Experiments with designs

This included saris that came in varied folds and drapes. The collections on show were stunning but when it came to practicality, the designers left a lot to desire. The newbies, fresh out of campus, made the best use of the opportunity. The stunning clothes were literally weighed down by their weight.

Day two of the fashion week had a mix of both emerging and established designers showcasing contemporary designs.

Designer Uzair Parvez opened the show. His collection was targeted at the urban man, inspired by the urban life. The models walked the ramp in trousers contrasted with jackets, casual coats and different coloured shirts.

The focus of the collection was on innovation in colours, the collar and lapel. The different types of collars had intricate detailing work in the form of single-breasted collars and turtle collars. The highlight was the bandgala collar. The colours he used were all earthy colours depicting the winter season. The showstopper for this sequence was television actor Manish Goel.

Designer Devipriya Guha showcased the collection ‘November Rain’ which comprised short dresses in vibrant colours and it was quite impressive. Shruti Shah’s collection was woven around the theme ‘Indian Goddess’. The models graced the ramp with saris, lehengas and Western outfits like evening party and cocktail dresses.

The most talked about designer duo, Abhi and Rahul, chose the theme of monsoon and the pre-dominant colours were white and blue. The clothes ranged from short party dresses to evening wear and pants. Jattin Kochhar stole the show with his collection which revolved around black and white. The clothes comprised a retro collection ranging from short dresses to long dresses.

An interesting aspect was a George Michael video that played in the background while the models walked the ramp. The last show of day two drew to an end with showstopper Shibani Kashyap making her entry in a short white dress, singing the song Zinda Hoon Mai.

Day three also had an interesting mix of established and new designers. The show opened with Zainub and Ashish who pegged their designs around vintage and antiques. Short and long dresses and a flared skirt representing the gramophone were the highlights.

“We have incorporated a lot of antiques. The skirt was designed as a gramophone and another garment was cut in the shape of a chandelier. It is our fascination for the antiques that has come out in the collection,” said Zainub.

Next was Moon Moon Brahma from Assam. Her collection featured natural colours. There were short dresses, saris, Western tops and pants. “I hope to promote and popularise natural and organic fabrics through my collection. All the garments showcased are practical in design and are wearable,” said Moon Moon Brahma.

Ankita SAAJ Chaudhry’s was the most impressive collection among the young designers. Titled, Masakkali the collection was a bridal collection that drew inspiration from the Mughal era. The designs were a neat blend of traditional and modern. There were evening dress, short dress, saris, lehengas and salwars.

“I have played around with a lot of fabrics. Mughal jewellery motifs using kundan, zardosi work, and crystals. Another set of clothes have very futuristic designs. It’s Western in its cut with an Indian grounding,” explained Ankita.

The next two shows were Ramesh Dembla’s with heavily embroidered bridal wear. The sherwanis and saris were the highlight. Rocky S closed the evening with his amazing blend of lehengas, a section of cocktail saris in shades of green and blue, a line of black gowns and the show drew to an end with a mix of Indo-Western wear in ivory.

“My experiments with designs never end. I think I have a lot more to explore and 20 years in the industry is just not enough for me,” Rocky said.