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Category: MAM

  • Pantaloons stitches a new style story with Samantha Ruth Prabhu

    Pantaloons stitches a new style story with Samantha Ruth Prabhu

    MUMBAI: Pantaloons just got its perfect fit and it’s none other than Samantha Ruth Prabhu. The fashion icon and actor has joined as the brand’s first-ever ambassador, marking a stylish new chapter in Pantaloons’ journey towards trend-forward, self-expressive fashion. To celebrate the partnership, the brand has unveiled its festive campaign, ‘Spark Your Imagination’, which urges modern India to dream, create and flaunt their unique style. The campaign captures Pantaloons’ mission to move fashion beyond fabric making it about play, personality, and fearless creativity.

    “Spark Your Imagination is more than a festive campaign, it’s the start of a new chapter for Pantaloons,” said Pantaloons and Ownd! CEO Sangeeta Tanwani. “Samantha embodies exactly what fashion stands for today confidence, versatility, and experimentation.”

    Echoing the sentiment, Samantha Ruth Prabhu said, “Fashion to me is self-expression, and Pantaloons aligns perfectly with that belief. The campaign celebrates confidence and creativity values I deeply connect with.”

    Known for her bold fashion choices and effortless glamour, Samantha mirrors Pantaloons’ ethos of being chic yet comfortable, a style muse for the modern Indian shopper who isn’t afraid to stand out.

    The festive film for ‘Spark Your Imagination’ is a visual feast from shimmering lanterns to blooming flowers, it paints a world where every corner sparks a new idea for self-expression. Conceptualised by Teresa Sebastian and Dimple Parmar of Talented, the campaign celebrates individuality: “Style is one size fits one. Every piece of clothing is a spark, waiting to be made your own,” they said.

    Rolling out across television, digital, social media, and in-store experiences, the campaign brings Pantaloons’ new proposition to life that fashion isn’t just about what you wear, but what you create.

    Because this festive season, Pantaloons isn’t just setting trends, it’s sparking imaginations.

  • Lodha hires a design-minded property boss

    Lodha hires a design-minded property boss

    MUMBAI: Lodha group has hired Anubhav Gupta as chief executive of its retail business. The appointment, which took effect in September, brings a property veteran with an unusual pedigree: Gupta is as comfortable talking sustainability metrics as he is flogging luxury flats.

    Gupta spent a decade at Godrej Properties, where he rose to run the Vikhroli project, the company’s flagship mixed-use development in Mumbai. At his peak, he was responsible for just under half of Godrej Properties’ profit after tax—a hefty chunk for one executive to carry. He also wore multiple hats as chief sustainability officer and founder of the company’s in-house design studio, which churned out award-winning products across 170m square feet of real estate in 12 cities.

    Before Lodha, Gupta spent 16 months as chief operating officer at DLF, heading the property giant’s ultra-luxury business. His earlier career reads like a global tour: he taught urban design at MIT and the Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, worked as an urban planner for the Chicago Transit Authority, and held senior roles at architectural practices RTKL and RMJM in London and Hong Kong.

    Gupta is a fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and was named among Asia’s 40 leading designers under 40 by Perspective Global. His work at Godrej earned plaudits for blending design thinking with agile innovation, a buzzword-heavy approach that nonetheless delivered results.

    At Lodha, his brief is to oversee the developer’s retail operations—a natural extension for a man who built his reputation on mixed-use projects. Whether he can replicate his Godrej success in a new setting remains to be seen. But Lodha is clearly betting that a design-savvy executive with a track record in profitability is worth the gamble.

  • Max Fashion promotes insider as CEO

    Max Fashion promotes insider as CEO

    MUMBAI: Retail empires are not built by the faint-hearted. Sumit Chandna, freshly installed as chief executive of Max Fashion, knows this better than most. The 25-year veteran, promoted from deputy chief executive at Lifestyle International, has spent a career extracting profits from India’s cutthroat retail trenches.

    His record is formidable. At every stop—Shoppers Stop, Hypercity, Aditya Birla Retail, Bata India and Landmark Group—Chandna has delivered the same brutal formula: fatter margins, leaner costs, higher sales. It is a skill honed across hypermarkets, department stores and specialist retail, from high fashion to groceries.

