All posts by : AyFa Collections

In addition to the commingling of objects and memory, Ahmed’s work also accommodates a second, more contemplative visual language. One that is not bursting from the margins but is slower, sequential and narrative-led. In Nur & the Nightmare, an illustrated series of 12 miniature-inspired­ artworks, she topples the folkloric trope of women being abducted by malignant djinns to present a consensual love story between Nur, a princess, and Kabus, a female-presenting djinn. “In South Asian mythology, djinns are often viewed as shape-shifting beings, so their gender is in flux too. It made me want to toy with the idea of humans embodying djinns,” she explains. In the section titled Falling, Nur and Kabus are seen resting in the shade of a tree. The text reads: “Nur spoke of the deep rot in her kingdom, Kabus spoke of the limits of Djinn law. Their shadows met like old lovers, their darknesses reaching out to discover each other. Nur saw her reflection playing on the pearly wings of Kabus and found her comfort there.”

Nur and the Nightmare (panel 3) by Reya Ahmed.

Moving In, Moving Out by Reya Ahmed.

Your progress may seem slow, but Scorpio, you are gaining karmic brownie points from the cosmos, okay? Now, yes, you love saving the day, but at this point in time, you must remember that what is needed is for you to keep your eyes and ears open as much as you do your heart. So that neither are you taken advantage of nor are you overlooked. It’s a fine balance you must strike and Scorps, your angels are flagging this important message highlighting burnout. So to avoid it, breathe, take on your plate only as much as you can handle and focus on your skills while finding a way to seek assistance for all that you know you’d rather delegate.

Cosmic tip: New opportunities await you, Scorps. Good things are brewing.

Wishful thinking backed by no intention or drive to make a change brings absolutely no momentum in life, Sag. And hello, what are you without that spark of fire in your belly? Sure, things may have felt tough and challenging in your past, but also, did they not eventually work out for better outcomes than you imagined? Now tell me, are you going to say yes to that invite or not? Perhaps it’s time to let your hair down just for a bit and have fun, you never know how the Universe decides to surprise you.

Cosmic tip: Try new things but wait a little before cementing your decision in.

If you have not been able to see eye to eye with something or someone lately, Capricorn, it may be time to turn inward. It may be time for you to really reassess what has been going on and what really needs to change. You may need to take charge of this situation in a more intellectual manner than to get fully emotionally engaged with it. Open your heart and mind to those around you, but first ask yourself how would you like to lead?

Cosmic tip: Teething challenges can be surmounted if you decide to tread with gentle, yet effective care.

Believe in yourself now, Aquarius, because if you will not, then who will! This is the most fertile time for you to spark that fire, ignite that passion and really take steps to change your life now. Things may or may not conspire overnight; however, they will surely begin to move in a direction you will love and be grateful for in the future. So seek out mentors or be one, take the trusted route or add your own twist, join a community or build one—but whatever it is that you feel is the need of the hour for you—do it now!

Cosmic tip: If you are willing to see the humour in a situation, you will notice that even the stickiest spots have something paradoxically beautiful about them

Are you moving to a new home, city or a new phase in life, Pisces? Well, you may be feeling scared of the unknown and perhaps even procrastinating a few decisions to ease yourself into this transition; however, your angels remind you that you must ensure you see multiple sides of the coin sooner than you are planning to so that you can make your moves in time. It’s likely to feel like a very watery day—emotionally charged, structureless and fluid. However, remember that you have the power to decide how much force you allow this water to flow through.

Cosmic tip: Open your eyes to the possibilities.

Janhvi Kapoor turned heads at the Toronto Film Festival premiere of her film Homebound with three distinctive looks that blended the best of Indian craftsmanship with global fashion. All three ensembles were styled by Rhea Kapoor, who seamlessly blended archival pieces with Indian sensibilities to create a versatile and grounded lookbook for the actress.

For her first look, Janhvi Kapoor donned one that was old, new, borrowed, and blue. A resham sari by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla formed the centerpiece of the outfit, echoing the designer duo’s penchant for intricate embroideries, as well as their dedication towards preserving Indian artisanal crafts. Featuring resham embroidery inspired by the detailed motifs of jamawar patterns, the sari paid tribute to Kashmiri heritage.

