Nisha's Mumbai: Nisha JamVwal Offers A Glitzy Glimpse Into Gautam Singhania's 60th Birthday Soiree

An Empire Builder's Milestone Soirée

Anyone who was anyone thronged a buzzing dazzling room at the milestone birthday celebration of the iconic industrialist Gautam Singhania—a spectacular affair that commemorated both his sixtieth birthday and Raymond's centennial year. The festivities unfolded across multiple days and countries with characteristic grandeur, accompanied by gifts as extravagant as the celebrations themselves. Everything larger than life!

Three days of very close knit parties with school cronies ensued where on the eve of his 60th he cut a five layer cake. Parthiv Kilachand, Dinesh Vazariani, Mishal Verma and friends like Jamaican cricketer Chris Gayle, Lance Cohen, Vinay Kapoor, Davorin Stetner, Jackie Brant and even the lead singer of legendary group Ace of Base. Nawaz hugged him warmly and fed him a piece of cake and he hugged his two girls right after cutting his cake!

And on the day of the real birthday a finale party had swish skirts rustling in a room thronged with beautifully dressed glitterati as I entered Gautam's multi-storied home. Grand banquet rooms pulsed with hundreds of familiar faces. I headed straight to wish the birthday icon, presenting my gift of French hand-painted Ganesh fragrance pots.

I've chronicled Gautam's journey for nearly twenty years over multiple documentaries and publications in dhows, yachts, planes and boardrooms because I’ve found his journey fascinating ! Here I was in his triple-height party pad, celebrating his remarkable milestone. His sixtieth. How time accelerates with experiences! And he's never looked better.

The Genesis of the Sartorial Mission of the Chairman’s collection flashes back to the much-discussed Kapoor wedding. Adar Jain was marrying Alekha, and I spotted Gautam in a stunning band gala. "Is this Versace?" I inquired. His visible twinkle revealed the truth—it was his brainchild luxury 'Chairman's Collection.' When I questioned why India hadn't heard of this treasure, it sparked our mission to make these pieces accessible without the typical lakh-rupee price tags.

A Fashion Statement Night Ensued

For the celebration days, a grand lounge displayed an exquisite array of contemporary, high-fashion ‘bandh gallas’ , jackets, blazers, tench coats- featuring zardozi embroidery, Chinese motifs, crests, excellent cuts, and exclusiveness. Who declared fashion the sole domain of women? Gautam Singhania proves otherwise. We invited guests to select flamboyant jackets for both house celebrations and the NMACC finale, numerous guests—especially international friends who had flown down to spend the week with the birthday boy—wore pieces they'd chosen for the occasion. I hand-picked some party jackets for our Bollywood favorites to wear at the celebrations. Extravagant? Undoubtedly!

On the finale day of the birthday two floors bloomed with pink fuchsia and tangerine flowers, crystal balls, crooners in slinky gowns and bands adding fantasy to the evening's air of being far away from the cafés of everyday Mumbai.

Devendra Fadnavis arrived early with Amruta, divine in her silver ruffle ensemble. Despite having a powerful partner, Amruta commands her own presence. She messaged asking my location while I rushed from milling around with international guests at the Four Seasons—this destination birthday feeling pervaded everything.

Our Chief Minister was so patient and personable as friends took selfies and chatting with him- he stayed on and then suddenly he had left ever so silently. Nawaz looked divine in fuchsia and ostrich feather short dress, standing apart from the gowns with girlish charm and danced up a storm. Her presence from start to finish silenced any gossip from inquisitive minds quizzing me, and her grace has been a constant. But the evening belonged to Gautam, his warmth and hospitality so that his milestone birthday centered upon pampering friends and honoring shared history, than about him!

Sachin Tendulkar distinguished himself through humility. During our key photograph with Gautam, Nawaz, CM Fadnavis, Amruta, Sachin, and me, he refused center position, insisting Devendra take prominence. Mumbai socialites swished and danced mingling with corporate leaders and politicians, but celebrities from Hollywood, Poland, Croatia, Japan, and UK were the cynosure what with swooping décolletage and whooping slits.

Dilip Joshi, the JK house maestro, alongside Karan, served a banquet so extravagant that I had last eaten at one such spread at the Duke and Duchess’ banquet.

The Centennial Celebration

The very next day honoured both Gautam's birthday and Raymond's century milestone. Ravi Shastri’s opening speech talked about Raymond's legacy through a stupendous evening peppered with entertainment, haute cuisine and society's elite.

This convergence of personal milestone and corporate achievement created an intimate yet grand atmosphere that resonated with all attendees.

Mumbai's most distinguished personalities from various fields sparkled on the red carpet—celebrities, diplomats, corporate leaders, and cultural icons—all united in their appreciation for a brand that has dressed generations of successful men. International guests flew in specifically for this celebration, testament to Raymond's global recognition and Singhania's personal relationships.

At The Star Studded Celebration

We spotted Ashutosh Gowarikar, Dino Morea, Chunky Pandey, Anu Malik with Anmol Malik, Shekhar Suman, Sudhanshu Pandey, Dalip Tahil, Madhur Bhandarkar, Abhimanyu Singh, Sheeba and Akashdeep Saigal, Amit Sadh, Tarun Khanna (beloved for his portrayal of Lord Shiva on television), Sulaiman Merchant, Sandeep Soparkar, Malishka Mendonza, Amy Billimoria, Sara Arfeen Khan and Arfeen Khan, Ojas Rajani, AD Singh, Naari Ahmed added the glamour and diplomats doctors lawyers corporate honchos like Minister Pratap Sarnaik, Vikram Kamat, Chief Postmaster General Amitabh Singh, Harjinder Kang, Kobbi Shoshani, Milind And Dhanashri Hardas, Parthiv Kilachand, Anand Jain, Dr Farhad Taraporewala, Vivek Phansalkar, Ankita and Nihar Thackery, Mukesh Batra, Dr Keki Turel, Dr Amit Karkhanis, Dr Hrikesh Pai, Dr Sunil Bhoolabhai, Dr Nandita Palshetkar, Shailendra Singh, Naina Kanodia, Vilas Shinde, Dilip Sharma who lent gravitas to the gathering. Socialite Shalini Passi of Bollywood Wives flew in from Delhi for this grand celebration.

An Empire's Proud Legacy

Gautam leads today's empire with justifiable national and international pride. His heartfelt enigmatic keynote address imbued with passion, traced the company's century-long journey. Among the audience, mixing with Mumbai's social luminaries whom I'd invited were corporate headline creators and rare names collected under one roof!

Kudos to Gautam Singhania for steering the company to its present prestigious status. These celebrations spanning days and countries will echo through decades. Mumbai won't forget our festivities quickly, and these cherished moments validate the phrase "all's well that ends well."

Write to Nisha JamVwal at nishjamwal@gmail.com