The G20 Gala dinner hosted by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, at the Bharat Mandapam, recently was not just a gathering of world leaders and politicians but also a sartorial spectacle that showcased a rich tapestry of fashion and cultural symbolism.

The evening commenced with President Droupadi Murmu herself setting the tone in a traditional beige saree adorned with a contrasting turquoise border. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, not one to be outdone, sported a blue V-neck striped jacket along with his white kurta pyjama set, adding a contemporary touch to his attire.

What truly captured the essence of the evening was the international dignitaries’ enthusiasm for embracing Indian fashion. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s wife, Yuko Kishida, graced the event in a beautiful green saree, perfectly complemented by a pink blouse. IMF Chief Kristalina Georgieva stunned in a purple ethnic suit, complete with a golden dupatta. Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wore a lilac saree with a pearl necklace.

Going ahead we saw South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s wife, Tshepo Motsepe, opting for an Indo-western ensemble along with gajra, which is a flower garland worn by Indian women during festive occasions. Meanwhile, Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar looked dapper in a black bandhgala suit, and his wife Kobita Jugnauth was a vision in a saree.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s wife, Akshata Murty, added a traditional touch to her modern outfit, symbolising the fusion of cultures that the evening represented.

Blue emerged as the dominant colour of political fashion at the Gala dinner night, contrasting with the usually sombre tones of power dressing. And, the saree remained a symbol of India’s cultural heritage and elegance, as all Indian female ministers and government representatives wore this traditional attire.

Reacting to the looks, netizens heaped praises on the world leaders and international delegates for going the extra mile to pay a sartorial ode to India. Social media platforms were full of compliments and heartfelt notes for them.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty were stylish as well. While Rishi Sunak wore a crisp black suit with a maroon tie, Akshata’s outfit was an amalgam of tradition and modern as she was pictured wearing a multi-hued dress that boasted of ethnic motifs.

by Zanita Careem

It was a star studded night when Lyca productions launched its Sri Lankan operations in the presence of Subaskaran Allirajah, British born Sri Lankan entrepreneur.

Making a significant milestone in our local entertainment industry, Lyca productions launched six movies directed by top local film directors to screen them in selected overseas markets. Lyca Group is a British Multinational Corporation offering high quality, low cost products and services to over 16 million consumers across, telecommunications entertainment, travel, healthcare, media, technology, financial services, marketing and hospitality.

“Lyca Productions, India have a strategic partnership w th EAP Films and Theatres (Pvt) Ltd.,” said Lyca Group Chairman, Mr. Allirajah Subaskaran. “The EAP Group have a long history in the film industry and we are very happy to join them in establishing a modern film production house in Sri Lanka. Lyca Productions Sri Lanka aims to bridge the gap between large resources and art appreciation and make Sri Lankan movies compete effctively with world movies in all aspects of movie production. Very soon there will be more Sri Lankans trained in modern movie-making across the sub-continent, and we will enhance our investments for future devolopment “.

The six movies will be directed by Sri Lankan Directors Priyanthi Colombage, Ashoka Handagama, Jayantha Chandrasiri, Ranjan Ramanayake and Channa Perera.

The movie that is directed by Colombage is about Sri Lankan Cricketer Lasith Malinga. Lyca Production Sri Lanka Deputy Chairman Janaki Wijeratne said Lyca Production distribution platform, they would screen the Six Sri Lankan films in the Middle East, Europe and North America.

Lyca Group Owner Allirajah Subaskaran graced the occasion by his presence and the grand launch was attended by stars from the local screen and top names from the film industry, in South India.

Many top movies in India including Ponniyin Selvan, Don, Mafia and a few others are produced by them. The company is also due to launch movies in Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu with top stars next year.

Allirajah is also the founder and Chairman of Lyca mobiles.

About LYCA Productions Sri Lanka:

Lyca Productions Sri Lanka is an extension of Lyca Productions India which is part of the Lyca Group – a British multinational corporation delivering high-quality products and services to communities across the globe. Lyca Productions is an Indian entertainment company, which was established by Allirajah Subaskaran in 2014. The production studio has been involved in the production and distribution of films made in India. Lyca aims to create, promote and release content across varying genres.

