Fashion Dispatch
Surprise,surprise,out of the 11 debutant models listed,only two are Indian. Delhi girl Sangya Lakhanpal,22,who walked for Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna and Anamika Khanna,last season,is the one to watch out for.
It is fashion week time again. That seasonal frenzy when clothes become celebrities. Enticing pret,buzzy media,fussy buyers,veterans making way for debutantes,ramp scorchers,front row rivalries and stalls busy with visitors. Here is a glimpse of what lies ahead this week at the 14th edition of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week,Autumn-Winter 2011,that kicks off today. 141 designers will participate,the biggest number ever,though most of the well known names have decided to keep away
Model Watch
Surprise,surprise,out of the 11 debutant models listed,only two are Indian. Delhi girl Sangya Lakhanpal,22,who walked for Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna and Anamika Khanna,last season,is the one to watch out for.
A student of psychology and human resources,the 5’ 8” doe-eyed girl won the TV show,Oxybleach India’s International Face 2010,on Zoom.
Debut Designers
Thirty-three- year-old Sadan Pande,known more for his styling than his two-year-old label Sylph,will debut. In January and February,Lucknow-born Pande designed for 11 weddings in Kanpur,Ludhiana and Chandigarh. For the Week,he has cranked out a limited collection called Quilted Desire,featuring brocade jackets,shift dresses in silk net,silk satin and brocade.
Happy Hours
Restaurateur Shiva Karan Singh,who often wears his signature smile,will host the pre-show cocktail bash for “good friend” Preeti Chandra,while Ramola Bachchan of restaurant Manre will co-host designer duo Ashima and Leena Singh’s high tea party.
The Socialite Roll Call
Society maven Tanisha Mohan,a permanent front row fixture,will wear a Herve Leger bandage dress. “I work hard to fit into it,” laughs Mohan,who will turn up on Day 2 to cheer her designer friend Preeti Chandra. She will also support “good friends” Shantanu and Nikhil Mehra,Kavita Bhartia and Tarun Tahiliani. The impeccably dressed Pia Pauro,will participate as a buyer for her new store Rock-a-Bella,at Baird Lane. She plans to wear Prashant Verma and Gaurav Gupta. Ameeta Seth,daughter of cigar baron Chetan Seth,will support Namrata Joshipura,Ritu Kumar and Tarun Tahiliani.
Missing in Action
Popular model Sonalika Sahay is giving the Week a miss,for personal reasons. As are male models Sahil Shroff,(who has just finished wrapping up Don 2) and Lalit Tehlan. Reason: “The Week is too female-oriented,” says Shroff. On the designer front,the high-on-theatrics Nida Mahmood has taken time off the fashion week,post five consecutive seasons. Mahmood also designed the limited edition gully cricket range of T-shirts for Nike.
The Week will also miss Rohit Bal,Wendell Rodricks and Ranna Gill. These veterans will only have stalls.
The Buzziest Shows
Watch out for designer duo Jason Anshu of Smallshop,who celebrate femininity with Tempo of Langour. “The prints are inspired from everyday objects that women engage with,such as a teapot,wine glass,shoes and scissors,” says Anshu Arora,who has cranked out 31 looks. Models will walk to the saucy all-girl band Wotshelike. Kolkata boys Dev r Nil will present a French Riviera collection,with eight looks for men and 25 for women. An orchestral piece by AR Rahman is the music. Meanwhile,Mumbai girl Masaba Gupta,has gone off colour this season. “It is not as bright as it used to be,the music is not upbeat either,” says Gupta. Yet,her style remains androgynous; look out for waistcoats with ghaghras.
(inputs by Alia Allana)
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