Mumbai terror attacks inspire designer collection

Sakshi Mansingh named her work after the recent Mumbai attacks.

“It was only a small step in expressing my emotions. I hope that we put up a joint fight against terrorism to wipe it out from the society,” she says.

Mansingh used net,patches and cotton fabrics to design her garments.

Hers and a number of other creations by graduating students of the Noida-based Design and Innovation Academy were part of a fashion show Prism 2009 as models like Tina Chatwal,Ritu Singh,Barkha Kaul and Donna Masih among others walked the ramp.

The aspiring designers drew inspiration from mystical world of snakes,bold persona of World War spy Mata Hari and the paper-folding technique origami.

Characters of snakes (striking texture,colour,movement) were brought out in “Serpentine” through layering of different fabrics,textures and embellishment. Materials like metallic satins and embossed fabrics were used to good effect in the collected inspired by the mystical world of snakes.

The collection called “Graffiti” seemed to be a graphic expression of ideas and thoughts through images and words painted or scratched on different surfaces. Texturing and embroidery were done on Suedes and denims to give the dresses a bold look.

Models were cheered throughout as they sashayed to Cyndi Lauper’s peppy “Girls just wanna have fun” for the “Colours of Monroe” collection,inspired by pop art. The bright and cheerful garments in exaggerated silhouettes with a touch of fun and humour by the models through details and accessories contributed to the collection’s interpretation as a reaction to dominant ideas of abstract expressionism.

In “Femme Fatale”,the garments reflected the bold and glamorous persona of Mata Hari through drapes,layering and ornamentation. The fabrics were developed using foil painting,pleating through heat setting,applique and embroidery.

Origami has been a source of inspiration for many a designer and in this case,the creator used the essence of paper folding and pleating to create silhouettes and details for the garments in “Origami”.

Optical illusion and magic are no different from each other as both share the same effects – they amaze,fascinate and deceive the human eye. “Find Me If You can” was inspired by optical illusion created by geometrical patterns and visuals. The theme is translated through screen and digital prints as well as patchwork on the garment.

“Urban Sher” is a collection of menswear and is all about being self governed,level headed and bold. The details and silhouettes lend an adventurous streak into urban dressing.

The collection named “Fantasy” dealt with positive and happier imagination of the creative mind while “Feng Shui” was an amalgamation of natural fabrics and colours in western silhouettes.

Many filmmakers are contemplating to encapsulate the Mumbai mayhem on screen. Some writers,however,feel it’s too early and painful to weave anything out of the carnage.

“It’s too soon,and the pain is too volatile and too scattered to piece together. Besides,I’m not drawn to pain broadcast publicly but anguish experienced in private. When pain is as enormous as it was during the terrorist attacks in Mumbai,it renders individuals anonymous: the triumph of symbol over experience is just not putty for fiction’s hand,” says Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi,writer of “The Lost Flamingoes Of Bombay” which was shortlisted for the 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize.

According to actor-singer Suchitra Krishnamoorthy 26/11 is “something that has wounded us all deeply”.

“But unless it fitted into a narrative or a story I wouldn’t write about it as it would seem forced. Besides I want my books to be happy,” says Krishnamoorthy,who has come up with her debut novel “The Summer of Cool”,the first of the four-book Swapnalok Society series,to be launched on Saturday.