shubrah

January and a new 2012!

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

Planning in these rocky times is akin to gazing into a crystal ball. Will it a better year, financially? Is the weather going to be less turbulent? Are you going to get promoted or find a new job? Will we all exercise more, eat more organic foods and feel healthier? Who will you vote for? What causes will inspire you the most? Are we all going to become more involved in our local communities, give back and do some good globally? We would like to thank all our supporters and friends in the past few years who have helped spread the word, shopped our sales and referred us to friends. We could not have survived in these rough economic times without your help, a big THANK YOU for all your generosity of spirit, time and money! Our goal this year is to spread the word to reach more clients and people who are interested in fusion and eco-friendly fashions. Help us reach more bridal clients who are looking for something unique and fusion, custom designed to their needs.

We are designing our Spring/Summer collection currently as well as a fusion wedding this summer. We are very excited to be part of this wedding as it is going to take place on one our favorite Boston area beaches. More later once the wedding is done and we have sketches and photos to upload.

Photos from TIE Fashion Show

Yellow or Saffron jackets are all the rage with the organic cotton tees and scarves, layered!

Our organic cotton tees, unique scarves and silk jackets/ skirts are a perfect way to pack lightly and stylishly for Spring break!

Our 100% organic cotton tees are the perfect look for the beach vacation you are going to take in the winter or spring!

Fashion show for the Organic tee shirt collection- if you are looking for something unique to wear for your Winter break to a beach, slip into our Mishtee 100% organic cotton tees

Jan 28th, finds us donating and giving back to our local community. For our schools- the fundraiser event "Jeans and Jewels," catch us during the silent auction or dancing to the DJ on the floor.

April 5th- Fashionably LATE- Liberty Hotel, Boston, our Spring fashion show!

May - Expect our Trunk show and Sale, dates to be announced soon. Shop for all your graduation and wedding outfits and gifts! 10% of the sales will be donated to a local non-profit. Stay tuned.

We are also excited to be starting a wedding blog this year. More details on it once we get our writing, the wedding designs and photos organized enough to do that.

So here's to a fusion, successful, healthy, eco-friendly and design filled year for all of us!

Silk thread and textile weaving at the silk mill in Bangalore, India. The fabulous fabrics we use for our

creations begin here

Silk dyeing and weaving in Bangalore India.

Silk textile weaving looms in Bangalore, India

X'mas / New Year's with Shubrah

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As the year winds down and 2011 comes to a close, we are celebrating in various ways. By giving to our family, friends, teachers, neighbors and community. By giving gifts that bring happiness to all. May the new year bring peace to the world we live in. Hope we all find happiness and prosperity in our pursuits. At Shubhra Designs, we are getting ready to create magical, fusion designs for more weddings. From the sketches and color stories to the bridal dresses and groom's mens outfits for the big day, our aim is to bring beauty and taste of the east meets west kind. Thank you for all those who have come to our website and made it a destination for bridal custom design! Here's to a great 2012

Sorboni Banerjee's wedding to Jarrod Holbrook, T.V. news anchors galore!!

November 2011- Sustainable Feasting and Responsible Gift giving!

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We ended October with a snow storm this year. Halloween was postponed for the kids, our town went into an unheard of mode of no power, no heat and no internet in most homes! Trees, branches and debris was everywhere and still is in our yard. Given that the world economy is sputtering, political and economic instability rocks the globe and we are all looking to survive the year, what kind of gift giving will you be doing this year? For that matter, what kind of feasting? Might we suggest finding your local retailers, farms, vineyards and giving them your business? They will be very appreciative and in turn give back to the local community.

We have two shows lined up in the coming months.

Nov 17th- the Hastings School PTA Fundraiser- Holiday Marketplace.

Dec 8th- Lexington Education Foundation Multicultural Bazaar. This is an LEF fundraiser.

So do some guilt free shopping from our collection of wine bags, recycled plastic shopping bags and file folders, our organic cotton tees and silk scarves. Small but fabulous gifts that speak volumes about your responsible and sustainable shopping habits!

Our client Tina and her mother wearing Shubrah.com during a family wedding!"

If you are looking for the one of a kind dresses made of recycled saris to wear to the holiday events you are going to, they are on sale now! So call or email for a special appointment to come and try them on! We have free shipping the months of November and December, we like to make your life easy!

Happy holidays from Shubrah.com!

Fall/Holiday 2011- Trunk show and sale- Oct 23rd to Nov 6th

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Our month of October has been really festive and busy. Included are pictures and videos of our fashion show at the Liberty hotel for Boston Fashion week. We are inviting all of you to the Trunk show and sale for the Fall/ Holiday 2011 season starting on October 23rd and ending November 6th. Times- 11 a.m to 2:00 p.m or call for a special appointment. (please add website phone number and email address here). 15% off for our special clients who bring along a friend and shop!

Images of Fashion Show at the Liberty hotel for Boston Fashion week

Video of the Fashion Show at the Liberty hotel for Boston Fashion week

Labor day on the Cape and Fall Events

2011-09-27T12:23:00.000-07:00

At Edgardtown on the Vineyard - sunset from the boat

There is already a nip in the early morning air these days and those warm, end of summer, days seem so far away! Labor day weekend took us to Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard this September. I tend to wax lyrical about the beauty of the Cape and the Islands during this time of the year. Hurricane Irene or the "storm" that hit us prior to our visit had hurt the local businesses there, but the long weekend was still magical. The beaches in Osterville were gorgeous in the morning when we went for long walks. The lake in Centerville was not warm, but the children were swimming, tubing and generally having a blast. We spent a day on Martha's Vineyard with friends who graciously invited us to visit their sail boat and stayed with others who shared their home with us for the weekend. It was amazing visiting the lighthouse in Edgartown ( the lighthouse keeper was playing Italian opera for atmosphere) and we caught glimpses of a wedding party walking around. Watching the sunset from the sail boat was spectacular. We can't mention going to the Cape and not talking about the local restaurants. The fish and chips everywhere are the best. But add the french bakeries for breakfast, Four Seas lobster sandwiches and home made ice cream for lunch and great Italian meals for dinner, we ate like kings! I came back to find our copy of the WSJ weekend section had a spread on where to eat and what to do on the Cape....like minds?
Including some pictures of our visit!

Lake in Centerville Cape Cod

Osterville Beach - great for walks

Cute Shoe Shop on the Vinyard

Gorgeous Sunsets from the sail boat off Edgartown

Lighthouse at Edgartown

Inside Edgartown Light House

Inside the light house - view of the harbour

Inside the light house - antique bathing posters

Seems like we caught a wedding in progress the day that we are there - groomsmen in the perfect vineyard look

Antique white colonial houses

Oak Bluff on the Vineyard

Oak Bluff - the painted victorians

Best french bread and pastries for breakfast

The Perfect latte and baguette!

Red and white interiors

This is not your typical vegan or gluten free cafe! The french believes in bread and butter

After the hurricane Irene hit the shores of Cape Cod - some washed up sea life.

Home made ice cream on the cape
October is shaping up to be a very busy month at Shubrah.com. We have donated our fashions to Pratham's annual fundraiser gala in Cambridge MA on Oct 1st. Hope to see you all there. October 13th- catch our fashion show at the Liberty hotel, 10 p.m, drinks, Dj and our designs on the ramp! New England Apparel Club trade show is on Oct- 16th to 19th. Please visit our booth. End of October brings Halloween and Diwali- the Indian festival of lights and our trunk show and sale! Bring a friend who is a new customer and we will give you and your friend 15% off!

One of our friends and clients modeling an antique saree recycled dress by Shubrah.com at the Lokvani Gala
Hope to see all of you at all or some of these events. As usual, our website is the place to shop for all your holiday and gift giving needs, so visit it and please refer us to others!
Here's to a wonderful October! Happy Diwali!

August and Asian travels!

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Our travels took us to Singapore and Delhi, India in August. The love affair that fashion designers have with global cuisine and architecture continued during this humid and rainy month. Singapore was amazing in it's tropical gardens- orchids and butterflies, fusion dishes, pepper crabs and colonial architecture. Acres of stores, from designer to kitchy Chinese tourist gift shops, both above ground and underground! Our trip to Sentosa island on the cable car gave us an ariel view of the tropical vegetation and beach. Pepper crabs by the beach at Jumbo, walks along Tanglin road and dim sum for breakfast washed down with the perfect cups of English tea rounded off our stay.

