Windcheater Rain Jacket

Here is a water and wind resistant jacket for your journeys through the monsoons. Be it for a trek or just a bike ride in the rains, this rain jacket will keep you dry and well protected.

Features:

A hip length jacket, it has a zipper running from base to neck along with Velcro patches on the wind flaps for added protection. All seam sealed joints. Cuffs have both stretchable elastic and an adjustable flap. Also has a hide away hood and two welt pockets on both sides. Inner lining is seam sealed and has a net lining.

Rain Trench Coat

Love a classy trench coat, but looking for something to suite Mumbai rains? Look no further as Prrem's introduces the perfect Rain wear Trench Coat!

Features:

Constructed with a nylon/Polyester fabric, coated with PVC, this waterproof rain coat is ideal for daily wear in the monsoons. It comes with a hide away hood, adjustable cuffs and an adjustable belt. It is about ankle length and has a zipper running from base to neck with an additional protective flap with buttons running along the length of the coat. It is perfect for work wear as you can hide away your formal work attire without the fear of getting drenched in the rains. It has two in seam pockets on both sides. Seam sealed.

Rain Wear Jacket

The rains are here! How about stepping out for a rain dance or a drive to the hills near by? So step out in style, let the monsoons caress your face but be sure to keep dry while having all that fun! Here's a neat rain jacket to choose from.

Features:

This is a hip length jacket with a hide away hood. Sleeves have elastic stretchable cuffs around the wrist, so as to prevent rain from seeping through. It has a zipper running from base to neck, welt pockets on both sides. This rain jacket is also wind resistant, protecting you from strong winds on those awesome monsoon road trips! All Seams are Sealed to prevent any water seepage through.

Reversible Rain Wear Jacket

Looking for something to match a variety of clothes? Here's an awesome rain jacket with two colour options, as you can reverse and wear depending on your mood for the day! Versatile lightweight, rain proof jacket comes with a wind/water resistant outer shell, perfect for the rains or when on a trek.

Features:

This wind and water resistant rain wear jacket is reversible. Constructed with a soft polyester fabric, it is knee length, has elastic stretchable cuffs around the wrist, has a zipper running from base to neck and additional flap with velcro patches along the length of the jacket. It has a hide away hood and Two welt pockets on both sides.

Bhutan: Conversations over a Cuppa with Mr. Atanu Sinha

                                 

Have you visited Prrem’s recently for a trip to your dream destination? We’d love to hear about your travel experience! Join Diipti and Yuktie from Team Prrem’s and share with us your travel memories!

This month's Conversations over a Cuppa, we meet Mr. Atanu Sinha who’s adventurous spirit took him on a cycling trip around Sikkim and Bhutan.

Diipti: Where did your wanderlust lead you to?

Atanu Sinha: I am a cycling enthusiast and spend a good part my fitness regime in cycling around the city with my group of friends. In 2012 around Feb, one of my friends suggested why not try biking across the North Eastern route in June, stretch our legs a little along the mountain trails!

11 to 12 of us were excited about this trip, we received promising weather forecasts, but as the dates approached, quite a few backed out, just before taking off we were a group of 5: Rafiq, Vikram, Drupal Deepak and me, all set on this adventure!

We planned a 7 day, non-stop bike route, covering 1000 kms stretching across three climatic zones ranging from hot and humid, to wet and windy to the tundra region with alpine forests. En route the weather changed drastically as we passed through these different zones. The temperatures dipped from a cool 12°C to a freezing 1°C.

This was a cycling trip in the mountains, which means hilly terrains and a lot of uphill climbs. Add to that rain, slippery roads making it a dangerous equation. All the routes we trained on in Bandra were nothing in comparison but that was the challenge we wanted to experience!

Yuktie: Wow sounds like a thrilling adventure!

Atanu: It was every bit of the way! Bhutan is a very clean and neat country. Everything there is well organised and planned. We had a tight 7 day nonstop ride across the country but wherever we stopped we saw so much beauty, they really take care of their country.

Diipti: Tell us more about the journey?

Atanu: We were scheduled to ride across 1000kms of the country side. Apart from our bikes we had 2 pickup vans for carrying our luggage and cycles in case of bad terrain. Every morning we would start riding at 7am stop for short food brakes and continue till 5.30pm in the evening as it gets dark early in the mountains. One of the days we were at the peak of our riding which is when we did a total of 120kms in a day which included a 19km uphill climb and 70km downhill!

