A vintage art exhibition brings you dancing elephants and steam engines

Handpicked by our editors, The Nod List is a fortnightly roundup of fashion, beauty, design, art and travel news, covering the newest drops, the hottest spots and everything you need to live that best life.

No, this timepiece isn’t on Ozempic

Records are set to be broken. At Watches & Wonders 2025, Bulgari’s Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon set a new record for thinnest tourbillon watch in the world. Measuring 40mm in diameter and only 1.85mm thick, the manually wound skeletonised masterpiece features a rotating cage that houses the balance wheel and escapement designed to counter the effect of gravity.  It’s slimmer than a Lindt Swiss Thin!—Chloe Chou

Vintage labels, but make it art

Back in the day, buying fabric wasn’t just about cloth, it was also about the label that came tacked onto the length of fabric. These colourful, art-packed trademarks (known as tika or chaap) were vivid, collectible artworks stuck onto mill-made fabric rolls. These labels featured everything from gods to dancing elephants and steam engines, luring buyers with bright imagery. Found in bazaars across colonial India, they were as much about branding as they were about beauty. Now, MAP Academy is bringing nearly 400 of these vintage stunners to Ticket Tika Chaap, an exhibition at MAP Bengaluru curated by Nathaniel Gaskell and Shrey Maurya. Paired with a book, it explores how these forgotten labels shaped history, trade, and visual culture. —Sheya Kurian

Ticket Tika Chaap is on display at MAP Bengaluru till November 2. Tickets available here

Something for everywhere

Some of our favourite brands are expanding their footprint with swoon-worthy stores in the most enviable of locations. If you’re in Udaipur and on the hunt for rare artefacts for your home, The House of Things has opened its flagship gallery in the heart of the city. In Delhi, Casa Oma has opened doors to its flagship store in the bougie Khan Market area—a sanctuary spanning two floors that houses 90 global luxury design brands from 20 countries. For serial wedding attenders and brides-to-be, designer Masaba Gupta has unveiled a new 6,000 sq ft House of Masaba store in Mehrauli. Meanwhile, in Mumbai, Benaras comes to Ballard Estate with Tilfi’s new flagship store, which is thoughtfully fitted out with rare, handcrafted textile art and Benarasi metal repoussé sculptures. And not too far from Tilfi, lies Eka’s new flagship store in the artsy Kala Ghoda district. Consider this your invitation to stop by and shop or just linger. —Chloe Chou

The House of Things: The House of Things, Bedla Talai, Sapetiya Road, Bedla, Udaipur - 313011

Casa Oma: Flat No 13 & 14, 1st & 2nd Floor, Khan Market, New Delhi - 110003

House of Masaba: Indian Cottage Industry, Kalka Das Marg, Seth Sarai, Mehrauli, Delhi - 110030

Tilfi: Ground Floor, Vakils House, Ballard Estate, Fort, Mumbai - 400001

Eka: Ground Floor, Old Bake House, Shop no.22, Chamber of Commerce Ln, Kala Ghoda, Fort, Mumbai - 400001

A spritz of spring

Crafted with notes of oakwood, sandalwood, and cedar, this brand-new fragrance from Tom Ford evokes sun-drenched woods on a hazy morning. Packaged in a bottle akin to the brand’s Beau De Jour and Costa Azzurra fragrances, it’s luxe without trying too hard and looks as luxurious on your vanity as it smells on your skin. Think effortless vacation energy, minus the hassle of travel. If you’re on the hunt for a woody-spicy fragrance that’ll last you through spring and summer, this is a safe blind buy (and it makes for a great gift too). —Chloe Chou

Available on sephora.in and tirabeauty.com. Price: ₹12,100 for 50 ml; ₹17,000 for 100 ml

Sit pretty

Why sit on an ordinary chair when you can have butterfly wings? The blush wing chair from Baby Zoo features a pink cushion and a wing-shaped backrest that turns any nursery into a wonderland. Made from bamboo and wood, it is perfect for those looking to bring home a little fairytale flair. —Sheya Kurian

Available at babyzoo.in