<p>Narendra Kumar Ahmed<br /></p>.<p>Ahmed’s show was mute testimony to the fact that Avatar has us all thinking of how we might possibly conquer that final frontier, space.<br />Two giant globes suspended from the ceiling were lit to create a galaxy of heavenly bodies in the hall. To a dramatic display of laser lights on the ramp and an overture of Richard Strauss’s Also Sprach Zarathustra, he sent out a truly stellar line of intergalactic denim casuals for Killer Jeans, one that nevertheless drew on India’s ethnic tradition.<br /><br />From monochrome gowns with appliqué details that nodded to more than a couple of the season’s trends to a series of denim washes and textures, this was a sexy, uninhibited line.<br /><br />Sprayed, laminated, bleached and coloured, the denim was shredded, dyed and patched. Men’s jackets had net insets or were contoured with piping and contrast patches. Trench and long coats, biker and cropped jackets with the ever-present military detailing, epaulets and zippers were ideal for a trip to the moon. Women’s wear was short and sexy for the form fitted dresses, tiny tops and skinny jeans ideal for the cocktail hour. Accents on the shoulder and waist brought in the “V” silhouette for the future.<br /><br />If this is the future, we certainly want a part of it.<br />Celebrity meter: Sarah Jane Dias, Miss India 2007, opened the show, while Jail star Neil Nitin Mukesh closed it out in a crossover denim jacket that was so sharply cut anyone aiming for a piece of the man in it might well hurt themselves.<br /><br />Malini Ramani<br />The love goddess made a welcome return at Ramani’s show, seducing buyers in five different stories. From Mexico to Morocco, the designer trawled the planet for inspiration, sending out red-carpet gowns and tie-dye cocktail dresses, chic kaftans and Aztec-influenced jumpsuits.<br /><br />Working from a palette of pink, fuchsia, turquoise, aqua, beige and sunny yellow, she told the story of a young girl in search of her lover through hooded mini dresses, cropped kaftans, monokinis, sarong dresses and strapless jumpsuits. Not one piece was a traditional garment as we know it. And everything was either printed — snake, zebra, bandhini — or embroidered and embellished.<br />Celebrity meter: Former supermodel Mehr Rampal, jewellery designer Maheep Kapoor and Bhavna Pandey closed out the show in a series of liquid gold lamé gowns.<br /><br />Leconet Hemant<br />From these veteran designers came an achingly hip line that perfectly fits with our new, globalised ethos. Indian design traditions were given fabulous new European sensibilities, offering an international collection perfect for the jetsetting desi.<br />Starting with a men’s wear line of coats, jackets, shirts, trousers — both loose and slim — the duo showed their latest offering, the Shield over jackets or shirts, which were padded and looked bullet proof.<br /><br />From wool to flannel and plastic, they used a variety of materials, employing a palette of neutrals, mustards, blues, reds and burgundies.<br /><br />Also suited to our times but in a very different way was their second line, the organic ‘Ayurganic’ collection, which was treated with special oils and herbs and is free of synthetic chemicals and toxins. It will be sold at wellness lounges in biodegradable bags with an organic ink print on them.<br /><br />Creating garments that are therapeutic as well as stylish, they sent out tunics, capes, kimonos, trousers, hooded scarves and bathrobes, all treated so that even after 20 washes nearly 85 per cent of the wellness properties remain in the garments.<br /><br />A line of formal wear closed out the show, with stylish Western jackets and trench coats for the men, and Indo-West adaptions of the churidar-kurta for the ladies. A key highlight had to have been their black chiffon sari-inspired toga dress.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Manish Malhotra<br />While the film designer was inspired by the holiday resort of St Tropez, his collection was nevertheless very Indian in look and feel, while nodding to current trends. One-shouldered kurtas, for example, competed with luxurious layering, while sparkly leggings were teamed with kurtas.Colours were pastels and metallics, with fabrics ranging form nets to georgettes to silks.<br /><br />And for the men, Malhotra chose the bandhgala and cowl trousers, offering a variety of textures, finishes and details.<br />Celebrity meter: Raveena Tandon attended, professing to love the show. <br />Also in the audience were Urmila Matondakar, Celina Jaitley and Dino Morea, with no celebs on the ramp because the designer said he wanted to focus on the clothes and not on the stars wearing them.<br /><br />Pria Kataria Puri<br />The designer’s long years in the Middle East showed, despite her insistence that she was inspired by the late Maharani Gayatri Devi.