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| Sonam Kapoor, an Anamika Khanna loyalist, attended Thursday night’s show |
If the designer’s personal look is usually no indication of what a show will be, Anamika Khanna reversed the rule on Thursday night, the opening night of Lakme Fashion Week summer-resort 2011.
At Tote on the Turf, Mahalaxmi Race Course, the designer greeted her guests in a white chikankari kurta with rolled-up sleeves and white palazzos. A limited edition quilted black Chanel hung from her shapely shoulder.
In the outside area, white drapes teased the trees before multitasking as screens on which characters from Mughal-e-Azam came alive.
Inside, the same drapes hung overhead for a more serious frill-free fashion setting. The show began. The girls walked in — Bhawna Sharma in a kurta pyjama, also white, also chikankari, the first of 50. Tightly choreographed, the power of the garments was intensified further by the drums of Anup and Martin of Nirv-a-Funk. The front row was powerful, too. Sonam Kapoor was there with sister and stylist Rhea, wearing a white shirt, blazer, black pants and black vest. There was the original white queen Simi Garewal and then there was Rahul Bose (also in white and white) and long time AK fan Haseena Jethmalani.
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Back to the girls. Hair gelled and tied in a bow, make-up simple with iridescent mouths and strong eyebrows. This collection was to be Anamika’s take on androgyny, but her man wasn’t Victorian. He was the Indian man of many moods — in his full royal glory or in his simple sleeping suit. “No one recognises the Indian man. This is him. This is what he wears — whether he is playing cards on Diwali or he is sleeping,” Anamika explained.
True to the promise, the Indian man was present in each and every look that was sent down the runway. Whether it was the influence of the humble kurta pyjama or the way he wears his shawl to a musical concert… it was all him and more!
As always, AK’s silhouettes stole the show. In this vision of a man’s world, the modern lehnga looked more like a peasant skirt worn with a cropped blouse, no cleavage or cutwork on display. The white shirt was all-pervasive in its clean avatar. There were pronounced collars, proper plackets, inconspicuous buttons, pockets — some with zardosi bootis, many without. There were skirts, but it was mostly about the pants. Either these pants were wide, really wide, or skinny, super skinny. Some high-waisted, some plain pyjamas and some gheraras.
Signature layering was present, of course. There were waistcoats, there were jackets, there were emblems embroidered on jackets. Some girls had bow ties, some loose tie-like pieces and one even had a burning red pocket square. Then there were a few long-flowing pieces with trails.
There were shawls too, draped classical musician style. But then the lehngas in pretty pinks and purples were worn without dupattas, just with midriff-baring cropped tops. These led the way for the last few looks of the evening: pretty prints, delicate florals and finally some shibori kaftans that were born for the beach.
If the first few looks were all white, some black slowly crept in, then some powder blue, some brown and finally a tease of royal purple, pink and a raging red. The sedateness of chikankari eventually led to the shine of silver.
Anamika also took her signature laser cutwork many steps forward this season. Meshed in pretty powder blue or vintage rose prints, it was an exquisite lacy look.
The models came back for the final walk and Anamika walked in again. And that is when it became clear. Just like her look, the show too was simple yet stunning. Just like that limited-edition Chanel, this too was classic.
SABYA — THE TIGER ON THE PROWL
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The royal Bengal tiger went out for a stroll on Friday night. And returned home strutting his stuff like never before. He had a mission: to save the tiger. And at Lakme Fashion Week summer-resort 2011, Sabyasachi, fashion’s RBT, had another mission: to silence his critics forever. To all those who ask ‘what’s different’, this was his answer — everything.
Usually, sponsor shows are about taking the brand’s colours and building a collection around them, but Sabyasachi proved that sponsor shows can be intelligent, too. Oh yes, that word again. Intelligent. So how can you tell if a bunch of clothes on a bunch of models walking up and down the catwalk is ‘intelligent’? Is it because they look intelligent in thick black spectacles?
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To answer this question, the designer, who is often accused of intellectualising even a sleeve or a buttonhole, sent out a collection inspired by the Sunderbans. The catwalk had cut-outs of large black trees, the seats were swathed with yellows and browns. The first two models came in tiger dresses. If you are thinking of Cavalli-esque tiger-print slinky numbers, red mouths and untamed cascading tresses, you are thinking of the wrong kind of tiger. These girls came in wearing Fifties-meets-Eighties-equals-now silhouettes. Tiger colours and tiger cub prints marked the nipped-at-the-waist, full-at-the hem pieces. One had sculpted armour-like flaps on the shoulder (“constructed ruffles”, he calls them), the other a conical rosette bra.
