Amazon India Fashion Week Grand Finale SS16

Grand Finale, AIFW SS16

The theme of the Grand Finale this season at Amazon India Fashion Week SS16 was textiles of Varanasi or Benaras as it is traditionally known.

The Empress Story by Manish Malhotra

Manish Malhotra, AICW 2015. Photography: FDCI

With this collection, Manish Malhotra celebrated 10 years of his couture house and 25 years as a costume designer for the Indian film industry. His Bollywood fan club was out in full support on the night, generations of stars and super stars sitting in front row, the paparazzi going wild.

Manish Malhotra, AICW 2015. Photography: FDCI

As if these two fantastic milestones weren’t enough to celebrate, demonstrating that good things come in three’s, Manish Malhotra announced that two new flagship boutiques would open in 2016, one in London and the other in Dubai. Both world class shopping

Rohit Bal’s Birds of Paradise

Rohit Bal, AICW 2015. Photography: FDCI

Through The Cinematic Lens with Debarun

Debarun, AICW 2015. Photography: Mashungsang Sangkhro

Debarun Mukherjee’s couture collection embarked on a journey through Indian cinematic costume through the decades from the black and white days of the 1930s to the present time. Of course, little has changed in hundreds of years of traditional Indian fashion let alone a few decades. Colours and trims come in and out of fashion

The Beloved by Manav Gangwani

Manav Gangwani, AICW 2015. Photography: Mashungsang Sangkhro

Indian couturier, Manav Gangwani’s show was entitled ‘Le’amoureuse’ or the beloved in English. He really should have stuck with English as the French is grammatically incorrect and has, incidentally, been widely re-printed with the same error across other media. I know this is a fashion review not a French lesson but if you’re going to have pretensions, at least Google your French.

Back to the collection… The show was set in a floral garden with a long winding catwalk. An hour late, the audience had to wait longer

Maharadja & Co

Rimple and Harpreet Narula, AICW 2015, Photography: FDCI

‘Maharadja & Co’ was the title of the Preciosa (Czec crystals) sponsored glamorous couture show by Rimple and Harpreet Narula. Celebrating the days and glory of the Raj is the essence of Rimple and Harpreet Narula’s brand (although every Indian designer invariably cites the same inspiration).

Rimple and Harpreet have endeavored to capture the very beginnings of the concepts of bespoke and portraiture in India with

Princesses of Persia

Anju Modi, AICW 21015. Photography: FDCI

Anju Modi’s show notes included a poem by my favourite Sufi poet, Rumi so I was won over from the start:

I asked, “Where is your home, beautiful moon?”

She said, “In the wreck of your heart so stone.

I am the sun shining into your ruin.

Long may you call this wild wasteland your home”.

Inspired by Persia, the show was entitled Kashish: an Urdu word, reflects an attraction, a deep desire and yearning for something; something which maybe never was. Well English words don’t mean so much do they?

Gaurav Gupta’s Nymphs & Goddesses

Gaurav Gupta, AICW 2015. Photography: Mashungsang Sangkhro

Amazon India Couture Week 2015 might be the show in which Gaurav Gupta got his mojo back after a pretty bad pret collection. The show was called ‘Silt and Cipher’ with models glamorously made up to resemble woodland nymphs and goddesses. The golden hair was amazing!

Rahul Mishra’s Couture Debut

 

 

Rahul Mishra, AICW 2015, Photography: FDCI

International Woolmark prize winner, Rahul Mishra has his Indian couture debut yesterday. His collection was aimed at the contemporising the bridal trousseau for the busy, multi-tasking, modern woman/bride and was inspired by the tree of life.

Sabyasachi Opens Amazon India Couture Week 2015

Calcutta based extraordinary couturier, Sabyasachi opened Amazon India Couture Week in glorious fashion. The designer’s trademark indulgent yet sophisticated designs and his meticulously details catwalk stage was inspired this season by India’s most common hunting bird, a ‘Bater’.

Sabyasachi, AICW 2015. Photography: Mashungsang Sangkhro

 

Rohit Bal’s Spectacular Grand Finale at WI Fashion Week

Rohit Bal @ WIFW SS15

Rohit Bal @ WIFW SS15

Wow!

So much beauty, luxury, indulgence, fashion and history all in the most stunning historic Mughal ruins in one of Delhi’s top tourist sites, Rohit Bal raised the bar to tremendous heights for Indian fashion. Even the moon and the weather obeyed the designer’s ode to beauty. The moon shone brightly to the right of one of the tombs at Qutab Minar and the outdoor temperature dropped from Sweaty to Serene.

A Tale of Two Indian Brides

Manish Malhotra IICW 2014

Manish Arora IICW 2014

A tale of two Indian brides and two very different Manish’s!

Indian designers, Manish Malhotra and Manish Arora have a cult global following for their distinctive designs, demonstrating the diversity of bridal fashion in India, a segment often overly saturated by lazy embellished designs.

Highborns Inspire High Couture

Monisha Jaising IICW 2014

Monisha Jaising IICW 2014

Mumbai based designer, Monisha Jaising unveiled her  most recent couture collection with some gorgeous designs that stood out from the week’s shows.  The inspiration behind the collection was a little too broad and the result was a confusing to watch but nevertheless there were some real gems.

