Designers kept traditional bridal rules at bay as swimming trucks and Maharashtrian-style sari drape were showcased at Delhi Couture Week
After a heavy dose of flowy gowns, ghararas, shararas and sherwanis, entwined with bling and shimmering works, designer Monisha Jaisingh broke the mould with her beach collection at the ongoing PCJ Delhi Couture Week 2013.
A barechested male model in swimming trucks kickstarted the show holding a blingy umbrella over a female model’s head as she took to the ramp wearing a simple red gown. Jaising didn’t adhere to the bridal wear rules, but she made sure to add the essential bling that all brides love in their attire. “It’s about beach wedding. I’ve used colours that go well with the sand and other elements of the beach,” she said after the show.
The designer played around with bejewelled leggings and dresses embellished with chains and crystals around the shoulder area. The jewelled leggings were teamed with red wool crop jacket with Baroque embroidery elements, purple brocade sherwani, emerald Jaamevaar sherwani layered over a ribbed jersey tank top and more.
The intricately beaded gowns reminded one of waterfalls. Not only because of the cuts, but also due to the use of different shades of blue like midnight and ink.There was a cotton dress in ivory, a black-knitted dress and also a purple-knitted dress with gold foil block prints and sequins. Indian bridal wear is considered incomplete without lehengas, and Jaising made sure she catered to that segment as well, with showstopper Miss Universe Canada 2012 Sahar Biniaz flaunting a sand-coloured number.
Jaisingh's range of lehengas were in bright and striking colours like lime green, fluorescent coral, burgundy, navy blue.As she shifted from gowns to Indian wear, the party music in the background, also made way for ethnic fusion tunes.
The other designer showcased was Anamika Khanna. She took a cue from Indian elements — like the Maharashtrian-style sari drape, lucknowi chikankari work and the traditional maang-tika. “I wanted it to feel like the collection belonged to many years ago... almost like a vintage feel. Every garment drew inspiration from India. There are skirts for which the inspiration came from a Maharashtrian sari,” Khanna said post her show.
The designer incorporated interesting headgear to accentuate the overall look of the models who sauntered on the ramp in her creations. “The idea was to present powerful women... the mohawks if I may call them, drew inspiration from maang-tika (a head ornament) and it gave a more modern and powerful look,” she said.
Against the backdrop of a forest-inspired stage, models flaunted attires which were not in the traditional bridal wear colours of deep red, orange or fuchsia pink.
“I don’t want to follow rules. You expect red, orange, fuchsia for a bride, but I want to do my own thing,” said the designer, who used blue, light red, green, muted silver and gold.
Khanna, who even gave a twist to the dupatta and used it as a cape, used self-created fabrics to give her garments the desired effect. The work looked like intricate lace work, but the designer says it was embroidery.
“It’s an inspiration of chikankari, which we tried to present as lace. We took a base fabric and developed it. All the fabrics were washed, dyed, bleached and embroidered and treated,” she said.