Hot trends
Bhavna Pandey, fashionista and hostess
Parties are getting more private and smaller with only close friends in attendance. In India, a lot of people are either heading to the backwaters of Kerala for a spa weekend or a detox party in Rishikesh. Rio de Janerio now tops the list for those who’ve been-everywhere-done-everything-partygoers. Back home, Olive’s great for its lounge mood. It’s perfect for a good meal, good alcohol, good music and good times. In Delhi, it’s ditto with Lap. In 2012, colour-wise, we’ll see less bling and more solid hues like blue and turquoise. Loud music is a total no-no as most guests prefer to interact with each other, especially when one has invited an assorted mix from different fields.
The Next Big Thing: Home soirees.

Hot make-up trends
Clint Fernandes, Bollywood make-up artist
The drift these days has been more towards the red carpet look. So you’ve either got the winged eyeliner with naturally done eyes and lots of mascara that complements bright red lips and matte skin or there is the smoky smudged kohl look with a natural or pink mouth. Smoky eyes in coloured kohl pencils look great – use a metallic sheen on the top of the smudged kohl to add an edge to your evening. The Next Big Thing:
Nail art. Fluro colours, bright pop hues and dark, deep shades work wonders.

Hot foods
Farrokh Khambatta, chef and restaurateur
As the economy is looking up, everyone wants to add a dash of luxe to their parties. There is a lot of private entertaining happening on yachts and people are organising sundown parties with live bands. While live cooking is still enjoyed by guests, pasta stations are passé and the newest trends are paella stations and instant ice-cream counters that use liquid nitrogen to create a flavour of ice-cream right in front of you. Finger foods could be a mix of European and Asian but Vietnamese and Spanish foods are getting more attention.
The Next Big Thing: Molecular gastronomy and cocktails.

Sharmila Khanna
PARTY PLANNER
Hot party destinations: Lap, New Delhi, Tote, AURUS and China House in Mumbai, Shiro, Sky Bar and City Bar in Bengaluru, Mykonos, New York and Vegas. Hot party colours: Eternally black, white and yellow for brunches.Also floral prints and black and red for nights.
So last year: Shorts and kaftans.

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