Winters have given the sexy stilettos a break, the season is all about extremely stylized platforms and over exaggerated wedges. The embellishments have toned down and shoes that make a difference are in very basic colours of black, brown, beige, rosewood etc with lacy details. Your shoes are designed to keep you comfortable and warm this chilly winter. The colours that bring about a spark are rich red and pure gold. We move ahead chatting about the shoes and bags in vogue for FallWinter’09-10 with definitive look and trend direction.

The wedge heels by Dolce & Gabbana with face cutout on both the sides covering the entire heel and shoe in one piece of suede without any stitch details. The look is cleaner and basic which is very similar to the kind of wedges been picked for the ramp by Varun Bahl, though he used a lustrous finish of leather.

Platform heels are the sexy brigade this season, form the racks to the ramp platforms have made their appearance in all sorts of innovation. The very stunning shoe by Burberry has almond toe leather sandals with hand-braided cord strap detailing and wooden platform with crane-shaped rubber sole. The shoe story dictates less of hardware and more of fabric on fabric or leather on leather design. With this laces have also made a big comeback even in cocktail shoes. The platforms have fitted their niche in peep-toe sandals, pointed shoes, with block heels or curvaceous heels. The object of envy this season is the black Ferragamo platform with cutout details. One cannot ignore the golden platforms by Marc Jacobs.

Boots call for ultimate comfort this season with absolutely no heels and knee length. Say a stern no to the leather boots its only suede in black, blonde, brown and of course red.

For those who can relate to the urge of shopping, who are not guilty of buying another pair of similar shoes in a different colour just to go with a new dress. And would slip in their sandals to go out shopping at the very instance of depression rather than swallowing calorie rich chocolates, can read ahead to know what’s more in trend this Fall Winter.

Clutches are in neat perfect rectangular shapes and bags are sexily relaxed. Wendell Rodricks has colour blocked clutch boxes. Versace dictates clutch in lustrous crocodile leather finish with sharp edgy metal fixtures. Fendi gives a non-lustrous finish with star-trek closure in dull metal to its clutch. And Armani spells vintage look for clutches this season.

The tote bags are usually big with ample space to carry you along, and there is a cut throat completion between the leather bags with interweaving by Satya Paul and tote in houndstooth fabric by Alexander Mc Queen. The fur has been previewing itself in accessories for Fall Winter and bags have leather trimming and interlacing with geometric patterns gaining predominance.
 

The biker brigade could not close doors only to racer jackets, zippers and bling-bling, thus seeped in to your bags and clutches with studs and long steel chains. The Jimmy choo studded golden clutch pronounces ultimate style and luxury statement with powered look. 

 

Her fascination for different type of fabrics and constant experimentation…

 A name that spells unrivaled style and versatility, ‘Urvashi Kaur’ is a label that offers a distinct range of prêt & demi couture ensembles for women. Urvashi’s creations are handcrafted to perfection, with meticulous attention to detail. Unconventional drapes & rich textual treatments on fabrics is her forte. Her fascination for different type of fabrics and constant experimentation serve as the genesis of her collections. Urvashi has carved a niche for herself in the Indian fashion industry. Her successive participation through the years at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week confirmed her as a promising designer.   Enthused to revive the country’s vibrant textiles, Urvashi infuses the realms of the ethic with the contemporary. She consistently seeks to redefine fashion with her signature design philosophy & move forward with her pioneering creations. 

For Urvashi, “fashion is a process of constantly seeking new dimensions to express & create functional artwork”.

  • A graduate from Esmond, Paris.
  • Urvashi has assisted fashion moguls like Marcel Marongiu, Lolita Lempika & Issey Miyake. 
  • Urvashi’s SS ’08 debut showcase, at the Lakme Fashion Week was heralded as one of the most romantic, owing to the Parisian vintage spirit conveying a unique sense of summer romance. 
  • Constant exposure to myriad influences and cultures through her travels and the desire to express manifested itself through her creations, witnessing the launch of her Design Label- “URVASHI KAUR”. 