Lyca Productions has produced many top movies in India including Ponniyin Selvan: I & II, Kaththi, Enakku Innoru Peru Irukku Yaman, Ippadai Vellum, Diya, Kolamavu Kokila, Chekkasivantha Vanam, Vada Chennai, Visaranai, Dabar, Mafia, Don, Pannikutty, Naisekar Returns, Raangi, Thiruvin Kural and Theera Kaadhal, Ramsathu and Good Luck Journey. Pix by Nishan. S .Priyantha

Lyca production Lanka Vice President Janaki Wijeratne

Allirajah Subaskaran

Ranjan Ramanayake with local artistes

From the red carpet to the high street – as modelled by Gwyneth Paltrow and Marilyn Monroe – styles that reveal the bare stomach are everywhereThis season might have been a washout, but that’s not immediately obvious when walking down a typical UK high street. Along with sandals, sunglasses and shorts, any fashion-conscious observer might notice something else: the ubiquitous midriff. In Sri Lanka the trend is crop tops showing midriffs, and it is a fashion statement.

Making a showcase of this part of the body is not so much a trend as a given for young consumers – so much so, in fact, that this year marks 10 years since the midriff became an established fashion statement.

In 2013, cropped garments began to appear on the catwalk by brands including Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton and Roksanda Ilin?i?. Celebrities including Miley Cyrus and January Jones started to display their stomachs more. The bare midriff as fashion statement was given a major credibility boost when Beyoncé appeared on the cover of British Vogue for the first time, wearing a high-waisted skirt and cropped T-shirt by designer Jonathan Saunders.

Yet despite its longevity, the look appears to have reached its peak this summer, thanks to various midriff-baring items all being fashionable at the same time.

From crop tops to low-rise jeans, hip-slung skirts to shrunken baby tees, stomachs are on display like never before.

Fashion resale app Depop reports that searches for baby tees, crop tops and low-rise jeans have soared during August. Tagwalk, the search engine that collates trends at fashion shows, say that since 2019 about 15% of all clothing on the catwalk for spring/summer shows has shown midriffs.

This month, Fashion Museum Bath announced that its Dress of the Year for 2022, chosen by Elle UK’s editor-in-chief Kenya Hunt, wasn’t a dress at all – it was a micro-miniskirt and cropped sweater.

Designed by Miuccia Prada for Miu Miu, it swiftly went viral thanks to celebrities including Emma Corrin and Hunter Schafer, and DIY tutorials on TikTok.

The post-pandemic world is part of why we are seeing more midriff, say some trend watchers. “Post Covid, the womenswear wardrobe was very oversized and had a tendency to hide the body,” says Alexandra Van Houtte, founder of Tagwalk. “Since then, there has been a boost in women’s attitude, with powerful bodycon dresses, crop tops and bold colours.”

Gen Z is also crucial. While Nicole Kidman has worn the Miu Miu skirt and Gwyneth Paltrow trialled the so-called “midlife midriff” on the red carpet, most of the people showing this part of the body are young. “The ‘baggy pants-tiny top’ method is something Gen Z does often,” says Aiyana Ishmael, associate editor of Teen Vogue. “It’s the perfect formula when getting dressed for the day.”

Before this decade, the last time that we saw a lot of midriff was the early 00s when stars like Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Destiny’s Child regularly showed acres of toned stomach. This era – often known as Y2K – is in focus for twentysomethings.

The baby tee is a wholesale revival from this era. Vanna Youngstein launched her baby tee brand in 2016, inspired by the Y2K era. Her designs have been worn by celebrities including Emily Ratajkowski and in hit TV show Euphoria, and they frequently sell out. Youngstein says the style is successful because it covers several bases: “you can wear them with anything and the silhouette will look fresh and modern as well as nostalgic-looking.”

The corset is another popular item that sees its wearer expose their midriff. Alexia Elkaim’s brand, Miaou, is a favourite.

She says this part of the body is key: “I typically like to design corsets that are shorter on the sides to accentuate midriff.”

Elkaim herself wears this style – baggy trousers and a short corset is her go-to outfit. Fashion curator Shonagh Marshall says the midriff can be seen in western fashion throughout the 20th century. She references Chicago’s World Fair in 1893 as important, with belly dancing from the Middle East performed. “I think people thought it was something a bit daring. It was probably an area that no one apart from you had ever really seen.”