Tartan Twist

The front row at Delhi-based designer Gaurav Gupta’s show at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) on Thursday was packed with sundry socialites and buyers who had come down for the event. Dior representative Kalyani Chawla was there,dressed in a tawn brown Dior shirt and harem pants by Malini Ramani,her mother by her side. Model and entrepreneur Ayesha Thapar,kitted in a green shirt,sat at the far end; Catherine Gouin of MC2 Diffusion,the famous Parisian boutique that represents Varun Sardana,sat with her partner Benoit Jutel,almost as an affirmation to Gupta’s clout as a designer to watch out for. “You have to understand that Gupta is a master of clever draping. His clothes can be worn in many styles — the sari is styled into a skirt and the shirts can be cinched. His clothes are a major part of my wardrobe,” endorsed Chawla.

For the autumn season,Gupta,unleashed an array of bold tartan-clad models,swaggering down the runway to the beat of Cole Porter’s soundtrack My Heart Belongs to Daddy,past the three 7 X 3 feet panels by artist Akshay Rathod. The first model walked out in a tartan red jersey,invoking the classic English print,but with a liberal dose of punk. Others followed — in a mauve tartan cape,with striking blue shorts,in draped pink checked jackets with hooded tops.

Unfortunately,the chiffon saris clumsily draped around the red check blouse were quite a letdown,considering drapes are Gupta’s forte. Designer Amrish Kumar for brand Ritu Kumar’s Label,opened his show with a structured grey dress paired with a cape-style top. While he showcased 40 slinky dresses in prints inspired by the changing cityscape,the audience nodded its approval at the drainpipe trousers and printed silk tunics.

Meanwhile,actor Sonam Kapoor,known for her eclectic fashion sensibilities,made an appearance at designers Anjana and Ankita Bhargav’s show,sitting in the front row,in a structured black jacket along with her publicist. In Bhargav’s collection,oversized shirts in red,blue and black were paired with long-sleeved cardigans or worn under a classic red jumper trussed at the waist with a thin leather strap. Her label ANKY scored a few high points from A-listers at the show. Aza owner Alka Nishar was seen appreciating the mauve pipe satin dress and the suede jacket with sculpted sleeves.