Harper's Bazaar, the world's oldest fashion magazine inspires millions of women around the world. But it's not just a fashion magazine alone, serving as a lifestyle muse that brings forth new places to visit, foods to explore, and ideas for personal and professional growth. With this in mind, the first "Bazaar at Work" supplement was first started by the British edition in 2013, and has since served as an inspiration for what to wear, what to do, and how to climb the corporate ladder for women around the world.
In September, the first Bazaar at Work supplement in association with Arrow was published in India with film director Kiran Rao on the cover. To take this a step further, Bazaar hosted the Power Lunch-the CEO's guide to claiming your power in style at The Claridges, New Delhi.
Ipsita Dasgupta, chief commercial officer GE (also on the Business Today list of Most Powerful Women in 2015), opened the lunch with an inspirational speech on how women can be powerful at work. Her tip: It's important to be liked. Be it via random acts of kindness, thoughtful behaviour, or a caring attitude.
The talks were interspersed with lunch from Claridges restaurant Sevilla. The highlight was the interactive panel discussion about power dressing hosted by Bazaar contributing editor Gayatri Rangachari Shah. Panellists included Supreme Court lawyer Karuna Nundy, (who is also on Forbes list of Minds That Matter in 2015); Anuja Chauhan, advertising professional and author of books such as Those pricey Thakur Girls; and Kavita Singh, founder and CEO Future works consulting. Each woman had a different take on the outfit that makes them feel powerful. While Ms. Nundy chose a saree and Ms. Singh a pair of heels, Ms. Chauhan said that it was her work more than the outfit that made her feel powerful.
The closing speech was made by Dinaz Madhukar, senior vice president DLF luxury retail, who stressed on the importance of family. She encouraged the women to work hard during office hours but leave right on time-a refreshing attitude in an age where working late hours is the norm. All panellists and guests received a goodie bag with a Da Milano bag, Arrow voucher and the latest issue of Harper's Bazaar.
CEO, Lifestyle Magazines, The India Today Group Sanjay Thapar encapsulated the lunch in a few lines: "Leading woman CEOs and entrepreneurs shared their life experiences, and showed us that it is easy to balance work and personal life, provided you have the right support. All you need is to follow you passions and stand tall in the face of adversity, all the while looking stylish and put together.