    A graduate of the National Institute of Fashion Technology in Delhi, Chandna earned his stripes at Shoppers Stop, where he launched India’s first designer co-brand, Kasba, with Raghavendra Rathore. At Hypercity, he built merchandising systems from scratch and delivered results 70 per cent above plan with margins six percentage points higher than target. During an 11-year stint at Aditya Birla Retail, he rose to chief merchandising officer, pushing promotional sales from eight per cent to 23 per cent in four months and launching profitable private-label lines.

    Three years at Bata India saw him juggle retail operations and merchandising before Landmark Group poached him in 2022 to run Max as deputy chief executive. Now he has the corner office.

    Chandna is also a certified executive coach who has recruited talent from top business schools across India and Asia, lectured at management campuses and attended leadership programmes at Harvard and IMD in Lausanne. He won the Aditya Birla Group chairman’s award for exceptional contribution—no small feat in a conglomerate that size.

    His mandate at Max is simple: keep the juggernaut rolling. In announcing his promotion, Chandna promised to lead the brand into its “next phase of growth, innovation, and impact”. Strip away the corporate speak, and it means the same thing it always has: sell more, spend less, make more.

  • Kia India announces new CSO and CBO

    Kia India announces new CSO and CBO

    MUMBAI: Kia India, the premium automobile manufacturer, has announced a major leadership reshuffle with the appointment of Sunhack Park as chief sales officer (CSO) and Joonsu Cho as chief business officer.

    In his new role, Park will spearhead Kia India’s sales strategy, focusing on sustainable growth, operational efficiency, and market expansion. With over 28 years of global automotive experience, he has previously held senior positions at Kia headquarters in South Korea, as well as in the Middle East & Africa and India.

    As chief business officer, Cho will lead business strategy, production planning, export logistics, and strategic partnerships, driving operational excellence across divisions. Cho brings with him more than 32 years of leadership experience across Australia, the UK, and Europe.

    Expressing his excitement, Park said in a statement, “I am privileged to take on the role of chief sales officer. This is an exciting phase for the brand as we continue to expand in a dynamic market. My focus will be on driving sales growth, optimising efficiency, and strengthening our dealer network.”

    Echoing the sentiment, Cho added, “I am honoured to assume the role of chief business officer. Kia India has made remarkable progress, and my goal is to develop strategies that sustain growth and operational excellence.”

    With these leadership changes, Kia India reaffirms its commitment to innovation, efficiency, and long-term growth in the Indian automotive market.

  • Veteran journalist, Padma Bhushan awardee TJS George passes away

    Veteran journalist, Padma Bhushan awardee TJS George passes away

    MUMBAI: TJS George, veteran journalist, author and columnist known for his incisive writing and uncompromising editorial independence, passed away on Friday (October 3, 2025) due to age-related complications. He was 97.

    A Padma Bhushan awardee, George was among the most respected figures in Indian English journalism, known for his sharp political analysis and fearless commentary.

    Born on May 7, 1928, in Kerala, George was the fourth child of Thayil Thomas Jacob, a magistrate, and Chachiamma Jacob. He graduated with honours in English Literature from Madras Christian College before beginning his journalistic career in the 1950s with The Free Press Journal in Mumbai.

    Over the decades, he held senior editorial roles at The Searchlight, The Free Press Journal and the Far Eastern Economic Review, and later became the founding editor of Asiaweek in Hong Kong. In India, he served as editorial adviser to The New Indian Express, where his widely read weekly column, Point of View, ran for 25 years until June 2022.

    George was known for his unwavering stand against corruption, social injustice, and communal intolerance. His columns often questioned power and highlighted issues of public concern with clarity and conviction.

    An accomplished author, George wrote several biographies and political works, including Lee Kuan Yew’s Singapore, The Life and Times of Nargis, Krishna Menon: A Biography, and The Dismantling of India: In 35 Portraits:  a collection of essays on politicians, artists, activists, and public figures.

    In recognition of his contributions to journalism and literature, he received several awards including the Padma Bhushan (2011), Rajyotsava Award (2007), Vakkom Moulavi Memorial Award (2024), and Kesari Media Award (2017), among others.

    Through a career spanning more than seven decades, TJS George remained a steadfast voice of reason and integrity in Indian journalism: a writer who never hesitated to speak truth to power. His legacy continues to inspire generations of journalists and readers alike.

