Opening day at Lakmé Fashion Week heralded the new season with a mix of ethnic and western silhouettes. Anju Modi’s traditional collection was inspired by the Ajanta and Ellora Caves, with heavy focus on ancient embroideries and a palette ranging from earthy and monochrome to bright reds and blues. We loved her experimental silhouettes – case in point, the asymmetrical kurta worn over dhoti pants, the lehenga paired with the wrap-around blouse and the sari draped over the Chinese-collar jacket. Bringing the bling, Outhouse stayed true to their signature OTT style, with jewellery made for a warrior princess. Jatin Varma’s futuristic ensembles perfectly complemented the looks, and the gold, gladiator-style thigh jewellery and tassel necklace with leather elements made it to the top of our wish lists. Sania Maskatiya from across the border showcased a cool collection inspired by Japanese culture and it was her sheer organza cape paired with flared trousers that won us over. Surface texture reigned supreme with ruffles on one shoulder of the cape, contrasted with embellishments on the other. Also part of the Pakistani delegation, Zara Shahjahan went feminine with sequins and a pink palette – and the floral cutout shirt worn over silk pants proved that blooms could be taken out in the winter as well. Gaurav Jai Gupta’s saris were the standouts in his collection – his royal blue sari, highlighted with a metallic sheen, perfectly complemented the unusual sheer blouse. Playing around with western styles, Archana Rao offered us a new take on the pantsuit, with a sleeveless jacket, pastel colour scheme and cropped trousers. Karishma Shahani’s fall-ready collection had us wishing for cooler weather; stoles were layered over parkas, and sneakers showed up in cool colours. And finally, Dhruv Kapoor took us from fall to winter and left us longing for a ski vacation with a fur blouse and mirrored sunnies.
Anju Modi Fall/Winter 2014-15 (pictured above)
Photographs: Shivaji Juvekar
By Sneha Sadarangani August 21st, 2014
