Even as Wills Lifestyle Indian Fashion Week (WIFW) prepares to take centrestage at Pragati Maidan in Delhi today, it’s obvious from the designer line-up that many of the industry’s heavyweights have chosen to give a cold shoulder to the Spring-Summer 2015 proceedings. And while traditionally, the heft of the summer programme has always been slim pickings, with most Indian designers electing to invest in their couture/ bridal lines, this year seems to be no different. But what has definitely piqued our interest is the motley mix of first-timers this season. From established eponymous labels and brands with international interests, to those seeking to prove their identity and yet others who are simply hedging their bets — meet the debutants set to premiere at India’s largest fashion trade show. Amid frantic fitting sessions and adding finishing touches to their line-up, they discuss their collections, inspirations and expectations. FEMININE FLORALS Rina Singh of Eka may be fresh on board the WIFW flagship, but she is not new to the business of fashion. She launched her label in 2010, has showcased at trade shows abroad and sells from 50 stores across the world. Now she’s looking to bring her brand of “demure” fashion to the national stage with a collection that spells a distinct “return to simplicity, freshness and delicacy”. Eka’s spring-summer line ‘Love is all you need’ sticks to her mainstays — handwoven textiles, myriad floral interpretations and an underlying tone of romanticism. Linens and khadi cottons wear painterly floral prints, kantha stitches, applique and delicate thread embroidery. Singh’s WIFW debut is a strategic move to build a strong identity and let the brand flourish. “This feels like the next thing to do. So, I’m simply going with the flow,” she says. BOTTLED UP From ink blotches to camouflage prints, Kolkata girl Sneha Arora has already won over critics during her previous four showcases at LFW, with her inimitable prints and silhouettes that attempt to balance feminine shapes with masculine structure. Her catwalk debut at WIFW will see her present “Disconnect”, a collection about “disengaging from technology and spending time away from the hustle and bustle of life”. Distinct prints in the form of florals intermingling with Coca Cola bottles and electric bulbs will present Arora’s idiosyncratic point of view on summer jackets, linen suits and flared dresses. Having participated in trade fairs abroad, Arora is hoping her WIFW sojourn will help her net more international buyers, who will be interested in her unique take on Westernwear. MONOCHROME MATTERS Fifteen years in the business haven’t dulled the excitement of a first-ever fashion showcase for Mumbai designer Payal Singhal, who will be making her WIFW catwalk debut on Friday. With an already well-documented Bollywood following and a considerable NRI clientele, Singhal hopes to charm the crowd with her global fusion occasion wear. “Earlier, the timing just didn’t seem right. This season things just fell into place,” she says. Her collection “Firdaus”, an ode to the Gulmarg Valley in Kashmir, will present a darker take on the beauty of the region. “It attempts to capture the emotions of a beautiful place steeped in contradictions and conflict,” says Singhal, whose interpretation will see a cypress tree and bird print rendered in a monochromatic combination of stone and black. Vintage embroideries will meet deconstructed old-world shapes and contemporary silhouettes in the 18-piece collection. “Apart from zardozi bootis scattered here and there, we’ve done faux leather embroidery that looks like gota patti work,” says Singhal, “We’ve grown as a brand and can now boast of a bigger manufacturing capacity than before. So, it makes complete sense to be part of a trade show of this kind and explore opportunities.” ON THE DOT This Chennai-based designer and stylist, who launched his label Viia in 2007 and last showcased his resortwear line at Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) in 2012, is back after a brief sabbatical. Part of LFW’s GenNext gang, Kaunakaran took time off from the fashion week circuit to strengthen his production facilities and concentrate on branding and increasing commercial viability. Now rechristened Vivek Karunakaran, the label is shedding its hitherto minimalist proportions with a collection inspired by the ceremonial art of Australian aborigines. The Papunya Tula paintings or dot paintings manifest themselves in the form of distinctive prints, embroideries and textures on modern silhouettes. “The emphasis is on separates and how they come together to create an edgy ensemble,” says Karunakaran. He is approaching his showcase with a great deal of focus. “WIFW works a season in advance, giving a growing label like us time to plan our collection, production and supply systematically,” he says.