<br />The clothes were a line of kaftans, elegant saris, empire-line gowns, shararas and anarkali kurtas and tunic dresses from French chiffon, satins and Egyptian cottons. Her palette was white, yellow, coral and emerald and the entire line seemed aimed at the NRI bridal and Middle East markets.<br />Celebrity meter: Mughda Godse closed out the show in a slim orange lehenga, choli and net dupatta.<br /><br />Rocky S<br />The Bollywood favourite has clearly been bitten by Taylor Lautner and R-Patz; his glam-meets-goth line for men brought together such diverse themes as gothic, punk and classic vampire attire.<br />Working with rich, luxurious fabrics, he turned glittering brocades, jacquards, textured striped silk blends, hounds tooth, gabardine, tweed, felt and even some very interesting upholstery material into avant garde men’s wear. Everything was detailed, from elbow patches to lace trims on cuffs, collars, pockets and the backs of jackets, and it was all accessorised with studded belts, black patent leather bags, pouches, boots, hand cuffs and glittering neck chains.<br />Yet, lovers of classic lines weren’t ignored: sharply cut suits in masculine tones of black, steel, grey, deep blue, wine and ivory were also a strong part of the show.<br />Four monochrome women’s gowns finished off the show.<br />Celebrity meter: The droolworthy John Abraham closed out the collection, in a grey pin-striped three-piece suit.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Shantanu and Nikhil<br />Getting fashion designers to create a line for a sportswear major is not a new concept, but it should be enough to carve out a new market in the wake of a global recession. The pair’s new S&N label for Adidas Style Essentials offered sporty pieces and casual eveningwear options.<br />A smart yellow knit jumpsuit opened the show, setting the tone for chic and sexy. Micro balloon shorts, one-shoulder tunics, plaid swimsuits and short jackets teamed with checked tights followed, while an interestingly draped corset with a rouched striped skirt and a checked ombre swimsuit were among the better pieces. Men were given Bermudas, cardigans, sleeveless jackets, quilted trousers, swimwear and capris in a variety of checks, stripes and dual tones.<br />None of which may necessarily get people exercising, but there’s plenty to get them buying!<br />Celebrity meter: Bollywood beauty Deepika Padokone closed out the show, gliding down the ramp in a diagonal striped sleeveless T-shirt with a shimmering clinched waist, teamed with metallic balloon micro shorts.<br /><br />Krishna Mehta<br />The colours and action of the Kumbh Mela inspired this veteran designer, who opened her show with a dread-locked, conch-blowing sadhu. Featuring a kaleidoscopic ethnic collection, she nevertheless sent out a line of timeless classics that carried her signature all through.<br />Men’s ensembles were a riot of earthy colours and a perfect blend of textures but with that element of contemporary punk for shorter slimmer silhouettes — waistcoats, unlined sherwanis, jacquard coats, crushed kurtas, shimmering tissue tunics and relaxed kurtas were finely balanced with very heavy glittering sherwanis and textured long jackets.<br />To chants of Om, models dressed as sadhu and sadhvis draped in rows of rudraksh came down the ramp, dressed in disconcertingly luxurious fabrics such as lamé, silk and linen in shades of wine and gold. The details showed up in prints and dyes.<br />Celebrity meter: Rohit Verma in a dramatic turn came down the catwalk in a red georgette gown with a flowing scarf.<br /><br />Sabyasachi<br />It was a veritable travelogue across space and time from the heart of deepest Africa to 1920s Paris that inspired Kolkata superstar Sabyasachi Mukherjee and wowed audiences at his Lakme show this week.<br />Presenting a practical easy-to-wear mix and match look, the designer gave fashion an ethnic yet contemporary touch, while bringing back some old favourites of the past like elasticised skirts and long-line tees.<br />As might be expected, it was a feast of fabrics, patterns, embellishments and simple, lean, elegant silhouettes.<br />The colour story was muted with shades of ivory, brown, teal, rust, and indigo, with touches of orange and large doses of gold and silver embroidery.<br />Separates such as trench coats, wrap jackets, loose pants, tight churidars, sexy Flapper dresses over printed trousers, shimmering long tubes, printed tunics, asymmetric waistcoats, sheer skirts lavishly embellished with beads and glitter, and printed blouses were all piled together in typical Sabyasachi style.<br />If it was all over the place, it was nevertheless very together – notwithstanding comments from the designer that it came from a midlife crisis.<br />Celebrity meter: Actor Vidya Balan closed out the show, a surprising departure for a designer not given to showstoppers.</p>
