Nouveau from Kolkata, previewed ‘Kaleidoscope’, a high lifestyle event at the Leela Palace, Friday. Conceptualised by Nina Kanoi and Shruti Goenka from Kolkata, the evening of art and fashion blitz, also had paintings by 33 artists.
Amrisha J and Seema Bagla from Bangalore were on the list of designers, which also included designers from Kolkata, Delhi, Hyderabad, Surat, even Bangaladesh. Prasad Bidapa’s bevy of young models displayed the evening wear and jewelry.
Models sporting designs in ghagras, saris, western wear by Amita G, Rinku Agarwal, Arnab Sen Gupta, Dolly Sethi, Achira, Vasana from Kolkata, walked the ramp. Rinku Agarwal, who lives in Hyderabad, had Mughal motifs and drapes that blended with the Marwar traditional workmanship. Amita Garewal says, “I delight in dressing beautiful women, and making garments to suit the many moods.” Silver lycra tights over tops with flowing hemlines, looked chic. Kavita attributes her inspiration to Bengal Batik, the traditional folk embroidery.
The designers outshone themselves with variegated embellishments. Lots of zari, large glittering zari panels on the skirts, broad belts with flowing dresses, hipster skirts with bikini tops in brocade, vibrant and muted hues with the ethereal black vibrating in silver zari, offset by elaborate pieces of jewelry were other highlights.
The paintings on display were no less exotic. Big names such as F N Souza’s 12x8.5 Chemical on Magazine paper, made in 1987, Aparna Caur’s pencil and pastels on paper, Dhiraj Chowdhury’s villagescape dated 1904, Jogen Chaudhury, Ramanando Bandopadhyay, Sumati Dinda, Ashok Ganguly with semi abstract portraitures, Avisankar Mitra’s tempera on paper, Lakshman Aley, Tapas Sothal, vibrant works in ink, pencil and mixed media, Anwar lent a note of sobriety. Partho Bhattacharoya and Nikil Pal’s works, besides Subrata Gangopadhya’s ‘Dancing Girls’ drew attention.
The funds generated by this event will be diverted to the Sisters of the Poor, a home for the aged in Kolkata. This annual exhibition has toured the other cities and is in Bangalore for the first time.
