Actress Prachi Desai walks the ramp on the second day of Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai for Krishna Mehta

Day Two saw two stars — Sonam Kapoor and super silhouettes. Sonam Kapoor is made to stop shows. After a super debut with Anamika Khanna at India Couture Week last month, her second stint at LFW made her a pro. Covered in a silver veil as the “first denim bride”, with one stylish move she threw it off and did an impromptu jig on the ramp.

Tarun Tahiliani’s show for Levi’s was house full. Elaborate chandeliers and a silver ramp set the stage for a super shiny and glam line-up. After patchwork, paint, beads, fringe and a hint of Swarovski, denim went all out on Tuesday night, the TT way.

The first sequence showed very dark indigo blue denims with a barrage of chains or sprayed with crystals. These gold “apsara” chains were everywhere — legs, pockets, belts, bra tops — with a strong resemblance to Jaya Prada’s dance costumes in her films with Jeetendra back in the 1980s! Denim came in the form of skinny or flared jeans, tight pencil skirts, velvety jodhpurs, hot pants, overlapping jackets, corsets and mini shirt-dresses. Teamed with a variety of tops like bras, skinny polos, puff-sleeve shirts and cotton silk shirts, the first sequence also saw some faded denims. It glamorised the white-shirt-faded-demin combo with blood-red accessories. The second sequence showed the real stuff.

(Top to bottom) Models in creations by Rimzim Dadu; Shayan Munshi walks the ramp for Arjun Saluja and a Kallol Datta design

Jeans and jewels, TT made a clever contrast. “It’s as if you dip yourself into a treasure chest and come out with some sticking onto you!” TT laughed backstage. Multicoloured jewels that almost looked like beautiful brooches were strewn over the jeans, denim harem pants and dungarees. Three TT goddess drapes were seen in icy blue satin and also some lacy tops.

Sonam’s finale outfit was a show stealer. Standing tall in bare feet, she wore white jeans with apsara chains and a draped apsara top and a tulle veil.

Now, on to the second star of Day Two. Going by what we saw of the young designers at Lakme Fashion Week, it is safe to say that the future of Indian fashion is in safe hands. This new breed does not depend on zardosi or any other embroidery. It doesn’t seduce with a sari. Instead, it drapes, constructs and creates patterns that can compete with the rest of the world on any global catwalk. And Tuesday saw many back-to-back instances to demonstrate this talent.

Earlier in the afternoon, Arjun Saluja twisted silhouettes masterfully. Pantsuits with exaggerated and rounded lapels and voluminous sleeves, cowl jodhpurs, full cocoon skirts, fluffy folds on pockets and backs, his garments were avant garde and very modern. A controlled colour palette of grey and charcoal was offset with candy stripes and gingham checks and oversized bow ties. It also saw model-actor Shayan Munshi back on the ramp.

Kallol Datta’s starry collection was also scheduled for this day. No, the Calcutta designer did not get Bollywood stars to walk the ramp but apart from star being the main motif (it came as print, applique and embroidery) in Bengal’s next star designer’s collection, each of the 16 pieces could be called a star silhouette. Deconstructed shapes, 3D folds, minimal detailing and maximum impact, Kallol’s signature styles were intact but what formed the surprise factor was his colour palette that comprised the brightest of red and orange. None of the silhouettes were regular —well, unless you call disjointed jackets, bipolar dresses, spill-over dresses, crab dresses or butterfly sleeve top regular!

Kallol shared the ramp with two other young designers who were equally talented — Aastha Bahl and Rimzim Dadu. While Aastha developed a trendy, colourful, abstract print on white, Rimzim explored innovative textures and cording. Aastha’s line was very commercial and sporty with some cool separates like hoodies, shorts and racer-back vests. Often, her prints were played up against textured white in dresses, still sporty chic. Her accessories too were young — stacked lacquered wooden bangles and patent peep toes worn with pop socks. One baseball-shaped bag was particularly fun. Rimzim’s techniques were fabulous. Her outfits were so neat, and the detailing looked like paper, not fabric. Her silhouettes were mixed — lots of body con and some relaxed fits. Cord work, criss-crosses, scallops, pleats, ripples and gauge embroidery… this petite designer from the capital has a bag-full of tricks.

The day had also begun with a Calcutta connection as city designer Jyotee Khaitan presented Faux Bauhaus Chic. She did an about-turn at LFW. Suddenly, her signature K-serial saris were replaced by Western silhouettes (high-waisted cigarette pants, trapeze tops, peplums and even an attempt at deconstruction). The Swarovski was replaced by muted thread work, applique and cutwork. t2 verdict: 50-50. Good attempt but still not quite anywhere.

Right after Jyotee was Delhi-based designer Manish Gupta’s turn. Manish could well be the next Rajesh Pratap Singh. He put up a no-frill, minimal show with clean wearable silhouettes and super finishing. Mostly sheath dresses, Manish’s line began with whites and went on to buttercup yellow before finishing with black. His choice of detailing was effective, only pintucks, kantha, tape embroidery and applique. Fabrics were georgette and chanderi. And if we thought we had seen every possible arrangement of sequins in the past so many seasons, Manish used them so beautifully as to change everyone’s minds.

Shradha Agarwal
Pictures by Pabitra Das