Top Gear

For one week the luxurious Grand Hyatt, Mumbai, will be the hub of all that glitters on Bollywood beauties, svelte models, Botoxed socialites and brides-to-be. The HDIL India Couture Week will not just showcase wedding fashion, but as designers claim, it will move beyond the lehnga-choli culture into chic, ethnic-rich wear, married with stylish hairdos, make-up trends and fine accessories as well. Hmm.

Anamika Khanna says, 8220;There will be varied styles. I will begin with international silhouettes and move on to Indian wear.8221; Ashish Soni is quick to add, 8220;Lehngas and saris are not my style,8221; but then sherwanis definitely are. While his women8217;s wear is going to be in the form of slim pantsuits or slim skirt-suits, his men8217;s wear primarily comprises a modern interpretation of the classical sherwani by incorporating avant-garde embroidery techniques.

Unlike the regular fashion weeks, the India Couture Week is not going to be a business-driven event but more a celebration of the cultural heritage and other ostentations. 8220;The emphasis will be more on individual clients rather than on large buyers. And everybody has a clientele. So neither the crowd nor the designs will be repeated,8221; says Jaikishan. Suneet Varma, who will showcase just two lehngas and 18 gowns in his couture line, says there is nothing wrong in showing an all-Indian line. 8220;Couture means made-to-order. It doesn8217;t matter if it is Indian or western,8221; he says.

Of course, there8217;ll be glamour. The buzz is Karisma Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor will be sashaying down the ramp for Manav Gangwani and Anamika Khanna respectively. Ritu Kumar will have Miss Indias walking her runway at the opening show tonight, and so will Valaya.

Of course, there8217;ll be more. Luxury is infectious.