Relaxing under the palm trees in the pool in Singapore

Botanical garden in Singapore

Orchid gardens in Singapore

Orchids!!

Views of Singapore

Sentosa island

Divers cleaning the aquariums in Sentosa

Flora and fauna in Sentosa

outdoor bathrooms

The famous pepper crabs!

Hi tech airport at Singapore

fish, forests and paths

Delhi- humid, rainy and full of the warmth we have come to expect from our family and friends. Eating delicious home cooked meals, Mithai (Indian sweets) and mangos.... recipes, long forgotten, prepared by our mother, aunts and friends. Hunting for old saris to recycle into dresses, new fabrics and embroideries to look to for inspiration and ideas. The backdrop of our visit is always Bollywood, songs playing on the TV or new movies that my children and I enjoy with my mother. Extravagant sets, over the top costumes, unreal plots, colorful characters and beautiful melodies. During this visit we found the same litany in all of Asia. Everybody, specially the cab drivers, were complaining about inflation, cost of living, corruption in the government and upcoming elections in each country was a topic of conversation. Anna Hazare's anti-corruption stance in Delhi during our stay made us explain what the word "corruption" meant to our children. During our last few days in Delhi we ate, shopped, swam and met friends. Including photographs of our travels below.

The juice bar at the Delhi Hyatt

Mothers, grandmothers and aunts make their special recipes!

In September and October, www.Shubrah.com will be doing a number of fashion shows, donations for auctions at fundraisers for NGOs and our holiday trunk show and sale. Please visit the website for further details of these events. Hope to see all of you in the coming months.

Meanwhile, fall is around the corner and we have a wonderful collection of new fashions, scarves and wine bags. Looking forward to the back to school madness for the kids and all holiday events that we will be showing at.

A staycation in July 2011

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Sunday brunch at home

July came in with warm weather, bugs, thunderstorms and long humid evenings! We went sailing on the Charles river and tended our garden. The CBI has new docks on the Charles, just the place to walk about, sail, sun bathe or go for a coffee to Charles Street. Our new mantra is a staycation in July!

Sunbathing and sailing on the newly built docks on the Charles river in Boston

Amphibian vehicles that have made the Boston Duck Tours famous, specially this "rainbow" one!

One of my favorite images from July- children learning to sail on the Charles

I taught a fashion camp along with two wonderful Lexington High School girls as aides, in July for the Lexington Community Education's Lexplorations. Fifteen teenaged girls arrived to spend their day sketching, brainstorming, painting and creating amazing fashion designs and mood boards. We rounded off the week watching inspiring snippets of relevant fashion shows and classic and new movies on the topic! All in all, a very creative week.

Fashion camp for teenagers at Lexington Community Education

Fashion sketches and mood boards by some very talented budding designers

Sketches by very talented teenage budding designers!

Fashion Studio at Lexington High School converted from the Art room!

We recently finished a bridal project for a wedding at the end of July. My friend Nafees's niece got married in Lexington this week and though the bridal party was from all over the world, the groom's family was from MA. A locavore feast for the eyes and taste buds was creating by finding all the resources close to home. Lovely summer cuisine from Via Lago, cake from Wilson Farms with fresh white roses and calla lilies flown in by our local Costco. The family did the bouquets and floral arrangements themselves. Local DJ and college student Chips spun some great tunes for the globe-trotting hip young things to dance under the white tent at Gore Place farm in Waltham.

A locovore wedding in all aspects of the planning and design

DJ Chips trying to cool off before he spins for the fashionable young set!

July wedding that wows in it's fresh local feel

Exquisite summer meal by Via Lago of Lexington

The perfect ending to a beautifully planned local wedding! Dessert by Wilson Farms/ Via Lago in Lexington to go with my cup of Earl grey!

We are gearing up for fall for a events in Sept and Oct. Boston Fashion week, Lokvani award and gala event, Liberty Hotel fashion show and NEAC. Don't miss our holiday trunk show and sale in Oct as well to ring in Diwali, Thanksgiving and the start of the holiday season. Check out the website for updates on events, new fashions and where you can find us! Enjoy the rest of your summer, the children will be back in school soon enough!

June'11- father's day, graduations and school's out!

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When did the spring morph into summer- complete with tornadoes (in MA?!) and thunder storms?

In June, when the weather turns warm, flowers bloom and summer suddenly bursts upon our northern state, it's father's day and schools are out! Time for weddings, graduations and celebrating the men who raised you or are standing by you everyday for the children. As the children grow (like weeds- very aptly - in this season) we also marvel at the toddlers we knew, who are now confident men and women going on to college and beyond. Our Shiv-er collection of 100% silk shirts and cufflinks are a perfect way to say, "thank you" to that special man, mentor, father, husband or grandfather this month!

Graduations galore and amazing desserts at Avila, Boston

Thunderstorms and tornadoes....summer is here for sure!

Flowers donated by Sreemoti for the May Trunk show and Sale. The old gramophone was an anniversary gift from my parents, 21 years ago! The antique still works!

Lily of the Valley and pottery by Misshree

I had the honor of seeing a few young women graduate high school and college, in May. They chose to wear Shubrah.com dresses for these huge milestones in their lives. The "Garden party dress" and the "Kala phool dress" were the chosen styles. Recently, a young bride to be (wedding in August) bought some of the recycled cotton sari dresses for her honeymoon. A big "thank you" goes out to all the friends, family and Shubrah.com clients who came to the May trunk show and made it a success. We were able to donate 10% of the sales to Lexington Education Foundation, to further their amazing work in our public schools.

Art and technology- inspiration from the MIT Media Lab building

Our designs for the wedding in July are almost complete. We are excited to see the final designs take shape and create a vision for the outdoor garden venue! We will add some pictures to the blog in July once Todd and Jenn are married. Meanwhile, Laselle college - Polished magazine - did a great spread of our designs in an eco-friendly issue in April/May. We are adding some pictures of the article.

Have a wonderful summer, with many occasions to celebrate being "green", watching the children play and grow along with the flowers in the garden!

Photo spread in Polished Magazine that Photographer Oliver Klink and Laselle College's fashion dept did of Shubrah eco-friendly designs.

May celebrations and Shubrah.com trunk show and sale

2011-05-02T05:50:00.000-07:00

Our travels took us to Florida in April. Spring break seemed to be the perfect time to visit the parks and beaches in Florida. Other than some very irritating experiences with Jetblue, it was a wonderful week of food, fashions, festivities, sun, sand and all things Floridian. First of all, the JetBlue flight was three hours late leaving Boston, so we arrive at 3 a.m in the morning in Palm Beach to find my carefully packed suitcase missing! Yes, everyone else had their bags, mine was missing! Apparently it decided to take a flight to LAX by itself. But being the person that I am, I had some of my recycled cotton sari dresses and organic cotton tees in my carry on. We went for a splendid brunch to the Breakers in Palm Beach without feeling that I needed to take down the curtains in my brother in law's apartment and make myself a quick sarong!

The Breakers- Palm Beach

Raw bar at the famed Circle brunch at The Breakers on Sundays!

Painted ceilings and ancient chandeliers

Harry Potter's world in Orlando

What can I say about the weather in Florida this time of year? Millions of flowers, 80 degrees and perfect sunny days. All week! We then drove to the famed Harry Potter theme park in Orlando, which my children were waiting to visit. As usual, an amazing experience. Which could not be dampened by the long lines, as every Tom, Dick and Harry (pardon the pun) was there for the break from the cold in our northern states. We pretended to be Hermione, Harry, Ron and searched for wands, wizards and witchcraft for a couple of days. Meanwhile, my suitcase was missing in action for two days in a row, having being seen leaving LAX for NYC (yes, it likes the fashion hotspots). JetBlue told me that I could get $25.0 per day. Where can one buy a set of clothing, underwear, toiletries and sensible shoes for that amount? While we were dealing with my missing luggage situation, a newspaper article highlighted a bill that might be passed soon where airlines will need to compensate passengers for missing baggage to the full amount! Amen to that! Finally, my suitcase arrived on the third day, after many phone calls to the airline. We drove to Palm Beach the next morning for a much needed vacation of sun, sand, people watching and eating amazing meals!

