Showing all posts in WIFW AW 2011

In 2011, Fashion, trends, WIFW AW 2011

WIFW A/W 2011: Interesting looks and outfits from Day 5

Author Speaking ChicPosted on 2 Comments

On the final day of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2011, we spotted a few interesting outfits that made us sit up and take note. Here they are:

Made from safety pins

Nikhita Tandon’s on-ramp rock divas wore dresses that were embellished with safety pins, along with sequins and beads. Edgy? You decide!

Nikhita Tandon at WIFW A/W 2011- dress with safety pins Nikhita Tandon at WIFW A/W 2011- dress with safety pins closeup

 

 

Women as pirates

Models in eye patches walked down the ramps at Rahul Reddy (the designer called them “unsung warriors”). Colours were dark, with subtle hints of pink and greys. The appliqués had floral and circular motifs even as accessories like combat boots and umbrellas made an appearance.

Rahul Reddy at WIFW A/W 2011

Futuristic with elastic

At Ridzyn by Ritesh Kumar, we saw elastic being used to create 3D textures, collars and neckpieces. Combining linear silhouettes with non-traditional add-ons, the designer created a futuristic look that is much more achievable and believable than Priyanka Chopra’s red hair in Love Story 2050.

Ridzyn by Ritesh Kumar at WIFW A/W 2011 Ridzyn by Ritesh Kumar at WIFW A/W 2011

Let’s go linear

Rahul Mishra’s collection drew inspiration from lines of all kinds. Geometry showed up as diamond motifs and cuts, dots and landscapes. Using mostly black and white along with blush pinks, greys and red accents in silk and khadi, there was symmetry and asymmetry,  but it all balanced out in the final looks.

Rahul Mishra at WIFW A/W 2011

In 2011, Fashion, trends, WIFW AW 2011

WIFW A/W 2011: Interesting looks and outfits from Day 5

Author Speaking ChicPosted on 2 Comments

On the final day of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2011, we spotted a few interesting outfits that made us sit up and take note. Here they are:

Made from safety pins

Nikhita Tandon’s on-ramp rock divas wore dresses that were embellished with safety pins, along with sequins and beads. Edgy? You decide!

Nikhita Tandon at WIFW A/W 2011- dress with safety pins Nikhita Tandon at WIFW A/W 2011- dress with safety pins closeup

 

 

Women as pirates

Models in eye patches walked down the ramps at Rahul Reddy (the designer called them “unsung warriors”). Colours were dark, with subtle hints of pink and greys. The appliqués had floral and circular motifs even as accessories like combat boots and umbrellas made an appearance.

Rahul Reddy at WIFW A/W 2011

Futuristic with elastic

At Ridzyn by Ritesh Kumar, we saw elastic being used to create 3D textures, collars and neckpieces. Combining linear silhouettes with non-traditional add-ons, the designer created a futuristic look that is much more achievable and believable than Priyanka Chopra’s red hair in Love Story 2050.

Ridzyn by Ritesh Kumar at WIFW A/W 2011 Ridzyn by Ritesh Kumar at WIFW A/W 2011

Let’s go linear

Rahul Mishra’s collection drew inspiration from lines of all kinds. Geometry showed up as diamond motifs and cuts, dots and landscapes. Using mostly black and white along with blush pinks, greys and red accents in silk and khadi, there was symmetry and asymmetry,  but it all balanced out in the final looks.

Rahul Mishra at WIFW A/W 2011

In 2011, Fashion, trends, WIFW AW 2011

WIFW A/W 2011: How to wear Day 4 trends

Author Speaking ChicPosted on Leave a comment

Speaking Chic put some of the outfits and trends from the fourth day of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2011 through our magnifying glass and came up with some key advice for these select pieces and trends:

White for winter

Sonia Sarin’s all-white collection, with shiny bandanas.

Sonia Sarin at WIFW A/W 2011

Speaking Chic says: White is the (non)colour for all seasons, except the prolonged monsoon.

How should you wear this?: As it is, or white teamed with almost any colour is just as nice!

Florals for winter

Anupamaa by Anupama Dayal had a Mughalflower-inspired collection.

Anupama Dayal at WIFW A/W 2011

Speaking Chic says: Last season, winter florals made an appearance on and off the ramp. Anupama Dayal’s floral collection seems to have a strong summer link (though this is from her Autumn/Winter collection).

