Photo-illustration, layout and design: Jinal Shah; Urmila Matondkar's wardrobe styling: Pearl Shah.

Verve is the chosen one to represent India at Louis Vuitton’s mega store opening in Paris. It’s a global gala, with 3000 of the world’s who’s who and three days of back-to-back partying, for which we take along Urmila Matondkar and Ameesha Patel. Here NUPUR MAHAJAN SINH shares with you an intimate account of the excitement, the buzz, the anxiety,and all the gaiety that made Verve in Paris a memorable affair...

7th night, 8.30 pm: ITC Maratha Sheraton, Mumbai

It all started at Maratha Sheraton; we’d decided that Bombay High was the right place to do our TV interviews before we took off. I wasn’t really late but was rushing – there was too much to do. Urmila Matondkar was there soon enough and immediately called for action, ‘Let’s get over with the interviews and enjoy some sushi!’ It was big. Verve going to Paris with Urmila Matondkar and Ameesha Patel, to represent India at the Louis Vuitton store opening – a global gala with 3,000 of the world’s crème de la crème celebs!

‘It’s 11.30pm, we are going to be late,’ my husband rang the alarm bell to the all girl party tucking in sushi and sashimi! Paulomi Sanghvi, jewellery designer and Urmila’s buddy was here as well; she was to be Urmila’s roommate for the next three days. Ameesha was shooting and so couldn’t be party to our sushi and television’s evening! Joining her on our Parisian sojourn was the demure Prachi Shah, television familiar face and classical dancer. While I waited for Ameesha, on getting to the airport, Urmila messaged me saying she was already at the lounge, and that the flight was delayed.

8th morning, 7.30 am: Le Bristol, Paris

Ah Paris! I peeked back to check if all was well, and drew in a breath. Urmila it seemed had decided to take Paris seriously. She’d changed into this bust hugging skin-coloured tee and thrown on a Valentino coat and dark glasses. Ok, I said and winked at her. Ameesha on the other end remained as was, and was busy on her cell.

We split up and drove up to Le Bristol with a quick note that we sms our room numbers once we check in. Le Bristol was in fact the hub of all the action for the next two days The lobby was abuzz, and chic ladies clicking heels were parading up and down. When India got together at the bar in a bit – Anuradha Mahindra, Aalika Mahindra, Urmila, Paulomi and I – all around us was the who’s who of the Parisian celeb frat. The Bristol bar is the très chic place to lunch and is demarcated a complete who’s who zone!

8th night, 7.30 pm: Le Bristol Bar

Ameesha’s shoot. I slipped into the gorgeous outfit that Narendra Kumar Ahmed had especially created for me. In the mega mayhem of leaving with two stars, my own wardrobe had taken a complete beating, but thank the Lord for Nari. Compliments flew from all directions. But in a minute my happy daze was broken by a message. Ameesha: my make-up man has yet not come. I felt faint. The photographer was waiting, we just had 40mins to get to Laurent for the India-LV party and this... Stepped in to the Bar to be greeted by India. Anuradha looked stunning in a bright yellow and brown phulkari tunic. Aalika in the background was hard to miss. I smiled and hooted for us, masking my irritation at the shoot going kaput. How helpless one is outside one’s own domain, and especially as a guest – where do I organise make-up from at this 11th hour? Up in her room, Urmila by now had had enough. ‘This make-up woman is so slow; back home people set their watches by my entry and here I will be late for the very first event.’ I calmed her down and exited. Walking from the lift to the bar, I noticed a familiar name dangling on sleek wrists or bobbing on backs in paper bags. Tarun Tahiliani, they all tom-tommed. Wow! India was really ready to take Paris by storm! Verve mags around and now Tarun bags!

8th night, 9 pm: On to Laurent

Back at the entrance foyer I was greeted by this grey haired guy, elegantly suited and with the most disarming smile. Tikka introduced him as the make-up guru, to which Olivier échaudemaison, laughed with glee. ‘I love being called guru.’ And saying that, he told me not to wait for the car, as Laurent was only a block away from Le Bristol, and insisted we walk. Laurent, two-star Michelin restaurant, was ready for our little soirée. We were up on the terrace with live music playing and just the right chill in the air. Nisha and Akash Paul had come in especially from London.