Apart from this, we had to ride through blind bends en route, other vehicular traffic; just navigating through it all itself was a thrilling experience.

Yuktie: Highlight of your journey?

Atanu: Throughout the journey we came across pro teams during their practice cycling sessions from various parts of the world. There were three English teams among them, I could not believe that some of them were 50 years old, that’s how fit they were! I was amazed by their disciplined pattern, they cycled at amazing speeds, took brakes at the right time, ate rationed meals and got back to the drill. We were in awe of them!

Yuktie: Nirvana Moment?

Atanu: Just being in up in the mountains was amazing! Every time I set out for a vacation I try to head to the hills. In India I have travelled to Masoori, Nainital, Kedarnath and Badrinath. There is something magical about the mountains that just makes me go there again and again.

Yuktie: How is Bhutan as a travel destination?

Atanu: The people are very friendly and as I said it is a very clean and well maintained country. They accept Indian rupees and we experienced no language problem.

Diipti: How did coming back to Mumbai feel like after being in such a heavenly place?

Atanu: At one level I feel sad about the way we disrespect our country, seeing all the litter around and bad infrastructure. But at another it was such am amazing experience that I can never forget in my life. At one point during the ride, my bike broke down. While I was trying to fix it, there was a hail storm. Yet, somehow I got through it, it was thrilling to share the memories of braving through such experiences with my family, especially my son.

My friends and family were so excited about this adventure, that one of my friends who is a writer and book designer compiled our photographs and experience into a book!

I have currently stopped cycling for a while due to an injury but I want to get back to riding again.

Yuktie: 3 Must Dos:

Atanu: While cycling, oxygen consumption is very high, higher tendency of muscle tear and cramps, prepare with a lot of cardio workouts for this before the trip.

Try the traditional rice and chilli dish, only if you are a chilli fan, it really is very hot!

Diipti: Top Tips:

Atanu: There are 2-3 imp rules about Bhutan, you have to have a guide at all times, you cannot backpack, travel alone without permits.

We travelled in August and even though forecasts were good overall, yet we experienced a lot of chilly weather and rains in the mountains. Always carry warm and quick dry clothes in the mountains, be prepared for cool temperature as well as rain.

Energy bars and chocolates are not enough, you need a lot of good carbs and our Indian foods are so good at it, take things like theplas, khakras along, unlike what most people may think it really comes in handy on such trips.

Check your gear every morning before the ride. And on most days we kept our cycles inside the guest house as a safety precaution.

Yuktie: Any research that paid off?

Atanu: Yes I really found something interesting while reading about Bhutan before the trip. Bhutan has climatic zones, the subtropical zone which is warm in winter and hot, very humid with heavy rainfall in summer.

The mid-Montana zone is more temperate, with cool or cold winters, hot summers and more moderate rains.

The Alpine zone is where summers are short and cool, and winters are cold with a lot of snowfall. Will you believe that we rode through all hose zones in a matter of a few days!

Also when you go for such a trip, knowing your gear is very important. We prepared for every problem! We carried along with us extra tyres, chains, learnt how to fix punctures, we even learnt to disassemble our bikes and put it back together!

And the funny thing is not a single one of us had a puncture through out the trip!

Diipti, Yuktie: Wow! Well, it was super talking to you, hope you are on to your next adventure soon! 

Atanu: Thank you! I hope so too!

(Excited about this story and wanna plan a bike trip of your own? Get in touch with Atanu at atanusinhak@gmail.com)

The Duffel Coat

A Coat is the essence of a Man's winter wardrobe. The utility, elegance and multi-faceted functionality of a coat makes it a vital overall for the male silhouette. Among the classics, here's a story about the Duffel Coat.  

The History:

The duffel coat is the only classic overcoat to have a hood. This form of head protection has a long history, for gowns with hoods were known as long ago as the Bronze Age. The English word duffle, denoting a coarse woollen cloth and thought to be derived from the town of Duffel in the Belgian province of Brabant, hasn’t been around for quite that long: only since the eighteenth century. The origin of the name is thus more or less clear. The origin of the design is thought to be the so called “Polish coat”, an overcoat with a toggle fastening that was popular in the first half of the nineteenth century. Some think the monk’s habit was the forerunner of the duffel coat, and that would explain the hood. In common with many other overcoats the duffel coat made its entrance into menswear via the military, when the Royal Navy began to issue it to sailors: the hood and the thick woollen cloth protected them from wind and weather. 

