Lakme Fashion Week - The First Three Days

 LFW Day 1: More Of Designs!
The first day of the five day long Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2012 gave us more of the designs that would be an instant hit with fashion lovers. The designers who showcased their collection include Pia Pauro, Nandita Thirani, Payal Singhal, Jatin Verma, Vizyon by Shradha Murarka, Anushka Khanna (Talent Box), Felix Bendish (Talent Box), Izi Atelier (Talent Box), Ritu Beri and Pallavi Jaikishan. 
 
 
Starting with Pia Pauro’s, ‘Espiritu de Mexico’, the designer tried to bring the spirit and feel of  Mexico to Mumbai with clothes that had some of the best prints and bold colours. Inspired from Acapulco vibe of the 1970s, the designer gave us some of the stunning jungle dresses, shorts, breezy sundresses, kaftans, jersey dresses, gowns, beach shorts, tube tops, shirts, draped dresses, minis, sexy swim wear, jumpsuits, skirts, pants, tunic dresses and much more.Jersey, cottons, georgettes, organic cotton, satin and silks were used extensively while the prints and colours made this collection alluring.
 
Dhobhi Ghat actress Monica Dongra stopped the show for Pia wearing a blingy one-shoulder jumpsuit in a mix of silver and gold.Stunning she looked.
 
Came in mother-daughter duo Nandita and Anuradha Thirani followed by designer Payal Singhal with their collections.Thirani’s showcased ‘The Lotus Flower’ inspired by the lovely lotus flower the collection was simple and elegant.Using colours of neutrals gently combined with black, white, grey and nude, the designers gave us some of the stunning jackets, mini skirt, midi jackets, fluid silk palazzos,  net blouses,  pleated patched net and silk saris, layered lehengas, sherwanis, wide palazzos, pocho tops, pants, trousers, satin harem pants, tiered layered net peplum dresses.
 
The highlight of their collection were those ornate lotus motifs with striking gold embroidery on most of the garments.The hand painted foot wear by Spirited-Soles and the specially crafted jewellery by Nishi Murli from Kusum’s collections gave a special touch to the models who took the ramp for the designer duo.
 
Payal Singhal’s ‘India in Colour’ was a fantastic mix of rainbow hues and a kaleidoscopic journey of fashion.Known for her elegant feminine and ethnic influences, Singhal gave us a little of everything that included daily wear to formal Indian wear. The designer drew lavishly from Indian Adivasi costumes of Kutch and Orissa and used colours of acid neon palette of cyan, fuchsia, lime, pink, cobalt and indigo to bring the magic alive on the ramp. Kurtas, kaftans, tunics, dresses, jumpsuits, sherwanis, jodhpuris, patiyala salwars, pants, sexy cholis, short ghagras and kalidar saris highlighted with intricate peeta, abhla and zardozi work created a magical feeling on the ramp.Keri and Tota embroidery ruled most of the garments while the mukaish work added bling to most of the garments.
 
The very sexy Shibani Dandekar stopped the show for Payal wearing a mirror work asymmetric lehenga with a sexy blouse and looked million dollars too. Jatin Verma’s ‘Dark Angels’ had all the right touches of a Red Carpet couture collection. Elegant, sophisticated with dark Gothic touches; the gowns and minis with distinct power shoulders along with chains, felt appliqué, embroidery, brass, beads and sequins work had touches of feathers to create a dramatic impact. Using shades of midnight blue, stone, wine, deep purple, aubergine, red and many others Jatin created a line of minis, clinging gowns, flapper dresses, maxis, gowns, skirts, tops and more.
 
Shradha Murarka and Ninon Palisse’s ‘Enlightened Shadows’was a haute couture inspired by the romantic, mysterious yet seductive eras and poems of dark and enchanting life.Gowns, dresses, skirts, tops, jackets, trunks ranging from shades of brown, porcelain and black to midnight blue, turquoise and green made this collection awesome.
 
Anushka Khanna’s ‘Floral Fragments’ was a blend of victorian romanticism with the rigidity and classical structure of this renaissance art. Using fabrics such as silks, georgettes and crepes, the designer dished out a line that had sarees, tops, tunics, dresses, jackets, blazers, kurtas in both mosaic prints as well as patterned beadwork. The colour palette included shades such as greys, pinks, oranges among other neon tones.
 
