​The cars arrived before most of the guests, facing Lake Pichola in a row as if they had been waiting there for decades. A Rolls-Royce Phantom from another century sat beside a BMW 507 whose curves still look improbably modern. Collectors moved slowly between them as the afternoon light fell across the lawns of The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur. Nearby, members of India’s former royal families moved through the same exhibition, their courts having been among the first in the country to own and commission these very cars.. This was the Oberoi Concours d’Elegance, where historic automobiles are judged not for beauty alone but for how faithfully they have endured. The jury that gathered to make those judgements included Sandra Button, chairperson of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, alongside Jackie Stewart and Jean Todt, whose collective experience spans most of the history on display.. Collectors bring automobiles that may be seventy or even a hundred years old, and judges evaluate them with forensic attention. Someone bends over to examine the stitching of a seat. Someone else studies the grain of leather worn smooth by decades of use. These are the details that only accumulate meaning over time: evidence of where an object has been, and how carefully it was carried forward.. The philosophy is straightforward to describe and demanding to actually follow. Tracking down the correct part, the correct paint specification, the correct grade of leather for a car that most people would have scrapped decades ago requires a commitment that runs against every practical instinct. Most of contemporary culture is organised around intervention against ageing: time is damage and the goal is to minimise its evidence. Vintage car collectors think about this differently. Engines are rebuilt, paint is restored and worn parts are replaced, but the question guiding every decision is whether the car still reflects the character it was born with.  

​I was 23 and fresh out of law school when I bought a one-way ticket to Europe, my first time crossing an ocean alone. My parents were horrified. How could I explain that my friends were wrapped up in new engagements and career launches, while I was determined to claim this moment before life swept me into its relentless current? Through a Facebook group called Girls Love Travel, I connected with a Moroccan woman in Paris who opened her door, fed me at her table, and walked me through her city like we’d known each other for years. That summer I learnt something that would stay with me: sometimes the people who truly understand you are the ones you haven’t met yet.. Years later, as dating fatigue settles over our generation, I’ve watched women redirect their energy towards something more enduring than romance: authentic friendship. Modern adulthood carries its own distinct loneliness, especially with life milestones like marriage, career pivots, babies and grief. Although we’re more digitally connected than any generation in history, genuine connections are fleeting. Do we simply accept this isolation, or do we go looking for our people in places we’ve never been?. Women are choosing the latter. According to Skift Research’s 2024 report, 64% of global travellers are female. As women increasingly seek out women-only tours and travel club communities built around shared experiences, the industry is responding. More women are finding friendship not in gyms or networking events, but between departure gates and foreign lands.. Community-first collectives like The Dose of Travel Club by Nabila Ismail and Dreamy Trips by Nanki Singh create curated spaces for South Asian women, where shared culture and curiosity form the foundation of friendships. These journeys create organic connections through intimate moments like watching a sunrise over a mountain or navigating the chaos of an unfamiliar souk.. These trips occupy a deliberate middle ground of bespoke experiences built on trust and meaning, with the safety net of pre-planned itineraries and vetted communities. Singh conducts discovery calls with each participant, learning their intentions and travel rhythms to ensure compatibility and safety for all attendees. “I prioritise women who are open-minded, kind and excited to connect and build a global sisterhood,” she explains. The women who book these trips are often at crossroads: navigating transitions, feeling stuck, or craving adventure.. Some friendships break you outside of your comfort zone. Mahnoor Khan, an actress of Pakistani descent, discovered this on a trip to Thailand, where she bonded deeply with women of Indian background. “Travelling together, I realised we’re actually far more similar than we thought.”. Nine days in close proximity, sharing rooms and meals and moments of frustration, broke down walls that decades of geopolitical tension had built up. It’s an experience that’s difficult to explain to friends back home.  