The singing frogs in Harry's world!

Hermione's dress in the dressmaker's shop at HP world!

Ready to take the Hogwarts Express to the world of wizards?

The Breakers in Palm Beach is a grand, old, turn of the century vacation spot on the beach. Amazing pools, places to eat and plenty of shopping there or on nearby Worth Avenue. We sampled wonderful seafood, fruits, Asian fusion, Italian and American bistro cuisine. As a family, we like to eat, swim and then dress up for dinner to eat some more, while on vacation! The staff are warm and friendly, the resort was completely full due to Spring break, Easter and weddings. We caught a glimpse of some of the beautiful ceremonies planned outdoors and indoors. And of course, always included in this blog are pictures of the amazing flora and food!

Palm Beach and a white Rolls!

Interiors at the Breakers- books to inspire!

Florida beaches

Gardens and sunsets

Beaches and music!

Gorgeous flowers

Wedding preparations at the Breakers

ZZ Top look alike Band in City Place

Our annual May trunk show and sale is being planned for May 20th to May 23rd. Come and shop and support this local business and we will donate 10% of the sales to the Lexington Education Foundation, the wonderful non- profit organization that supports the Lexington Public Schools. Hope to see you all at the sale or you can shop online! Happy May, Mother's Day, graduations, weddings celebs and the return of warm weather!

Spring in Delhi

2011-04-13T05:13:00.000-07:00

March was a month of very cold temperatures in Boston and a very late burst of final snow (we hope) on April 1st! Delhi was warm and the flowers were in full bloom everywhere. We played Holi- the festival of spring with dry and wet colors. Water guns and balloons filled with colored water are essential tools to celebrate this fun festival. The latest in Delhi are these organic colors, created with petals of flowers and herbs, to be less harmful to your skin and complexion than the chemical colors usually used. Back to the basics. How fabulous is that? I have added some

pictures of the brand that we used while playing Holi.

The eco-colors that my friend graphic designer Priya Verma used were all organic and

made from flowers and herbs.

Up next - places to eat, be seen and see in Delhi. Cricket fever was on in full swing when I landed there. The World Cup championships were on. The way the urban young watch cricket in India now is to go to the local mall with their friends. The big screens (by which I mean giant) are up every where- outdoors, in restaurants, etc. Everyone eats, drinks, mingles, watches the match and then goes home to sleep. The malls are packed and they make money! A novel concept?

Holi decorations at the Leela kitchen area

Had a wonderful fusion south east Asian meal at the Leela in Gurgaon with some girlfriends. Olive in Mehrauli is an old farmhouse, white washed stucco European-ish venue with Italian food. The venue is gorgeous, the band was fabulous, all male, new age rock - I did not get their name. The weather was just perfect for an outdoor meal under the great big banyan tree in the courtyard. My all time favorite meeting place is the Hyatt Regency - Coffee shop and the Spa. Business meetings, casual lunches, going to the spa...just wonderful. I took my mother for a facial there- my gift to her for her birthday (which is always around Mother's day) and she loved it. She took me to the Habitat center, where she often goes to see shows and plays. Her interest in the arts, movies, books, plays and music is inspiring and infectious!

Wine selection is great at the Leela

Glass lighting at the Leela

Flowers at the Hyatt lobby

Lexington education foundation dinner

Olive - Delhi

Spring Gardens

Today the sun is shining and there is some warmth in the air....could Spring finally be here? So what are we doing about updating our wardrobes? Looking forward to dressing our bride and her groom this month and fitting them up. I will be posting pictures after their wedding in July, so reading the blog for further updates. Meanwhile, don't forget to watch the Royal wedding this month, to see what she will be wearing!

We have some wonderful recycled cotton sari dresses at Shubrah.com as well as all our light as air silk chiffon cover ups and dresses for the beach. If you are looking for some snazzy striped shirts for the man in your life, look no further. Time to shop!

March Madness inspired by San Francisco!

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We stayed in historic Union Square at the St. Francis hotel. Inspiring to see how a hotel that was burnt down in the early 1900s still survives today in this very modern city! From the beaches of Sausalito to Monterrey, we ate our way through amazing seafood and fusion cuisine. Flowers, fish, sun, sand and food are all part of the landscape of this amazing city.In the city we sampled Greek cuisine at Santorini, amazing Mexican at Colibri, French cuisine at Le Grand Cafe. OSHA thai was good, their chicken curry better than most. In Palo Alto- loved Straits Cafe for fusion Asian and a hip vibe on Santana row.

For dessert- Kara's cupcakes! From the pretty pink packaging and designs to their mouth watering cupcakes, we would highly recommend their Ghirardelli Square shop. Then next door to Crown and Crumpet for your afternoon cup of tea!We took a boat to Alcatraz one morning and got a tour of that famed prison. Stopped at the Embarcadero on the way back and had a wonderful meal at the Slanted Door. Next to Boston, some of the best seafood around.

On Pier 39, the tulips and daffodils had us drooling and thinking of spring in New England. The Golden gate park is worth a visit if you are into exotic plants in conservatories and Japanese gardens. Our inspiration always comes from travel. This time the warm colors of the Bay Area took our breathe away. Adding some photos of the trip.

Check us out on www.Fashionstake.com, shop us for your spring vacations, fusion and color are the key words in Eco-friendly fashion!

V-day and February Break

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Being committed to your local environment is becoming more and more important in our hyper connected world today. By volunteering or growing organic produce, composting or only buying local, we can show our support for our town, our village, our city and our neighbors.

Shubrah.com is always looking for ways to give back to our town (Lexington, MA) or our city, Boston or the greater state of MA! We are expanding to our local fashion colleges and will be featured in Laselle's fashion magazine in Spring 2011. In a few weeks our fashions will be on another locally grown site by two HBS ladies-www.fashionstake.com and you can also find us in boutiques in the area! So how are we giving back? Being a member of the Lexington Chamber of Commerce, I will be speaking a women's business forum about our homegrown business. Further, volunteering for local school events and donating fashions to fundraisers has always been close to the heart of this business. Lastly, recycling, reusing, creating eco-friendly and organic fashions and keeping our environmental footprint to the minimum!

Our events in January were well attended. The fashion show at the Liberty Hotel in Boston was a fun filled event, videos are on youtube and we are adding a lot of photos for you to look at! Local celebrity news anchor- Sorboni Banerjee Holbrook was there with a bunch of her lovely friends, all in Shubrah.com dresses we might add, to cheer us on! Meaghan Cassidy, our wonderful website model helped our sales and marketing efforts! A big thank you to all our local friends and supporters who made it to the show on a cold, wintery night! We are happy to have another bride, her maid of honor and her groom to dress for a special outdoor wedding this summer! Warm summer colors are part of her palette and she is very excited about recycling silk saris for the custom designs! We are happy to be hunting, gathering, designing and getting ready to launch some great new scarf designs and other beautiful fashions for our site. So stay tuned! In the meantime, stay warm, celebrate V-day with Shubrah.com and think of fabulous vacations or stay-cations you can take! For the pictures of the show, thanks to the wonderful models from Dynasty and photographer Jan 'Archee' Bloch from Eric R. Guaster photos; great job.

January in Snowy Boston, Happy 2011!

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As I look out of our windows this morning, our world in enveloped in a white blanket of snow. The wind is blowing everything around and it is a state of emergency type blizzard out there. Nobody seems to be venturing out today. I wish for warm skies, flowers, Spring and color!

But it is the dead of a very cold winter in New England. I decided to include a lot of colorful pictures of flowers that have been photographed either in our garden or during our travels. They might inspire us all to feel happy, colorful and green and chase away those winter blues!

Our NEAC trade show in January went well. We will be selling our designs to other boutiques this year, so you might find a Shubrah label coming to a store near you, very soon! On Jan 20th, Thursday at 10 p.m, we will be showing our designs at the Liberty hotel in Boston.

If you are thinking of a girl's night out or a date night, this is the perfect venue! Great music, cool drinks, some trendy apps ( I mean the food kind) and our eco-friendly fashions, of course! Think green- local design, local celebs and local venue!