Whether it was the ’70s hippie maxi or the ’60s mini dress or shirt dress yanked to ankle-grazing proportions, the first series continued to show the cotton-clad tigress. Rajasthani block prints in shades of yellow, ochre and black lent themselves to these styles, sometimes the tiger was depicted just by stripes in the right colours, sometimes a combination of the two. There was some delicate French lace and some rough-and-tough terry panels in some outfits.
Stacks of wooden bangles on each hand, some wore ‘statement’ necklaces and some carried hair-on-hide handbags matching the black rose-detailed wedges. Slowly, other colours crept in but the eye of the tiger did not leave the scene once.
The silhouettes continued to surprise. Rothko’s colourful paintings came alive in the next series. Horizontal panels looked very flattering on the reed-thin models (not sure about what they will do for people like us). The influences expanded to the 1920s and the military. The constructed ruffles continued to appear. Shonal Rawat’s black and white floral-print, floor-grazing shirt dress, decked with coral coloured blossoms and safety pins got a roaring applause, as did the Marilyn Monroe swimsuit girls and the trio of sack dress girls.
And, of course, there were saris. Worn with asymmetrical, modern, black cropped tops (the back, with a khuli khidki design) and embroidered skirts. There were three of them, all chhotu, all super bright and beautiful. Just like the rest of the show.
OVER TO MANISH MALHOTRA - BOLLYWOOD'S FAVOURITE DESIGNER
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You know it’s a Manish Malhotra show by the buzz at the venue. People standing around, holding on to that one paper pass as if for dear life. People not holding on to a paper pass, asking around for one as if for dear life. Camerapersons thronging each entry point and sometimes even emergency exits to spot the celeb.
Sometimes, like on Day 2 of LFW, the celebs decide to show up from the main porch. Timed perfectly to avoid any clash with the photo-op, almost like catwalk cues, these Bollywood babes high heeled their way in and then magically disappeared seconds after the show. The MM runway amidst all this drama is also dramatic. The push and pull done, people finally enter the main show area after elbowing at least four others. The lucky ones get to sit, many stand and some really unlucky ones have to squat.
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On Saturday night, with no space to wiggle a toe, Manish’s men started the show. Before that came an AV highlighting the various crafts that the label is promoting. It touched upon Shabana Azmi’s NGO Mijwan where Manish has adopted 45 villagers to support chikankari, his Rajasthani influences and his latest fascination for Kashmir (he fell in love with the Valley during the shoot of Imtiaz Ali’s Rockstar). The men were all in ethnic Indian wear, kurtas, bandhgalas and sometimes both, paired with either well-draped dhoti pants or well–fitted slim trousers. Waxed chests peeped from beneath sheer kurtas and front open jackets.
The traditional Kashmiri embroidery took centre stage. Imtiaz on the front row, with Kareena ‘Geet’ Kapoor by his side (below left), looked happy. There was the full jaal on the shawls and the paisleys panels on the kurta plackets, matching up to the richness of the silks and jutes. To offset the serious styles, there came far and few in between some gingham checked pants and a fun resham-embroidered navy jacket. The choreography was slick and before you could know it, the 20 men gave way to the 20 women.
The Manish Malhotra women were ethereal. Kareena Kapoor, Amrita Rao, Sophie Choudhry, Sameera and Sushma Reddy, Hard Kaur… his other women on the front row cheered and clapped hard. The ladies’ look was also signature Manish — voluminous and luxurious, each piece waiting to be picked up for the next award function in Bollywood. Glamorous fluid designs flattered every curve of the models, the elegant ecrus and beiges getting a spark with the Kashmiri colours of coral and pink. Chikankari with a generous spattering of badla, shone in the light, the gota borders glistening gorgeously. There was a dash of lace too, and some crochet adding a dainty design detail here or there.
The signature MM colour, the nude, was omnipresent. Lovely hair and make-up, dewy eyes, glossy mouth and casually constructed braids tied together in a fancy updo. The silhouettes were all grand — not one that you could lunch in — but more than one you could walk the red carpet in.
“This is my biggest calling. I want to continue to showcase such glamorous Indian wear. A sari or a kalidaar looks far better on the red carpet than any gown,” Manish told reporters post-show.
Well, the stars seem to agree.
TOKYOEYE SHOWED SOME SUPER SILHOUETTES
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| Tamae Hirokawa |
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| Sara Arai |
One of LFW’s highlights was Tokyoeye on Day One where the fash frat of the country got to sample the genius of three young and successful Japanese designers.
