Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Trends to watch out for: Fashion from across the border
By Our Correspondent
Published: February 6, 2012




A look at what is expected from our fashion-forward Indian contemporaries this season. PHOTOS: FILE

ISLAMABAD:

It’s always good to know what one’s regional neighbours are up to, which is why we have extended our gaze eastwards — to see what our Indian counterparts are brewing. With Mumbai’s Lakme Fashion Week right around the corner, we take a look at some of India’s contending designers and the looks/trends to watch out for.

Manish Malhotra

Bollywood bigwig Malhotra’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection is set to light the ramps on fire at the grand finale of Lakme Fashion Week. Many characterise him as the reigning badshah of Indian fashion, whose designs are worn by a multitude of designers. Sheer fabrics, breezy kurtas, sartorial saris and sophisticated gowns are his forte. Last year, he astounded the audience with his ‘Badshah of Bollywood Couture’ collection — his designs catering to the contemporary Indian woman and his panelled and voluminous lehngas stole the show.

This year, Malhotra will be working with corporeal garments and fabrics, with particular emphasis on chiffon and nets, to create a modern, sensual look. According to Malhotra’s Lakme Fashion Week profile (briefly detailing what we can expect from the young savant): “Colours like tangerine, neon pink and the classic ivory have been merged with Indian silhouettes to take fusion to the next level.”

Little Shilpa

Edgy, futuristic and mildly dystopian, Shilpa Chavan’s designs are known to be deliciously avant-garde. Last year, we saw geometric shapes and elaborate, floral headgear — the look combined futurism with earthy, animal tones to create a fashion dichotomy. These are the designs we think would make Lady Gaga squeal with delight — the triangulations, fabric shards and block shapes are a throwback to Gaga videos like “Poker Face” and “Bad Romance”.

However, the buzz this year is all about Chavan’s upcoming ‘Future of Fashion’ collection, which will undoubtedly take last year’s designs one step further. We hope she delivers and the collection doesn’t land itself into the trap of redundancy.

JJ Valaya

Heralded as one of the key monarchs of Indian fashion, JJ Valaya is a seminal couturier. The style, in accordance with his title as a fashion royal, is equally regal — a noble fusion between the refinement of traditional-wear and western sensibilities, combined with his interest in the evolution of modern technologies (photography, print, image-stills).


In fact, Valaya’s interest in photography inspired his outstanding collection last year. Says Valaya: “My latest collection for Aircel is called Tasveer and pays homage to the journey of the still image from its black and white avatar to its current digitised one. Technology and its evolution has always inspired me and it was only fair to finally acknowledge this love affair.”
SOURCE: LAKMEFASHIONWEEK.CO.IN.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 7th, 2012.

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