COUTURES DAY IN

Anamika Khanna

Fashion is a form of redefinition after all. When it comes to describing the powerful Indian woman of today,Anamika Khannas take is balanced and perhaps,reflective of herself and her work. She the Indian woman is intense with an unfailing romanticism,disciplined and courageous enough to reduce excess. She respects traditions and cherishes fine craft but is bound by no rules. Shes not out to prove a point… she is elegant and timeless, read out the note issued by Khanna before the start of her off-site show,held at Evoluzione,The Kila,celebrating the multi-designer stores first anniversary see box on the right. This characterisation of the Indian femme fatale was translated by the designer in her collection A Love Song To India in many ways. She took on the six yards,retaining its elegant drape but instead of petticoats,gave it a new luxurious form by pairing it with dhoti pants and the like. Given that its a couture collection,Khanna addressed the lehenga too,but contemporised it almost gown-like,topped with short as well as long capes. It was almost as if a bridal veil had been brought down from over the head to around the neck. Looking to present Indian royalty a part of her moodboard as it would be worn by a modern Indian woman,Khanna showcased intricate embroidery very conspicuously on floor-length coats,bandhgalas,capes and pre-stitched saris. Her choice of fabrics silk,silk organza,chiffon and tulle. The colour palette remained muted,starting with pale pinks and though it graduated to bursts of royal blue,red,gold and silver,the tones steered more towards matte than glossy. The ebony-ivory line was eye-catching,as were the contrast outfits in red and blue. When it comes to the couture wardrobe of Indian women,the designer drove home many points with regard to silhouettes and colours but the strongest of them was how embroideries can tell a more powerful story than beady embellishments.

Bejewelled Rhythm

Ashima-Leena

Whats a couture show without a bit of drama on the ramp? Similarly,an Ashima-Leena show would be incomplete without a high dose of shimmer and fascinatingly intricate craftsmanship. On Day 2,the drama was high-pitched,with noted Sufi singer Zila Khan opening the designers show with a rendition of Kesariya Balam. The collection,as the duo stated,was christened Raag Rattan by Khan,who was as much a part of the show as the collection itself. Seated to the left of the stage,Khans mesmerising voice,rather her selection of songs,played the role of a sutradhaar for the collection,which was rich in tones and opulent in design. With Mast kalandar,flowed diaphanous outfits in the colours white and cream,boasting of multi-coloured glittering accents true to the name collections name and beaten gold work. If in the previous edition of the Couture Week,the designers had let the richness of fabrics do the talking,this season they seemed to have made a conscious attempt to bring on the bling,albeit in their own softly sensuous and never-brazen way. As the models stepped forth in wedge shoes encrusted with diamante specially created for the collection,it stamped that fact. The bejewelled look garments combined with body jewellery on blouses was narrated well on saris. As Khan sang Naina thug lenge,the collection took on deeper jewel tones such as ruby,emerald and amethyst. That was also when the duos signature style came forward with more regal floor-skimming jackets the Mughal Chakdar Jama made its debut highlighting intricate embroideries,worn with full skirts. To sum up the royal vibe,the designers,once again,closed the show with their muse and showstopper,Sharmila Tagore. She looked graceful as always even though the coral-toned sari-jacket she wore is an otherwise tough colour to sport. Khan climaxed the evening with Khwaja and it was witty on her part to address the nattily dressed FDCI president Sunil Sethi as she sang her final number.

Set Apart

The off-site show of Anamika Khanna and Gaurav Gupta was hosted at Evoluzione,a multi-designer fashion destination at The Kila in Mehrauli thats also celebrating its first anniversary in Delhi. A brainchild of entrepreneur couple Atul and Tina Malhotra of Chennai, Evoluzione played host to the twin sit-down shows,very reminiscent of Chanels Paris-Bombay show held earlier this year. The environs of the store to the courtyard and the special spaces in the complex were dressed up with the infinite ramp flowing effortlessly from one room to another. From individual table settings for guests to a special jaali artwork installation in the courtyard,the setting was apt for a couture show.

Fuss Over Front Row

The Ashima-Leena show saw Romi Dev in attendance,along with Louis Vuittons Tikka Shatrujit Singh,Bina Ramani and anchor Shivani Wazir Pasrich. The Anamika Khanna and Gaurav Gupta shows saw the fashion set in better attendance. Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar seemed to enjoy the experience along with Naveen Ansal and restaurateur AD Singh. The designer front was led by Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna,and Namrata Joshipura. Sonam Kapoor,dressed in an outfit by Anamika Khanna,played her role of a muse to perfection. The front-row attendance on Day 2 was in direct contrast with that on the previous day. On Wednesday,Varun Bahls show had Sunanda Pushkar,Diors Kalyani Saha,musician Ayaan Ali Khan and Pooja Mishra of Bigg Boss fame,whereas Valayas show had VJ Bani in the front row.