Yves Carcelle, president, LVMH, greeted both Urmila and Ameesha. Yes, at the cost of upsetting almost every other bash that was on in Paris as a pre-party for the big LV opening night, Yves had decided to join the Indian contingent. Yes, India is really the global theme song.

Dinner was a sit-down affair, and the food finger licking good, and well worth the wait. Olivier talked nineteen to the dozen, and the quiet Thierry De Longevialle sitting on my right would’ve gone unnoticed. I asked Thierry why LVMH would club India under the Europe umbrella, to which he warmed up. Yves loves India and so wanted to keep it close to him and so clubbed it with Europe! Also, Thierry himself has a special place for India. ‘30 years back when I was doing nothing much in life I was asked by a photographer to come along to India as his assistant and I jumped at the opportunity.’ In his Indian sojourn, he was first at the Oberoi and then, the Taj. Thirty years on now when he brought Louis Vuitton to India he followed the same route, ‘First boutique at the Oberoi and then at the Taj. It’s wonderful to come full circle!’

9th morning, 8am: LV House, Champs élysées, Paris

Yves absolutely bowled over by India has conceded to let us be the first ones to take a dekko and also shoot at the LV House. The LV House by strange historic coincidence stands opposite the first ever building commissioned by Louis Vuitton that opened in 1914. Past many months the House underwent renovation and stood packed in Vuitton bags, and now it opened doors to India! Wow! Now that’s what I call a red carpet welcome.

The LV House is a sight to behold. Vuitton has quite literally brought the promenade to the House. The House stands on the celebrated, most stylish promenade, Champs élysées, and it was decided to continue the same inside. So as you step in, no stairs, no floors and stories! A vast expanse, embellished with the world’s most luscious goodies that offers split levels, quite like a terraced garden, to focus your attention on different landscapes all offering a unique experience!

9th afternoon, 12.30pm: Relais Plaza.

We are at the Relais Plaza. One of three restaurants at the Plaza Athénée, that is looked after by the celebrated Alain Ducasse. Ryoko Yonekura, Japan’s TV star, is already there; she looks cool in a Tee and jeans, and though speaks English haltingly is ready to make conversation. Like everyone else around she too has heard of the distant Indian rumble and is ready to come and savour it. It’s a motley group, we have three tables amongst us but we’ve overtaken the entire restaurant....

It’s Sunday and a visit to the flea market to check out Parisian antiques is a must. Urmila and Paulomi are game; Ameesha and Prachi want to retire. As we make a quiet entry the bistro owners feel there is more to this lady in our group than they know. Urmila, of course, is looking stunning for her part and so the attention is natural. They come up to Anuradha and enquire, and she tells them that Urmila indeed is a huge Indian star. There is already a picture of Sharon Stone at the bistro, and the family now wants to add Urmila to their wall of fame! Urmila poses for them. And then on our prodding boldly walks up to the music stall and breaks into a jig! Bollywood isn’t Paris shy! Urmila’s impromptu jig bedazzles and shakes up the bistro completely. Paulomi also joins in. It was quite a party. If you do go back there and see Urmila’s dancing picture, they know her as Ursula, which was the name we stuck to for the many suitors that Urmila spawned!

9th night, 7.30pm: Le Bristol - LV opening night

Wearing the sari was the problem but not wearing the sari would really be a let-down – I mean, we are India. So I ventured. Tikka’s messaging already – let’s not be late. Lets not be typically Indian. Yes, yes, I message back. Olivier is down in the lobby at 7.30 sharp and I’m with him in a jiffy. Tikka’s room is the make-up studio. Beatrice, Olivier and Tikka’s friend and an absolute doll, watches the maestro dab gloss and glitter and glam me up. Whoa, he’s good! Urmila is next; she waits, sipping pink champagne. Anuradha peeps in, she doesn’t need any touching up, looking resplendent in a black and white sari. And sari is quite the order of the day, I realize, as Aalika dazzles in hers and then Ameesha walks in, in her baby pink creation. We have a dress code all right!