Accessory designer Felix Bendish’s ‘Flow’ comprised of brooches, necklaces, hair accessories, cuffs as well as clutches that any fashionistas would ask for.Using Swarovski crystals as well as large gemstones, Felix played with designs which ranged from abstract to symmetry, to large statement pieces which seemed to break effortlessly into flowing designs. The colour palette of this range included an intriguing mix from neon bold colours such as orange and pink to more subdued, ethereal midnight blues. Amidst the stones, cleverly used sleek feathers and sequin work, helped add a funky edge, while gold chords elevated the modern poised appeal. The eye catching candy-like clutches set with regal stones were the highlight items of this collection.
 
Isabelle Mittal’s label, Izi Atelier put forward a collection called ‘The Midas Touch’ focusing on keeping her Indian infused Greek draping styles subdued, with more attention on fine detailing such as embellishments and prints. Using rich ethereal fabrics such as velvets, organic cottons and georgettes, the designs revealed a jewel toned colour palette fit for royalty. Dresses, sexy gowns, sleek pants, flared tops in shades such as deep purple, ivy green, mustard, black and cherry red added zing to the collection while the gold streak graphic prints, coloured collars as well as bejewelled accents were used aptly to give this royal collection a much needed touch.
 
Came in Ritu Beri with the beautiful ‘Icons of Luxury’inspired by the glamorous beauties of the 50’s. Inspired by the stylish Marilyn Monroe, Ritu's collection was dedicated to the women of today who live a jet age lifestyle. Using creamy tones with hints of  red, pink, blue, turquoise and yellow, Ritu made sure each and every garment had exquisite embroidery and embellishments on them.Came in the very trendy denim romper, ecru blouse with long trailing sleeves, the embroidered lehenga with a lace bikini, the denim layered dress, the peplum printed embellished jacket, shorts and skin tight trousers, which set the pace of the show. The cute striking layered ballerina dress with jeans, asymmetric creation with an embroidered biker jacket and floor length net lace coats made the show into a visual delight for the audience.
 
Ritu Beri's Jumpsuits were crafted with great embellishments while dresses were seductive in their silhouettes. Tiny faux fur shrugs complemented the ruffled gowns, and gold or silver quilted jackets were the perfect match for the formal evening wear.The two gowns in black and white – one in layers of net and the other with crushed tiers were arrestingly beautiful.
 
The first day of LFW gave us some of the stunning designs that will continue to rule the year while it shows neon’s are still a hot favourite when it comes to colours.
 
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LFW Day 2: Geeky Looks To Modern Minis
  
Day 2 of the five day long Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2012 was high on stunning designs apt for young fashionistas. More of options, innovative designs and colours the day gave us some of the best and chic pieces that we got to see so far. 
 
 
The designers who showcased on the second day of LFW include Aarti Vijay Gupta, Nikhil Thampi, Sidharta Aryan, Yogesh Chaudhary, Shift by Nimish Shah, Payal Khandwala, Roma Narsinghani, Komal Sood, Pernia Qureshi, Sannam Chopra, Sandhya Garg, Babita Malkani, Drashta Sarvaiya, Sonaakshi Raj, Neha Sharma, Sofake by Sukriti Grover and Sapna Bhavnani , Priyadarshini Rao and the last show was by Wendell Rodricks.
 
Starting with Aartivijay Gupta’s ‘I Love Ma Doodle Book’ with white as her backdrop and black doodle sketches high lighting her garments she created a black and white fantasy on the ramp.
 
Using dupion and tabby silk along with luxurious crepe the designer created a line of shift dresses, pants, jumpsuits, panelled jackets, godets, slender pants, tunics, kimonos and a lot more. 
 
The prints varied from pi-charts to anatomical diagrams and colour samples blocks made for a refreshing change while we loved the geeky glasses on the sexy models. The final three saris brought in colour with the doodles featuring colour wheels or shade cards print and were worn with floppy blouses. Gupta gave us something different and we liked her collection for that. 
 