How should you wear this?: Only in deeper colours for winter.

Shiny!

Koga by Jenjum and Jasleen’s shiny surfaces were mixed with colours like greens, reds, oranges and blues.

Koga by Jenjum and Jasleen at WIFW A/W 2011

Speaking Chic says: Over the last few seasons, fashion has taken a subdued approach to bling. But they’re still perfect for partying and glam nights out.

How should you wear this?: Only one shiny garment at a time, please!

Tailored formals

Atsu Sekhose showcased a largely formal wear collection with tailoring, along with detailing like ruffles and sequins.

Atsu by Atsu Sekhose at WIFW A/W 2011

Speaking Chic says: Fine tailoring, colours like purple, maroon, teal, midnight blue and black make for great formal wear. The bling factor is right for the night.

How should you wear this?: Any way you like—formals are never out of style.

Wooden fashion

Alpana and Neeraj used wood-finished mouldable materials to create striated and blistered wood textures. It was twisted, bolted, shredded and interlaced to form the structures and corsets, often getting a 3D look.

Alpana-Neeraj at WIFW A/W 2011

Speaking Chic says: This out-of-the-box approach to fashion gets a thumbs-up from us, though we hope this gets more wearable in the retail version.

How should you wear this?: A bit more fabric and a bit less wood would be more wearable.

Wire and cables

My Village by Rimzim Dadu incorporated metal and plastic fibres for a futuristic look.

My VIllage by Rimzim Dadu at WIFW A/W 2011

Speaking Chic says: If you appreciate Rimzim Dadu’s technique and creativity, then this outfit will make you feel special, powerful and unique.

How should you wear this?: With truckloads of attitude.

Fluid fabrics

Gaurav Gupta used satins and lycra-based jerseys to create fluid and drapey silhouettes.

Gaurav Gupta at WIFW A/W 2011

Speaking Chic says: Drapes got a different twist in the ace designer’s garments, ranging from messy ruffles to a zippered bodice. Super-like!

How should you wear this?: In a draping style that suits your body type.

In 2011, Fashion, trends, WIFW AW 2011

WIFW A/W 2011: Important fashion lessons from Day 3

Author Speaking ChicPosted on Leave a comment

Fashion Lesson 1: Black will always be the new black

Fashion designers declared black as the colour for Autumn/Winter 2011, proving that black will always be in fashion. We spotted black at Sanskar by Sonam Dubal, Namrata Joshipura and Mrinalini.

Below: Sanskar by Sonam Dubal, Namrata Joshipura and Mrinalini.

Sanskar by Sonam Dubal Namrata Joshipura at WIFW A/W 2011 Mrinalini at WIFW A/W 2011

Fashion Lesson 2: Designers are loving geometric shapes!

Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna turned linear geometry on its head, creating vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines with crosshatching patches on grey felts, mixing see-through fabrics with opaque, and use of superimposed patterns. Mrinalini’s collection drew inspiration from origami, crafting garments in straight lines, checks, circles and patterns.  She managed to give her clothes a paper-like feel. Meanwhile, Raj Shroff used cutwork jackets to layer for winter. All these designers showed us geometry in fashion is tres chic and wearable!

Below: Mrinalini, Rohit Gandhi-Rahul Khanna

Mrinalini at WIFW A/W 2011 Rohit Gandhi Rahul Khanna

Fashion Lesson 3: Head gear is ruling the ramps across India

We spotted plenty of head gear last month on Day 2 of Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2011. And on the third day of WIFW A/W 2011, we spotted fun head gear and accessories at Divyam Mehta, James Ferreira and Prama by Pratima Pandey. Now we’re only awaiting the highstreet versions and roadside bargains. 😉

Below: Divyam Mehta, Prama by Pratima Pandey.

Divyam Mehta at WIFW A/W 2011 Prama by Pratima Pandey at WIFW A/W 2011

Fashion Lesson 4: Stockings will be fun this winter

Stockings and tights made a comeback recently, and it’s nice to know they will be around for a while. From plain boring leggings and stockings, we’ve moved on to printed ones, and now designers are keeping them for next season. So they’re in bright colours at James Ferreira and Small Shop by Jason Anshu, shaded at S&N Drape by Shantanu & Nikhil, and bejewelled socks at Namrata Joshipura. They’re on our winter must-have list already!

