A grand piano at the centre of a lavish, large ramp (read: 80 ft x 30 ft), complete with vintage glass vases, an installation of chairs and tables suspended from the ceiling sofa sets, lounge chairs, dramatic lights and live Jazz music by Gino Banks and Sheldon D’Silva, at Bandra’s Mehboob Studio
Lakme Fashion Week
Lakme Fashion Week
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9 pm (wednesday) > Manish Malhotra
A grand piano at the centre of a lavish, large ramp (read: 80 ft x 30 ft), complete with vintage glass vases, an installation of chairs and tables suspended from the ceiling sofa sets, lounge chairs, dramatic lights and live Jazz music by Gino Banks and Sheldon D’Silva, at Bandra’s Mehboob Studio. This could have easily been a scene right out of the glamorous, big-budget Bollywood films that Manish Malhotra is known to design for. It wasn’t. The stage was set for the popular designer’s first menswear line titled, The Gentleman’s Club. The setting and mood were perfect.
Models walk the large, 80 ft x 30 ft ramp to showcase Manish Malhotra’s first menswear line called the Gentleman’s Club, during the Lakme Fashion Week Winter Festive 2015 at Mehboob Studio, Bandra. Pic/Shadab Khan
The show featured 78 garments with 40 male models who made full use of the set and props as they lounged on stage. The women were not left far behind as 22 female models walked the ramp in Malhotra’s Red Carpet creations.
Our pick were the suits and blazers with slim fitted trousers, waistcoats with jackets. The black bandhgala jackets with multi-coloured floral embellishments and antique gold, with a rose motif were stunning. The gold bandhgalas, and sherwanis though regal were not too different from the designer’s trademark style.
We loved the choice of colours — midnight blue, emerald green, burgundy and black, all looked elegant. Malhotra’s usual favourite, the velvet made a come back. The showstopper of this show was one of its high points. A loud cheer greeted actor Ranbir Kapoor who walked the ramp, looking suave in a burgundy four-button suit and printed shirt. The look reminded us of the actor’s previous avatars in films like Saawariya and Bombay Velvet.
Magical weaves
5.30 pm > Gaurang Shah
Fashion designer Gaurang Shah is known for working with Indian textiles and this was his first solo slot, and hence a larger show at the fashion week. The show was curated by Pallavi Datta and featured 44 garments.
Gaurang’s show received non-stop applause. Pic/Shadab Khan
Live music and a dance performance set the mood for the show, which was dominated by the colour red. Shah showcased a variety of textiles such as Jamdani, Paithani, Patola and Banarasi.
Some of the fabrics, such as the Paithani, had taken almost two years to make, Shah informed us before the show. Most of the saris were presented just as they are and didn’t need any designing.
It was the pleated ghagras with the weave pattern in the limelight that interested us, a detour from the usual association of heavy embroidery and bridal wear.
Though Shah played safe and presented a collection that wasn’t much different from his previous shows, he managed to create a great ambience and emerged as the crowd favourite.
Our favourite part though was when all the models twirled around with the dancers at the end of the show, now that was simply mesmerising.
Shoe-stopper
Walking the ramp comes with its own perils. We are not quite sure what happened once the shoe was picked up by this front-row fashonista at the Shruti Sancheti show on Day Two. Pics/Bipin Kokate
Banaras on my mind
12 pm > Swati Sunaina, Rinku Sobti and Shruti Sancheti
One of the main themes this season at the fashion week has been a re-look at the Banarasi weave. And the designers of the first slot of Day Two did just that.
A model showcases Rinku Sobti’s ode to Banaras in a collection titled Tassels. Pic/Shadab Khan
First up were designers Swati and Sunaina who presented eight different patterns of the Banarasi weaves including Shikargaha, Khimkhwab, Khandwa, Chaar Taar and Dampach. Using real zari, the designers created patterns typically associated with the Banarasi weaves, in bright colours. The result was beautiful, though typical of the weaves of the region.
Next on show was Rinku Sobti with her label, Loom 1905. The most prominent pattern seen in Sobti’s ode to Banaras was the black-and-white wide checks paired with bright colours. Titled Tassels, the collection featured tassel accents and cord work patterns and fringes. The tassel obsession continued with Shruti Sancheti’s show. Accompanied by the sounds of drums from kabuki, Sancheti presented voluminous skirts, (which she is known for), worn over trousers and samurai style sleeves, keeping with the theme of Kaashi to Kyoto.
Puppets and dhurries
1.30 pm > Divya Sheth, Swati Vijaivargie and Vrisa
Designer Divya Sheth, who is known for creating bohemian garments with prints presented the collection Kalam Putli (Kalamkari and kathputli). The collection used hand-painted Kalamkaris, Ajrakh and handwoven khadi. The collection didn’t highlight anything new; a few pieces using gota patti on bright colours stood out.
Lisa Haydon in an embroidered crop top paired with a long kurta jacket, one of the creations by Swati Vijaivargie.
Pic/Bipin Kokate
Next was our favourite designer of the slot, Swati Vijaivargie. Her collection was inspired by flat woven kilim and dhurries made in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. The collection was a burst of colours in a methodical way. Geometric patterns formed the main motif, created with the help of patchwork and appliqué. The outfits used, handwoven silks, organza while the Chanderi weave added a beautiful, subtle sheen to them.
Next, Rahul and Shikha from Vrisa presented their collection titled A-jharat. The designers are known for their use of thread embroidery on muted fabrics, the motifs mainly being floral. This season was no different; the lone change was the use of warmer, winter shades in the line. Ho hum.
Gara gorgeous
3.30 pm > Ashdeen Lilaowala, [KA] [SHA], Myoho
We last saw Ashdeen Lilaowala participate in the fashion week in March 2014. While we missed his take on the Gara style of embroidery then, the designer was back with a bang.
A model wears a blue and white embroidered gara skirt by Ashdeen Lilaowala. Pic/Bipin Kokate
His designs featured basic shades of red, cream, black and blue (with a little grey and red in the mix). These colours were picked to represent the blue and white of Chinese porcelain (from where the gara embroidery came from) . Flowy saris in chiffon and crepe silk were adorned with gara borders inspired by Chinese Imperial jackets. The designer also had lehengas in the mix this season. Karishma Shahani Khan of [KA] [SHA] presented a set of freely structured and multiple-layered clothes, yet again. While we have seen the designer use different styles of tie-and-dye before, what we liked the most were the tasseled wraps.
Bringing the mojo back were Kiran and Meghna of the label Myoho. Well styled and layering that didn’t seem cluttered made the show a winner. Made using tussar and gajji silks, the translucence of the fabrics added to the beauty of the garments. A monochrome collection, hints of red gave a spark to the collection.
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