Keep warm, drink a lot of hot chocolate and go sledding! Whatever your new year's resolution may be, try to find some time for yourself. Whether it's taking a long walk (more like snow shoeing in this part of the world) or learning a new language or going to the gym everyday.

It is time to slow down that crazy pace and watch a favorite movie or cook a new dish! On that note, during the holidays I watched an old favorite film that seemed very new in 2011.

It is "The Party" with Peter Sellers as an Indian movie actor in Hollywood. The sets are outstanding, love the architecture, clothing and fun lines in the film. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Db12hofxvhI&feature=fvst

If you have not seen the movie, included is a link.

Tis the season - the end of a decade - 2010

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Our travels took us to Chapel Hill, NC, in November. We cooked an organic and locally sourced Thanksgiving meal with the family.

Went hunting for local wine at a vineyard in the area. Though it was cold and fall had robbed the vines of their leaves and fruit, the trip took us into a beautiful wooded part of North Carolina.

Duke University's campus was resplendent in the fall light and colors. Included in this post are some pictures of our meal, the vineyard and some beautiful rooms.

We love to read in our family. Books, art and knick knacks from around the world make this space so warm and inspiring!

Also included are some pictures of Duke University and the architectural details of some of the buildings.

As 2010 draws to a close, we also celebrate the end of a decade and the start of a new one. Fashion, food and art have been through some dramatic changes in the past decade. Organic clothing, fabrics, food and local design. We celebrate and appreciate all this more than ever. In turn, in giving back to the community we live in, we are now more aware of the satisfaction of being responsible citizens and value our sustainable businesses. We raise our glass to a new decade of great local design and organic living!

Click to watch the Boston Fashion Week Show http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHCfuBPG9Bg

In January, Shubrah.com will be at the NEAC wholesale show. If you are looking for beautiful things for your boutiques, find us there. We will also be doing a fashion show at the Liberty Hotel- Fashionably LATE on Thursday, Jan 20th. Hope to see you there, raising your glass with us as you celebrate a new year.

Cheers and looking forward to 2011.

Thanksgiving and the Holidays are here!

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November brought Diwali celebrations and we are ending with Thanksgiving. What a festive month! We have not stopped feasting and our love affair with various cuisines and cooking continues! Designers like to garden, cook the bounty that nature provides and then serve it beautifully. Then came photographs of the food, the table, the people and the drinks! It is all part of the lifestyle that we are trying to create with our clothing. Who is wearing our fashions, where are they wearing them and what are they eating and drinking? Or, which new and trendy restaurant or gala were they seen at?

So send us pics of you in our fashions, about town. We love to receive them. If you want to be on the blog, let us know!

In November we dressed Sorboni Banerjee Holbrook of channel 7 news for the American Indian Foundation gala. She looked smashing in the beaded LBD - adding a picture. We will be at the Hastings Marketplace and Agape International's fundraiser.

Giving locally for a gloabl impact. There are a family of turkeys roaming around in our backyard (wild, but for how long?) Could Thanksgiving be far behind? We are planning on cooking and eating a feast with my brother's family.

Our local farms this year, Wilson Farms and others are stocking all things grown within a 50 mile radius, what a treat! A recent meal at Sel Della Terre offered a three course meal called the "Locavore". Every bite was exquisite! So here's to being eco-friendly, organic, fuel saving, eating and buying locally and supporting our local businesses during this holiday season!

AIF Fundraiser event- Shubrah.com donated fashions for their auction and the MC Sorboni was wearing the beaded LBD! http://www.lokvani.com/lokvani/article.php?article_id=6921

Happy Holidays!

November, New York and New Fashions

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Labor day weekend is October was spent driving to New York City with girlfriends. The weather was perfect after many days of rain. We arrived to a sun warmed afternoon, staying across from Central Park and went to the Meatpacking district to check out new stores and have dinner.

Stella McCartney and Scoop looked great, always inspiring for their take on store design, eco-friendly fashions and new collections. Dinner at the Fig and Olive proved to us that ambiance and freshness of produce are two things that a chef needs to create magic! Saturday had us eating a big south Indian style vegetarian brunch on Lexington street and heading out to hours of walking visiting boutiques and cafes.

We hit Noho (great street art shows going on) and Soho-(crowded with shoppers). Couple of boutiques really inspired us. One selling all things stylishly Japanese and the other a small fusion boutique with a Morrocan, Indian and French mix! Broadway took us all the way down to Greenwich Village, by which time another great street art fair offered great promise. A tea and pastry stop across from the Kate/Jack Spade boutique and we headed back to freshen up for dinner. Five women getting ready for dinner and one bathroom? It has it's challenges! For dinner we headed to Asia de Cuba. Nice atmosphere, good wine list. Bathrooms are disappointing, as we discovered! We always look for artistic ones in creative or hip restaurants!

The food...well, the portions were very large and the hearty fusion of latin with chinese cuisine left us all with doggie bags to take back to the hotel's fridge! We decided that we should walk to Times Square to see the bright lights. Midnight, people everywhere, bill boards, cab drivers, you know, very different from Boston!

Sunday morning after cups of good tea, a trip to the MoMA. Always inspiring, never the same. A changing landscape and great weather drew me outdoors to the sculpture garden So beautiful and magical in the walled space between all the high rises. A fantastic exhibit on Matisse's transformation and use of color drew me back indoors.

Large oils, small sketches, use of color and metaphor that made me want to pull out some paints and canvas on my ride back to Boston! Lots of pictures included of fall trees, NYC and our out and about local life! Happy Holidays!

Fall fashion fusion fun!

2010-09-08T22:57:00.000-07:00

In August our travels took us to London, Delhi and Banglore. We shopped the main street and designer stores in London- looking for inspiration and people watching.

Ate some glorious food and partook of high tea. From the Tower Bridge to the changing of the guard at Buckingham palace, we painted the town in Shubrah.com.

Onwards to the fun city of Delhi to shop for more inspirational fabrics. Raiding those closets full of old saris, creating a collection of recycled cotton and silk sari dresses. Unique for Fall 2010 and one of a kind.

Onwards to Bangalore- the new silicon valley of India. Staying at the gorgeous Leela hotel, eating the delicious South Indian cuisine, need I say more? More exploring of silks, embroideries, cuisines and wildlife!! Pictures included ! We wonder why Boston seems a little tame after we came back? Needless to say we will be doing a lot of events this fall to show and sell our new collection.

From the essential LBD to jacquard wool scarves in jewel tones, embroidered pajama pants to recycled sari dresses.... It's all here! Catch us at the fund raiser auctions for Saheli and Pratham. At various other shows and of course Boston fashion week! Happy fall shopping!!

Boston pops and Esplanade after July 4th gala celebrations

2010-07-07T01:18:00.000-07:00

July 4th weekend was celebrated with all the heat of the summer weekend. Carnivals, the Esplanade,Boston pops and Keith Lockhart ! Barbecues with friends and family from across states or countries. Our beaches, pathways, gardens and oceans are full of amazing life.

Looking through the picture essay commemorating for the first few weeks of summer, the photos include a mother turkey and her little ones walking across the garden. Indian barbecue cuisine that our friends served one night, neighbourhood blooms and favorite walking paths. Our trip to one of the beaches on Cape Cod yielded buckets of shells and some wonderful images of outdoor showers and flowering rose bushes.

We are busy preparing our fall collections at Shubrah.com and also working on getting the word on our beautiful fashions out there. Spread the word about our business to friends and family this summer.

The Boston Sunday Globe and Boston.com featured us in an article on June 20th, 2010. Here is a link if you missed it-
http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2010/06/20/for_a_lexington_designer_being_green_is_a_fashion_do/
Come shop our website or e-mail us for a personal appointment.

Have a wonderful summer and stay cool!

Summer is here- weddings, graduations, father's day and celebrations!

2010-05-27T00:23:00.000-07:00

Looking at the gardens blooming- peonies, pansies, marigolds, herbs and irises- it's a wonderful time in New England.Weddings are around the corner.Planning garden parties or going to them.Thinking of summer vacations and where we can travel to next! Father's day does not mean buying him a tie! Get creative this year with Shiv-er 100% handwoven silk shirts from the website. He will look stunning in stripes!
Our silk scarves are a stunning way to update any outfit. Take a look at the latest collection we have on line, really pretty colors, embroideries and details!

