New collections of over 43 designers from Mumbai, Delhi, Goa , Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore where showcased to an audience of buyers, literati, glitterati, socialites and movie stars.
A new nuance of international designers- two South Africans — Clive Rundle and & Sun Goddess- along with two retail brands- Allen Solly and Stanza who did dilute the concept of ' Indian Fashion Week' but the talent of the designers shone past any bloopers.
It was intriguing to see the designer working in tandem with international trends; Lyscelle, James F, Suriley Goel, Rahul Mishra, Priya Kataria Puri, Nandita, Narendra Kumar and Sabyasachi worked in subtle subcontinent signature meshing it with international silhouettes and shapes.
Charleston dresses, chic chemise, toga tops, strappy tunics, empire tops, layered skirts, asymmetric and bubble skirts, smocks, pinafores, trapeze dress, swing coats and trenches were all out on the runway along with shalwaar khameej and sensuously saris.
Bollywood was out in full force. The saris, the sequins, and swing tops were reminiscent of the 70s – the naughty appeal of Mumtaz and Vijayntimala- peeped through the contemporary colours and styling. The biggest trend of the year-both regionally and internationally is the ' Capri length churidaar' worn with a longer dress-style top. The ensembles were tastefully embellished, rouching, smocking, appliqués, quilting, texturing, patchwork worked in notes that were subtle embroidered with glitter from the beading, rhinestones, gotta ribbons, sequins, crystals, pearls and resham work.
Traditional artisanship and textiles in floral prints, hand-woven brocades, stiffened silks, Chantilly laces, tulle, natural cottons and , sheer chiffons, exuberant georgettes natural fabrics were used to create the effect of fragile yet full formed feminity.
Images: The Wordsmiths/ Aesthetics