  • Flair Pens launches ‘The Right Move’ campaign for eco-friendly pencil

    Flair Pens launches ‘The Right Move’ campaign for eco-friendly pencil

    MUMBAI: Flair Pens has rolled out its latest sustainability-led initiative, ‘The Right Move’, a campaign that positions the Move 2mm mechanical pencil as an eco-conscious alternative to traditional wooden pencils. Conceptualised by Schbang, the emotionally charged film uses a child’s perspective to highlight the unseen environmental cost of classroom stationery.

    At the heart of the campaign is a simple yet powerful metaphor: the act of sharpening a pencil visually transforms into trees being cut down, reminding viewers of the link between everyday stationery choices and deforestation. By framing this through a child’s innocent lens, the narrative drives home the importance of making conscious decisions early on.

    Unlike traditional wooden pencils, the Move 2mm mechanical pencil is refillable and not made of wood, while still retaining a familiar wooden feel. This innovation reduces waste, ensures longevity, and allows students to enjoy the same writing experience without compromising on sustainability.

    The campaign is designed to resonate with students, parents, and educators, positioning Flair not just as a stationery manufacturer but as an empathetic innovator addressing both environmental and user needs.

    “The 2mm pencil is truly an innovation for a cause. To launch such a product, we wanted to drive the importance of this innovation directly to its users, the children, and inspire them to make the right change,” said Schbang creative lead Vaibhav Das.  

    Through ‘The Right Move,’ Flair underscores its mission to make sustainable choices accessible and impactful, proving that environmental responsibility can begin with something as simple as a pencil. 
     

  • Zara turns 50 in style with star-studded collab

    Zara turns 50 in style with star-studded collab

    MUMBAI: Fifty and fabulous! Zara is marking its golden anniversary not with a cake but with couture. To celebrate turning 50, the Spanish high-street giant has enlisted 50 of the world’s most renowned creatives, from Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss to Annie Leibovitz, Pedro Almodóvar and Norman Foster, to design one-of-a-kind pieces that will hit stores on 6 October.

    The capsule spans jackets, bags, sleeping bags, chairs and even a pet carrier, each reflecting the signature spirit of its creator. Photographer David Bailey reimagines the aviator jacket, Pat Mcgrath puts her artistry into a makeup bag, Marc Newson crafts a set of sleek glasses, while Steven Meisel designs a collector’s pet carrier.

    “It is an honour that these artists have chosen to mark our birthday with us,” said Inditex non-executive chair Marta Ortega Pérez. “They share the same passions Zara has had since the beginning: quality of craft and the joy of design.”

    The project isn’t just about fashion fantasy. All proceeds will go to Women’s Earth Alliance, with Zara also donating 20,000 euros to 50 charities selected by the collaborators.

    Paris Fashion Week is playing host to the celebrations with a pop-up at 40 Avenue Georges V from 2–5 October, curated by Sarah Andelman. Visitors can view the entire collection, attend talks with designers such as Marc Newson, and soak in the atmosphere, soundtracked by Michel Gaubert and fuelled by We Are Ona’s café.

    Zara, founded in 1975 by Amancio Ortega in A Coruña, has grown from a single Spanish store into a global cultural force. Half a century later, its anniversary is doubling as a masterclass in the art of collaboration.

  • Indri crowned ‘Best World Whisky’ at Las Vegas with record 99.1 score

    Indri crowned ‘Best World Whisky’ at Las Vegas with record 99.1 score

    MUMBAI: India’s homegrown single malt Indri has once again made history on the world stage. The Indri-Trini Diwali Collector’s Edition 2025: Marsala Cask Finish has been named ‘Best World Whisky’ at the Las Vegas Global Spirits Awards 2025, with an extraordinary 99.1 points out of 100, one of the highest scores ever achieved by an Indian whiskey. 

    This marks Indri’s second big win at the competition, after first bagging the top honour in 2023. The victory reaffirms Indri’s reputation as a global benchmark for single malts, while placing India firmly on the world whiskey map. 

    Crafted by Piccadily Distilleries in Indri, Haryana, the award-winning edition is made from six-row Indian barley and finished in Marsala wine casks. Bottled at cask strength (60 per cent ABV), it is celebrated for its rich profile, stewed apricots, cherries, plums, and nutty spice on the nose; red berries, chocolate, nutmeg, and walnuts on the palate; with a long, lingering fruity-oak finish. 

    The recognition follows Indri’s phenomenal commercial success. In 2024, the brand became the fastest-growing and largest-selling single malt, outselling global heavyweights such as Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie, The Singleton, and Laphroaig (IWSR data). 