In the Second World War Field-Marshall Montgomery wore a beige duffel coat, thus giving the design a new surge of popularity. And in the 1950s large quantities of army surplus duffel coats came onto the market, which conclusively  established them as hot favorites for cold winter days. In France the duffel coat quickly achieved great popularity among high-school and college students and intellectuals. 

Features and Variations:

Today it exists not only in the classic colors of dark blue and beige, but also in dark green, dark brown, burgundy, and yellow. The boxy cut and the hood, and not least the characteristic toggle fastenings, make this a very casual overcoat. If your wardrobe tends towards the elegant, you will certainly have trouble finding other items to combine it with. But if you favor casual outfits, you would be well-advised to wear a duffel coat.

Even today the duffel coat still recalls Montgomery, the British Field-Marshall whose nickname was “Monty”. The duffel coat is often called the “monty coat” in his honor.

The duffel coat has traditional toggle fastenings made of buffalo horn. They  have no real advantage over buttons; it is often said that they are easier to do up and undo with gloves on, but actually quite the opposite is the case.

The duffle coat’s hood is quite small, but it should be big enough to wear a beret or flat cap underneath it. It provides excellent protection from cold and wind, but cyclists should be warned that it severely restricts vision and hearing.

As the toggle fastenings mean that the duffel coat is not particularly wind-proof, the version at Prrem's has a zipper running from base to neck, this ensures maximum protection against the wind. At moderate temperatures this makes a scarf unnecessary.

A duffel coat always has two big patch pockets with or without flaps. Pockets without flaps have the advantage of easier access, but things are also more likely to fall out of them. A breast pocket is not normal, but sometimes a larger inside pocket will be found at thigh level.

The All Weather Adventure Series

Its the season for adventures. For roll up pants, boots and backpacks. Is it Ladakh or South America, Sweden or Lake District for you? Where ever you are planning your adventure vacations, make sure to carry along an All Weather Jacket. Here is a quick dekho.

 

Conversations over a Cuppa with Aditi & Manan

Have you visited Prrem’s recently for a trip to your dream destination? We’d love to hear about your travel experience! Join Diipti and Yuktie from Team Prrem’s and share with us your travel memories!

This month's Conversations over a Cuppa, we meet Aditi who travelled with her husband Manan to the romantic scapes of Europe.  

   

Diipti: Where did your wanderlust lead you to?

Aditi: We started off at the U.S which was a work trip for Manan, but as a beautiful addition we extended it to romance around Italy and France! It was a dream to travel to Italy and Paris. We chose to travel independently, just the two of us over 25 days and we zeroed in on Florence, Venice and Rome in Italy followed by Paris in France.

It was a chilly 10°C during the day with spells of rain, but we were too excited and smitten to stay back in the hotel. Armed with our sweaters and all weather jackets, we walked and walked around the magical cities until our feet got sore!

Yuktie: Wow! You walked all around Paris and Italy?

Aditi: Most parts of it yes! We used the metro in Paris and inter-state buses as well, but walking around the squares, strolling by quaint boutiques and cafes was the most amazing and refreshing part about the journey. 

D&Y: Your Favourite Memory?

A: Oh, there are so many!

I was amazed by the creative window displays in small boutiques in Venice and Paris, as I am a designer I was so inspired by the creativity all around me, the colours and designs even in the smallest of bakeries and flower stores. I couldn’t help but go click click every step of the way. Venice – I simply loved Venice – I mean the whole place is on water! You have to take a boat even from the airport. I clicked a picture at any angle and it would turn out beautiful.

What I loved also was that Italians are so laid back by nature, they take their own sweet time to do things, what with their afternoon siesta and all! Imagine taking an afternoon siesta in between Mumbai’s manic work schedules.

My husband was fascinated by the Coliseum in Italy but honestly I fold Rome all about ruins.

Oh and Paris, I am in love with Paris! Parisians can be a tad bit snooty especially if you don’t speak their language, but it is such a beautiful city, I don’t blame them.

D: Nirvana Moments:

A: You know when we travelled to Austria with a tour agency, there were set timings i.e just 20 mins in a place, going from point A to B on an early morning flight, basically very hectic and not what a holiday should be at all. Whereas on this trip we could do whatever we want. We could unwind and take our time to explore places, may be just sit outside the Louvre, sipping Rose' for as long as we want without worries of missing the tour bus. That is how we realised how much better it is to travel independently.
At the end of the day your feet ache out of exhaustion but it is a totally different kind of exhaustion, a nice kind.