Stylist Rhea Kapoor combined elements from Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla’s archives, as well as personal pieces to achieve Janhvi’s final look. An antique jamawar shawl from her own collection was draped over the actress’s shoulders, fringed with handmade silk resham tassels for lush texture. The sari was then layered with a vintage men’s jamawar jacket from the 1980s, upcycled and reembroidered by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. Traditionally, up to 50 colours can be woven into a single jamawar shawl, with rich shades of red, gold, green, and blue being the most popular.

Rhea Kapoor took further inspiration from Indian rituals by pairing the sari with shoulder-grazing silver earrings that were inspired by the Kashmiri dejhur: a traditional bridal ornament passed down through generations. A handcrafted bangle from Amrapali Jewels and a custom ‘chabi ka guccha’ by Apala by Sumit finished the look. Kapoor’s block heels, also designed by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, mirrored the jamawar motifs of the sari.

The first stirrings of mahua’s renaissance come, fittingly, from its own heartland. Sohrai, a skincare brand by Rupesh Pawar and Khanak Gupta, draws its name from a tribal harvest festival and its potency from the exquisite lipid profile of mahua oil. “While most oils lean heavily on a single fatty acid- olive on oleic, coconut on saturated fats, rosehip on linoleic-mahua stands apart with its beautifully balanced profile,” explains ​​Gupta, the CEO of Sohrai. “With 46 per cent oleic, 20 per cent stearic and 19 per cent palmitic acid, mahua delivers both deep hydration and lightweight nourishment,” she says, citing recent studies on its fatty acid profile published in the Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society and the Indian Journal of Natural Products and Resources.

Pawar, Sohrai’s chief technical officer, calls himself an “oil scientist”. He grew up in Maharashtra’s Nanded district, a tribal belt festooned with mahua groves. “In our folklore, ganja and mahua are siblings,” he explains. “Mahua is the sweet, nurturing sister. Ganja, the wild, untamed brother. Mahua soothes the body; ganja frees the mind.”

Pawar is uniquely positioned, rooted in his upbringing and trained in research and development. His proprietary enzyme-extracted mahua butter claims to deliver lipids deeper into the skin. “This is India’s answer to cacao or shea butter,” he says.

Tree of Life by Kalyan Joshi, Courtesy of Baro Art

‘The beauty industry’s interests are piqued. In 2023, Estée Lauder’s New Incubation Ventures awarded Sohrai its Impact award, with plans to incorporate the velvet-textured butter into upcoming formulations.

Before Sohrai’s rise, Global Beauty Secrets joined hands with Mrinalika M Bhanjdeo of the erstwhile Mayurbhanj royal family to launch the Kukmu Mahua face oil. “I grew up watching tribal communities weave wonders from the mahua tree,” says Bhanjdeo. “Its seed oil, dense with fatty acids, was too extraordinary to leave in the shadows.” Its oil is prized for eczema, psoriasis, dry skin and body aches, explains ​​Dr Gunvant Yeola, an Ayurvedic physician and principal of Pune’s Dr DY Patil College of Ayurved. “Its bark calms redness and itching while mahua wine forms the base or most medicated wines.”

‘The belief in the mahua flower’s ​​immortality comes from its unusual resilience. Once dried, it can be brought back to life simply by being soaked in water. These “reborn blooms are then fermented into the heady, floral liquor that forms the centrepiece of tribal birth, marriage and death rituals. While some parts of post-colonial India grew squeamish about alcohol, these communities never abandoned their sacred brew.

Of all the adjustments one makes when moving countries, I hadn’t expected the lack of retinol to deliver the sharpest shock.

A month into Berlin, I plunged my fingers into my jar of Olay retinol night cream only to find—nothing. Missing day one of my carefully rotated five-day skin-cycling ritual felt like the start of a dermal apocalypse. What I didn’t realise then was that I was mourning more than skincare.

Amazon mocked me with imports priced at nearly four times what I’d pay in India. Google offered no salvation. My backups, global and domestic alike, were suddenly unavailable or prohibitively expensive.

Growing up in India, “global beauty” was shorthand for the American, occasionally French label (rarely made in France). My definition was shaped by my aunt’s US-returned suitcases: St Ives scrubs, Clinique, Kiehl’s, Sephora lip balms. They were impossibly chic, impossibly “international”. Add TV ads and the women’s magazine spreads I devoured at the beauty parlour, and my mental map of “global” was sealed. German skincare never figured; it was simply foreign.