Temples of Va Va Voom with Anju Modi

Anju Modi Couture Collection 2014

Anju Modi’s couture collection for 2014 was inspired by Varanasi ghats, a city dedicated to the gods.  Bold embroidery motifs reminiscing the temple-laden skyline adorned heavy bridal lehengas in a beautifully balanced colour palette of royal blue through to cherry tones and frosty pastels.

A Ticket To Ride with Sabyasachi

Sabyasachi Mukherjee at India Couture Week 2014

Sabyasachi Mukherjee at India Couture Week 2014

Top Indian couturier and tastemaker, Sabyasachi Mukherjee had the honour of opening India Couture Week 2014 (sponsored by Shree Raj Mahal Jewellers).  If there was ever an award for Most Creative Set, it would almost certainly always go to Sabyasachi.  The meticulous attention to detail entirely immerses one into the inspirational journey that the designer references each season and this year was no exception.  All aboard the turn-of-the-century Sabyasachi Express!

All-new India Couture Week 2014

Manish Malhotra 2014

If you’re interested in international fashion, you will be pleased to hear that the dates for India Couture Week have been announced.  The revamped six day event will have new partnerships: Shree Raj Mahal Jewellers as title sponsors, and Logix Group as its associate sponsors. The event in New Delhi will showcase India’s finest design talent in exclusive shows by top Indian Couturiers from 15-20 July 2014.

Rajputana Traveller by Samant Chauhan

Samant Chauhan WIFW AW 2014

‘Some travels take you so far that even when you return you are gone forever…probably it’s then they call it a journey’…the Rajputana Traveller.

Samant Chauhan WIFW AW 2014

Designer, Samant Chauhan grows in confidence each season with new chapters from his Rajputana fashion series.  Continually drawing on inspiration from his native Indian state he keeps the collection looking bold and structured yet incredibly feminine.

Day 1 WIFW: Loving Life And The Art of Seduction

Vineet Bahl WIFW AW 2014

My fellow blogging buddies and I had to keep reminding ourselves that we were seeing AW collections as both Anupamaa and Vineet Bahl showed collections that could easily overlap the current Spring/Summer trends.  Shame we have to wait for the collections to hit stores!

Vineet Bahl used to be one of my favourite Indian designers due to his Western silhouettes which were gorgeous.  Over the last couple of years he has started specialising in India ethnic wear which I guess has more commercial sense for him but he was truly a refreshingly different designer for Western design.

His new AW14 is inspired by the celebration of every moment of life without prejudice and judgement.  The collection began with muted earthy handloom silks occasionally peppered with neon embellishment detail and pastel shades slowly crept in and made way for a myriad of vintage inspired colours and delicious combinations such as Prussian blue with peach. Want!!

Manish Malhotra’s Couture Finale

Couturier Manish Malhotra needs no introduction.  Whilst Manish was inspired by the princely states and regalia of the 1930s, contemporary royalty in the form of Shah Rukh Khan and Bollywood princess Deepika Padukone walked the ramp for the designer. The beautifully coiffured hair underlined the inspiration with silhouettes and embroidery echoing the splendour of Indian – European architecture.  French shoe designer Christian Louboutin

Punjabi Rock n Roll & Kitsch Kedgeree

Who can say regardez-moi, the loudest?  On one monsoon evening in Delhi two of Indian fashion’s most entertaining designers presented their couture collections.  Both have strong associations with Paris but the words chalk and cheese were never more relevant.  The first was Ritu Beri, India’s 80s Paris-trained girl wonder whose show included a live band and a couple of designers she worked in collaboration with.

Exotic Punjab was the theme

JJ Valaya, The Maharaja of Madrid

The Maharaja of Indian couture, JJ Valaya’s opening show for AAmby Valley India Bridal Fashion Week was as spectacular as to be expected from a designer who spares no expense in executing his vision.

JJ’s previous couture collection was inspired by his visits to Turkey resulting in an exquisite fusion of silk route couture.  The Arab empire ruled in Spain for over 700 years before

City of Dreams: Couture Fashion Comes to Delhi

Potentially visible from space, in a few days time Delhi will overflow with glamour, sparkles and celebrities as two couture weeks begin back to back.  Indian couture is synonymous with bridal wear except this season India Bridal Fashion Week will showcase before PCJ Delhi Couture Week (PCJ is a jewellery company and the main sponsor).

One of the reigning kings of Indian couture, JJ Valaya,

Heavenly Heritage Fashion

Over at Rajesh Pratap Singh’s show the catwalk had been transformed into an Autumnal woodland.  Rajesh Pratap Singh is the current brand ambassador for Woolmark and the show was sponsored by them.

The ground lay strewn with rust coloured foliage and bleak trees glowed with pod lights.  The effect was magical.  

Delhi Couture Week: Day 4

Day 4 of PCJ Delhi Couture Week 2012 presented two shows of opposite extremes.  Both designers referenced bridalwear but whereas Shantanu & Nikhil’s fantasy bride was gothic and dark, Manish Malhotra’s was a fluttery sugar-dipped princess.

Shantanu & Nikhil’s show notes were far too deep in reference points especially since they threw in the towel and conformed to produce a bridalwear collection.  Why not simply state that you want to do a different type of couture collection?

Referencing strong women