Teaching fashion to middle school and high school students has been a highlight in the month of May and June. Running a six week class on Fashion 101 and teaching the next generation how to sketch, illustrate and drape has been inspiring and rewarding. Giving back to the local community is the best way to live. Our latest bride will be decked out in a gown made out of a glorious silk jacquard in champagne color with touches of silk satin and gold trim. The groom is from Nantucket Island, so we are working on making the colors blend for an early June wedding. We will have pictures on the blog when the wedding is over in mid-June.

Recently, Shubhra was invited to present to an intimate group of the Indian Women Physicians forum meeting. Hosted by Drs. Manju Seth and Deepa Jhaveri, it was a wonderful afternoon of fashion, tea and yoga. Talking to women doctors about dressing for success was a great opportunity to introduce them to Shubrah.com as well. Adding some pictures.
June brings us to the NEAC trade show at Marlboro, MA to show our new spring collection. We will also be having our trunk show from June 25th to 27th. Call or e-mail and you will get some personal attention! We will be showing our latest collection of silk scarves and recycled sari dresses. These are one of a kind, so if you want to get the pajama pants or dresses, no chance of bumping into someone else wearing the same thing! In May, we attended Stylefixx and adding some pictures of this fun event and sale. Happy celebrating!

April Spring Break

2010-05-06T05:33:00.000-07:00

April Spring break took us to southern Florida. It really felt like we were traveling to a different part of the world. The air was warm, the sun was shining, gorgeous people, food, beaches and locales. The first resort stop at was the Breakers in Palm Beach
An old world hotel and resort, the decor and ambience echoed a by-gone age. Jasmine, orchids and palm trees gave way to graceful formal gardens, secluded courtyards with waterfalls and pristine beaches.

Fine dining with excellent seafood preparations, a chef's garden for herbs and vegetables and children's programs made it easy to have a multi-generational vacation. Perfect spot for dressing in scarves and little dresses!

Our next stop was South Beach, Miami. We stayed at the new W hotel, the hot spot that everyone wants to be seen at. Modern decor, lots of marble, granite, white and black decor and gorgeous people. We dined one night at Mr. Chow's the famous Chinese fusion restaurant on the property. Included are pictures of the amazing desserts and the handmade ceiling.

South Beach is lined with fabulous shops, restaurants, fashionable people and a lot of spanish culture. The homes of the rich and famous dot the inter-coastal. The Bar Harbor shopping area and palm tree lined eateries take out door dining to a wonderful casual level that is so special for us from the north.

Italian, cuban and bistro style cuisine at it's best! " Harvard Business School Fashion Show.

Click here to view the video.

Click here to view more pictures on facebook

April showers and Spring Brides!

2010-03-25T01:51:00.000-07:00

Shubrah.com recently participated in two very different Wedding Expos. One was focused on a "Green" wedding theme for the bride and groom. The event was held by Elegantly Green Weddings at the Hyatt in Boston in February. The idea was to present "green" wedding vendors to potential couples and families who had an interest in making their planning eco-friendly. Who attended? There were florists who worked with local or organic flowers only. Gorgeous blooms, all pesticide free and many locally grown. Some great restaurants from Cambridge and other neighborhoods that sourced local produce and catch from our coastline. We got to sample the appetizers and desserts! Local cheeses, organic fruits and vegetables rounded off the offerings.

There was a company selling organic wines as well. The wedding cake vendors did an amazing job of showing off organic or vegan choices. The flavor of the year has been cupcakes! Brides and grooms are going for them instead of huge cakes. More stylish and frugal in this economy!

We showed our pure silk east meets west dresses and mens silk shirts for options for bridesmaids and groomsmen. Our designs were well received by a largely local and eco-friendly audience.

The Wedding Expo at the Taj Boston in early March was a very different event. Shubrah.com participated to show the recent wedding party designs created for Sorboni Banerjee of Channel 7 news and various other ideas for bridesmaids and bridal designs. India New England News had brought together wedding designers, photographers, planners, caterers and travel agents with a South Asian theme for the Boston Indian-American community. Music for the event was provided by a wonderful jazz and Bollywood fusion ensemble of musicians. The Taj served appetizers, desserts and drinks.

It was a well attended event, with over 350 people participating. We are excited to be part of such a vibrant community of people who embrace the cultures of the East along with the West to make it a rich and rewarding experience. Adding some photos of the event.
Our next events are coming up end of March and in April. We are donating our fashions for a live auction for the Lexington Education Foundation's annual gala dinner and dance event at the Westin, Waltham on March 27th. This fabulous evening is called Educated Tastes and local restaurants, businesses and bands donate their time and products to make this a must attend event. We have been participating for years to give back to the community and ultimately the children's schools. If you are there, hope to catch up with you!

April 13th, Tuesday- Harvard Business School Retail and Apparel club 2010 Spring Fashion show at the Indo-French bar and restaurant Mantra in Boston. Shubrah.com has been chosen to show a few looks from the website. It is a fundraiser event for a non-profit and we are donating our fashions for the auction. Hope to see you all there. For more details click here: http://www.thehbsfashionshow.com/

Our Spring collection will be showing in May. However, we have been working on some one of a kind designs meanwhile. They are beach worthy or warm weather cotton dresses and pajama pants. Well, they are made from saris that I decided to cut up (it's only antique cotton fabric from the 70's after all) and make into some wonderful sun dresses and pants. Recycling the best hand made cotton Kota saris I could find. You can wear them to a beach, a nice dinner at a bistro or pull on the pieces over your bathing suits. Each sari had enough fabric to make one dress and one pajama. So, if you are looking for something special, call us or e-mail to set up an appointment. We are here to wardrobe you for Spring break!

Well, the sun is finally shining after days of torrential rain. Perhaps March and April showers will bring happy brides, in May and June!

Sunapee and March Madness

2010-02-26T02:12:00.000-08:00

Children learn new skills so easily. It is astounding to see how quickly they can pick up a new sport, language, attitude or even adapt to new fashions. As adults, our brain loses this amazing agility. Our limbs lose the coordination to master new sports or skills. There is something to be said for teaching kids early on that adapting to new environments and that new behaviors can save the environment and nature. Our winter vacation week trip to Sunapee in Newbury, New Hampshire was a wonderful fun filled event. We stayed at the Mount Edge Spa and Resort.

Filled our Chintan bags with fresh fruits, local eggs, organic milk and sausages. French bread, local cheese... wine... chocolate... need I say more? Headed to the mountains every morning for a day outdoors. Adding some pictures of the beautiful lakes and mountains, all snow covered that made for a winter wonderland. Snow boarders, skiers and ski lodgers alike, took to soaking up the sun.

We watched the Winter Olympics at night on TV and marveled at how the athletes made all the sports look so effortless! On sat night the fireworks outside our balcony brought all of us in our winter jackets and flannel pajamas out. Adding some pictures!

We look forward to warmer weather. Or a trip to a warm beach, next. In New England, the end of February and early March means snow covered ground, as winter still drags on. But Spring break is around the corner find us at the shows we are doing during early March. Our first trade show is from Feb 28th to March 3rd. New England Apparel Club is hosting. Check out our booth #920, Royal Plaza Trade Center, Marlboro, MA.

On March 7th, we will be at the Taj Boston, so grab brunch at the posh hotel and browse the Wedding Expo- hosted by India New England News. We will be showing our eco-friendly bridesmaids dresses and meeting clients who want a couture gown designed for their wedding. Meanwhile, think of a warm beach vacation where you can wear Shubrah.com. Coming soon!

On Feb 14th we took some pictures of the Elegantly Green wedding showcase we were a part of at the Hyatt, Boston. Adding some pictures.

Walking in your shoes

2010-02-03T22:31:00.000-08:00

Our travel to Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA was a fun day trip to a jewel of a craft museum in our state, that we had never visited. The show was very well curated and the theme - shoes! Interpreted by artists in various media, it really inspired us to observe how creative people think! The materials used were orange peel, paper, wire, clay, metal or paint!