Nikhil Thampi’s ‘Survivors’ was inspired by the many survivors on the globe and we were subjected to a collection that was all about dark glamour added with a dash of bling.The garments were a study of balanced construction, as styled tops and cholis, which floated down the ramp, were teamed with crushed silk draped maxi skirts.
 
Embellishments were metallic, as chains, plates and ‘salli’ work were seen creatively on the garments. The silhouettes were fluid and flared with earthy tones like black, green, brown and rust playing a rustic melody. Fabrics that brought the theme to life moved from velvets or suede to ombré silk and cotton. Striking entries were the sheer black kurta, the side belted jacket and the black velvet sherwani with a slit back all created for the adventurous man.Something really different but i am not sure if men would try wearing sherwanis that has slits high up.
 
Sidharta Aryan’s ‘Wanderlust’ was a perfect prйt offering with traditional prints as the focal point. Taking inspirations from Indian art and architecture the designer gave us a line that had images that ranged from paintings of Rajasthan, Mughal Jharoka, temple jewellery of the South, blue prints of the Chalukya dynasty, Victorian influences, and streets of Lucknow, which were juxtaposed cleverly on fluid fabrics for the garments. Shirt dresses, jackets, pretty dresses, lehengas, skirts, ghagras, drop waist dresses, cropped jackets, anarkalis and saris in georgette, silk, crepe, jersey and lace made their ways on the ramp.
 
‘Miss Pac-in District’ by Yogesh Chaudhary recreated the fashion of the American Retro era bringing in hints of the 20’s, 50’s and 80’s fashion moments alive on the ramp. Going for a colour palette starting with cherry red, then onto canary yellow and electric blue, Yogesh’s prints were inspired by the Ms Pac-man game. Block printing, beadwork, digital printing and knitted jacquards highlighted the wonderful line of separates that included skirts, Tees, trousers, jackets, blouses, trenches, saris and even swim wear.
 
Adding on a range of knitted dresses and cardigans, Yogesh ensured that the silhouettes were lean, sexy but trendy. A hint of gold gotta work gave interesting touches to the sari made from the Maheshwari fabric which was given unconventional treatment.
 
Shift by Nimish Shah had expert off-beat detailing and was inspired from the retro fashion advertisements.Cleverly blending oversized baggy shapes with lean silhouettes, Nimish used great fabrics like organic cotton, khadi, wool and silk along with romantic touches of chiffon and crйpe de chine with interesting discreet geometric and abstract prints. Line of feminine midis, softly constructed jackets, some skirt suits and hand knits, the main highlights of the show were the shawls and cable knit mufflers, as well as the mini sweaters, the overlapping brown skirt, the white pin tucked blouse, drop waist dress and the long sleeve cropped tops.  The soft jackets were teamed with sleek skirts and the mosaic print blouse was ideal day wear.
 
Payal Khandwala’s ‘Sadhu and the Samurai’ was a line of layered, draped and wrapped separates, in colours of burnt orange, crimson, coffee, charcoal, bronze and indigo.Using fluid fabrics the designer worked on a line that had more of samurai wrap skirts, cowled shifts with looped pockets, the bias shoulder draped tops and the wide fluid pants, cropped jacket, long pleated midi teamed with a flowing long bolero and much more. This collection will appeal to the unconventional dresser.
 
‘Dream Catcher’ by Roma Narsinghani was a collection inspired by the poem of the same name. Pastels came to centre stage with aqua as a favoured colour followed by soft beige, grey and touches of nude. Layering, pleating, panelling and draping along with clever fabric construction was the highlight of each garment. Shell buttons replaced traditional embroidery to bring a soft dazzle to the surface embellishments.
 
Playing with fabrics and embellishments, Roma created mesh like covers and added on origami touches for the faux boleros and the intricately braided waistcoats.  The shirts with long sleeves and back drapes, the two tone halter maxi, the bronze satin shirt with rear frill and sleeve detailing, the lattice weave apron like covers, the patched tunics, one shoulder ballooning blouse and the angular dusty green jacket were beautiful additions to the collection.
 
