And the curtains came down

It was exciting to learn that this season, a couple of emerging designers would be handed over the mantle to helm the grand finale at the Mumbai Fashion Week Winter/Festive season, but what transpired was less than expected.

The show, which featured lines by Kallol Datta, and Pankaj-Nidhi would have been acceptable as a regular show, but as a grand finale, it did not bring forth the magnitude and failed to rise to the level that one expects from grand finale shows at fashion weeks, especially going by what has been showcased for years until now.

Kareena Kapoor walked for Kallol Datta. Pics/ Rane Ashish, Satyajit Desai, Shadab Khan

The show area was decorated with yards of white tulle on the walls and three glass frames in abstract forms were suspended from the ceiling with the backdrop covered with the steel squares revolved to reveal gleaming mirrors when the show commenced.

While Kallol's line was a melange of abstract designs in wool, silk, leather and cotton including rouched tunics with faces, snails mating or abstract safety pins, skirts, slashed sleeves and long gowns among others, Pankaj-Nidhi stuck to contemporary kaleidoscopic patterns.

The collections weren't bad. But going by the feedback from the front rows and beyond, it didn't woo the assembled fashionistas who were expecting more (and rightly so) from India's young and talented designers.