Below: Small Shop by Jason Anshu, S&N Drape by Shantanu & Nikhil, Namrata Joshipura.

Small Shop by Jason-Anshu at WIFW A/W 2011 S&N Drape by Shantanu-Nikhil at WIFW A/W 2011 Namrata Joshipura at WIFW A/W 2011

Fashion Lesson 5:  We’re ready for new silhouettes

At Small Shop by Jason-Anshu, the silhouettes were geometrical, making boxy shapes, yet draped in a feminine manner.  The designer duo played with colour mixing and draping to create multi-layering effects. And at Raj Shroff’s aptly-named Mystic Contours, shapes were best-defined as anti-silhouette, not following contoured lines and other physical attributes, yet striking a balance between extremes. Textures involving tipping and patchwork and slits were seen in twisted forms.

Below: Small Shop by Jason-Anshu, Raj Shroff

Small Shop by Jason-Anshu Raj Shroff at WIFW A/W 2011

Fashion Lesson 6: Fashion designers do try hard

Both Manish Malhotra and S&N Drape by Shantanu & Nikhil showcased their collections at LFW S/R 2011. And while both designers stuck to similar concepts from last month’s shows, they made a marked attempt to present different styles to the audience. Thank god for that!

Below: Manish Malhotra, S&N Drape by Shantanu & Nikhil.

Manish Malhotra at WIFW A/W 2011 S&N Drape by Shantanu-Nikhil at WIFW A/W 2011

In 2011, Fashion, trends, WIFW AW 2011

WIFW A/W 2011: Top Day 2 trends

Author Speaking ChicPosted on Leave a comment

Here’s a quick recap of the leading trends seen on the ramps of Day 2 of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2011.

Prints

Prints were seen across a number of shows, but Rahul Singh’s prints predominantly sea blue and white prints were our favourite. We also liked Charu Parashar’s circular  and abstract prints that were shaded grey to black.

Below: Rahul Singh, Charu Parashar

Rahul Singh at WIFW A/W 2011 Charu Parashar at WIFW A/W 2011

Natural inspirations

While Payal Jain sought inspirations from the five elements of nature with different colour and print stories for each element, Joy Mitra mixed earthy tones like black and brown with maroons, indigos and sap green.

Below: Payal Jain, Joy Mitra

Payal Jain at WIFW A/W 2011 Joy Mitra at WIFW A/W 2011

Embellishments and detailing

We flipped for Zurhke’s thread and laser-cut felt floral embroidery on kaftans, jackets and kurtas. Jaya Rathore used handcrafted Spanish lace in her line along with cross stitched motifs and threadwork on fine fabrics.

Below: Zurhke by Rajdeep Ranawat and Naresh Chauhan, Jaya Rathore

Zurhke at WIFW A/W 2011 Jaya Rathore at WIFW A/W 2011

International influences

Jaya Rathore brought Spain on the ramp (picture above), while Ashima-Leena’s collection had a strong tribal and gypsy influence. Kavita Bhartia’s line had a Victorian and gothic feel.

Below: Ashima-Leena, Kavita Bhartia

Ashima-Leena at WIFW A/W 2011 Kavita Bhartia at WIFW A/W 2011

Layering

Layering is a key element of winter dressing, and several Day 2 designers used some form of layering to style their models. At Label by Ritu Kumar, asymmetric layering was seen with models wore shorter jackets over longer kurtas and vice versa. At Saaj by Ankita tulle was used to create interesting layers.

Below: Label by Ritu Kumar, Saaj by Ankita

Label by Ritu Kumar at WIFW A/W 2011 Saaj by Ankita at WIFW A/W 2011

In 2011, Fashion, trends, WIFW AW 2011

WIFW A/W 2011: Day 1 Trends

Author Speaking ChicPosted on Leave a comment

Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2011 kicked off April 6 morning with designer Neeru Kumar’s show (her runway debut). The key trends of the day:

Playing with fabrics and textures

Fashion designers played with fabrics to create modern silhouettes. Neeru Kumar used a mix of wool, cashmere, linen, cotton and silk to shape garments that defined a woman’s curves. Urvashi Kaur draped hand-loomed fabrics and weaves like chanderi, tussar, woven silk, self patterned linen and wool jersey added an element of surprise to the garments. Also, the mix of colour and textured fabric at Akaaro was a wonderful experimentation of weaving techniques.