If the shoe fits, or for that matter, if the dress fits! What is always inspiring is to see another artists' creations and guess at the thought process that goes into making that piece of art. What was going through their heads at that time? What caused them to use the media that they chose? Why orange peels? Why newspapers? There was a shoe that had a tape measure as the strap, cabbage or salad greens as the heel and looked like it was made for someone one a diet! We are including some pictures of the show.

http://www.fullercraft.org/exhibitions.html#Perfect
Brockton, Massachusetts, once known as the shoe capital of the world, will revive its legacy with The Perfect Fit – Shoes Tell Stories. Curated by Wendy Tarlow Kaplan, who has strong family ties to Brockton’s shoe industry, this exhibition will explore how shoes can tell stories, addressing topics such as gender, history, sexuality, race, class, and culture.

February is here and we are thinking of Valentine's day and Winter break. Whether we travel to snow covered places for skiing or a warm beach for chilling, we still need to look pretty and be eco-friendly, all at the same time. Our next few shows are all about green weddings, so watch out for us in February and March at events in the Boston area. Bridesmaids dresses or cocktails at a resort.

Our trunk show which will launch our Spring/ Summer '10 collection is coming up in April. Stay tuned for dates and times. We are inspired by Incredible India, as always. Chiffons, beading, embroideries and eco-friendly practices are all a part of this collection. Look out for our trendy scarves, flow-ey dresses and jazzy shirts for the man in your life.

Around the world in 2010

2010-01-14T00:27:00.000-08:00

We have decided to dedicate this year to blogs about travel. Fashion, art, music and food are all part of the mix of traveling to a new place, seeing the foliage, eating the local cuisine and devouring the sights. How that experience enhances our collection, the choice of color and styling is all part of this mix of getting on a plane, in a car, a train or a horse drawn cart and going to a new destination.

Our first trip this year was to Delhi and Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri. We stayed in a lovely hotel called the ITC Mughal, the staff was warm and friendly and the service excellent. Will highly recommend their large breakfasts- their multi grain version of the south Indian dosa, is fabulous. The restaurant- Peshawari - serves the local cuisine like grilled meats, freshly made naan and breads and other north Indian dishes, at it's best. The hotel has a wonderful opulent spa and magnificent gardens, so it is worth staying there for a few days. Local industries include marble carving, tourism and foot wear. The Taj Mahal was made by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved wife, it is a magnificent monument made in white marble and hand carved with precious stones. It stands on the banks of the river Yamuna and Shah Jahan is said to have spent his last days looking at this view from the Red Fort- where he was imprisoned by his son.

Fatehpur Sikri is a wonderful monument made by Emperor Akbar for the Sufi saint Salim Chisti, when he had a son after years of praying for off spring. Akbar named his son Salim after the Sufi saint. There is a white marble mosque inside the red sandstone walls of Fatehpur Sikri. People go there to ask for their wishes to come true, tie multi colored ribbons to the trellis work on the windows and drape colorful cloths on the saint's grave.

Included are pictures of the sites, enjoy!

Our website is having a winter sale with everything at 50% off.

Feel free to browse, shop and spread the word to your friends!! We have some up coming shows in Feb, March and May of this year and our trunk show in April as well. So look out for our new Spring / Summer 10 collection in the coming months!

Happy 2010 to all.

Remembering 2009 with Shubrah.com

2009-12-15T22:53:00.000-08:00

As I mull over the year that was 2009, there were highlights for Shubrah.com and also some wonderful moments for me, personally. Recently, a customer who ordered our red girl's dress from the Misshree line called me. She is from the UK and has been living in New York, recently. Her daughter was going to her first school dance and when the red dress arrived, it fitted her like a glove! She looked beautiful in it and I was so happy to receive this phone call out of the blue! It made my day. We have celebrated a year in business now. A year of tremendous ups and downs in this dismal economy. But, a phone call or an e-mail from a happy customer is all it takes to make us want to run out and create another wonderful collection! So keep you feed back coming.

We are thinking of creative ways of stretching a very small marketing budget with e-mailed newsletters, facebook, twitter, linkedin, the blog and of course, our wonderful website. So visit us often, read the blog, spread the word by becoming a fan on our facebook page and forwarding our newsletter to friends. We don't believe in cluttering your inbox or using paper to fill your mailbox, so anything you do to spread the word, counts for us! If you have a great tip for us, send it along. We are happy to hear from you anytime!

We pray for peace, a greener and gentler world in 2010. We wish for more time to pursue what we love to do. It may be traveling safely to loved ones during this holiday season or sharing a locally sourced meal with our family. We hope that 2010 brings harmony, peace, joy and eco-friendly-ness to you.

Onwards in search of the "new" spice route this week....exotic silks, sheer organic cottons, bewitching gems, aromatic spices, marigolds and jasmine, all beckon to be hunted and gathered! Happy Holidays from Shubrah.com!

KATwalk--Fashion show at M.I.T in Nov 09

2009-11-20T06:42:00.000-08:00

Shubrah.com was invited to participate in KATwalk, a fashion show at M.I.T, Cambridge MA, on Nov 11th, along with other boutiques and designers. The event is an annual show that is organized by students at M.I.T and is a fundraiser for a worthy non-profit that supports children's issues called CASA. The venue, is a glorious hall, part of Walker Memorial Building along Memorial drive with beautiful high ceilings supported by massive pillars and giant paintings as a backdrop on the walls.

There is a balcony surrounding the entire hall, where the students gathered and cheered the proceedings below. The catwalk was set up on the main floor, with front row chairs as well as tables for guests for desserts and beverages. We showed our collection modeled by 20 college students from MIT, with great music, choreography and ambience, all created by the students.

The MCs for the evening, introduced Shubrah.com as an emerging Boston area design company to be watched for fusion as well as environmentally conscious design. The music they picked for this part of the show was fusion, some western, bollywood and bhangra, all mixed live by the student DJ. The show was a great success, with a live auction as well as two very talented groups of MIT students dancing and singing for the audience. There was a segment called "MIT couture" that was created by students, a tongue-in-cheek take on the clothing with college insignia, sold on the campus. The audience applauded in delight, at the hip music, choreography and at their friends who modeled during the course of the evening. A wonderful event, worth attending again, next year!

The Bridal Party by Shubrah

2009-10-28T00:57:00.000-07:00

These are pictures from the wedding, at the Castle in the Clouds, in the Lake Winnipesaukee area in New Hampshire. Oct 9th dawned cloudy and cold, unfortunately. But the warmth of the two families, their friends and the love apparent during the ceremony made it all worthwhile. The view from the side of the mountain was breath taking. The reception was glorious and here are some pictures of the bridal party, the wedding and the reception. The designs blended perfectly with the East meets West fusion this wedding represented. The bridal party was resplendent till the very end!

Happily married in Shubrah.com! Bride and groom in Benarasi silk dress and vest and tie.

Bridesmaids in Shubrah.com couture Benarasi sari dresses

A bridesmaid's dress at the reception, perfect blend of Indian Benarasi silk saris cut into halter dresses.

The groom and his brother wearing the vest, ties and raising a toast to Shubrah.com!

The gown, bridesmaids dresses, groom's vest and tie and all the other people of the wedding party were dressed by Shubrah.com couture ensembles made from silk sari fabrics.

Wedding of the happy couple took place at Castle in the Clouds in New Hampshire. In an east meets west ceremony where both Hindu and Christian weddings were performed!

Parents of the bride- ensembles designed by Shubrah

India meets Texas, the theme was carried over in the table decorations at the wedding reception. Elephants, cowboy boots, horseshoes and saffron colored flowers!

Pictures of the venue for the wedding

Sorboni's wedding by Shubrah

2009-10-11T23:21:00.000-07:00

To view pictures of Boston Fashion Week, click here: http://clientzone.timelesslens.com/p903307449

Sketches and pictures of Sorboni's wedding and bridesmaids

Peacocks at Shubrah.com

2009-09-28T07:32:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Shubrah.com on the this festive month! The end of September and early October this year, brings festivals for all. There is a nip in the air, the leaves are already changing color and our website now has updated fall fashions! If you are looking for fashion advise, send us an e-mail or sign up for our newsletters, we will be letting you know about all the exciting happenings at our end. As we bring out our favorite fall colors, sweater and scarves, I marvel at all the feathery accessories I am seeing out there. Headbands, tie necklaces and even trims on dresses. Well, we have all these "peacock" colors in our fashions this fall. From the gorgeous rich blues to the most vivid reds and purples, the peacocks are imbedded in our fabrics.