To put it more eloquently, my husband said, “Being a frequent flier running from one airport terminal to another, when you take time off to explore a place you think, I've been here before, but I don’t remember the journey.”

 Also I realised that we berate Bombay a little too much, we have a lot of comforts here like everyone speaking a common language, better security, closer family ties, domestic help etc. Which are difficult to come by abroad. We ought to respect our city a little more. 

Y: 3 Must Dos:

A: The Gelato and Tiramisu are to die for in Paris, they are a must have!

In Italy when you get fed up of the Pastas and Pizzas and craving for something closer home, try Krishna 31 a restaurant for mouth watering Indian food.
Also the romantic gondola rides in Venice are a must.

D: Top Tips:

A: Take care of your belongings: especially money, passport

Convert very little currency at the airport, all else in the city, you’ll be shocked at the exchange rate a airports!

Carry the Lonely Planet for Indian Travellers.

Y: Any research that paid off?

A: Yes, independent travel requires some amount of research so we split the work, I researched about the places I want to travel to, and my husband researched about the best places for food!

Also we used Google Maps extensively.

Google Goggles is a boon for independent travellers. You simply click a picture of the place and it will give you the entire history and geography

Best resources for food advise: Yelp, Trip Advisor

Matrix Simcard: Try the 1 month card for internet usage, it is a good option as hotel wifi is not always reliable.

For travelling around: we initially used the Hop on hop off bus, but then travelled via the metro, best and very well connected. Metro is brilliant in Paris.

D: That's super helpful! Whats your next destination:

We’ll hang up our adventurous boots this time, may be go to a tropical place and relax on the beach, a lazy holiday it will be!.

D& Y: Wow! Well, it was super talking to you, hope you enjoyed chatting with us!

A: Yes! Absolutely, always a pleasure:)

Essence of a Sweater

Travelling for a winter vacation and don't know how to go about your wardrobe? Here's a low down on the types of sweaters you can consider to suit your style.  

Whether it is brought out for settling down comfortably at home, going for an informal ride, or for protection against cold weather, a fine wool sweater is without doubt an ideal choice in a gentleman’s winter wardrobe. 

Even the thickest sweater is only just thick enough in old manor houses in England or sleepy old towns in the Lake District. In Italy really warm sweaters are enthusiastically welcomed, especially in the northern part of the country. It can get really cold in winter in these areas, so the people of Milan wrap themselves up in thick sweaters and scarves. Cross Europe, a basic light sweater is a perfect layering choice in winters. In India too, if you are touring the north or hill stations in the south during winter months, a light lambs wool sweater will keep you snug and warm.

Types of Sweaters

The Cricket Sweater is an all time favourite across the world. With its strikingly lush wool, detailed knit design, a classic off white shade it is a simple solution to most of your winter wear needs.

The Irish Aran Sweater  is one of the oldest known forms of the sweater. The textured detail is all highly significant. The cable pattern stands for safety and good luck, the diamond pattern signifies success and prosperity. Overall there are a dozen different patterns identifiable as traditional Aran designs.

The British Army Sweater influenced this civilian model. Knitted in a strong rib pattern, and with characteristic suede trimming at shoulders and elbows, this “action man” sweater is a popular classic knit for outdoor activities. It is traditionally green, but is also available in beige, brown, or dark blue. 

Anatomy of a Trench Coat

Often in the process of developing styles, we are fascinated with the various features of classic designs. Prime among all classic over coats, the Trench Coat stands tall. Here's an interesting illustration by Chriselle, our design diva at Prrem's.

Anatomy of a Trench Coat

The History:

The classic authentic trench coat was first made by the firm of Burberry. Thomas Burberry may not, in fact, have been the inventor of gabardine, although he was enough of a businessman to  patent this cotton weave, resistant to water and wind, in rain-swept England in 1879. Burberry retained exclusive manufacturing rights to the material until 1917. This hard-wearing cloth soon came to the attention of the armed forces, and English officers first wore Burberry coats during the Boer War. In 1914 one version received official approval from the War Ministry, and over 500,000 of these “trench coats” were worn during the First World War (hence the name). The trench coat’s military past is recalled today by its shoulder tabs, the storm flap at the collar, and the D-shaped rings on the belt, which were used to attach items of equipment.

Classic Trench Coat at Prrem's