The clothes did the talking

Grand Finale

It looks like Bangalore’s obsession with weekends is over. There was a time when event managers spent hours worrying about the turnout for programmes held on weekdays, but no more. This was amply proved by the crowd that turned up for the final day of the ‘Blenders Pride Bangalore Fashion Week Summer/Showers’, which fell on a Monday.

With just five designers on the agenda, things seemed a lot calmer. Models were casually walking around, chatting with friends and sneaking the occasional drink between the shows. The main topic of discussion seemed to be the shows held on the previous days.

There was also a lot of confusion about the showstoppers for the day. For the longest time, there were excited rumours about Karisma Kapoor and Jia Khan flying down for the event. But just a few minutes before the show started, it was revealed that they couldn’t make it. No one was left disappointed, though, as the clothes more than made up for the lack of star presence.

The evening began with the men’s collection by Akhilesh Pahwa. It was an interesting start, since the models actually stepped out of the audience and on to the ramp. Described in a nutshell, the collection was clean, simple and casual. It included double-shaded jackets, well-fitted pants, shorts and waistcoats in shades of white, brown, black and blue.

“The basic theme was ‘unlikely you’. I wanted to bring in subtle colours and make it possible for even men to wear them,” says Akhilesh. Designer Shweta Bhargava brought back the classic colours –– black and white –– to the ramp. The designer fused Indian embroidery with western and Indian silhouettes. One dress that really stood out had the words buri nazar wale tera mu kala inscribed on the front and dekhna magar pyar se at the back. Shweta also had the first celebrity showstopper for the day — dancer-cum-actor Kiran Janjani, who walked the ramp with his wife. Another collection which definitely caught the eye of many was Sayantan Sarkar’s ‘To be or not to be’. The collection had summer resort wear, which was a blend of street and bohemian styles. He showcased an interesting combination, teaming a jacket and a dress.

“The collection is about self-discovery; we are always at war on whether we should be what society expects out of us, or what we want. Hence, I have a common fish motif in all the designs — we believe that fish bring us luck,” he adds. Neeru’s Emporio collection was up next with a lot of bling on the ramp. The wedding collection had heavy lehengas, bridal suits and gowns in Banarasi brocades, velvets, and Swarovski crystals. Actress Shraddha Das was the showstopper for the label. “This is the first time that I have walked for the brand and I think they have made me look  fabulous. The lehenga was extremely heavy but I think any bride would love to be seen in one of these,” she says.  By the time Ritu Kumar showcased her collection, the lawns were packed with people. 

The designer showcased five different themes. Be it the ‘Art Deco’, the collection of whites, the cocktail line, the vintage line or the couture collection, one couldn’t miss the typical Ritu Kumar element in the clothes. Finally, actress Hazel Keech walked for the designer.

Shwetha, an excited teenager who had come for the show, says, “The day may not have had many big celebrities but the clothes more than made up for it.”