Feted by fashion commentators and analysts from the Indian editions of Vogue, Marie Claire, Elle, Verve, L’Officiel & Cosmopolitan, Urvashi has accumulated ample credits to her name, along with being featured as one of the young graduates from the fashion fraternity who contributed in moving fashion forward progressively over the past seasons. 

Urvashi’s label is available all across India at leading stores from Ogaan, Ensemble & Fuel. Anonym Studio, Nautanki & Peach Tree in Hyderabad. At Collage stores in Chennai and Kolkata.  
Samsaara, the luxurious abode of fashion which epitomizes the grandeur and glamour in luxury presented the latest cocktail line from Shantanu and Nikhil.
 
‘Vintage Portrait’ inspired by the various facets of the mind and places, is the new collection from the designer duo. It exudes a strong sense of a forgotten era and relives the time through the fluid drapes and fabrics, applauding the flavors of surface texturing which purposefully ages the look to the olden days of grandeur and luxury. The color palette is woven into time with dusty rose and grey whereas silhouettes are delicate and classic.
 
“The people in Mumbai are chic and understated just like our designs and it is fun to create pieces for women who love to experiment with different kind of drapes said Nikhil who thinks cocktail dresses are in trend these days. After their cocktail line launch at Samsaara, it is their new store at Palladium that they are looking forward to. "This will be our second standalone store in Mumbai, post which we will open stores in Ludhiana and Hyderabad, says Shantanu.

A beautiful amalgamation of fabric with culture and exquisite styling is…

A beautiful amalgamation of fabric with culture and exquisite styling is what can be termed as the forte of Rabani and Rakha. The brain child of Rahul and Shibani Rastogi along with Gautam Rakha, the label boasts of magnificent designs with a spectacularly modern silhouette with rich detailing – perfect and classy for the contemporary woman. Maintaining brand quality is an utmost priority for the trio which emphasizes on the overall look, technique, style, fabric, and finish of the garment. Known for their intricate and distinctive work, Rabani & Rakha have managed to get a strong foothold in the world of design with a loyal clientele and approval from critics and buyers alike. 

The genesis of Rabani & Rakha began when ‘Rabani’, the creation of husband-wife duo Rahul and Shibani Rastogi came together with Gautam Rakha to take their next step into the world of fashion. ‘Rabani’ which started off as a hobby for the couple in 1999 shared its vast knowledge of design and comprehensive knowledge of embroideries with the aesthetic sense and marketing talent of Gautam Rakha to acquire the form it has today. While all three Rahul, Shibani and Gautam are alumni of Sri Ram College of Commerce, Gautam has an additional diploma from NIFT, New Delhi. Rakha has also won the Prix’d Indiction award in Paris and has worked with Tarun Tahiliani for almost five years, learning the tricks of the trade, the knowledge of which he brings into the label.

Rabani & Rakha has showcased their ensembles in all major cities in India and abroad like Hong Kong, Dubai, London, Bangkok, Los Angeles etc. The label owns a store in Crescent Mall in New Delhi and also retails from Raaz in Chicago, FFOCIO in Bangalore, M&S House of Design in Delhi and Khajana in New Jersey and Los Angeles amongst others.

You can get the designer trio at:
www.rabaniandrakha.com
 

A self taught designer and a management graduate from Pusa Institute, tryst with design began with designing bridal gowns and formal evening wear.

A Debut designer at WIFW A/W 2009, Jyotsna established her label Jona in the domestic market three years ago. The designer gets inspired by the Grecian diva Helen of Troy depicting her fabled power and beauty in a collection that captures the sensual form of the eternal beauty of a woman. Long flowing gowns in tones that are both muted and bold is been seen in her label with form and flow.

Jyotsna’s hemlines are asymmetrical and elegant in long gowns with innovative pleating. Cat suits follow a very chic texture through origami techniques with beads and gold appliqué embroidery on necklines.

She enjoys creating evening elegance and is happy to be part of the Indian design world, housing bridal lehengas, sarrees and anarkalis crafted to the best, luxury of sheer and pure essence of silks, nets and chiffon’s and specially hand crafted embroidery in zari pearls and swarovski .

She retails through exclusive flagship store at Juhu Opp J.W. Marriott.

Her label has an Indian soul in Cosmopolitan Styling with sophistication…