It was an elaborate set made of giant wooden frames and a clock-mechanism appearance– perfect for the final show of the five-day extravaganza Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2011.
Manish Malhotra’s collection was as dramatic as any Bollywood movie. Making the most of chikan work and silver and resham embroidery, the ace designer created a collection of breathtaking festive and wedding wear that introduced a few new elements while retaining the Manish Malhotra signature.
The silhouette for women was of graceful panels and flared lehengas and gowns. Manish paired swirling lehengas, well-constructed cholis and saris for women, with elegant jackets and corset blouses. Embellishments were everywhere– on the sleeves, down the front, on jackets and cholis, along with multiple borders.
Manish kept the colours tones festive with white and candy floss pink, in contrast to black, wine, gold, pale grey, metallics and cherry red. We noted that the designer had mixed, matched and clashed colours for a strong impact. For instance, a grey kurta with a longer bright pink lining, or orange and pink in the same outfit! The opulent clothes were stitched from rich fabrics like lace, chiffon, silk, net and velvet, while most dupattas were kept sheer.
For men we saw sherwanis and long coats with wide cuffs, pleats and gathers, even as some coats were lean and layered over kurtas. The colours were masculine (black, grey, wine), albeit with a hint of fuchsia for collars and cuffs.
And oh, in case you haven’t heard already, Kareena Kapoor was the showstopper (she is also the face of Lakme Absolute, on which Manish’s collection was based).
Some of the ideas from Manish Malhotra’s show we’d like to steal immediately:
1. Two dupattas for a single outfit… nice! (My mom earlier spotted this on Shah Rukh Khan in Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham)
2. Thick/ multiple borders
3. Neutral/ pastel outfits with a pop of colour in the detailing, jacket or dupatta
