Here’s what I learnt on Day 3 of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2012.
The standard Indian inspirations were still on the ramp
Gujarat and Rajasthan have inspired designers across the world, and continue to do so. Abraham & Thakore harked back to their NID, Ahmedabad days with hand-woven and hand-printed textiles. (Below: Abraham & Thakore)
Meanwhile, at Pallavi Jaipur the designer combined Rajasthan’s colour, kitsch and patchwork with an urban flair. The key accessories were hair pieces.
Europe’s varied culture made for interesting fashion elements
Rajdeep Ranawat’s A Bohemian Legend was influenced by the gypsy way of life with rich fabrics and bohemian influences such as paint splatters, and contoured and colour blocked vines with Chantilly motifs. He used embellishments by Swarovski Elements, chains and leather tassels with pearls and filigree. (Below: Rajdeep Ranawat)
At Pankaj & Nidhi, the 200-year-old Polish folk art of Wycinanki (vih-chee-nan-kee) came to life with hand-cut felt fabrics appliquéd on to fabrics. Note the peacock and floral motifs.
I remembered by school days
Dev r Nil’s interpretation of Alice in Wonderland was a bit different from what I imagined when I read it in school, but the play with optics, butterflies, floating gold fishes and surreal flights was just as enchanting. (I now want to read the book again).
If there’s one thing I didn’t mind about “needlework” in school, it was the cross stitch. It was fun, easy, and I could use lots of colours! So I especially liked Pankaj & Nidhi’s cross stitch on leather, using wool yarn and silk tapes. And the cross stitch was done by punching holes in the leather to form a grid. Mesmerising stuff!
Surface textures excite me
Think splashes of blood red, orange and rust on black and grey texturised fabrics with surface ornamentation. Floral art work compliments sexy cut-outs in modern silhouettes—this happened at Bhanuni by Jyoti Sharma and I enjoyed almost every outfit I saw.
And Anand Bhushan created junkyard fashion by reinterpreting industrial steel, copper and other material through texture, form and colour. For instance, the dresses seemed like moulds or casts. The colours came from the effects of industrial methods like rusting, oxidation and tarnishing. Worth a look!
We all enjoy old wine in a new bottle
Manish Malhotra’s been working with Kashmiri embroidery over the last few seasons (even in movies like Bodyguard), and this season was no different. The intricate thread and zari work from Kashmir featured on borders of churidars, pants and saris, along with matching belts and sleeves. Some of the stuff did look familiar, but his fans would love it.
