The Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, a leading business event for the fashion industry, is back again with the Spring/Summer 2009 collections being showed at Pragati Maidan,
New Delhi from October 15-19, 2008.
We at RVG Newsvision bring you daily coverage of the shows with detailed reviews specially written for us by fashion expert M.Mistry and Ritu Jain (Design Department) Pearl Academy of Fashion and Neelima Mishra Agrawal.
CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements ANNOUNCES WEDDING BELLES: ITS GLOBAL INITIATIVE IN INDIA
TOP TRENDS OF THE DAY
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Zouaves in soft , fluid fabrics
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Voluminous gathered, layered skirts in knee to full length which can be teamed with short tops
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Slim fit to loose and comfortable sheath dresses having a slit armhole or Magyar sleeves
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Sculptured silhouettes in blouses, like Kimono or clustered/tucked fabric effects in sleeves and skirts
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Beautiful fit and flared dresses in exaggerated gored, paneled skirts
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High waisted slim fit pants
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Pointed high heeled shoes with ribbon ties in coordinated range of colors
Mynah by Renu Tandon
Renu Tandon's label Mynah-Renu Tandon, was established in 1999 and has grown in leaps and bounds since its inception. The label sells exclusively from its studio in the capital and its two flagship stores in Crescent Mall and Select City Walk Mall. An instinctive designer, her creations exuberate a great deal of spirit and energy through their colors and embellishments
Renu Tandon's line for Spring/Summer 2009 was out and out market driven. Pretty and sensuous, it was a glamorous collection to dress the demure debutants of high society. This collection was all about turning out just right for the special occasions.
Fresh, spring greens n yellows with a sprinkling of flower tones and lots of white were the main colors of the collections.
Georgettes, linens, jerseys, raw silk, tulle, with vibrantly colored embroideries in floral jals and placements, patchwork, ombres, silver foil prints and sequins were used throughout the range.
Renu created a line of long gowns, dresses, pants, churidar kurtas in halter or strappy necks, tunics, very girly frock , pinafore, Kaftan styles, ruffled and paneled styles some times with a dainty tie up, crushed georgettes in straights or tiers in ombres were frequently used. Short as well as long silhouettes were shown. Corset, mermaid skirt, jumpsuit, white self embroidered sarees, jersey dresses, zouaves , ghagra dresses and handkerchief dresses provided wide range of silhouettes .
Although planned for the beach, lunch, summer night or retail therapy, the range lacked a clear concept or look with confused casual styling in handkerchief silhouettes juxtaposed with very elegant cuts in gowns and dresses.
Geisha Designs is jointly owned by the designer duo Shailini Jaikaria and Paras Bairoliya. Shalini, a qualified doctor, opted out of the medical field to join NIFT, moved on to Fashion Institute of Technology, New York and interned with Armani Exchange. Paras also went to NIFT and emerged with a bag full of awards. Their label Geisha Designs was a nominee of the MTV Style - award 2006.
A maiden lost in a dream forest, beautifully and romantically recreated on the ramp by Giesha Designs on the last day of IFW.
Inspired by the Impressionist art movement and the glamour of 70's, flowers, art heritage, mystique, life and nature created the romantic charm of the latest SS09 collection. The ensembles imbibed the character of the impressionist technique where the strokes are short, thick and applied side by side. This was recreated with the delicate surfaces created in closely worked techniques in fluid garments .
Blend and full range of jungle colors in jewel and powdery tones set off by ivories were used.
Crepes, satins, chiffons, tulles, georgettes, cotton nets, clear plastics with prints, sequin work, embroideries that imitated stained glass effect and unique embellishments with closely worked fabrics and materials were used to a frosted effect.
Clean straight silhouettes, maxi and sheath dresses, clear plastic trench coats and shoulder capes, tunics, shorts, light jackets, shirt dress, jersey blouses, flared skirts lent feminine flair. Feathered fake bird accessories decorated the finale look. While the opening ensembles and presentation was picture perfect, the finale ensembles left a fading impact.
Luxurious and very enchanting, Paras and Shalini continued to sustain the charming aura of their label.
CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements ANNOUNCES WEDDING BELLES: ITS GLOBAL INITIATIVE IN INDIA
CRYSTALLIZEDTM – SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE UNBRIDALED – THE MARRIAGE OF TRADITION AND AVANT GARDE On 16 September 2008, at the Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi,
CRYSTALLIZED™ –Swarovski Elements, Swarovski’s new product brand for all loose Swarovski crystals, will unveil its fabulous wedding initiative and aesthetically ground-breaking coffee table book “UNBRIDALED – The Marriage of Tradition and Avant Garde” for the very first time in India. The breathtaking exhibition, displaying exclusive accessories, jewellery, fashion and interior pieces embellished with CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements, will be open to the public from 17-20 September. To make this initiative more relevant in the country CRYSTALLIZEDTM has exclusively partnered and collaborated closely with top local influencers in the Indian wedding market.