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| Motonari Ono |
The first name to take the ramp was Motonari Ono. With degrees from Mejiro, London and Antwerp and having worked as London-based Bora Aksu’s chief pattern-maker, Ono impressed the audience with a sophisticated collection of dresses and separates. The colours were neutral nudes played up with a dash of black. And then there was an impossible-to-miss chunky fuchsia zipper running down one piece. His garments had a beautiful bounce, not too costume-y but just enough to tickle the inner red carpet diva hiding inside every woman. His fastenings were neat — a very basic detail that many desi designers ignore.
Ono showed some very pretty Lanvin-like two-tone, one-shoulder dresses. We also loved his pants and blouses and a typical nude satin with lace overlayer dress. Seen before, but beautiful nevertheless.
The second designer for the evening was Tamae Hirokawa. Glistening under the blue lights of the runway, the textures shone bright. One look at Tamae’s slinky and sexy bodysuits, and you can understand what makes Lady Gaga a fan. Known for her ‘skin series’ range of clothes, the designer crafted some breathtaking creations. Her easy-to-wear dresses and impossibly edgy leggings (some lacy, some leathery) and those high boots are just perfect for a night out in London. There was a navy jersey dress with a drape running along the shoulders, emitting that magical mermaid vibe. She had these brave, beaded bodysuits that hugged every curve and when the last two looks emerged, there was no missing the influence of her ex-boss Issey Miyake, who has almost made pleating his middle name!
The final Japanese designer was Sara Arai. Burgundy polka-dotted dresses and icy marble prints dominated the first part of her show. Maxis came next and, finally, some sexy swimwear worn under resort-y wraps and covers, all sheer and smooth. And with her also came the first glimpse of the kimono, a garment many of us mistakenly consider the beginning and end of Japanese fashion!
DAY ONE OF THE FASHION WEEK OPENED WITH A SET OF EMERGING DESIGNERS.
1 Blank Spot by Shivaji Dutta
The Calcutta-based designer kick-started the proceedings at Mumbai’s Grand Hyatt on Friday morning. Under the label Blank Spot, Shivaji sent out a collection reusing waste fabrics. All in camel, dotted with small leather bits, the clothes screamed graduation collection loud and clear. Pleats, pockets, flaps, a bit of draping and a one-off tie-back added another dimension but our favourite detail was the hemline in which you could see an armhole, possibly from the fabric’s former life in which it was a top.
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| Riya Sen turned heads in a Little White Dress by Arpan Vohra on the first day |
2 Deux A by Anna-Liza
From a serious environmental concern to a hip and glam mood, the next Gen Next label was Deux A by Eurasian designer duo Anna and Liza. Body con was the buzzword here. Worn sometimes with sparkly sequinned tights, sometimes bare legs, these dresses and separates were cool and now. Encompassing most summer 2011 trends like sculpted shoulders, shine and bling, bloomers and statement necklaces, this capsule collection is easy to imagine winking down at you from any high-street store.
3 Modern Tribe by Manas Dash
When Sucheta Sharma appeared in a Patachitra dress fashioned like a speaker, we were reminded that sometimes it takes only one look to recognise a potential star. Patachitra paintings were the mainstay in Manas’s collection, some digitally printed and some hand-painted. The touches were very modern — conical bras, jumpsuits, tiered tops, power-shoulder dresses — but the heart was very desi. Orissa to be precise. But when 3D appliqué animals appeared as patchwork on another dress, your mind immediately went to maverick Manish Arora. Now that could be a good thing and also a bad thing… Watch this space for more!
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4 I know by Timsy & Siddhartha
The first menswear collection at LFW and not a bad one at all! The label explored menswear with a difference. While the colour palette was a safe chocolate brown and white, that’s where the predictability ended. Full marks to the duo for thinking out of the box while moving away from graduation collection mode. One shirt didn’t have side panels and one trouser had collars on the ankles! But the last look sealed the deal. The shirt had a tilted placket, trousers overlapping and a backpack made of hats!
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5 Complicated Simplicity by Deepti Pruthi 
The next Gen Next designer played by the cocktail look rulebook down to the last page! Her colour scheme was nude. She had romantic ruffles and ruches. She had a satin corseted top. And she also tried to do the avant-garde bit by introducing two beaded and ballooned numbers. But it didn’t quite add up. Her ‘complicated simplicity’ got lost somewhere between the two.
6 Miriam Strehlau
An expat living in India currently, Miriam is obviously inspired by the colours and crafts of the country. So, bandhni and leheriya came as long, flowing dresses, batik as tiny boxer shorts. Khadi made for a cute baby-doll and a cuter vest and Gujarati mirror work a trendy wrap top. The final look was a wedding dress made in neon green and rani pink. As ex-Vogue editor Diana Vreeland famously once said: “Pink is the navy blue of India.”
