Sputter and start

Thankfully,the other designers on Day One followed the brief—albeit loosely. Bright summer colours ruled the roost. Babita Malkani’s Bhutan-inspired line featured some yummy variations of the schoolgirl-sexy romper and the patchwork jackets looked funky enough to be worn by any discerning fashionista. Shyamal and Bhumika,however,had a less structured use of colours in their collection,‘Holi’. Their flowing handkerchief dresses and loose tunics featured multi-coloured splotches,handprints and streaks. Very Jackson Pollock,we thought.

They say that miracles do happen and we’d prayed for a relatively bling-free Day One (minus Rocky S’s wedding collection,of course,which continues to mystify us). But so much for daydreaming—Pria Kataria Puri’s mission this year,she said,was to put the bling back in fashion after a year when fashionistas were forced to become recessionistas. Our big question is—did the bling ever go? Sadly no,but who’s to tell that to a designer who’s never happier than when drowning in a sea of sequins. PKP’s Royal Rajputana Collection was a tribute to Maharani Gayatri Devi’s timeless style. It’s a pretty gesture,but what would the late Maharani have thought about the heavy-handed interpretation of her pearls-and-chiffon style? PKP paraded her trademark kaftans and hypnotic prints with the only difference being that this time,the prints featured Jaipur mosaic patterns and digital impressions of the late Maharani’s jewels. But don’t be misled by the idea that it was all a waste. We did find ourselves lusting after the sequined boy shorts.

One trend we’re keeping an eye on this summer are multiple uses and variations of the humble scarf. Our vote goes for the deconstructed,corded ones which designer Krishna Mehta had looped around her models’ necks. We also like the use of a scarf as a headband as witnessed at Sabyasachi Mukherjee’s show. Speaking of whom,we weren’t surprised to see the Kolkatan use dusty floral patterns and earthy tones,but we loved how expertly the designer seamlessly blended folksy fabrics and techniques with western silhouettes to create highly individual resort pieces. The look was very Monaco-meets-Moradabad,although sometimes the designer veered dangerously close to hobo,rather than boho. But slap on a pair of vintage Chanel shades and we can certainly see ourselves strolling down the promenade in St Tropez in one of those roomy pants.