Distinctive Indian cultural richness and grandeur will be displayed by over 65 spectacular exhibits from Indian design labels and talents, which will be juxtaposed with a host of renowned international pieces from the unveiling of the exhibition earlier this year in Paris. Showcasing a fresh, modern and edgy interpretation for the burgeoning Indian wedding market all exhibits will be illuminated by the brilliance of CRYSTALLIZED™ – Swarovski Elements.
Prashant Verma graduated from NIFT Delhi and trained under masters like Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, Philip Treacy and Christian Dior. He launched his label 'Prashant' in 2006 and debuted at the Will Lifestyle India Fashion Week in 2007. His focus is primarily on couture and evening wear.
'The Point of Man' presented by Prashant Verma for Spring/Summer 09.
With a powerful narrative, in his own words "The collection addresses the voice that not only conveys our aspirations and projects our achievements, but also more importantly raises a mirror for us to understand the true meanings of our actions – the war that we have waged over a world that offends us by being bigger than man. A defeat, a challenge, or a gong that resonates the fact that there is more beyond us and our lives. All of civilization is built as a phallic weapon of vengeance against the tragedy of being supreme, yet not divine. As a convenient reminder to ourselves that despite all that is beyond us, we still aspire and can reach beyond our mortal moment. In short, a lie that has kept us going … towards a truth unknown, that lies straight ahead. 'The Point of Man' is a celebration of this oneness in human aspiration and the process of the universe, and in its essence, it represents a thousand unending years of contradicting human history."
Depicting the powerful narrative, the collection presented 7 looks, predominantly a severe black and white, but characterized by individual elements such as the Earth print, solar cell detail, rings of Saturn print, Jupiter print, blue Venus print, Quilting and robotic encrusted electronic circuitry.
Sharp, dramatic and body contoured garments used cottons, artificial leathers, silk taffeta, lurex taffeta, satin, jersey in variety of surface and volume generating techniques of quilting, crushing for a clusterous effect, embroideries, prints and sculpted construction.
Slim fit pants, shift dresses, draped jersey dresses, kimono style tops, and balloon dress, were exaggerated or accompanied by sculptured forms.
Ribbonned stilettos and wide strapped high heels in black and metallics ; sparkling chunky pearl crystal jewelry; solar cell clasp bag accessorized the look.
The designer is a NIFT graduate, whose genius was spotted and rewarded with three major awards from the institute itself. The winning streak continued with his international recognition in Singapore in 2005, New Zealand in 2006 and a special invitation to participate in the London Fashion Week in 2007. His forte lies in natural fibers.
'Autumn Wedding', Samant Chauhan's latest Spring/Summer 09 collection was introduced with a story of the process of silk and the craft weavers of Bhagalpur fabrics.
We are living in the times where producing and wearing socially and environmentally conscious products is a necessity and fashion can no longer afford to be a frivolous ostentatious human endeavor. Fashion with a cause, with a very earthy feel set the tone for the show which was set off to resounding, throbbing village sounds.
Beginning with pristine pearl tones to ivory, tussar, coffee, gold and burnt sienna, the monochromatic palette was very alluring.
Checked silk, tussar, chiffon, lurex, crepe, brocade, tulles ,sheer flowy shimmering fabrics, this time Samant used several synthetic fabrics as well, for a more price conscious market oriented range it seemed. Combining crushed textures, shell buttons, embroideries, leaf print, elegant foil prints, leaf tucks, rosettes, raw cut fabric effects emulating textures from nature, lots of layering was used to create a rugged as well as luxurious feel.
Silhouettes were voluminous and sophisticated with bouncy skirts in full and ¾ lengths, tunics, sarees, zuave jumpsuit, long graceful achkan, dhoti skirt, dhoti salwar, lots of paneled and flared dresses in halters, native textures and tapestry details to lend some dresses the grandeur of a peepal tree. Layering was the key focus of the collection keeping in mind the uncertainties of weather in an autumn wedding. This extended itself through fabrics, surfaces and garments combinations.
The dry leaf headgears added to the autumn feel.
Samant Chauhan has continued his romance with the silk and hand crafted textiles of India.
Manish Arora graduated from NIFT Delhi in 1994 and won the 'Most Creative Student' of the year award for his final project. He launched his namesake label in 1994 and his creativity has subsequently won him much recognition in India and on international runways. He has turned Indian Kitsch to an art form and the inspiration is reflected in his designs.
And the circus came to town. In a show area done up to resemble a circus tent, complete with red velvet curtains and figures of performing elephants, seals, lions in the backdrop, the madness, hilarity and yet another level of theatrics of Manish Arora's brilliant Spring/Summer 2009 line, brought the curtains down to the event. The Bollywood Brass Band, specially flown in from London for the event, played popular Bollywood numbers making it hard for the audience and models to not break into a dance. Such a waste to import the musicians from London though, when our local wedding bandwalas do the same as efficiently. The packed hall had the President FDCI squatting on the carpet.
The collection, steeped in riotous Indian colors, was the one Manish Arora had shown recently during the Paris Fashion Week at Cirque d'hiver, where his edginess was compared to that of Alexander McQueen's and Elsa Schiaparelli who had shown a circus themed collection in 1938.
