Yet another season of lakme Fashion Week is upon us. It’s all about fluidity, breaking down setpieces and going back to the roots. Unnati Joshi reports
We are finally comfortable about ourselves as torchbearers of tradition and setting our own grammar, without being dictated by what the world wants us to do. So it is another edition of a fall fashion week about Indianness and celebrations rather than keeping to the international ramp format. The stage was set by Tarun Tahiliani, who opened the week with a collection inspired by sculptor Mrinalini Mukherjee’s lifesize hemp and cast bronze sculptures and Kangana Ranaut as showstopper.
A palette in earthy tones which include re-imagined renditions of ravishing red, cobalt blue, charcoal, olive and rust, the collection combined jerseys and textures in chanderi, fringing and crochet using thick chenille yarns coupled with graphic textures and shading to create a 3D feel to flat digital printing. Textured handloom fabrics are combined with contemporary silhouettes with cascades and cowl drapes on gilets, capes, concept sarees and dresses to reflect the sculptor’s ideology in a tactile and fashionable form. The bold and colourful stripes and checks reminded us of the rich visual intensity of Asian textile traditions even as the gamut of textiles — woven, printed and bold lines — reflected her characteristic work in a textured and layered look that lends itself to kurtas, kaftans, tunics and shift dresses.
Payal Khandwala
Payal Khandwala will be showcasing her collection, “The New Emperor”, and it has got us keyed up for many reasons. One, because it’s a bridal collection and two, because the collection is practical and fuss-free. She has tweaked her bridal line with menswear essentials like jacket, cuffs and collars. “Our muse as always is strong and not content playing princess. She would much rather be a king. I imagine her as a powerful yet gentle monarch, not afraid to embrace her graceful side, but also not reluctant to be a leader,” said Payal, talking about her collection.
Swati Vijaivargie
labelling her collection Raas, Vijaivarge is inspired by Pichchwai paintings. The distillation of motif, colour, detail and silhouette is rooted in folk expertise.
About her collection, the designer said, “This is a collection of flamboyant ensembles with contemporised silhouettes to emulate a modern approach that includes peplum tops, choga-inspired floor length jackets, ghagras, odhanas and pyjamas to cling to the backbone of the original visual inspirations.”
Anavila
Anavila reminds us about our relationship with sari being the drape for all occasions. The designer has explored four looks — Sari at work, Sari in love, Sari in celebration, Sari on the move. “The Sari in Us is an expression of the deep relationship that women in India have with tradition and the comfortwear that the nine yards actually make for in our times,” she told us.
Esha Amin
Celebrity stylist Esha Amin is debuting as a designer with her new diffusion line, Noir Forest. The collection is inspired by the deep, dark secrets of a mythical forest. She dabbles in whimsical fantasy as her palette daubs shades of deep raven and moonlight white, highlighted with a dash of blood red and forest green.
Aartivijay Gupta
Gupta’s winter garden is inspired by florals and the silhouettes move from structured to oversized and deconstructed. The colour palette goes from bright to rustic and earthy, reminiscent of the transition of a flower from summer to fall.
“This is a lot about nostalgia. I used to spend hours looking out the window during the change of season. I was always fascinated by flowers turning into a deep shade of aubergine, trees shedding leaves and the streets being filled with ochre and red leaves,” said the designer.
Vineet & Rahul
The designer duo, Vineet and Rahul, presents a luxury spread for urban goddesses, Indian with a global edge. “Hand-woven raw silks and luminous Chanderi bases are transformed into uber chic and easy fluid silhouettes like kimono jackets, overcoats, blazers to timeless clean cut minimal modern kurtas and tunics,” they told us.