It has been show after show for the last couple of months. But finally the fashion season hs come to an end. The industry has had a very good year, and designs have become more practical and sensible. Most designers have now diversified into pret, which means their clothes are finally more wearable and affordable. And many designers opted to hold in-house previews instead of big fashion extravaganzas, which means clients not only get a chance to see and feel the clothes but to interact with the designers too. And most collections seem to have sold well many previews have been sold out on opening day. Here is a look at five of the best showings of the last season: Krishna Mehta: This was held right at the beginning of September. Her ethnic wear for men was very ornate and some of her saris were a little over done. But her Indo-West designs were not only very wearable, but well finished and there was real attention given to details. Mostly in golds and bronzes these designs would suit most women. Tarun Tahiliani: He had a show in Delhi and a preview in Mumbai. Like Krishna, he used a lot of gold this season. The embroidery on his saris was very traditional and there was wide usage of chikan . His western wear used a lot of crinkled fabrics and the emphasis was on drape. Mainly in blacks and maroons, what was really appealing about this collection, was the cut. You did not have to be a perfect size eight, his clothes suit women of any size. Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla: As far as designs go Abu and Sandeep clothes were all on the very heavy side and would only appeal to women who like the dress-to-kill look. Colours were bright and the embroidery was very, very elaborate. But this show deserves a special mention as it was so well organised, from the magnificent sets to the choreography (done by Lubna Adam and Farah Khan). It was probably the only show that started on time and finished on time. Of course, the fact that Sonali Bendre, Raveena Tandon, Rahul Khanna, Abhishek and Amitabh Bachchan took to the ramp only added more glamour. This was more of a fashion extravaganza than a show. (But then it was held to launch their book, Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla : A Celebration Of Style.) Manish Malhotra: His preview was a complete sell-out. He stuck to feminine, pastel colours and his pret collection was one of the best of the season. (Though his price –tags did seem a little on the heavy side). There were short cotton kurtas teamed with net duputtas and simply embroidered Capri pants. Nothing was too over done and his cuts were impeccable. Rohit Bal: He launched his pret collection for men. Very trendy and funky, his show was a refreshing break form the norm. He used a lot of white along with bright colours but the best thing about the collection, was its price tag. Everything was affordable.