Komal Sood’s ‘The Twilight Seduction’ was very luxurious which the designer created using the colour tones of the romantic sunsets and adding shades of crimson, striking violet, wine and black.Fluid and sexy fabrics like silks, georgettes, satins, blends of Polynosics and knits gave a rich feel to the draped creations. The intricate embellishments for the garments added that exotic touch of feminine charm and great craftsmanship. Bikini tops, skirts, shimmering leggings, silk sarees, dresses, cocktail dresses, halter neck tops, halter dresses, gowns, bandages inspired dresses, maxis, rouched gowns, jackets, cropped jackets, tops, tube tops, waistcoats, shirts, pants and much more not only looked stylish and sexy but seductive too.Siddharth Mallya stopped the show for Komal wearing a stylish black tuxedo and man he looked oh-so handsome.
 
Keeping the glamorous woman in mind, Pernia Qureshi’s collection called ‘An Evening in Paris’ offered timeless Parisian chic and global sophistication on the ramp. From chic evening and club wear, Pernia added occasion wear and one solitary sari which was pre-pleated and teamed with a shirt collar blouse, slim skirts, wasit dresses, lace minis, maxis, peplum tops, collar blouse, double-breast dress, brocade pants, velvet dresses and one-shoulder dresses. With colours like cobalt, champagne, gold, wine and black with touches of mustard the designer used over-sized buttons, embroidery, bead work to highlight her garments.Gorgeous Amy Jackson stopped the show for Pernia wearing a beautiful solitary black sari with a contrast maroon border, teamed with a  mandarin collar blouse.
 
Sannam Chopra’s ‘Medieval Pop’showcased a number of accessories such as bags, necklaces, cuffs and hair accessories. Set in regal Swarovski crystals along with imposing large stones the pieces were tastefully bold and large, accentuated by gold chords as well as silver tassels. Another notable feature of the collection was the extensive use of coloured leather pieces reminiscent of protection gear, unlike her previous collections which relied heavily on metal work.The range was feminine, sparkly as well as structured with geometrical shapes, adding a controlled edge in colours such as pink, green, turquoise, black and flesh tones.
 
Sandhya Garg’s debut collection was simply electrifying. Using fabrics such as georgette, chiffon, lace and other easy and feminine materials, the designer worked more on the fine detailing of each piece, treating them like a work of art in their own right. The designer chose to stick to ongoing trends such as colour blocking and making use of solid pops of colour such as blue, orange, yellow, purple as well as black and grey, which made this range bordering on experimental and yet commercially viable. The collection comprised blouses, pants, shirts, skirts as well as dresses with the silhouettes being soft yet structured, crisp and clean.
 
Babita Malkani’s ‘Urbane Nomad-ism’ was inspired by the raw earthiness of the African Bushmen of Tanzania and Zanzibar.Hence the beautiful colours of the region were reflected in her creations as tangerine, aqua, deep blue, matte brown, blush and sap green came together in harmony with the varied dyeing techniques.Texturing was dramatic with pattern rope dyeing, corded tie dye and bottle beach dye to recreate the effect of digital prints.Using luxe fabrics like Habutai silk, crepe, georgettes and silk wool the designer turned them into visually dramatic garments. Draped togas, one shoulder asymmetric sheaths, wrap slit skirts, drop crotch jumpsuits, fluid dhoti pants, layered poncho dresses, looped tubes, pleated palazzos, frayed hem shorts, indigo matted thread borders for 
gowns, cascading ruffles for midis and African patchwork appliquйs for dress and gilets scorched the ramp. The matted basket weave thread and fabric detailing which edged the gowns, midis, saris and drapes further created the exotic African mood for the creations, while turbans, chunky jewellery, boots and fringed stilettos were the ideal accessories for the ensembles.
 
With Gustav Klimt’s paintings as her inspiration, Drashta Sarvaiya’s collection was an elegant classic offering in shades of white, nude, yellow, and mauve combined with purple, peach and blue.Using light weight brocade with delicate floral motifs and adding double georgettes and crepe; Drashta’s accent was on the peplum as the focal point of the garments, which appeared periodically to highlight the silhouettes. The dresses, trousers, tunics, shirts and skirts glittered with crystal, gold and floral raffia work.Her’s was one of the cutest collections seen.
 
