Satarupa in a look from Kallol Datta’s spring-summer 2013. Make-up & hair: Don Hsiao Picture by Rashbehari Das

The preview began on a rather OCD note in Kallol Datta’s grandma’s house in Salt Lake. The house multitasks as his party den and during the run-up to fashion week, his thinking space.

In the ground floor drawing room, stood a rack. On it hung some clothes. All white, but none stark. After a burst of colours for fall-winter 2012, well blue is a burst by Kallol’s standards, spring-summer 2013 is dominated by white and black. And anger. And frustration. And annoyance. About the current fashion situation, about plagiarism... all leading to infuriation. “Losing my sanity was never part of the plan.” He is not saying it aloud but he’s printed it (based on a five-minute hand drawing not a computer-generated image) loud and clear on some of his garments (picture inset).

As usual Kallol will introduce some provoking prints on the ramp on October 9, 4.30pm. One that he will reveal now is the baby skeleton in the foetal position, with an elongated spine. It’s less baby, more skeleton. The concept goes forward as the next garment has a magnified version of the skeletal concept -— the tibia and femur are arranged in a chevron pattern. And not incidentally, in another garment, the fabric chords are arranged along the garment in such a way that it resembles an exoskeleton!

If you are wondering, the name of the collection is Grotesque Nonsense. Oh and there’s also some menswear — on popular demand — for the first time on the ramp. “I’ve been making some stuff for personal clients and movies but it’s the first time as part of the collection,” says Kallol.

Psst. He has a huge release later this year but refuses to name the film, and not on grounds of superstition! Watch this space for more!