Kabir Bedi, star of former Italian TV serial, Sandokan, currently working with several Italian and Bollywood directors. Scheduled to shoot Sandokan In Sicily, next year.
Actor, Kabir Bedi provided eye candy with a vengeance. The story doing the rounds at the Tahiliani show: A lady confessed to having had a major crush on him when she was younger. Bedi’s reply? “Well, I have grown older and you, I hope, have grown up!” Bedi says, “I feel terrific. I have always wanted to promote interaction between India and Italy. Tarun designed Nikki’s and my wedding outfits and he is a friend of mine. This is a natural coming together of two cultures which have intrinsic similarities – both give great importance to family, talk as loudly…. For me, personally, seeing Tarun in Italy, is a high.”
Personal aside: “Sandokan was a mini series – 18 hours totally. And I am still lunching on it.”

Sujatha Singh, Console Generale d’India.
“Milan is to Italy what Mumbai is to India. All the business, finance, IT people are here. I think it is about time that India was showcased here. I am sure we can make our mark if we can be persistent and stay with it. I have not seen Tarun Tahiliani’s work but I am looking forward to it.”

Neeta Lulla, costume designer of Devdas, which was shown at Namaste India.
“At Sahar, I put my bag of Devdas costumes on the X-ray machine and the officer asks me, ‘Yeh itna metal kya hai?’ I tell him, ‘Devdas ki jewellery hai.’ He says, ‘Iske peeche itna metal kya hai?’ I tell him, ‘Iske peechey itna embroidery hai, isliye itna metal hai.’” The officer must have been a Bollywood fan for he let Lulla through!

Valentina Pedroni, Milan resident.
“Tarun has a way of making a woman feel beautiful. The looks in the stores in Milan are very similar. With Tarun, there is great glamour – I tell women here that the look of it can’t be copied in a high-street store.”
Favourite Indian designers: Tarun Tahiliani for a glamorous evening, Raghavendra Rathore for a great cocktail.
Preferred Italian designers: Dolce and Gabbana, Versace.
Best look for day: Ralph Lauren, Etro.
Fashion tip: A lady of style needs to blend looks and discover her own style. Never create a total look of one designer.
Personal style: I try to match my dress to my mood. Whether I dress dramatic or conservative, depends on how I wake up in the morning.
Life motto: Live for today.

Tarun Tahiliani, first Indian designer to show at the Milan Fashion Week.
“Honestly, I am thrilled and hope to be back next year. I went into a total depression because nothing seemed to be right. I had to express an eastern and western sensibility. Actually, that’s the way we are in our heads – half Indian, half western. We showed two or three heavy outfits to give a context of where we come from. The rest of the collection is very sporty and very wearable in the Italian context.”