Sonaakshi Raaj’s ‘Old Cinema Glamour’ was inspired from old Hollywood films and showcased regal formal wear comprising glamorous gowns and cocktail dresses with the silhouettes being a ravishing blend of feminine flow with sleek structure.With a colour palette boasting nude shades such as blush, ivory, and charcoal, in luxurious materials such as organza, tulle, as well as other sheer fabrics, the designer infused free flowing forms with tight bodices sporting rich, elegant floral work; while cut out backs added a dash of oomph. Keeping it simple, the pieces did not flaunt any hard embellishments, focusing on the beautiful paradox of simplicity within careful construction. Sofake’s ‘Black Velvet’ by designers Sapna Bhavnani and Sukriti Grover was a take on a controversial topic –that of fairness creams.The all black collection comprised intriguing black on black prints incorporated on structured forms. Power shoulder jumpsuits and vixen dresses were some of the pieces which helped project the mood of  the collection - mysterious, daring, beautiful and dangerous. Fabrics such as silk, velvet and jacquard helped build the sleek and structured bodies, accentuated by simple metal detailing such as eyelets and cut outs.
 
‘Chair-Worthy Collection’ by Priyadarshini Rao took audiences on an interesting journey of fashion and syle.Lustrous shiny hair, sleek up-dos, vibrant curls, elaborate creations, gorgeous plaits and intricate braids, some interspersed with ribbons  by Dharmesh Hingorani were teamed with Priyadarshini’s creations made for a refreshing change.Colours were a vibrant fuchsia, aubergine and turquoise for sheer chiffons, cottons, silks that were cleverly turned into hand embroidered pinafores, maxis and skirts.
 
 For a segment, Priyadarshini matched the looks of the crowning glory with stylish peplum jackets in deep hues of black, tarnished charcoal; brocades with intricately worked long lean tunics and quirky pants along with taffeta trenches and hep minis.Net skirts swished down the catwalk, bias belted jackets, black chiffon tiered covers, angarkha mini tops, drop crotch salwars, horizontal panelled brocade maxis and crinkle pants with kimono top, were a perfect match for the clever hair styling. Pinafores were richly embroidered, and long dresses swirled with seamed panels. Trapeze embroidered smocks - some with bubble hemlines, printed tiered long covers, 3D floral appliquйs and tiered blouson gowns, gave colourful variety to the collection. Prints came in Indian motifs, multi colours and interesting fabric options. For the trendy urban woman, who loves experimenting with her hair styles, as well as her wardrobe options; Priyadarshini Rao’s collection presented by TRESemmй had the right head to toe choices.
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LFW Day 3: Very Indian, Very Ethnic!
 
 
The third day of the ongoing five day long Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2012 celebrated Indian craftsmanship and textiles. One of the memorable days of the week that offered everything Indian and made everyone feel proud of rich Indian culture and heritage. 
 
 
Designers who showcased their collection on Indian Textile Day include Gaurang Shah, Shruti Sancheti, Payal kapoor, Shraddha Nigam-Mayank Anand, Debarun Mukherjee, Vaishali Shadangule, Swati Jain, Rivaayat, Deepika Govind, Khushboo and Prem, Pranav Mishra and Shyama Shetty, Krishna Mehta and Anita Dongre.
 
The day started with Gaurang Shah’s ‘Ardhangini’ a clever mix of beautiful saris, anarkalis and ghagra and more in colours of yellow, orange, red and pink and colours that’s conodered very auscipiuous for a wedding. More for the modern bride the designer beautifully used Kanjeevarams, Kalamkari and Zardozi, to highlight the intricate weaving known as Korvai for the magnificent South Indian saris.Use of animal motifs on kanjeevarams was refreshing while the combinations of the Kalamkari prints with the beautiful brocades, were extremely creative and experimental.
 
Gaurang brought the different prints in hot colours like saffron, gold, red, vermillion, green, black, blue for the salwars, cholis, saris, luxurious lehengas, and dupattas.Brocades with intricate zari and silk weave, glittered under the ramp lights while tassels ending with animal shapes hanging at the back of cholis, or dupattas looked really creative. Elegant and charming Kirron Kher stopped his show wearing  a rich ivory brocade sari and yes she looked million dollars too.
 