<p>Narendra Kumar Ahmed<br /></p>.<p>Ahmed’s show was mute testimony to the fact that Avatar has us all thinking of how we might possibly conquer that final frontier, space.<br />Two giant globes suspended from the ceiling were lit to create a galaxy of heavenly bodies in the hall. To a dramatic display of laser lights on the ramp and an overture of Richard Strauss’s Also Sprach Zarathustra, he sent out a truly stellar line of intergalactic denim casuals for Killer Jeans, one that nevertheless drew on India’s ethnic tradition.<br /><br />From monochrome gowns with appliqué details that nodded to more than a couple of the season’s trends to a series of denim washes and textures, this was a sexy, uninhibited line.<br /><br />Sprayed, laminated, bleached and coloured, the denim was shredded, dyed and patched. Men’s jackets had net insets or were contoured with piping and contrast patches. Trench and long coats, biker and cropped jackets with the ever-present military detailing, epaulets and zippers were ideal for a trip to the moon. Women’s wear was short and sexy for the form fitted dresses, tiny tops and skinny jeans ideal for the cocktail hour. Accents on the shoulder and waist brought in the “V” silhouette for the future.<br /><br />If this is the future, we certainly want a part of it.<br />Celebrity meter: Sarah Jane Dias, Miss India 2007, opened the show, while Jail star Neil Nitin Mukesh closed it out in a crossover denim jacket that was so sharply cut anyone aiming for a piece of the man in it might well hurt themselves.<br /><br />Malini Ramani<br />The love goddess made a welcome return at Ramani’s show, seducing buyers in five different stories. From Mexico to Morocco, the designer trawled the planet for inspiration, sending out red-carpet gowns and tie-dye cocktail dresses, chic kaftans and Aztec-influenced jumpsuits.<br /><br />Working from a palette of pink, fuchsia, turquoise, aqua, beige and sunny yellow, she told the story of a young girl in search of her lover through hooded mini dresses, cropped kaftans, monokinis, sarong dresses and strapless jumpsuits. Not one piece was a traditional garment as we know it. And everything was either printed — snake, zebra, bandhini — or embroidered and embellished.<br />Celebrity meter: Former supermodel Mehr Rampal, jewellery designer Maheep Kapoor and Bhavna Pandey closed out the show in a series of liquid gold lamé gowns.<br /><br />Leconet Hemant<br />From these veteran designers came an achingly hip line that perfectly fits with our new, globalised ethos. Indian design traditions were given fabulous new European sensibilities, offering an international collection perfect for the jetsetting desi.<br />Starting with a men’s wear line of coats, jackets, shirts, trousers — both loose and slim — the duo showed their latest offering, the Shield over jackets or shirts, which were padded and looked bullet proof.<br /><br />From wool to flannel and plastic, they used a variety of materials, employing a palette of neutrals, mustards, blues, reds and burgundies.<br /><br />Also suited to our times but in a very different way was their second line, the organic ‘Ayurganic’ collection, which was treated with special oils and herbs and is free of synthetic chemicals and toxins. It will be sold at wellness lounges in biodegradable bags with an organic ink print on them.<br /><br />Creating garments that are therapeutic as well as stylish, they sent out tunics, capes, kimonos, trousers, hooded scarves and bathrobes, all treated so that even after 20 washes nearly 85 per cent of the wellness properties remain in the garments.<br /><br />A line of formal wear closed out the show, with stylish Western jackets and trench coats for the men, and Indo-West adaptions of the churidar-kurta for the ladies. A key highlight had to have been their black chiffon sari-inspired toga dress.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Manish Malhotra<br />While the film designer was inspired by the holiday resort of St Tropez, his collection was nevertheless very Indian in look and feel, while nodding to current trends. One-shouldered kurtas, for example, competed with luxurious layering, while sparkly leggings were teamed with kurtas.Colours were pastels and metallics, with fabrics ranging form nets to georgettes to silks.<br /><br />And for the men, Malhotra chose the bandhgala and cowl trousers, offering a variety of textures, finishes and details.<br />Celebrity meter: Raveena Tandon attended, professing to love the show. <br />Also in the audience were Urmila Matondakar, Celina Jaitley and Dino Morea, with no celebs on the ramp because the designer said he wanted to focus on the clothes and not on the stars wearing them.<br /><br />Pria Kataria Puri<br />The designer’s long years in the Middle East showed, despite her insistence that she was inspired by the late Maharani Gayatri Devi.