​A good night’s sleep can be all too rare–two-thirds of us admit to experiencing disrupted slumber every night. If you count yourself among this rather hefty section of society, then you’ve probably tried it all: sleep sprays, meditation, pre-bed wind-down rituals, the works. But have you ever considered the possibility that your diet could hold the key to improved sleep?. “There is a neurotransmitter, a chemical messenger, in our bodies called tryptophan, which modulates sleep,” says nutrition consultant Sana Khan. “Certain foods contain it naturally, and a few mouthfuls of one of them an hour or so before you go to bed can really help both with falling asleep and the quality of your sleep thereafter.” Anxiety is often a huge problem for insomniacs, and whether it’s cause or effect, incorporating more magnesium into your diet can help relax the muscles and, by extension, your mind. “It’s a key mineral that, increasingly, I find clients are deficient in when I do tests,” says Khan. “Lots of people just aren’t getting enough of it in their diets.”. Is tryptophan the same as melatonin?. Tryptophan is an amino acid from which the sleep hormone melatonin is then synthesised. Melatonin is the hormone that regulates sleep and wake cycles and is naturally produced by the body. The conversion process goes like this: tryptophan > serotonin > melatonin. Therefore, eating foods that are rich in tryptophan will help to encourage the production of melatonin. Things like turkey, eggs, dairy, nuts and seeds all provide the building blocks for better sleep, Esra Soylucicek, a nutritional therapist at Reborne Longevity, explains.. Are there any foods that contain actual melatonin?. Yes: tart cherries, walnuts and some varieties of grapes. “Tart cherries are particularly well studied; they contain measurable melatonin and antioxidant compounds that may support sleep regulation,” says Soylucicek. Another way to up your chances of falling asleep is to include a small amount of complex carbohydrates in your evening meal or snack. “Complex carbs help tryptophan cross the blood-brain barrier more efficiently, which supports melatonin production.”. What to eat for better sleep. Almonds and walnuts. Not only do nuts like almonds and walnuts contain high levels of magnesium, they’re also a brilliant source of the sleep hormone melatonin, too.. Turkey. “A few mouthfuls of a slice of turkey breast an hour or so before sleep can really help,” says Khan. It’s all thanks to its high level of tryptophan and protein, both of which help to encourage a sleepy state of mind.. Kiwi. Research has shown that eating kiwi fruit regularly helps to improve both the amount and quality of sleep we enjoy, thanks to its high levels of antioxidants.. Cottage cheese. High in tryptophan, cottage cheese is a good food to incorporate into your diet if you struggle with disrupted sleep. Try combining it with another sleep-friendly food, like melatonin-rich  

​As something of a maestro when it comes to setting colour trends, Pierpaolo Piccioli was expected to serve something special for his debut at Balenciaga. He did not disappoint, with a spring/summer 2026 collection that breathed new life into old house codes. Not least among these was his colour palette, which ranged from jewel-bright violet, scarlet and emerald to a creamy, almost whipped shade that lent multiple garments an air of sumptuousness.. Interestingly, this creamy note somewhat preempted Pantone’s Colour of the Year, which for 2026 is “Cloud Dancer.” Described as “a lofty white that serves as a symbol of calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection,” this is a colour engineered to tune out the noise, acting, perhaps, as a balm to everyday life.. But, of course, what might be a succour to one person, enabling them to feel cool, calm and collected, could simply be, well, slightly boring to someone else, who perhaps feels invisible or even sad in stealth-wealth neutrals.. Prada spring/summer 2026.. Launchmetrics.com/spotlight. Balenciaga spring/summer 2026.. Launchmetrics.com/spotlight. Luckily, the spring/summer 2026 collections didn’t just cater to one school of thought but, instead, offered up multiple colour theories for contemplation. Prada’s show contained typically “off” gradations, including, but not limited to, canary yellow, lime green and turquoise blue. Naturally, they did the job of making certain garments – fluid knee-length skirts attached to a set of braces or, equally, knickers with a pair of pockets on either side – look even more outlandish (and brilliant, obviously).. Elsewhere, bold colour-blocking was interspersed with easy-to-wear shades like black, white and chocolate. This was very much present and correct at Alaïa, which debuted a spring/summer 2026 collection that was a typically sculptural affair, with colours as steal-stealing as the clothes themselves in fuchsia, mustard and teal.  

​Your recurring thoughts and fears may have been running the background program. However, Taurus, listen up. Things are gaining momentum and as necessary as it is for you to draw your boundaries, it is also equally important for you to pick what you want to do and make a dash with it. Something is ending. And you can sense this, Leo, it is not necessarily a relationship or a chapter, but a phase. That ‘Let’s-try-life-once-again’ spark is coming back on and you will know intuitively what you want to do next to bring it back. Not everything needs active work. Some things need space, some things need rest and something just needs tending to. You may have been in a cushy place on the surface but it really runs deeper than that. Sag, power struggles, hushed dynamics or even superficial allegiances may have got you feeling like you belong to a clan, at least initially. But perhaps now you feel like you need a break from the circus because you may have lost yourself and your inner voice amongst it all. If there were a judgement day or passage, you would be walking right through it right now, Libra. You have been working really hard. You have tried to keep things together. You also have a very young but determined energy. And you have been asking for breakthroughs. Your answers are here.. Read on for what the stars have in store for you, and make sure you check out your sun, moon and rising signs for the complete picture.. You enjoy your freedom and there is nothing wrong with it. You also enjoy your ability to nurture and care for yourself and others. When you are buoyant there is no end to what you can create, but when you feel deflated you can tend to sink into your own emotional whirlpool. Aries, what is noteworthy for you at this point in your life is that you can keep things fluid, creative and interesting if you continue on with whatever you are working on and also explore that idea to see where it goes. Whoever said life is about picking only one thing, knew nothing about your signature style and capabilities.. Cosmic tip: Raise your head from the dead and look forward to life with a little bit of your personal unicorn magic.. Your recurring thoughts and fears may have been running the background program. However, Taurus, listen up. Things are gaining momentum and as necessary as it is for you to draw your boundaries, it is also equally important for you to pick what you want to do and make a dash with it. Get clear on your requirements and wants so that you know what you are holding and what you want to let go of. There may be many options or ideas on the table, but your world will feel like it is making headway only if you pick one and discover it fully.