Fashion’s pride

Samant Chauhan’s collection of black and red kickstarted the evening. His Bhagalpur silk made quite an impression,and the pleated layers and cuts got nods of appreciation. But there was a certain monotony to the sequence. He did experiment with accessories and the use of colours,considering his collections have always been dominated with deep beige,creams and whites,but he fell slightly short of showing more styles. And he could’ve dressed Rahul Bose in something more creative than a shirt and trousers! But that said,his efforts were commendable as he’s fairly new on the block. “I started in 2005 and I work with only handwoven Bhagalpur silk. I picked Pune as my choice for this tour as my work is displayed at Rudraksh here. My collection at the show includes dresses,tunics,shirts with random pleats and drapes,and this is the first time that I’ve added colour,” says this Delhi-based designer whose beginnings are traced back to Bihar. He shares,“I didn’t want to study and so thought of getting into designing. Of course,I was wrong about the ‘no studying’ bit and had to work hard at NIFT. I started working independently in 2005 and two years later,I showcased my collection at the London Fashion Week. Roberto Cavalli appreciated my work and I could hardly believe my luck as I was still very young in the industry!” Chauhan is currently designing for a Sanjay Gupta film,and he’s hopeful of more Bollywood assignments.

Falguni and Shane Peacock were up next. Their ‘FSP’ being Feather,Sequins and Prints,the duo wowed the crowd with their line of sarees and lehengas – some gorgeous and classy,some loud and overly embellished. The cholis,with their perfect cuts and stringy backs,received a thumbs-up from all. “Our bridal collection has an Indian feel but is actually very westernised. These sarees can be worn with your Jimmy Choos and Manolo Blahniks,” says Shane. The Peacocks have gained international acclaim for dressing up artists like Fergie for FIFA,Kelly Rowland,and even Lady Gaga. “We’re in the midst of designing a very wacky and futuristic look for lady Gaga’s next video,” they reveal.

They’ve travelled the world and showcased for four seasons at the London Fashion Week,but this was their first showing in Pune,and a successful one at that!

Some fashion tips
* This season,wear yellow,candy pinks,turquoise blue.
* In autumn-winter,wear blacks,browns and blues with a seep of colours
* Avoid wearing bling during the day
* Don’t wear tight dresses if your figure doesn’t permit it