A PERFECT COMBINATION
Amit Aggarwal married two cultures in his unconventional bridal collection, Monaco from the heart of Kashi
The resonating sounds of temple bells beckoned from the banks of Kashi with beams of golden light intersected across the runway like filtered sunrays at dawn, Amit Aggarwal showcased his season’s collection.
Aggarwal, who is known for incorporating structures in his design presented second skin-like moulded blouses, the modern saree drape dresses and panelled flare skirts. The outfits were teamed with sharply constructed jackets.
Deeply inspired by the art and interiors of the Prince’s Palace of Monaco and Opera De Monte Carlo, the collection reflected it through the metallic palette of gold, silver, pewter and copper, accented with emerald, midnight blue and wine.
Continuing with sustainability in couture, Aggarwal restored rich vintage Banarasi sarees in his signature style and three-dimensional hand embroideries. Circular art nouveau patterns were interpreted with zari and recycled cord intricately embroidered in flower forms.
Keeping brocade as the hero of the show, the models maintained nearly nude sun-kissed skin and wind-wisped fishtail plaits with an au-naturel glow.
The designer beautifully accessorised the Monaco-inspired ensembles with batwa belts, a truly modern interpretation of a classic Indian purse.
Designer Sangeeta Boochra crafted silver tribal and polki jewelry and head pieces. Metallic heels by Steve Madden perfectly complemented the collection.
The towering presence of Esha Gupta made her glorious appearance in a shocking blue and sunflower gold lehenga. The radiating sun motif was interpreted through a maze of flowers done with recycled materials and intricate hand embroidery boasted of 600 hours of craftsmanship. This stunner was teamed with Aggarwal’s signature gold moulded blouse.
“I think the collaborative efforts of lakme and IMG getting a place of history along with a creative force such as us, opens up a pandora of possibilities. Design, inspiration, creation and commerce strengthen with such collaborations,” said Aggarwal.
THE ESSENCE OF A TRUE lADY
Rahul Mishra’s winter collection Project Eve provides a wholesome experience for Indian women
Third day of lakme fashion week 2017 came to an end with Rahul Mishra’s Project Eve – a grand amalgamation of Indian textiles. The apparel at Project Eve includes Indian, international, handloom brands like Swadesh and its in-house label Project Eve.
Talking about the label Rahul Mishra said, “Project Eve is a great opportunity for the handloom weavers of the country who form the essence of this collaboration. I feel immensely honoured to be a part of this collaboration with Project Eve that thrives to create supportive ecosystems for our weavers – the building blocks of Indian fashion. The collection showcased will be available at the stores by next week.”
Staying true to his roots, Rahul Mishra’s textiles – Chanderis, Maheshwaris, Banarasi - did all the fashionable talking when he showcased his fine motifs woven to bring back the heritage, culture of warp and weft. The light as air fabrics had a regal demeanour as chirping birds; kamal, genda and mogra along with hints of Mughal architectural inspirations were entwined into the weaves. The luxuriously woven fabrics for the lehengas, kurtas, dupattas and saris were a dream to behold.
The embroidery was like a masterpiece on textiles that brought the beauty of nature on fabrics. While the collection was predominantly festive India, Rahul brought in two gowns to cater to the western dresser. The swirling anarkalis, kurtas - some with backless silhouettes, the kirkita palazzos, Kamal jaal lehengas and the beautifully scalloped dupattas revealed Rahul’s experiments with embellishments.
The result was a majestic colourful festive explosion that started with yellow, purple and coral along with a large assortment of kaleidoscopic hues. The colour card also had pretty pastels that moved into festive hues of fuchsia, orange, red and then onto dramatic black and white.