We had a great first time showing at Stylefixx. Those of you who attended and shopped, thanks and hope to see you at future events! Watch out for our Fall/Holiday 09 fashion show at Tantric in Boston on Oct 2nd. It's part of Boston Fashion week. Visit the new event's page on our website for details.

As we near Sorboni's wedding, I am adding some initial sketches I did during the brainstorming sessions with the bride and the bridesmaids. More pictures to come after the wedding on Oct 9th. So follow our blog for updates later in the month. Our Diwali/holiday trunk show and sale is on the weekend of Oct 16th, check out the timings and come and shop for our fabulous parties this season! Our accessories and scarves make fine gifts this season. The men's shirt collection is gorgeous and varied, so check it out for that special guy in your life! A great collection of plaids, stripes and solid colors in rich handmade silks. We will see you around town wearing our designs, send in pictures of yourself or friends in our designs. Stay tuned for more events to come. Happy Autumn!

As the colors change in New England, the days and nights turn chilly and the afternoons are warm, every religion seems to be celebrating some festival. Whether it is a harvest festival or a new year event, October is full of celebrations. Chrysanthemums, pumpkins, haystacks, candles, lanterns and rich color. At Shubrah.com we are celebrating our first year in business. Come to our fashion show at Tantric in Boston for our Fall/Holiday 09 fashion show within the Boston Fashion week calendar.

Happy festival season!

Mango People

2009-09-01T00:11:00.001-07:00

Had a wonderful and productive trip to India. Hunted, gathered, designed, executed and we are now poised for Fall/holiday 09 events. Sorboni's wedding is in October, with the White Mountains and fall colors as the stunning back drop. It started a year ago as a creative journey for this beautiful TV news anchor and bride to be and lead us to delve into her Indian roots and mine too.

We did what we do best with this bridal collection, blend the beauty of natural Indian silk fabrics with western design. Plan to take lots of pictures at the wedding and share the stages from concept to wedding day with you, stay tuned to the blog in Oct.

India is all about the Mango People...trees and flowering plants that survive amid high rises, birds on wires, road side gardens and temples on every curve. Gorgeous fabrics, hand made shoes, brilliant glass bangles and spicy flavorful food. Peeple trees, under which Buddha was said to have achieved enlightenment mingle with flowering mango, frangipani and jasmine. The scents are stronger in the heat- of flowers, incense, sweat, spices and of stagnant rain water that does not drain easily from the muddy roads. Cups of Darjeeling tea, conversation, music and old friends. As I bought fabrics, linings, trims and shopped the small bazaars of Delhi,

I would marvel at the way of life where fresh vegetables are sold long side a little stall selling nose rings. The way art, music, culture and yes, Bollywood seeps into every narrow lane of this diverse country and makes us richer when we travel there. Finishing this post on my flight back to Boston, I look forward to sharing the new fall fashions with you, starting with Stylefixx- Girls night out- on the 15th and 16th of Sept in Boston and on the website.

August on the Cape

2009-08-13T03:29:00.000-07:00

One of the most beautiful areas of Massachusetts is Cape Cod and the islands. Being there for a weekend was a treat, the weather was perfect! Arnold and Maria were roaming around in Hyannis port, the Kennedy compound looked beautiful! There are wonderful old businesses run by people who live there year around and have been there for generations.

Ice cream and sandwich shops, candy stores and old B&B's that have been there for years. People on the lakes have sailed there for generations and are now bringing their children and grandchildren back to the same waters.

I could not resist adding some pictures of the sights! There seems to be no one doing any town wide recycling on the Cape, which seemed at odds with the beautiful environment. Perhaps, something to think about for the folks who run Town halls there.

I will be traveling to India soon to finish designing the new Fall/Holiday 09 and Sorboni's bridal collections. Will be hitting the hot spots in New Delhi too, will keep everyone posted. Planning to do some events around the Boston area in fall, fashion shows, trunk shows, sales and other fund raiser events that help the causes we support at Shubrah.com. So stay tuned.

You may spot the Obamas or the Governator and Ms. Shriver here someday...

Flora and aqua

Cape Cod Beach

Support Shubhra Designs, LLC in the 2009 StartupNation Home-Based Business Competition

2009-07-28T10:22:00.001-07:00

Support Shubhra Designs, LLC in the 2009 StartupNation Home-Based Business Competition

Posted using ShareThis

Summer Fun - July 20th

2009-07-23T09:10:00.000-07:00

Nothing is more special than a glowing, tanned and gorgeous bride to be!

Sorboni Banerjee's wedding to Jarrod, much awaited, in October. Last week, we had an initial fitting with some of her bridesmaids. Including Anne Allred from Channel News 7 News. We started with some tea and munchies for the girls at 2 p.m. The dresses are all one of a kind, made from sari fabrics that were cut up for the borders which are woven with intricate gold patterns and vibrant jewel tones. We tried on of the dresses and pinned for perfect fit. Meanwhile, the ladies shopped and modeled Shubrah.com's Spring/Summer 09 collection and bought some fashions! I can't post any of the pictures of the dresses being custom made for the wedding as yet. That will happen in Oct after the wedding.

But we took some pictures of the girls at tea!

On another note, the lilies in my garden are bursting with color and I could not resist adding a few pictures of them! So inspiring, the color and the mood of the garden! I noticed a lot of purple flowers in bloom too--lavender, hasta, morning glory, nicely offsetting the lilies and the marigolds. I filled vases with the bounty from the garden.

A great day at Tanglewood yesterday, Mozart, green lawns, brie and sunshine.

I could not resist adding some pictures, so, here they are. Enjoy!"

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-06T09:41:00.000-07:00

School is out and the biggest holiday of the summer is upon us. Whether you’ll be spending your July 4^th at a barbecue, watching fireworks, or at the Boston Pops, make sure you put your best fashion foot forward. Check out some styles below for Independence Day inspiration.

Stars and stripes in black and white! Sport a festive striped dress, with white stripes like our flag, and black stripes to supplement with and elegant flair. A simple powder blue shirt with khaki shorts in a casual but dapper look for men.

Not casual enough? Nothing is as American as classic T-shirt.

Whatever you decide, his and hers Shubrah designs will ignite fashion fireworks!

As we celebrate our nation’s rich past, Shubrah.com would like to recognize the support it has received in its very recent past. A special thanks to our TiEcon choreographer, Shonool Malik, pictured below in orange, to Timelesslens.com, for the fabulous photos, and Susan Smith Pinto, our MC, pictured below in black.

In Case You Missed It

2009-07-06T09:33:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who joined us on Friday, May 22 for the Shubrah.com Sustainable Couture fashion show at the TiECON East Conference at The Westin Hotel in Waltham.

If you couldn't make it, check out some of the photos here!

Mish-tee shirts were all the rage backstage.

Silk men's shirts make great Father's Day gift.

The ladies looked elegant on the runway in beaded and embroidered tops and caftans.

Check out more styles in this excerpt from the fashion show. For the full fashion show, check out at http://www.youtube.com/user/Shubrah1.

Trunk Show This Weekend

2009-07-06T09:28:00.000-07:00

Hopefully everyone had pleasant Memorial Day weekend, spent with friends and family. With the festivities of the long weekend as just a preview of things to come, spend some time this upcoming weekend boosting your wardrobe at the Shubrah trunk show!

If you did not get to see the spring collection at this past weekend’s TIECON fashion show, check out the designs firsthand this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in Lexington. Not only will you be able to sample the designs found online at shubrah.com, but also some of these one-of-a kind caftans.

Something light, airy, and eye-catching to wear throughout the summer months will turn heads everywhere you go. During the summer, you may not want to fuss over elaborate accessories and shoes. Throw on a comfortable caftan; with elegant patterns and construction, you won’t have to worry about adding much more your outfit.

Pick up a unique piece that no one else is sure to have. With collections for men, boys, and girls, don’t forget to browse for the family and friends either. Better yet, just bring them with you!

Just because summer is filled with lazy days, doesn’t mean your clothes should be lazy too. The Shubrah trunk show will feature carefully embroidered and embellished necklines and details.

Hope to see you at the trunk show!

