VINTAGE INDIAN ADVERTISING POSTERS

I just did a little time travel. Looking for some vintage posters to buy, I found these two vintage Indian tourism advertisements on Zazzle and I was instantly zipped back into time through the uber-stylised 1930s graphics and the crisp, sparse copy.

Though it often feels like we're bombarded by advertising these days, I still love checking out old print adverts just because it's the quickest way to remind ourselves of the design aesthetic of an era. Adverts are by nature super-zeitgeisty and they need to capture the look, feel and mood of the time they're created in, whether that's the make-do-and-mend domesticity of the 1950s or the razzle-dazzle glamour of the 1970s.

I particularly love this Air Force on because my uncle was vice-commodore in the Indian Air Force (and his son and son-in-law are in the Air Force too now).

Bata sandals were what every kid ran around in when I was growing up in India as they're super sturdy.

I really want to try and find a print of this coffee advert. I'm a coffee-holic for a start, and this image of a family crammed on to a scooter is so iconic of India.

This is from an old calendar, and I can never get over how pretty these old images of hindu gods are.

'NOR BLACK NOR WHITE' SPRING SALE

Ooh I do like a good bargain. Kooky fashion house NorBlack NorWhite have a spring sale on so scoot on over to their online shop right now to snap them up. Some of the super hawt stuff has sold out already, but these pretties below are still in stock. The thing I love most about their stuff is that they're a little mad but very wearable - I have no time for fashion lines that make anyone over 30 look like they've escaped a loony bin.

Green jumpsuit on sale for US$120, was US$240

Orange pantaloons US$160, was US$260

US$80, not technically on sale, but so pretty who cares?

Kimono, US$185

MAPS BY PLAY CLAN

Indian design geniuses Play Clan created a quirky set of maps of Delhi for the Indian Design ID 2013 symposium held in Delhi last week (15 - 17 Feb). I challenge you to visit Play Clan's site and not want to buy most of their stock that has super hot stylised Indian imagery on it (plus they ship internationally, hurrah!). Even if you don't buy anything, their free e-cards (or as they put it a 'Greeting without Meeting') of Indian city maps are pretty adorable. My favourite is the watercolour vibe of the Kochi map.

PONDICHERRY, TAMIL NADU

KOCHI, KERALA

PUNE, MAHARASHTRA

DESIGN MATTERS: INDIA DESIGN FORUM 2013

India's top architects, interior designers, and product designers are getting together with international artists and designers at the 2013 India Design Forum (IDF) this March in Mumbai to pow-wow about the latest trends in design. The speaker line-up looks pretty stellar so far, with Christopher Frayling, Christian Louboutin, and Anoushka Hempel. These heavyweights clearly need no introduction, but they are just a few of the tremendously talented bunch of people speaking at the event.

I have totally fallen for furniture by Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien of London-based design firm Doshi Levien who merge Indian and global design sensibilities to come up with stuff that is sheer genius in both being Indian but nothing like anything you've seen before.

Plus, if you're anything like me and love a sneak peek into the homes of designers and artists, check out their apartment/studio.