It was a sparkling performance and all the fashion world’s top names were in attendance. And it was a rollicking show with models on roller- blades, a fun pyjama party, beach-inspired ramps and tennis balls rolling all over the place. The Amazon India Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2016 (AIFW) was an extravaganza of a different sort. And the designers pushed the limits to show off quirky innovations and designs. So, the audience got everything from leather panels on sexy bikinis to retro sports apparel and Benarasi off-shoulder gowns. Here’s a look at the themes that stood out and grabbed those eyeballs.
Stepping out in Benarasis
Benarasi weaves are clearly big winners with designers this year. Taking the Benarasi weave beyond the usual, 16 designers got together to create a collection titled Born in Benaras. While Sabyasachi Mukherjee designed a lehenga, sari and sherwani in three different shades of green Benarasi, Malini Ramani used the fabric in her trademark kitschy, free-flowing style.
Ramani’s black palazzo paired with a red poncho upped the oomph quotient. Tarun Tahiliani’s signature was stamped all over his bridal wear in shades of black and gold with a hint of red. Other designers like Rajesh Pratap Singh, Ashish N Soni, Atsu, Namrata Joshipura, David Abraham and Rakesh Thakore, and Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna created Western silhouettes in Benarasi. So, there was Joshipura’s asymmetrical dress in metallic tones and Soni’s off-shoulder gown in black and red Benarasi fabric.
Being sporty
It was a sporty outing for leading designers Anamika Khanna and Anand Bhushan. Both broke fresh ground with their sports-inspired lines.
Bhushan’s Wimbledon-inspired line called Deuce included sheer organza dresses, polo T-shirts, willowy long dresses, and dinky tennis costumes with front detailing. With models walking on a tennis court-like stage, he teamed polo shirts and the traditional pleated skirts with high-waisted A-line bustiers. There were sporty jackets made of sheer organza and leather with detailing like glass embroidery. “I wanted to create a sport-inspired line since I love sporty looks. And so, my show was centred around Wimbledon,” says the designer.
Meanwhile, Khanna’s collection ranged from track pants and long jackets to flared pants and fitted trousers that she teamed up with sneakers and caps. The designer used minimal embellishments and included chikankari, patchwork and other embroidery. Giving a sporty twist to the classic white kurta, Khanna coupled it with white ankle-length trousers. Another attention-getting ensemble was a sari with the pallu worn around the neck like a scarf to add a sporty touch and an embroidered, collared long jacket teamed with jeans.
All leather
Leather, it appears, is the hottest flavour of the season. So, designer duo Shivan and Narresh showcased sexy bikinis in tropical prints with leather panels and one-shoulder dresses panelled with crocodile-skin finished leather.
Bhushan too used a lot of faux leather in his collection. “I’ve mostly used faux leather with summer-friendly fabrics like cotton, sheer, organza, georgette and silk,” he says. For instance, a white dress in neoprene fabric was textured with leather and glass and embellished with metal beads. Other attention-grabbing pieces included a jacket made of scuba-diving fabric dotted with leather and glass embroidery and also a neoprene jacket embellished with leather and net. He also used a lot of thin, delicate leather strips as embellishments.
Meanwhile, Abhi Singh’s collection, titled Melancholy, comprised body-hugging silhouettes in leather, fitted leather pants, skirts and long dresses. Ragini Ahuja, on the other hand, presented denim maxis that were patched-over with leather.
Photographs by Jagan Negi and Rupinder Sharma
