Champions to receive unique jackets
In another example of how the ICC Champions Trophy 2009 is different from other events that take place within the cricketing calendar, each member of the victorious team will win a unique ICC Champions Trophy winners' jacket which only a champion will be entitled to wear.
The jacket, which will be unveiled at today's launch, is the work of Mumbai fashion designer Babita M and incorporates rich Italian wool blends combining texture and stripes.
The jacket is white in colour with gold braiding designed to make it appear striking and give the jacket a slight edge. The specially commissioned logo has been carefully embroidered in the fabric color with a golden contour so as to let it attract the focal attention.
About the designer:
Babita M hails from a well-known Indian family that has been involved in the fashion business for many years.
Given her distinctively urban sense of styling that was evident from her early works, her launch label "Whispers" grew rapidly and she then set up her office under the label Studio Spa in New York City, where her collections have been retailed in several high-profile outlets.
Being always more inclined towards high fashion and haute couture, and yearning to bring back home her international exposure, she launched her new label Babita M, in 2006.
Babita M is now a well-established label based in India and it currently retails in the cities of Mumbai, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Dubai, London, New York, Atlanta and Johannesburg.
Her distinctively urban chic collections and creative sense of style has prompted celebrities and personalities like Farah Khan, Amrita Rao, Sonal Chauhan, Ishaa Kopikar, Geeta Basra, Achla Sachdev, Diana Hayden, Tabu, Asin, Shreya Saran, Celina Jaitely to name a few, to approach her to take care of their personal and professional styling requirements. Babita was also assigned to design the outfits and styling for the Miss India contestants including Miss Universe Pooja Chopra. Her collections are regularly seen on Indian television and Bollywood.
Being a fashion designer who had predominantly produced collections for women, Babita extended her talents to a distinctive men's collection in early 2007 for a list of very special clients that reads like a who's who of corporate India and Bollywood and includes such names as famous actor Shah Rukh Khan and director Karan Johar.
Note: Gallo Images in South Africa has photographs of the launch, including images of the ICC Champions jacket. More information is available from your usual contacts at Gallo or Getty Images.
More details of tickets and the ICC Champions Trophy 2009 can be found at www.icc-cricket.com. For details on how to purchase tickets go to www.computicket.com.
For more information go to www.icc-cricket.com or http://iwww.icc-cricket.com/events_and_awards/champions_trophy/index.php