Fine Prints

“My collection revolves around the story of a courtesan in love with a member of the royalty. I did a lot of research on the nautch girl era in India and came up with a fictitious character called Alika. I have used fabrics like velvets,silks and georgettes,” explains ace designer JJ Valaya,who will showcase his collection on July 23. “ My collection will be predominantly Indian with saris and evening kurtas. There will also be a small segment for men in the collection,” he says,promising a grand spectacle and larger-than-life sets. “In my show the garments will be the show-stopper,not the person wearing it,” says Valaya.

While Valaya promises to take the audience on a Mughal-e-Azam-esque journey,another Delhi-based designer Gaurav Gupta,is working on a fantasy-based theme. “I am inspired by fantastical elements like marine life,jelly fish,fairy creatures,basically the wonders of the unknown world,” says Gupta,whose collection incorporates fabrics like chiffon,tulle and taffeta with embroidery on them. “There will be evening gowns,saris,lehengas and even something like a lehenga gown in my collection,” he says.

Designer Rina Dhaka,who has a double designer slot on July 25 ,is ready with an interesting collection based on the concept of cobwebs. “My collection depicts a cobweb of modernity and tradition. Its tells us what we are today,” says Dhaka,who will be showcasing about 25 ensembles on the ramp. Dhaka has worked with fabrics like organza,metallic chiffon,metallic satin and tulle. “There is a lot of embroidery and I have used different materials like swarovski,pearls and beads,” says Dhaka,who says her idea of couture is to be subtle yet sensational.

Movies too have been a motivating factor for several designers. Delhi-based Manav Gangwani,for instance,is showcasing his interpretation of risque romance as inspired by the 1957 Hollywood blockbuster An Affair to Remember . “My designs depict intense passion. They are bold yet dreamy like the protagonists in the film,” he gushes. Accordingly he has used fabrics like sequin-sheeted nets,silk satins,french lame and intricate French laces. His collection boasts of an interesting range of saris and stylized blouses,draped anarkalis,voluminous gowns and tastefully done lehengas.

Apart from runway shows,the week will also play host to stalls by a few designers,including the Kolkata-based label Ekru by designer duo Ekta-Ruchira. “Our collection will have a vintage feel to it,inspired from the Mughal era,but we will showcase traditional stuff with a contemporary twist,” says Ruchira Kandhari,mentioning that they have used woven fabrics like benarasis and georgettes. Incidentally,the 19 designers who are part of the couture week in Delhi have not been charged any participation fee by the Fashion Designer Council of India (FDCI). “Couture is an expensive concept that’s why we are not charging the designers anything,” says Sunil Sethi,President,FDCI.