Below (left to right): Neeru Kumar, Pankaj & Nidhi, Akaaro by Gaurav Jai Gupta

Neeru Kumar Pankaj & Nidhi WIFW Akaaro by Gaurav Jai Gupta

Colours for winter

Rehane gave their collection a warm feel with yellows and oranges, while Urvashi Kaur’s colour palette varied from indigo, violet, electric blue, lime to yellow, green and red. Geisha Designs chose colours that colours symbolising the earth’s crust—mercury grey, lava red, storm violet, sea green and Atlantic grey.

Below (left to right): Rehane, Urvashi Kaur, Geisha Designs

Rehane WIFW dress Urvashi Kaur at WIFW A/W 2011 Geisha Designs at WIFW A/W 2011

True to tradition

We saw traditions-inspired collections throughout the day, from Urvashi Kaur’s hand-loomed fabric and weaves like chanderi, tussar, woven silk and self patterned linen to Geisha Designs’ hand-crafted techniques like batik dyeing and crochet. Pankaj & Nidhi’s Woven Chemistry collection used the Japanese technique ‘sashiko no donza’, a form of intricate quilting and embroidery, along with other mat-like weaving technique creating garments that were strong, defined and textured. Even Mona-Pali’s very modern collection had a rustic charm.

Below: Mona-Pali

Mona-Pali WIFW A/W 2011

Voluminous silhouettes

From soft flowy gowns and dresses at Geisha Designs to Arjun’s A-line skirts and billowy sleeves and trousers, volume ruled the ramps. At Varun Bahl, loose ribbons around waistlines, sleeves and hems added a 3-dimensional voluminous look along with scalloped skirts, clever use of asymmetry and ballooning effect on sleeves.

Below (left to right): Arjun, Varun Bahl

Arjun at WIFW A/W 2011 Varun Bahl at WIFW A/W 2011

In Fashion, WIFW AW 2011

WIFW: 141 fashion designers? We explain!

Author Speaking ChicPosted on Leave a comment

Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Autumn/ Winter 2011 kicks off on April 6, and the designer list has been announced. A whopping 141 designers will showcase their collections at the Delhi event.

image001Now 141 designers is an amazing number, right? So we poked around a bit and discovered some interesting nuggets, that explain the numbers better:

Out of a total of 141 designers, 77 will have ramp shows. Fifteen of them are Hi 5 designers  (upcoming designers making their runway debut).

The remaining (that means 64 designers) will only display their collections in the stalls. That’s an area like an exhibition hall where you can check out the clothes and accessories, and even meet the designers. You can usually find buyers and journalists and other general visitors in this area during fashion week.

What we find most interesting is the list of designers who only have stalls. These include big names by Rohit Bal, Malini Ramani, Gauri & Nainika, Amit GT, Nachiket Barve, Prashant Verma, Ranna Gill, Rina Dhaka, Vineet Bahl and Wendell Rodricks. Wendell Rodricks WIFW

We wondered what such big names are doing off the ramp. It’s possible these well-established designers feel they don’t need ramp shows to get attention. Perhaps they’d rather focus on getting their clothes right, rather than dealing with the chaos and costs of a ramp show. Or maybe they feel ramp shows are just not worth the expense?

What do you think?

PS: Some of the recognisable names showcasing their collections on the ramp: Abraham & Thakore, am:pm by Ankur & Priyanka Modi, Gaurav Gupta, Geisha Designs by Paras & Shalini, James Ferreira, Label – Ritu Kumar, My Village by Rimzim Dadu, Namrata Joshipura, Neeru Kumar, Niki Mahajan, Pero by Aneeth Arora, Rahul Mishra, Rahul Reddy, Tarun Tahiliani, Sabyasachi Mukherjee.

In Fashion, WIFW AW 2011

WIFW: 141 fashion designers? We explain!

Author Speaking ChicPosted on Leave a comment

Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Autumn/ Winter 2011 kicks off on April 6, and the designer list has been announced. A whopping 141 designers will showcase their collections at the Delhi event.

image001Now 141 designers is an amazing number, right? So we poked around a bit and discovered some interesting nuggets, that explain the numbers better:

Out of a total of 141 designers, 77 will have ramp shows. Fifteen of them are Hi 5 designers  (upcoming designers making their runway debut).