May Summer Begin

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Summer weather will be here to stay any day now, so it’s time to prepare accordingly. New wardrobe, new event calendar, new adventures. Throughout your seasonal transition, Shubrah.com is right there with you.

As you reinstate your summer wardrobe staples, why not add a few new items. The Shubrah spring collection features bright, light-weight scarves to enhance your warm-weather classics. Wear it as an accessory, a top, a skirt, or a head scarf, whichever way suits you best. With so many options, one scarf can create a new look every week.

Looking for nighttime barbecue outfits? Airy dresses or caftans with simple yet elegant embellishments create a soft, casual evening look for gatherings with friends and family after dusk. Pair them with jeans, and you have a laid-back daytime look for mid-morning brunch.

As most relax during the calm summer months, at Shubrah.com the activity picks up, with our debut custom bridal collection nearing its premiere. Sorboni Banerjee, WHDH channel 7 news anchor, has her wedding just around the corner in October. Our wedding dress, rehearsal dinner dresses, bridesmaids dresses, and matching ties for the groomsmen made from exquisite handwoven Indian fabrics are coming together quite well. Here are pictures of the bride, her bridesmaids, and below, Jarrod the groom, who is a news anchor in Rhode Island.

Don’t think you won’t get rewarded for spreading the word. Refer a new member to our newsletter or bring someone new to our trunk show and we will give you $25.00 off on your purchases.

Customers are not the only ones who benefit from great fashion. We give a percentage of our profits to create awareness and do something meaningful in the local community and the world. In 2008-09 we gave donations in the form of money, fashions to auction, and our time to the following organizations:

Chintan, a non-profit based in Delhi, India that works to clean up urban waste, educate the poor, and create products out of recycled plastic bags. These products are available for sale on our site.

American India Foundation, which works toward accelerating social and economic change in India.

Lexington Education Foundation, which supports educational excellence by awarding grants for creative programs, instructional resources, and innovative materials in Lexington, MA.

Agape International, which helps poor children worldwide who suffer as a result of the global AIDS crisis.

Ronan McElligott Memorial Playground Committee, which built the community’s first barrier-free children's playground for handicapped kids.

With Shubrah.com, everybody wins!

Spring Is Here

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"April showers bring May flowers, so be prepared for flower power in the Spring/ Summer 09 collection, launching on May 1st. The Green Generation was the global theme for Earth Day this year and we are doing our bit! The fashion accessory of the season is the scarf.

What can do you with a scarf, other than tie it around your neck? (For those who are depressed about the economy....we would not suggest that approach!). Well, we have numerous ways of wearing a scarf, of draping it, pinning it, creating a whole new look for a new season.

You can tie it like a halter, drape it like a one shoulder blouse (we suggest putting a camisole under it for an under the jacket office look), or wearing like a skirt/ sarong. Its great for traveling, gift giving, dressing up or down. Come up with your own variation on what you can do with a scarf that brings sunshine into your wardrobe.

Send us an e-mail with pictures. One way to break out of your tired winter look - wrap a scarf with bright colors or flowers over a pretty silk dress or cotton tee- without breaking your favorite piggy bank!

Our new collection is all about color and beautiful fabrics...vibrant colors and embroideries, eco-friendly fabrics, what else can we do to come out smelling like roses? Giving you a peek at the new looks, which we will be ready to launch on May 2nd.

Here's to a green earth, (green is the new black- in case you did not get the memo) and your new summer look!"

New Year, New Horizons

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With 2009 upon us, change is palpable. This new year brings a fervor and excitement that has been dormant for sometime now, with a new administration coming in with progressive ideas. While we strive for national improvement in the coming months, we should also take the time to set some goals for self-improvement. We should look to maintain our bodies, both physically and mentally. Thus, our post-holiday wish list: Experiencing the world of cultures around us. Through books, through travel, through fashion, through food. Reading for pleasure, not just work. Partaking in forthcoming change by being more eco-conscious and civically engaged. And maybe, finally, a manageable exercise routine. Challenging our bodies in a healthy manner that actually may be fun as well.

Although the future is uncertain yet, the Shubrah line is drawing from the spirit of resiliency and hope in the Spring/Summer 2009 collection, which is currently underway. The collection will reflect the revitalizing spring season ahead of us, only a few months away. In the meantime, the Fall 08 collection still offers winter fashion essentials, now at 30% off of everything on the website.

In addition to the upcoming Spring line, Shubrah couture will debut in the new year with a custom bridal collection. These pieces incorporate Indian fabrics, western silhouettes, and striking color. With the wedding approaching in a few months, the designer is hard at work blending original bridal fashion with the personalities of the bride and bridesmaids themselves.

Inspirations

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So what do a gorgeous garden, your neighbor’s dog, and a rainbow display of bangle bracelets have in common? . . . Inspirations for the debut collection of Shubrah, of course! The designer admits she finds inspiration in a surprisingly broad and varied array of sources, and that is certainly evident in the freshness and creativity of her designs. Perhaps most fittingly for a company founded on environmental awareness and sustainable business practices, much inspiration has come from nature. Some gorgeous blooms in her spring garden, for example, were the inspiration for the floral accent motif in some of this season’s holiday collection fashions.

With fabrics and detailing coming mainly from India, color inspirations are ubiquitous – from the bolts of new fabrics to the glittering displays of bangle bracelets in New Delhi boutiques – vibrant colors and patterns are a trademark of the Shubrah line.

But some of the loveliest inspirations can also be the most personal. While chic and high-fashion on one level, the Shubrah line has elements of whimsy as well . . . such as that inspired by the designer’s daughter, Shreeya. An avid dog lover, Shreeya created the adorable doggie logo for the Mishtee line of t-shirts for men, women, and children.

Design is really a reflection of how the designer sees the world . . . how she translates disparate sources of inspiration into a cohesive line of products. For the Shubrah fusion fashion line, it’s about the natural, the whimsical, and the art of pulling it all together into “environmentally aware chic”!

Fusion Confusion

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Friends and fellow fashionistas . . .

“Fusion” (but not the nuclear kind!) is a word that has long been used in the food realm . . . both for better and for worse. Who hasn’t enjoyed a yummy meal that combined culinary influences – perhaps Chinese and Indian, or Vietnamese and French? But then there are the less notable experiences – like shrimp curry on a pizza or pad thai enchiladas. Fusion does not mean “free-for-all”!

In fashion, the concept of “fusion” can run the same risks. For example, a sombrero and a sari won’t work well together (unless you’ve had a LOT of tequila first!) And you wouldn’t want to pair cowboy boots with a silk Mao jacket. But the marriage of Indian-inspired fabrics and Western-style designs? That is one way that fashion fusion can be fabulous. And flexible – because fashion fusion helps you to create innovative new looks that work in a variety of contexts.

Look at how easily fashion fusion can work with things you already have in your closet.

For women, let’s start with a chutney stripe silk dress. A perfect example of fusion – pure Indian silk taffeta in soft brown shades, rich embroidery, georgette sleeves, modern just-above-knee length. Chic for evening with strappy sandals; equally trendy over skinny jeans or with boots.

The Bombay jacket is similarly versatile. The soft silhouette works as well over a little black dress or as it does over jeans. The rich silk fabric permits such flexibility -- you can dress it up or down, and it holds its own in any context. The unusual cut and styling provide ample modern flair.

For men, fusion can be even easier (why is life often so much easier for men?!) A mens shirt made from silk dupioni takes perfect advantage of Indian textiles, whether in plain colors, stripes, or patterns. The western styling, plus option for either regular or french cuffs, allows it to be worn either casually or formally. Wear it with a jacket and dress pants for the office or formal evening out; pair it with jeans to look casual but cool.

And for kids, fashion fusion is all about fun! A unisex kids kurta boasts Indian fabric, vibrant colors, and embroidered details, but the versatility is all western. A boy can wear it over chinos or jeans for any occasion. For a girl, it is adorable with leggings, skinny jeans or a skirt. How's that for multi-tasking fashion?

Fashionable, flexible, fabulous, fun . . . that’s fashion fusion at Shubrah.com! Watch our blog for future entries on fashion fusion guidelines; how to break the rules “right”; how to wear color well; and more. Of course we’d love your thoughts and reactions -- tell us what you’d like to hear about. And please visit us at http://www.shubrah.com/ for our whole line of eco-friendly items for the family and home.