<br />The clothes were a line of kaftans, elegant saris, empire-line gowns, shararas and anarkali kurtas and tunic dresses from French chiffon, satins and Egyptian cottons. Her palette was white, yellow, coral and emerald and the entire line seemed aimed at the NRI bridal and Middle East markets.<br />Celebrity meter: Mughda Godse closed out the show in a slim orange lehenga, choli and net dupatta.<br /><br />Rocky S<br />The Bollywood favourite has clearly been bitten by Taylor Lautner and R-Patz; his glam-meets-goth line for men brought together such diverse themes as gothic, punk and classic vampire attire.<br />Working with rich, luxurious fabrics, he turned glittering brocades, jacquards, textured striped silk blends, hounds tooth, gabardine, tweed, felt and even some very interesting upholstery material into avant garde men’s wear. Everything was detailed, from elbow patches to lace trims on cuffs, collars, pockets and the backs of jackets, and it was all accessorised with studded belts, black patent leather bags, pouches, boots, hand cuffs and glittering neck chains.<br />Yet, lovers of classic lines weren’t ignored: sharply cut suits in masculine tones of black, steel, grey, deep blue, wine and ivory were also a strong part of the show.<br />Four monochrome women’s gowns finished off the show.<br />Celebrity meter: The droolworthy John Abraham closed out the collection, in a grey pin-striped three-piece suit.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Shantanu and Nikhil<br />Getting fashion designers to create a line for a sportswear major is not a new concept, but it should be enough to carve out a new market in the wake of a global recession. The pair’s new S&N label for Adidas Style Essentials offered sporty pieces and casual eveningwear options.<br />A smart yellow knit jumpsuit opened the show, setting the tone for chic and sexy. Micro balloon shorts, one-shoulder tunics, plaid swimsuits and short jackets teamed with checked tights followed, while an interestingly draped corset with a rouched striped skirt and a checked ombre swimsuit were among the better pieces. Men were given Bermudas, cardigans, sleeveless jackets, quilted trousers, swimwear and capris in a variety of checks, stripes and dual tones.<br />None of which may necessarily get people exercising, but there’s plenty to get them buying!<br />Celebrity meter: Bollywood beauty Deepika Padokone closed out the show, gliding down the ramp in a diagonal striped sleeveless T-shirt with a shimmering clinched waist, teamed with metallic balloon micro shorts.<br /><br />Krishna Mehta<br />The colours and action of the Kumbh Mela inspired this veteran designer, who opened her show with a dread-locked, conch-blowing sadhu. Featuring a kaleidoscopic ethnic collection, she nevertheless sent out a line of timeless classics that carried her signature all through.<br />Men’s ensembles were a riot of earthy colours and a perfect blend of textures but with that element of contemporary punk for shorter slimmer silhouettes — waistcoats, unlined sherwanis, jacquard coats, crushed kurtas, shimmering tissue tunics and relaxed kurtas were finely balanced with very heavy glittering sherwanis and textured long jackets.<br />To chants of Om, models dressed as sadhu and sadhvis draped in rows of rudraksh came down the ramp, dressed in disconcertingly luxurious fabrics such as lamé, silk and linen in shades of wine and gold. The details showed up in prints and dyes.<br />Celebrity meter: Rohit Verma in a dramatic turn came down the catwalk in a red georgette gown with a flowing scarf.<br /><br />Sabyasachi<br />It was a veritable travelogue across space and time from the heart of deepest Africa to 1920s Paris that inspired Kolkata superstar Sabyasachi Mukherjee and wowed audiences at his Lakme show this week.<br />Presenting a practical easy-to-wear mix and match look, the designer gave fashion an ethnic yet contemporary touch, while bringing back some old favourites of the past like elasticised skirts and long-line tees.<br />As might be expected, it was a feast of fabrics, patterns, embellishments and simple, lean, elegant silhouettes.<br />The colour story was muted with shades of ivory, brown, teal, rust, and indigo, with touches of orange and large doses of gold and silver embroidery.<br />Separates such as trench coats, wrap jackets, loose pants, tight churidars, sexy Flapper dresses over printed trousers, shimmering long tubes, printed tunics, asymmetric waistcoats, sheer skirts lavishly embellished with beads and glitter, and printed blouses were all piled together in typical Sabyasachi style.<br />If it was all over the place, it was nevertheless very together – notwithstanding comments from the designer that it came from a midlife crisis.<br />Celebrity meter: Actor Vidya Balan closed out the show, a surprising departure for a designer not given to showstoppers.</p>
