Siddharth Kumar does a round-up of the designs that graced the ramp at the PCJ Delhi Couture Week and the recently concluded Lakme Fashion Week and comes away awestruck.
The fourth installment of the hugely successful PCJ Delhi Couture Week (DCW) held recently at the capital showcased a melting pot of designs that were both on the cutting-edge of experimental couture while remaining deeply rooted in the traditional. We take a look at some of these stellar collections, heralded by the likes of Manish Malhotra, Ritu Beri and Sabyasachi. Here’s a round-up of the various designers whose work dovetailed both the spark of experimentation as well as an identity that is distinctly Indian.
Ritu Beri
Ritu Beri drew on all of her Punjabi flair for DCW 2013, showcasing a collection that bridged Victorian-era gowns with over-the-top Punjabi exuberance. Ritu used an array of crystal embellishments and gota work, pairing them with jackets and ballroom gowns in a manner that can only be described as a Victorian crossover, Punjabi style.
Anamika Khanna
Anamika Khanna’s flora and fauna inspired collection was a huge hit at DCW 2013, with fashion folk raving about her contemporary Western take on couture. With a collection that included sarees, jodhpurs and lehengas adorned with zardosi, lace and crotchet work, Anamika’s collection was well-received.
Manish Arora
Showcasing the heavy use of bright-coloured digital prints on pure fabrics, Manish Arora’s collection titled Indian was his debut attempt at bridal wear, albeit for the unconventional bride. Partly inspired by the carousel, Manish melds kitsch elements with faux leather and zardosi sequins and crystals.
LFW proved worthy of every bit of the hype it generated, as several designers presented some of their strongest fashion statements on the ramp.
Manish Malhotra
The opening night at this year’s edition of LFW was a glitzy affair, with the fashion baadshah of Bollywood Manish Malhotra kicking off the proceedings by showcasing a spectacular festive/pre-bridal collection titled Reflections. Using contrasting mirror images for the ramp, Manish’s collection looked to be influenced by the colours and textures of Rajasthan and the Kutch region and proved to be a fitting opener to this year’s LFW.
Sabyasachi Mukherjee
The grand finale of LFW 2013 was heralded by Sabsayachi Mukherjee, with his Absolute Royal collection. A stunning Indian wear line, the outfits in this collection included waistcoats, sherwanis, jackets and kurtas for the men while the women’s line included heavy dupattas, glares and heavy jewellery. The likes of Nargis Fakhri, Kalki Koechlin, Sameera Reddy, Shraddha Kapoor and Jugal Hansraj were also present at the grand finale.