Up the flight of steps that herald entry into the Petit Palais and into the first room. Glasses are clicking and flashbulbs popping continually. Tikka plays host and guide, ‘Each room has been done by a different artist. Every artist has been allowed to create his vision...’ We move on – it’s a long bar with loud music and at the other end, an already pulsating dance floor. We slip out into the foyer, crossing Salma Hayek on our way out. ‘She’s put on weight,’ is the immediate discussion! Aalika, the only one among us outdated ladies, seems to recognize the genius of Farrell over the din. He’s rapping up a storm and she wants us all to go in. Urmila shakes her booty such that the paparazzi are back – they can tell a star!

10th October, 10am: Post party

I have meetings at 10am. Can I die? Ameesha is off, she has a crazy shooting schedule and so it's back to Mumbai for her... Urmila and Paulomi want to visit Château de Versailles, Louvre and also Avenue Montaigne. At Louvre, they don’t allow cameras but Urmila’s phone camera is clicking – she’s besotted with the frescoes. Later, the duo heads out to Avenue Montaigne. ‘I’d decided at our lunch with Takashi that this avenue has all the stores that I’d want to visit...’ And so Gucci, Dior, LV and Armani are hit in quick succession and boots, bag, stroller, stilletos and more is added to Urmila’s Paris shopping bag.

11th October, 9.30am: Olivier’s Interview at Le Bristol

Anuradha and I were just finishing a hurried exchanging-notes breakfast when Olivier, complete with a new suit and a chic bag, all Vuitton, walked in. It was all over. The festivity, the partying, the crazy schedule but at Le Bristol the atmosphere had not lost its electric touch and nor had Olivier’s warmth dipped. Considering that he was the first friend I notched on the very first night of our Vuitton Paris sojourn, now a day after it was curtains to all the frolic it only seemed appropriate to finally put pen to paper and take down his genius on record. He’d been doling out plenty of make-up tips all through and also having watched him in sheer disbelief as he took only minutes to transform an already beautiful face to a stunner I knew he wasn’t to be lost out on.

Wasting no time, Olivier took off, ‘Your mouth is the most sensual part of you, never leave it nude. It should look like fruit, appealing and ravishing.’ Yup, I knew that now. Right in the middle of the dance floor when Urmila and I gyrated like there’s no tomorrow, Olivier dancing with the same fervour suddenly raised his eyebrows, and we knew. Olivier is to make-up what Da Vinci is to the Mona Lisa – and no, I’m not stretching my imagination, his passion is no less than an artist working on his masterpiece. No matter what the piece in question might be! ‘I’ve been in it for the past 30 years and I love every minute of it. It’s like I am yet 15 years old and discovering....’

‘I believe every woman can be a star. You are the most important person in your life,’ he argues the case of the ordinary woman. ‘You are the star for your husband, your lover or in the bathroom! And I believe any Mrs So and So can have a better look. That’s the power of make-up – colour at the right place can transform you, and you don’t have to be a model to want to look good. Little girls put on lipstick and feel on top of the world! So just be a little girl and have fun.’

He quotes Jean Cocteau, ‘the best make-up for women is love’. And then sprouts his own philosophy, ‘but a few extra minutes in front of the bathroom mirror can achieve the same effect! You just need to know what looks good on you and change your face to the occasion or time of day. But make-up is sensual and private, it’s like the man in your life that you can’t do without but don’t want anyone to know about!’ And when I look puzzled he asks, ‘why do women wear make-up?’ And replies himself. ‘To be seductive, alluring, enticing... And your power of seduction is always a secret, right?’

OLIVIER’S GEMS

• Don’t go to a party all decked up but with your face straight out of bed.

• Beware of the harsh lighting in India – wear make-up bearing in mind the white light.

• Sari is the most sensual outfit – accessorise it with bags and shoes.

• Match your sari colour with your lips.

• Today style is all about acessorising.

• Do not ignore your lips. Ignore them and you are passing up a tremendous advantage.

• What do you like about yourself? Use make-up to enhance that so that the rest becomes less noticeable.

• Don’t overdo your make-up. Overdone is confusing. I hate overdone.

For complete story, subscribe to Verve Magazine or buy the Verve issue on stands now!