Le Cirque du Manish Arora, shadowed by pantomimes, opened at Pragati Maidan, hall number 7, with a multi-colored mini carousel silk skirt with appliqué work details, worn under a silk corset bodice with matching appliqué detail. The carousal mechanism, replete with cutouts of clowns and animals, actually moved.
Jackets were seen a plenty – cropped with cowl sleeves, block prints and hand embroidery, waist high with pleated hood and ostrich feathers, Swarovski detail, some had appliqué and ruched detail, dramatic ones with exaggerated collars and flared hems were worn over short sculpted dresses which either matched in the details or were in contrasting colors. One silk jacket had three dimensional petal embroidery and animal motifs and was worn over a wrap around skirt with matching details. Voluminous jackets were matched with ruffled skirts or stiff mini dresses or teacup skirts.
Tops and mini dresses had bright built in bras or rounded bustiers. Churi pants or pencil pants were matched with lose tops with overlap sleeves. Jumpsuits were cut to look like clown pants. A foam sculpted mini dress had Swarovski detail.
Fabrics used were silk, crepe, georgette, satin silk, organza, silk tissue. Embellishments made up the soul of the collection. Embroidery ranged from textured, three dimensional, hand appliqué abstract, sequins. The circus element was brought out by motifs like acrobats cutout on pearl strings tassels on a short dress or three D clown patch appliqué embroidery on a gown or animal motifs.
Riotous colours, pinks, blues, purple and greens - bright and electric, worked together over solids or in embroideries. No color in the paint box could complain of having been left out.
Valaya, a trained Chartered Accountant, entered NIFT in 1989 and emerged with various awards including The Prix de Incitation in Paris, The Thapar-Dupont Medal, The Elyxa award and the KLM-NIFT Trophy. He has to his credit, the first designer to hold a solo fashion show in India. He launched his brand "JJ Valaya" in 1991 along with his brother TJ Singh.
Valaya created a Royal Ruckus on the ramp as the master designer unraveled his creations for the season. A casual, albeit elgant line caught an easy mood. The underlying sophistication was the outcome of a silent inward battle fought continuously and was expressed through his beautiful creations.
Long flowey silhouettes ruled on paneled sleeveless colorful check print gown with plunging neckline, held together with orange wide waist-cinching leather belt with double clasp. Off white gowns carried the print detail in piping or under trim. The check print, reminiscent of a Turkish mosaic pattern,on tops in cotton had black organza crop sleeves and were teamed with slim line calf length bermudas or full pencil pants. The theme was reversed with black shirts and printed pants.
Glazed cotton or voiles were used strikingly as it created sleek skirts, short dresses with balloon hem and pencil slim pants. Red fiber caught between layers of black organza fabric or black glass cotton and organza and finished with stitch detail was innovative and used on crop sleeves, front panel of dresses, shirts and waist band of skirts
Black cotton skirts, short dresses with balloon hem teamed with print tights, flowing gowns with cowl neck, pleated bodice on spaghetti strapped long gowns, asymmetric hemline on printed long dress, long gathered skirt worn under a toga like lose top, thigh length sleeveless top with overlap front detail worn with tight pants, adorned the likes of Joey Mathews and Carol Garcias.
The men's wear had the same print and colour themes on shirts with regular sleeves or churi sleeves worn over straight fit pants. Black Kurtas had red beading and button details and were worn over polo tights. The line was accessorized with flat strappy footwear and beautiful totes, messenger bags with embossed details in leather. Vallaya's summer line made for excellent evening wear as well as informal day wear.
A graduate of NIFT, Delhi, Rajesh Pratap Singh introduced his own line of men's and women's clothing only in 1997. His lines are well known for their simplicity matched with obsessive attention to detail. Recipient of many awards, he has worked towards technical improvements in 'Khadi' and is associated with a cooperative society for developing India's finest Cashmere.
Rajesh Pratap Singh's collection brought all the serenity and calm of a moonlit summer night on to the ramp, which had a sheer white curtain dividing the ramp along its length. His theme, Finding Silence in Chaos, was lived out as a long wait was rewarded with a brilliant show which made it all worthwhile.
Opacity and transparency interplayed on the runway and in the garment constructions. The line was light and simple and the magic was created with stitch details. Impeccable finish of the garments which had neat pin tucks and thread construction details as the only ornamentation, put the collection in another league altogether.
Silhouettes were clean straight lines and fluid forms on band collar tunic dress worn over contrasting color tunic and matched with leather belts. Round neck jersey top worn over pleated dhoti skirts with overlap belt, high waist belted pants, shorts, pleated patchwork dresses made up the collection.
Light silk-organza, cotton, glass-cotton, satin-silk, jersey, silk chiffon fabrics in colours of peach, rose pink, white, grey, navy, silver metallic were used in varying combinations to make a perfect line for an Indian summer. Innovative accessories like asymmetric acrylic bangles, ice cube and circular acrylic disc necklaces continued the opaque and transparent play. The outfits were teamed with footwear which had the transparent acrylic heels and uppers in colours of poinsettia, grey, navy, tiger lily pink and ecru.
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