New Delhi: The Obama fever has caught on with the city. People of all ages are picking up T-shirts and outfits with pictures of US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle. The effect is such that boutiques at the Santushti Shopping Complex in Chanakyapuri are all decked up and eagerly awaiting the visit of the First Lady.
Ever since a team of security experts did a rec'ce of the Complex, the owners became hopeful of the visit of the dignitaries. This, despite the fact that no official communication came from the Ministry of External Affairs about the list of places the couple is set to visit.
Santushti Arcade, located in the diplomatic area, houses 42 shops with prestigious designers of the city showcasing their best works at the complex. It has long been the favourite of visiting dignitaries and most popular with VIPs, including Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her daughter Priyanka Vadra.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton too shopped at the complex when she last visited India, picking up jackets and crinkled skirts for herself and daughter Chelsea.
Designer Arpita Kalra, who runs a store at Lado Sarai in south Delhi, was probably the first one to see an opportunity of innovation into her works coinciding with the visit of the Obamas.
Kalra gushed, "Since the couple was coming to India, I felt it was the right time to launch my collection in the market with the Michelle shopping connotation added to it.
Pillows
"Conversation pillows are an in-thing. So I decided to design a set of two cushions, two vertical pillows and a small pocket cushion. The collection has Michelle in a red dress sporting a pearl necklace. The President's wife is shown perched on a swing with a smile on her face. In the background is a miniature painting of the White House."
While the big cushion cover reads 'First Lady of Fabulous', the pocket cushion reads 'We love her'. The collection of five cushions priced at Rs.6,500 are called 'Fun at Home.' These have occupied a place of pride at Ogaan boutique owned by designer Kavita Bhartia.
Although Kalra felt the cushions will be talked about for a long time, they are already a rage. The designer said she chose to represent Michelle over any Indian political icon because, "She is not only an inspirational icon but also a style icon and a picture of poise, charm and dignity."
Keeping Michelle's height in mind, another designer Vijaylakshmi Dogra has ordered six-foot mannequins to showcase her vision. It took her a fortnight to design a pink wrap skirt bearing lotus motifs, paired with a silver corset. She has also designed a gray-blue French chiffon dress with silver lotus pond motif on it. Dogra intends showing a few sarees with Shikarga motifs depicting hunting scenes of yore to the prim-and propah dignitary.
At Tulsi, the store owned by textile designer Neeru Kumar, exotic silk shawls are on display. Kumar has even created jewellery line with necklaces especially for Michelle. She said the First lady's choice of clothing matched with her style of design philosophy.
