Weekend variety

Nachiket Barve,however,had easily the best collection of the day. We’d complained about his addiction to one colour palette last season and the designer gave us a delightful surprise this time by using the same colours,but grounding them solidly in black. We loved his meticulously crafted clothes in organza,chiffon,crepe textured with 3D embroidery,sculptural appliqué and cutwork and his juxtaposition of contrasts—rough and smooth,transparent and opaque,light and dark.

But of course some designers never learn. Maybe Manish Malhotra has spread himself out too thin with his multiple assignments and projects,but it’s been a long time since we saw anything to shock and delight us. The designer played to his strength of sequins,harem pants and bare-chested men,but really Manish,can we have something new?

Day Two again gave us a good start with Amalraj Sengupta’s cheeky,multi-purpose garments. Sengupta has a scientific bent of mind,with great creativity—we don’t remember seeing another bag,which can be turned into a jacket. Vijay Balhara’s ‘borala nautch’ collection with long peasant skirts,churidar pants and jumpsuits was lovely in execution and colour,with the ability to turn an ordinary woman into a glamazon. We just wish the designer had finished them better.

It seems rather pedestrian to base an entire collection on the black and yellow diagonally striped caution boards of New York but then,who knows what goes on in the minds of designers? (Christian Louboutin once based a collection on a “fluffy egg” and Alexander McQueen derived inspiration for his Autumn/ Winter 2007 collection from the tendons and veins of the human foot).

The cuts were sharp and the attention to detail thorough and those bubble shorts and cowl-necked T-shirts did make our eyes do cartwheels but at the end of it,Shantanu and Nikhil’s ‘Moto chic’ sportswear line for Adidas still made us mumble ‘what’s new?’

Au contraire,Malini Ramani proved once again why she’s fashion’s flower child. After Shantanu and Nikhil’s chic pragmatism,Ramani’s

all-out trashy luxe was like being offered Schezwan lamb after a steady diet of peanut butter sandwiches. The collection was based on martinis from around the world. We liked the Mexican Martini the best,full of kimono dresses,sexy kaftans,peacock tassels and flowing shifts. We did wish the models weren’t overloaded with chandelier earrings,heavy headgears and layered necklaces,but overall,the collection was racy enough to keep us perched on the edge of our seats.

The last show of the weekend – Narendra Kumar’s reinterpretation of denim – once again had us grinning with delight. Glamour went futuristic with the designers innovative,but extremely wearable line of dresses,jeans and coats,with exaggerated shoulders and elaborate cutwork. It’s easy to forget how versatile denim actually is.