‘Thar’ by Shruti Sancheti opened with the drum beats of the Thar region and dancer swirled gracefully on the stage recreating the atmosphere of the culture.Working creatively with Shibori, the collection showcased some of the best and unique stitch resistant techniques ranging from Sindhi Tanka, Kutch stitch, negative appliqués, herringbone, chain and buttonhole stitches.The colours that she used varied from red, fuchsia, deep orange, mango yellow, indigo, royal purple, emerald with hints of olive, tangerine and peach. Sarees, jodhpuri pants, cowl trousers, churidars, angarkhas, ghaghris, chogas, tunics, boleros, kurtas, kurtis, bibs for kurtas over skirts, sherwanis, lehengas, dresses, flowing pants, skirts, quilted jackets, kedia cholis and beautiful asymmetric maxis looked pretty on the models who walked the ramp for her.
 
Payal Kapoor’s ‘Notes from The Raj’had specially woven intricately designed fabrics from Benares.In shades of green, nude, black, magenta and wine, the designer showcased a line of miniskirts, peplum blouses, maxi skirts, dhoti pants, sarees, lehengas, dresses, tired skirts, cowl skirts, cowl tops, kaftans, churidars, colourful scarves, shoti style miniskirts, jodhpur jacket, pants, floor length skirts, waist coat and much more.
Show stopper Mini Mathur looked graceful and radiant in a rich magenta gold zardozi lehenga, choli and dupatta. Presenting their new prйt label Kapurthala inspired by the beauty of India, Mayank Anand and Shraddha Nigam titled their collection ‘Technicolor’, which was a tribute to the colours of Punjab.When it’s Punjab, it has to be bright and loud and hence using colours like shocking pink, orange, chrome, yellow, orchid, royal blue, turquoise and lime the designers created a line of swirling lehengas, tops, cholis, dhotis, saris, and tunics and so on.
The fabric choice was wide and varied as Kota doria, Benares Bhagalpur, Chaampa, Tussore, Karshmiri silks, Maheshwari, Upaada and Bangalore silks while striking embroidery like thread work, french knots, multi-coloured striped fabrics checks on sari pallavs, kurtas and dresses made this collection alluring. A specially woven fabric with 2116 colours was stunning and the highlight of their collection.
 
Debarun Mukherjee’s ‘Omnipresent’ opened with a dance show by renowned Manipuri dancer, Rinku Dutta and soon singer Richa Sharma walked in a printed layered ghagra with high collar top and double layered inner. Inspired by the iznik tiles of Turkey, Debarun chose the colour blue as a constant for his creations as well as added beige and black for the base, to give depth to his creativity. Selecting the beautiful weaves of Bhagalpur and adding tussore, matka, katan and monga silks; the designer used amazing surface texturing and embellishments to match the iznik tiles. With The designer showcased a line of flared and layered dhoti skirts, mandarin collar tops, elegant pleated pants, churidars, long shararas, pleated long tops, sexy choli blouses, blouses, dhoti skirts, 
sherwanis, coats, printed coats, tussore waist coats, pants, trousers, and luxurious saris. Ending the show was Wasseypur fire brand Richa Chadda, who looked drop-dead gorgeous in asymmetric double layered ghagra with black velvet waistcoat and churi sleeved blouse.
 
‘Reverb’ by Vaishali Shadangule celebrated colour on the ramp and hence more of bright colours were seen in the likes of red, blue, orange, green, gold, blue, pink, orange, yellow and so on.Chanderi, organza, silk , silk organza and brocade were used extensively while hand embroidery added that subtle glitter to the outfits.kurtas, kurtis, sarees, lehengas, cholis, patiyala pants, churidars, salwars, draped kurtas, dresses, long dresses, jackets and  a lot more with embellishments in the same colour, the designer emphasized on the unique drapes and cuts for the traditional attire.
 