And then Berlin happened. I ran out of things I relied on, perhaps, for things more than skincare.

Late one night, scrolling past Google’s glossy carousel of overpriced imports, I found it: a €5.99 (₹540) “Nachtcreme with retinol and bakuchiol” at DM Drogerie Markt. It was my first true introduction to German skincare, a category I had never considered seriously until necessity forced my hand.

German skincare struck me as clinical rather than theatrical. No ornate packaging or lofty claims. Just fragrance-free, efficient formulations with ingredients traceable to research. The EU’s stringent regulations meant every jar was already science-screened. Beauty here felt pharmacy or need-led. It was skincare without the theatre.

My bathroom in Delhi had resembled a stock exchange: creams, serums, toners, masks abandoned mid-rotation, edging towards expiry. German skincare broke that cycle. It reminded me that skincare could be less about foraging for spectacle and more about helping the body’s largest organ do its job.

The timing felt apt. Globally, beauty is reconsidering itself. Social media dermatologists are validating simpler routines, and consumers are asking whether cabinets crammed with bottles signify care or just marketing.

Berlin already held the answer: efficacy over excess, science over spectacle. German beauty’s legacy is long-established; it’s the birthplace of Nivea, a brand that feels as Indian, if not more, than the homegrown Boroline. Balea delivers on everything from serums to dry shampoo. Eucerin’s anti-pigment illuminating eye cream is my daily saviour. Elkos hand cream from Edeka, under €2 (₹180), is everywhere. Biotulin’s Supreme Skin Gel offers the famous “no-needle botox” effect. And Less’s face oil lives up to its name: understated, elegant.

Tamannaah Bhatia leaned into after-dark glam at her latest promotional event, making the sculpted Hervé Léger her statement for the evening as she introduced her new show. Styled by Leepakshi Ellawadi and team, the actor slipped into The Ines Gown, a black bodycon with a fringed hem, cut-outs and silver hardware. On her feet, a pair of Christian Louboutin Hot Chick Sling Pumps in classic black streamlined the look.

The gown, unmistakably Hervé Léger in its construction, had a second-skin-like silhouette with four panels of sharp cut-outs at the midriff and thigh, punctuated by metallic beads that broke the monochrome. While the bodice was fitted with a square neckline and thick straps, the bottom hem featured a broad, ankle grazing fringe, which swayed with each step she took and gave the dress a pleasant bohemian edge. The tasselled bottom reinforced a trend that has been taking hold across runways: the return of the fringe, this time with more experimentation and structure.

Of course, the fringe is no stranger to the fashion cycle. It has been swinging in and out of style over the decades, from the jazz-age Charleston dress to boho suede in the ‘70s and ’80s rock leathers. But this time around, it’s showing up with a different energy. Designers are turning the fringe into a design accent by experimenting with varied materials like thread, leather, metal and crystal on tailored, fitted and boxy silhouettes, adding an element of fluidity to otherwise buttoned up outfits. From fringed hoods at Bottega Veneta to tasselled skirts at Isabel Marant and Ralph Lauren, the fringe has made its presence known across Spring/Summer 2025 runways. It carried through into Fall/Winter 2025 too, with Schiaparelli working it into full-length leather coats and Lacoste offering slinky, fully tasselled co-ords. Even Louis Vuitton’s FW25 played with the detail, adding unexpected texture to a fringed skirt recently worn by Deepika Padukone at the LVMH Prize finale.

For beauty, Tamannaah Bhatia’s choices remained pared down yet refined. Her hair was left in soft, voluminous waves that mirrored the fluidity of the fringe in her dress. Smoky eyes with iridescent shimmer, rosy cheeks and a muted pink lip brought focus to the eyes without overwhelming the look. A pair of sculptural silver earrings and a stack of rings added further metallic shine to the ensemble, keeping the overall styling modern and unfussy.

From Vogue’s fashion desk:

“Tamannaah brings flirty fun in this black tasselled Hervé Léger. Reimagine it as a playful tasselled knit or crochet skirt—let the skirt be your statement piece. Pair down with a plain, slouchy round-neck tee for an elevated daytime look. Add a stack of bangles, a cool pair of shades and complete the look with your go-to sneakers,” says Vogue India’s Associate Fashion Editor, Divya Balakrishnan.

