On our radar this week, the just released Seiko 5 Masked Rider 55th anniversary limited edition watch; film festivals in Delhi and Mumbai; Kate Spade’s iconic SAM Bag re-released in recycled materials for its 30th anniversary celebrations; Perumal Murugan’s Pyre that became the first Tamil book translated in English to make it to the International Booker Prize longlist; and a tableware ensemble in clay stoneware and 24K gold from Raw Hand.
Japanese watchmaker Seiko is celebrating the 55th anniversary of its Seiko 5 Sports line this year, and the first in line to mark the celebrations is the Seiko 5 Sports Masked Rider Limited Edition piece. The newly unveiled watch has been made in collaboration with the popular Japanese superhero show, Kamen Rider aka Masked Rider, which first aired in 1971. To create this limited-edition collaboration model, the design of the original watch worn by the hero Takeshi Hongo has been upgraded with modern technology and materials, with design cues referencing the Masked Rider 1.
While the dial features a colour and pattern inspired by the helmet of Masked Rider 1, the lining of the calf strap evokes his trademark red scarf. The glass case back, marked with ‘Limited Edition’ and the serial number, features the Tachibana Racing logo, which was also used in the design of the motorcycle and belt in the film. Available in a limited edition of 4,000 pieces from April, it comes enclosed in a specially designed box with overlapping acrylic plates that indicate the watch’s specifications.
The Wench Film Festival showcases horror, sci-fi and fantasy films made by filmmakers who identify as women, inclusive of BIWOC, LGBTQ+ women and non-binary. The intention behind Wench is to provide a platform for female filmmakers who can tell great stories but also go beyond normative roles, mediums and genres. With a thrilling lineup of 24 films, the festival opened with the India premiere of Michelle Garza Cervera’s Huesera and a special screening of Tumbbad. The third edition of the festival is being held both online and offline at Harkat Studio and Ved Factory until March 20.
Delhi’s India Habitat Centre is widely known as a bastion of art and culture, and amongst the most popular programmes in its cultural calendar is the Habitat International Film Festival, or HIFF, which returns this year in its full form after the pandemic. Starting March 17, the festival is showcasing a stellar lineup of over 60 award-winning and critically acclaimed titles from 20 countries across 10 days, including a special bundle from Australia—the focus country this year. HIFF has also introduced a cutting-edge VR Section for the first time, while aspiring filmmakers can take part in the 4-day Kieslowski Film School Documentary Workshop.
Kicking off its 30th anniversary celebrations, Kate Spade New York paid homage to history with a reimagined version of its SAM Bag. First launched in 1993, the timeless style of the bag—with its clean geometric shape, minimalist silhouette, and recognisable typography of the black and white Kate Spade New York label—has grown with the brand over the last three decades. Now the Spring 2023 collection, which takes inspiration from unexpected everyday springtime adventures, features an assortment of new versions of the SAM Icon.
Debuting in a variety of colours and playful patterns, the updates include new animations, novelty floral and spazzolato leather iterations, with vibrant embellishments in beaded raffia, sequin gingham and pastel paillette sequins. For the first time, the classic nylon SAM bag is now made with 100 percent recycled nylon shell on the outside and a 100 percent recycled polyester lining on the inside. The collection is also available in a range of sizes and silhouettes, including totes, shoulder bags, convertible crossbody, belt bag and backpack.
A year after Geetanjali Shree became the first Hindi novelist to win an International Booker Prize for her book Ret Samadhi, translated into English as Tomb of Sand, another Indian language author has now made it to this year’s longlist of the coveted award. Translated to Pyre in English by Aniruddhan Vasudevan, Pookkuzhi by Perumal Murugan has become the first Tamil novel to make it to the Booker longlist.
Set in a Tamil Nadu village in the 1980s, the book narrates the love story of an inter-caste couple against the backdrop of social caste-induced hatred. While the Booker Prize website calls it a ‘powerful and compelling novel’, Vasudevan in his translator’s note writes that this is a novel about “how strangely vulnerable caste and its guardians seem to feel in the face of love, and how it often seems to assert itself both in everyday acts of discrimination as well as in moments of most unimaginable violence.” This year’s Booker longlist includes a total of 13 books, translated from 11 languages, with a prize money of £50,000 to be split between the author and translator.
With a narrative about sustainability and modern minimalistic creations for conscious living, Raw Hand's debut tableware collection celebrates the handmade. The curated tableware draws from the rich legacy of craftsmanship and artisanship of India. According to founder and creative head Ishneet Hora Bhatia, the brand’s sole focus is to bring art and creators from different parts of the country to the forefront with a complete gamut of tableware.
The collection of platters, dinner sets, dessert plates, tea sets and mugs have been crafted from clay stoneware and 24K gold to add a touch character to any tablescape. The ceramics in the collection are rooted in Indian cultural wisdom and adapted to modern sensibilities, and manifests the beauty of handmade imperfection. The tableware exhibits minimal sensibilities with glazes and subtle designs, with vibrancy brought in through bright colours.