Deepika Govind’s ‘Pop Patola’ was a celebration of Gujarat’s popular textile. Combining single and double ikats with silks and satins, Deepika worked with a wide range of colours that ranged from shades of yellow, orange, magenta, aqua, violet and added stunning red to complete the story. The silhouettes were western as the petal, bubble and balloon shapes made an appearance. Drapes were the highlight for dresses, layered skirts, peplum blouses, curved hem dresses, dhoti trousers, high waist wide trousers, diaphanous tunics and of course the saris.Fun motifs like cars,buses, fruits, flowers, planes and TV sets came to life on blouses, skirts and sari borders. The collection was a riot of colours, designs, patterns, detailing and embroidery on the ramp while the appliquйs of large flowers and touches of subtle embroidery highlighted the weaves.
 
Swati Vijaivargie Jain paid a tribute to her roots, Rajasthan.More of Rajasthani work and bright colours her collection gave us tones of red, yellow, orange, pink, blue, green and purple.Using silks, georgettes, crepes and chiffons, Swati worked on a vast range which comprised jackets, stoles, dresses, saris, kurtas and ghagras that were free flowing with an air of sensual fluidity.
 
Inspired by Shah Jahan’s wife Mumtaz Mahal, Meera and Rohit Aggarwal collection for their label Rivaayat aimed to be a mirror image of the blue blooded lady who was known throughout the land for her exquisite beauty. The creations focused more on Indian traditional wear, adding a modern touch to turn up the ‘oomph’ factor with low cut backs and tie ups, which graced saris and cholis. Exaggerated feminine forms made for free flowing silhouettes and skirts, which seemed to flirt with one’s ankles. With a colour palette comprising royal reds, black, gold and other festive colours, the garments shone through in intriguing fabrics such as silks and nets amidst other woven materials.
To add a refreshing jolt to the collection, Meera and Rohit also injected shots of bold colours such as grey and mustard which were embellished royally with sequins, bead work and rich embroidery. Models looked traditional-chic with long dramatic pleated hair and bold bindis.
 
Designers Khushboo Agarwal and Prem Kumar ‘Dark Romance’ that was more of blending both careful constructions with softer touches.Using georgettes, crepes, silk cottons which sported bead, mokaish and badla work the designers created an array of dresses, jackets and gowns in a subdued colour palette comprising shades of grey, green, blue and black. Romantic with an edge, rich colour infusions were in blood red, bottle green, royal blue, espresso and plum.A piece that stood out from the collection was a ravishing blue-green dual toned shimmering number, which was accentuated by a bolero jacket.
 
Pranav Mishra and Shyma Shetty’s ‘When The Lines Move’ was experimental.Using fabrics such as leather, felt and crepe, the designs made their way onto the runway in a muted colour palette comprising nudes, browns along with pale pastel shades of green and blue. Keeping the  embellishments at a minimum with only soft embroidery work, the range took a unique twist, which was simply decadent.
 
Krishna Mehta’s ‘Encore’ had large doses of expert craftsmanship, arts, and textiles and more of extreme visual celebration.Specially hand woven fabrics, were cleverly textured with dyeing or Shibori and stitching details. At the same time, Krishna kept the silhouettes simple, lean and elegant and allowed them to dazzle with exquisite embellishments. Shades of the softest feminine colours like peach, ecru and salmon with touches of purple, red, black and royal blue added to the beauty of the garments. Fabrics that created magic on the ramp were Kota doria, Chanderi, georgette, tulle, velvet, lace, brocade and even cotton, which were all turned into splendid festive and bridal creations.
 
Tunics were lavished with pearls; dupattas shimmered with ombrй touches and delicate glitter while the lehengas were given intricate embellishments. The black velvet antique blouse, purple block printed long tunic with black crushed silk palazzo pants, the rosette embroidered lehenga and blouse, the red ombrй block printed sari kimono with zardozi and lace cutwork, were stunners under the arc lights.
 
For added drama, the Parsi lace and cutwork cover was sensational in its grandeur and beauty. Khada pajamas, ornate odhanas, cutwork jackets, silver jacket-blouse and the innovative sari skirts were unbelievable in their craftsmanship and finish.
 
 
Article Source : Feme Fashions
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