The remaining (that means 64 designers) will only display their collections in the stalls. That’s an area like an exhibition hall where you can check out the clothes and accessories, and even meet the designers. You can usually find buyers and journalists and other general visitors in this area during fashion week.

What we find most interesting is the list of designers who only have stalls. These include big names by Rohit Bal, Malini Ramani, Gauri & Nainika, Amit GT, Nachiket Barve, Prashant Verma, Ranna Gill, Rina Dhaka, Vineet Bahl and Wendell Rodricks. Wendell Rodricks WIFW

We wondered what such big names are doing off the ramp. It’s possible these well-established designers feel they don’t need ramp shows to get attention. Perhaps they’d rather focus on getting their clothes right, rather than dealing with the chaos and costs of a ramp show. Or maybe they feel ramp shows are just not worth the expense?

What do you think?

PS: Some of the recognisable names showcasing their collections on the ramp: Abraham & Thakore, am:pm by Ankur & Priyanka Modi, Gaurav Gupta, Geisha Designs by Paras & Shalini, James Ferreira, Label – Ritu Kumar, My Village by Rimzim Dadu, Namrata Joshipura, Neeru Kumar, Niki Mahajan, Pero by Aneeth Arora, Rahul Mishra, Rahul Reddy, Tarun Tahiliani, Sabyasachi Mukherjee.

In 2011, Fashion, News, WIFW AW 2011

Fashion News: Master of textiles Neeru Kumar to open WIFW

Author Speaking ChicPosted on Leave a comment

Designer Neeru Kumar WIFWVeteran textile designer Neeru Kumar will open Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) Autumn/Winter 2011 (begins April 6).

If you haven’t heard of Neeru Kumar, you’re not the only one. Even though she has been in the industry for more than three decades, Neeru has made her mark in the world of textiles. She works with traditional Indian crafts such as kantha, khadi and ikat, creating weaves that are suited to contemporary sensibilities and can be made into wearable garments.

Her versatile fabrics are made into saris, Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Weekscarves, shawls and even home furnishing products. Neeru is known for experimenting with weaves, and her products are sold throughout the world under her eponymous label.

No designer profile is complete with some name-dropping, so we might as well tell you that Neeru Kumar’s client list includes Sonia Gandhi, Shabana Azmi and Arundhati Roy.

There aren’t too many fashion designers in India who go beyond mere lip service to India’s crafts and textile traditions. And that’s exactly why we’re looking forward to Neeru Kumar’s show early next month!

In Fashion, LFW, WIFW AW 2011

Fashion Weeks in India: The battle heats up!

Author Speaking ChicPosted on 2 Comments

It’s Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) vs Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) all over again. The two “rival” fashion weeks have been fighting it out for supremacy since several seasons now, but this season has been kind of amusing for us.

Consider this: LFW was scheduled to hold a press conference last week to announce their designer list for Lakme Fashion Week Summer Resort 2011 (starts March 11). And lo, WIFW announced their designers on the same day (even though their event kicks off April 6). Cheeky!

Designer Overlap

As I scrolled through the LFW designer list, my heart skipped a beat as I spotted Sabyasachi Mukherjee. He had just been announced as the finale designer for WIFW!

It’s not uncommon for designers to present their collections at both these fashion weeks (examples from last season: Anupama Dayal, Anita Dongre, Manish Arora), but the finale designer of one fashion week also participating in another seems kinda strange to me.

image001 LFW aircel event logo

What People Say

I met an Austrian guy from the textile industry the other day. He visits India often, and is quite tuned into the fashion/ textiles/ art scene here. He reported to me what he had heard about the Delhi (WIFW) and Mumbai (LFW) fashion weeks: “Buyers tell me that the Mumbai fashion week has better quality, while there are more sales happening at Delhi fashion week.” While we can’t confirm this (yet), it could be true.

Digital Divide

Also, point to note: LFW is going all out to reach as many fashion lovers as possible. After tying up with Style Kandy last year for live webcasts, this season all shows will be streamed live on the official LFW website. On the other hand: WIFW doesn’t even have a dedicated website (it runs on the FDCI website).

Now what?

Meanwhile, both fashion weeks this season have a formidable line-up of designers. Other than the obvious question (who will win the Fashion Weeks Battle?), we are wondering: how different will Sabysachi’s two collections be? Will he recycle looks and outfits, or will he have a more spectacular show in Delhi than in Mumbai?