. The riots were triggered by Prime Minister’s Indira Gandhi’s assassination by her bodyguards in retaliation for her ordered massacre ‘Operation Blue Star’ at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. In the few days after her assassination, thousands and thousands of Sikhs were killed by their neighbors and their homes burned down to the ground. Family were displaced and Uberoi’s parents had to deal with the tragedy and its aftermath through their multi-cultural background.

Other must-sees include the semi-autobiographical art documentary by renowned English women Sikh artists The Singh Twins titled ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four and the Via Dolorosa Project’ and a couple of films about the hardships faced by Sardars today, shedding light on the various turban bans and discriminatory incidents that have multiplied a thousand-fold throughout the world in the aftermath of September 11th. Two of the most obvious films dealing with the subject are ‘turBAN’ by Sartaj Singh Dhami and ‘Turbanology’ by Jay Singh-Sohal. Both will be screening on Saturday afternoon.

Of course, last but not least, there will be lots of partying going on this coming weekend. It’s not a Sikh Art & Film Foundation event if it doesn’t involve amazing music - courtesy of DJ Kucha at the after-parties on Friday and Saturday nights, and of course the great “Rhythm Dhol Bass” AKA RDB featuring Nindy Kaur at the Gala - food and fun. And lets not forget all the celebrities in attendance, which will include filmmaker Mira Nair and WorldFocus anchor Dr. Daljit Dhaliwal as the Mistress of Ceremonies!!

Check out a video teaser, courtesy of the Festival:

Starting on Friday, September 18th, and running through Saturday the 19th - to the wee hours of the morning on Sunday - the Sikh Art and Film Foundation will take over Asia Society, Cipriani Wall Street and Leela Lounge respectively, for their annual film festival. Although Friday night’s feature program is already sold-out, the other events remain open at this point, though not for long. Book your tickets now and don’t end up disappointed later… Use discount code FBK2009 for the Ajnabee’s insiders’ price!

Images courtesy of Sikh Arts & Film Foundation. Golden Temple courtesy of Wikipedia

Let’s talk Kashmir. Sure, we always talk about India or Pakistan…but what about Kashmir? Unless it’s talked about in the context of whether it is India’s or Pakistan’s land, we really don’t hear much about this wonderful place. What do I think about when I hear Kashmir? I think about Kashmiri Chai, commonly known as Sabaz Chai. This beautiful rose colored tea is best consumed steaming hot with a dash of salt. Yes, you read right, salt! The chai, made of green tea leaves, has a wonderfully earthy flavor and goes perfectly with a cool fall night. The secret ingredient that turns this chai into a deep eggplant color is the pinch of baking soda that is added. Adding about a 1/4 cup of whole milk turns this into a beautiful pink pastel color!

Make your own Sabaz Chai by following the instructions below!

INGREDIENTS

• 1TB. of Kashmiri green tea
• 1/2c of very cold water
• 1 pinch of baking soda
• 1c of very, very cold water
• 1/4c of whole milk
• 1/2tsp. of salt, add more if needed

STEPS

1.  In a small pot, add the 1/2c of water and 1TB of green tea.

2.  Bring this to a boil.  Once this has reduced to 1/4c of water, aerate the pot by swirling the tea.  Continue to do this until your left with 1/8c of water.

3.  Add the pinch of baking soda and continue to aerate for another minute ( at this point the tea should turn into deep eggplant color).

4.  Add the additional 1c of water and bring to a boil.

5.  Add the milk.

6.  Pour the steaming hot chai in a mug and add the salt.

7.  Stir and enjoy!

***This recipe makes one cup.  To make and an even more decadent chai, add 1 TB of crushed pistachios to your mug.

ABOUT KANWAL

My name is Kanwal Ullah. I am a 27 year old IT Professional living in good old Jersey City, NJ. As some of you may know, I have a deep passion for healthy living. Most importantly, healthy living starts with what you put in your body. Therefore, my passion also exists in healthy cooking. When I’m not in the kitchen working on healthy recipes, you can find me at the gym or roaming the streets of NYC for great food finds. Born as the daughter of two wonderful Pakistani parents, I particularly crave the culture and food from my ancestors. However, I do not like the fat and calories that have crossed continents to get to me! My passion has developed into revamping our South Asian Cuisine to make it more heart healthy and figure friendly! Bon Appetit!

“Still Working” is how Madrid designer David Delfin charmingly closed the insightful introduction to his Spring 10 collection at the Promenade at Bryant Park. “Still thinking” is how I feel about the show, a good five days into Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. The collection, which took inspiration from the green tonalities of the Polychromie Le Conbursier from the 20s and 30s - think of the PLC as the European Pantone of sorts - is one that has changed my POV about fashion. From its introductory booklet, which those attending the show found on their seats - featuring androgynous Spanish/Italian model Eleonora Bosé - to the fantastic navy blue jersey gown shown above left, to the incredibly fun Christian Louboutin shoes for both boys and girls, the collection is quite obviously one of a true iconoclast.

I have to admit my own limitations as a fashion commentator when I write that I did not immediately understand it. Perhaps those tones of green were jarring to me at first, or I didn’t connect right away with the complementary orange hair on 80% of the models on the runway. It also took me a minute or two to recognize the stunning appeal of Eleonora Bosé - she is the stunning short haired woman wearing my fave navy blue gown - the model granddaughter of Italian actress Lucia Bosé and Spanish bullfighter Dominguin. In a NY Times profile of the tall, striking Eleonora, the reporter quoted author Hemingway’s description of her famous grandfather and then equated her charm and looks to his: “a charmer — dark, tall, no hips, just a touch too long in the neck for a bullfighter, with a grave mocking face that went from professional disdain to easy laughter.” She is indeed quite a sight to behold up-close, particularly outfitted in the uncluttered elegance of David Delfin.

While I enjoyed both the bright sage pant with the short apron panel, paired with the sheer matching man shirt pictured here left, and the one-arm white shirt with those emerald pants below right, it was indeed the finale piece on Ms. Bosé which turned out to be my favorite in the show. That fluid dark navy blue jersey gown with those sparkly high peep toe platform booties by Louboutin just represented modern, courageous elegance in every way. And it is always courage that I look for in fashion! If I want safe and boring, I’ll check out the local Ann Taylor store, which hasn’t seen my shadow in decades…

Once again, this was a show brought to you courtesy of the rock-n-roll hipness of People’s Revolution. Which accounted for the amazing remixes of songs such as ‘Trust in Me’ from Disney’s ‘Jungle Book’ and ‘Contact’ by Brigitte Bardot. Seriously, with the spin artistry of David Uni:son, they were magical. You had to be there.

Both male and female models wore green eyeshadow, which I would not recommend trying at home, or on the street, but it worked quite dramatically on the runway. Make up was courtesy of Gregory Arlt for M.A.C. Hair was surprisingly bright and orange - by Amy Farid for Bumble & Bumble - so much so that I thought I missed the trend train when I arrived in the morning at the Tents and saw a few of the models wandering through Bryant Park. But gladly, I won’t have to leave the comfort of my brunette-ness just yet… The shoes, well you’ve heard me rave about them already, so I won’t bore you with more details. And while the men’s Louboutin line remains quite elusive, we women can look forward to some emerald uppers with those amazing red soles come spring.

If you have elegance on the menu for Spring 2010, then by all means give David Delfin a try and satisfy your hunger for edgy, fun, fabulous fashion.

Images courtesy of Image.net - photos by Frazer Harrison - 2009 Getty Images