But the dance is in the sowing, in the prepping of the earth for seed. Dressed in local finery, the menfolk of the village thump and loosen the soil with long, sharpened bamboo sticks, conjuring a rhythm to which the women move, scattering the grain with care. All around rises the smell of rich, dark earth, along with the notes of a tune played by a flautist, accompanying the sowing with song. Many indigenous communities in the Northeast believe that not only does rice nourish and sustain, it also carries messages from the divine. So, too, do the residents of Pentong, for whom the Dzo Maal festival is a way to anchor their ancestral legacy as well as uphold the local cuisine. Renzongmit Lepcha, field owner, homestay hostess, festival organising committee member and chef, shares that the red rice “tastes best with chicken”, though her favourite is chuk nyuk, a local delicacy comprising tukmor dzo, local vegetables and butter, traditionally eaten with spicy chillies and cheese.

Photographed by Pagel Lepcha.

Photographed by Pagel Lepcha.

Your past failures, setbacks or unrequited opportunities may have been holding you back, Leo, but you, my friend, have worked really hard to move on. You’ve said a hard no to spiralling back into stories and narratives that made you feel like you had to walk on eggshells, and also, for some of you, you may realise that someone may have been talking about you—a bit too much—behind your back. Now is the time to snap out of it and take that plunge because you know where you are headed, or at least where you wish to be. Serenade your life and your dreams once again; it will be worth it.

Cosmic tip: Things move optimally well when you decide to move with life.

You are not only moving on and creating something, Virgo, you are in fact, creating a container, a sanctuary within yourself and your life, that holds space for your future, your business, your vision, relationships and all that you are done with. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this eclipse window is helping you break out of karmic loops and cycles that you are done with, for good. Now, while you retreat into your nest to levitate above your life for a bit, you must know that what you are really doing is gearing up to put on your kicks and sprint your way to the next level in your life.

Cosmic tip: You have chosen, and you have chosen wisely at that.

Breathe in, breathe out, Libra. Regulate your emotions, breathing and expectations of life and yourself. Have you been the one holding yourself back? When you ask yourself this question, your answer is—most likely yes. So now that you’ve got that out of the way, what is your heart calling you to do? What are your eyes daydreaming about? Begin moving towards what you can see in your mind’s eye, and soon enough, you will be witnessing icomees alive with your physical eyes.

Cosmic tip: Yes, your ideas are on fleek!

You’ve taken the plunge, you’re sitting pretty, and no one knows that you haven’t worked hard to get here. You have, Scorpio! And this is brilliant! Now keep tending to your inner sanctity with care and love, even emotional balance, to implement your long-term visions into play presently. You cannot see it yet, but the cosmos has got things set in motion for you—positively. And what you may have been worried about two weeks ago will be a thing of the past in a couple of weeks—be it within your relationships or finances or both. Specific message for some: consider therapy/ couples therapy before you decide which way you would like to go. Ensure you vibe with your therapist.

Janhvi Kapoor donned a look that was old, new, borrowed, and blue at the Toronto Film Festival for the premiere of her film Homebound. A resham sari by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla formed the centerpiece of the outfit, echoing the designer duo’s penchant for intricate embroideries, as well as their dedication towards preserving Indian artisanal crafts. Featuring resham embroidery inspired by the detailed motifs of jamawar patterns, the sari paid tribute to Kashmiri heritage.

Instagram.com/abujanisandeepkhosla

Stylist Rhea Kapoor combined elements from Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla’s archives, as well as personal pieces to achieve Janhvi’s final look. An antique jamawar shawl from her own collection was draped over the actress’s shoulders, fringed with handmade silk resham tassels for lush texture. The sari was then layered with a vintage men’s jamawar jacket from the 1980s, upcycled and reembroidered by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. Traditionally, up to 50 colours can be woven into a single jamawar shawl, with rich shades of red, gold, green, and blue being the most popular.

Rhea Kapoor took further inspiration from Indian rituals by pairing the sari with shoulder-grazing silver earrings that were inspired by the Kashmiri dejhur: a traditional bridal ornament passed down through generations. A handcrafted bangle from Amrapali Jewels and a custom ‘chabi ka guccha’ by Apala by Sumit finished the look.

Kapoor’s block heels, also designed by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, mirrored the jamawar motifs of the sari, but didn’t look overwhelming in the least.