It’s a land of alternate reality inside; gender-blind ephebes at heart busy rubbing the deep lines which outer world is tip toeing on. Packed in a well-lighted black canvassed big den, there glitter designer booths and the people around them, all swearing by their love for art and fashion –hailing individualism.
Though how consistent you may be to a fashion week but at first sight, a first step into the five long days of Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, always come up with confusing proportions of curiosity, excitement, jitters and zeal – leave you leaning on a parapet, looking around and wondering like a kid in a candy shop.
With trunks of ensembles being ferried around, capering models, decked up bunches of Lolitas and cougars alike, pushy photographers and nosey writers, there started Spring Summer 2012 edition of WIFW, to culminate with ample theatrics, front row rivalries, heavy lounge influx,few ODed misdemeanors, and of course, trends spotting and sound business, as being claimed by designers.
The latest edition kept the usual chaos intact with a line-up of India’s most celebrated names of fashion, all hobnobbing under a roof – chalk it up to the names like James Ferreira, NamrataJoshipura, Anita Dongre, Wendell Rodricks and Rajesh Pratap Singh. And, jazzing up the venue were the hanging glass installations by Play Clan and a photographic exhibit by Hemant Khandelwal. Meanwhile, the international media, stalls buzzing with the presence of more than 200 buyers and beautiful designs on the ramp shone brightest, taking Indian fashion to the global corridors.
Amidst this frenetic vibe, the fashion collectively stood for the real stars this time – the beautiful artisanal pieces which designers spent months for. The five days mainlyrefrained from Bollywood except the names like Deepika Padukone, Kangana Ranaut, KalkiKoechlin and PrateikBabbar sauntering down the ramp. Moreover, this time show stoppers in the form of Rohit Bal and Raakesh Thakore for Raajesh Pratap Singh’s off site show gave pro models a run for their money.
Throughout the five days, drama remained constant on ramp and off ramp. Nida Mahmood’s ‘Great Indian Tamasha’ was inundated with Indian theatre, showing crowns, moustaches and shields. Similarly, Sanchita Ajjampur’s show had a line-up of models wearing big turbans with bikinis. Though, ‘flora and fauna’ remained a big time favourite among the designers with almost half of them revolving around it but Bengali influence seen in the collections of Nikasha Tawadey and Joy Mitra, came as a monotony breaker. All in all, some 70 shows came to a conclusion that sheer, lace and prints will be the hottest trends during summers of 2012. Jumpsuits, palazzo pants, shrugs and loads of layering and metallic elements ruled the runway.
The fashion at its elusive best kept morphing from one show to the other, and dramatic sets, live performances and themed choreography kept the change intriguing.Wendell’s nude men, Anita Dongre’s hopping girls and the clapping models in Virtue’s show gave this edition few of its unforgettable moments. On the final notes, I would love to say though how spellbound we may be at Wendell’s show, but Indrani’s graceful come back after a tumble, left us all standing for her, clapping and shouting bravo. Similar was the cheer for Tinu Verghis during Vineet Bahl’s show. Kudos to the brave girls! Kudos to the fashionistas who understand that fashion loves mistakes!
Posted by : Chaitanya Garg at 03:50 PM
