Couture Class

Extravagance meets intricacy and art meets fashion in Manish Arora’s latest couture line. Fusing history with contemporary influences,this collection for the label Indian by Manish Arora will focus on the designer’s fascination with Buddhist and Baroque-era art and architecture. The range will boast digital prints,block prints and embellishments,including zardozi,applique work and embroidery using enamelled stones,metals and crystal-work. The fabrics,on the other hand,vary from silk crepes and chiffon to georgette and silk brocades.

Varun Bahl 

Bahl is looking at redefining the concept of embellishment with the aim of making it more accessible and desirable for the contemporary Indian woman. Exploring what he calls “transitional dressing”,Bahl’s latest collection at the Couture Week will see him showcase his signature embroideries on a canvas of modern silhouettes such as dresses and gowns. Though his fondness for the colour black is well known,this time Bahl has also incorporated winter pastels such as pale blue,pink and moss green along with brighter tones (read ochre,fuchsia and red) in the collection. Silk,chiffon,georgette,wool-crepe to gauze and silk net are his preferred fabrics. “The idea is to introduce wearability in couture silhouettes,” he says.

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Manish Malhotra finds the India of the ’30s rather intriguing and it’s this era that will find a place in his couture collection. He tells the story of the governors and other elite of that decade,who went abroad to study and adopted a colonial lifestyle while retaining their Indian outlook. “Think of an old-world town hall where the elite mingled. My collection,titled ‘1930s’,is inspired by them,not the Maharajas and the royal families,” says Malhotra. Old laces and velvets,antique embroidery and saturated colours make up his range of lehengas and saris. The hues range from watermelon reds to black and white. Staying true to the inspiration,Malhotra will bring to the ramp high and mid-waisted lehengas.

Monisha Jaising 

While growing up,one often creates fairytales about future romances and it’s this emotion that Monisha Jaising expresses through her couture collection,“Happily Ever After”. The

Jaising bride exudes femininity and oomph even as she reminisces about her notions of love during her childhood years. The designer uses rich fabrics such as silk,velvet and French lace. Old-world glamour meets bohemian charm as she brings to the ramp beaded bodices and lingerie-inspired flowy gowns studded with crystals. There is room for the groom,too — she will show a line of sherwanis paired with

glittery,bejewelled leggings.

Anju Modi

The designer,who is showing on Day One of the Delhi Couture Week,will take the women empowerment story forward with her collection,“Draupadi”. Modi views the character from the Mahabharata as an “embodiment of the empowered Indian woman”. Inspired by her “fiery yet compassionate,strong yet gentle” nature,the designer will be presenting phases of Draupadi’s life through the collection. For instance, her wedding with the Pandavas will be represented through the use of colours like crimson,caramel and gold. “The collection will then move to the Game of Dice,where shades of ash grey,indigo and maroon reflect the dilemma and chaos surging within Draupadi,” she says.

The showcase will culminate with Draupadi’s devotion to Krishna represented through shades such as fawn,blush and ivory.