Poles Apart

The Persian-inspired collection,Khakastari,had both menswear and womenswear and was replete with stunning fabric confections. We loved the long jackets with the beautiful zari work and lotus motifs. Some of the severely structured gowns,despite being completely unwearable — the model wearing the showstopping garment had a bit of a task manoeuvring it — showed a degree of imagination rarely seen in Indian fashion. There are a few lessons here for those who need to learn how to give a new twist to traditional Indian garments,instead of just changing the colours. It was no wonder that Bal got a standing ovation from his adoring audience — a lot of whom were probably glad to finally see some couture and not just Bollywood on the runway. The designer celebrated by wading into the pool along with his models.

Ayesha Depala,who was also showing for the first time,had the good fortune of showing before Bal’s show. Otherwise,her collection would’ve been completely overshadowed by the veteran designer. Depala did what she usually does — ultra feminine gowns,with gauzy layers,ruffles and flowing skirts in pale rose and beige. Inspired by the Mughal culture,her collection had a few garments with wonderful sequin-work in Mughal floral patterns — these were the strongest pieces in the collection. Depala probably needs to make sure that her gowns can be worn without stumbling — many of the models struggled with keeping the long hemlines under control. Unfortunately,these small stumbles were the most entertaining part of what was overall a fairly repetitive collection.