    *“Indri has been rewriting the story of Indian single malts, breaking stereotypes and setting new standards globally,” said Piccadily Distilleries head of marketing Shalini Sharma. “This near-perfect score is not just a win for Indri, but a proud moment for India.” 

    The Las Vegas Global Spirits Awards, judged through blind tastings by expert distillers, buyers, bartenders, educators, and media, evaluates entries on appearance, aroma, palate, balance, and finish. 

    With the 2025 collector’s edition set to launch in India before Diwali, anticipation is at an all-time high. Indri’s limited-edition Diwali releases have fast become some of the most awaited whiskey launches worldwide. 

    For Piccadily Agro Industries Limited, Indri’s success underscores its commitment to premiumisation and innovation. The company, also known for Camikara premium rum and a wide portfolio of malt spirits, has rapidly emerged as a serious force in the global spirits industry. 

    Indri’s win is more than an award, it is a signal to the world that Indian single malts are not just competing, but leading, at the highest level.

  • Zee 24 Taas launches ‘Fakt Ladh Mhana’ to protect education of flood-hit kids

    Zee 24 Taas launches ‘Fakt Ladh Mhana’ to protect education of flood-hit kids

    MUMBAI: When the floods washed away crops, Zee 24 Taas stepped in to save futures. Maharashtra’s most trusted news channel has launched a powerful campaign, Fakt Ladh Mhana, to ensure that children of flood-affected farmers in Marathwada don’t lose their right to education.

    The recent floods devastated the region, destroying acres of soybean and cotton crops and crippling families’ ability to pay for rent, mess, or tuition fees. For hundreds of students studying in cities like Pune and Mumbai, the tragedy threatened to cut short their education and with it, their dreams of lifting their families out of poverty.

    Recognising the gap, Zee 24 Taas created a transparent, direct-aid model: the campaign shares the personal journeys of over 400 identified students, broadcasting their stories in prime time along with their bank and Google Pay details live on air. This allows viewers to contribute directly, ensuring every rupee reaches the student without delay.

    The impact was immediate. Within just three hours of their stories airing, students Mahesh Jadhav (Nanded) and Mahesh Mate (Beed) received nearly Rs 50,000 each from generous viewers. The funds covered their urgent rent, food, and education expenses, with both pledging to help fellow students if donations exceeded their needs.

    “Education is the strongest weapon of empowerment,” said Zee 24 Taas editor Kamlesh Sutar. “Through Fakt Ladh Mhana, we are not only reporting hardships but creating solutions by connecting citizens directly with students.”*

    Echoing the vision, ZMCL CEO Karan Abhishek Singh added, “Our role as media goes beyond reporting. With this campaign, journalism becomes a bridge of hope, mobilising communities for real change.”

    By spotlighting two to three fresh cases daily, Fakt Ladh Mhana is designed as a sustained movement, a rallying cry to citizens across Maharashtra to stand up for education.

    Because when young minds are safeguarded today, a resilient tomorrow is built for all.
     

  • Pink Power Run paints Hyderabad in hope and health

    Pink Power Run paints Hyderabad in hope and health

    MUMBAI: Hyderabad turned a rosy shade of resolve as the Pink Power Run 2025 swept through People’s Plaza, where thousands laced up not just for fitness but for the fight against breast cancer.

    From Hindi cinema charm to global glamour, the line-up sparkled. Former Mr India and health ambassador Darasing Khurana hosted with gusto, joined by Miss World 2025 Opal Suchata Chuangsri, tennis ace Leander Paes and philanthropist Sudha Reddy. Together, they lent star power to a life-saving cause.

    This year’s theme, stride and shine, captured the spirit perfectly. Families, fitness buffs and first-timers alike took to the track, sending a united message that early detection saves lives.

    Khurana, long active in health advocacy, told the cheering crowd, “Every step we take today is a stride towards saving lives.” For him, the run was a natural extension of his work as an ambassador for Datri, India’s blood stem cell registry.

    Chuangsri, accompanied by Miss World chairperson Julia Morley, praised the run as “a shining example of how community action can drive meaningful change,” highlighting her Beauty with a purpose mission on women’s health.

    Breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among Indian women. Experts stress that awareness and screenings dramatically improve survival rates, and Pink Power Run 2025 made that message impossible to miss.

    In the end, it was more than a race. It was a rallying cry, a community statement, and proof that when people stride together, they shine brighter.