Day 2 at the Amazon India Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2016 #AIFWAW16 had a promising start. The ensembles on the ramp were worth a second look and each of them were designed in such a way that it captivated the minds of the spectators an instant.
Anaikka
The day started with designer Kanika Saluja presenting her collection ‘Lock, Stitch and Gothic’ under her brand Anaikka, making heads turn with her designs. The collection was based on an era where men ruled fashion, but with the emergence of women in power, women took lead. The collection takes you back in time, when fashion was a form of art and gives it a contemporary modern, gothic and edgy twist revisiting the vintage, Victorian era of fashion. The versatile couture comprised of flared pleated striped skirts, thigh high slits, dresses with a hint of leather, high collared bomber accessorized with statement necklaces to match in dark shades of red, brown, navy blue and black. Actress Shriya Saran who was the showstopper for this collection, was one of the first celebrities to grace the ramp this season. She looked ravishing in a black and gold re-defined saree with a huge gold and ruby headgear, definitely one of the best from the collection. The brand Anaikka debuted its menswear collection for the first time this season. The collection celebrates the essence of ‘Victorian’ fashion and heritage and highlights the beauty of blending the new with the old.
Virtues by Viral, Ashish & Vikrant
Virtues Presents ‘ From Gujarat with Love’ is one collection which truly grabbed the attention of spectators with their designs. Designers Ashish, Viral & Vikrant have really crafted up a fabulous collection this time which have left fashionistas yearning for more. The garments are pampered in silk and cotton in rich appealing colours make them quite inviting for the Autumn Winter season. True to its name, the collection is the labour of love of heritage, craft, handloom, fusion and folk. Each garment design had a solid history behind them and rightly so. The stripes, hues and a touch of gold made this lovely collection something out of this world making this a unique collection indeed. This is a collection to own and look regal this season.
Rimzim Dadu
After a two-year break, Rimzim Dadu is back with a bang to the AIFW ramp. This season she has wowed us with her signature Rimzim Dadu collection and how! This season the designer has introduced a mix of structure and flow. She has used leather, metal wires and other unique materials such as shred, woven and even burnt fabrics for her collection. But the highlight of the signature Rimzim Dadu line this time were metal wires which were tied and dyed with faux leather giving them a unique look. Some garments had a shimmer of 3D appliqué work which made them look quite marvelous grabbing attention of the viewers. One of the unique inventions Ms Rimzim had woven this season was the distressed dress.the designer has redefined the image of sarees with double sequin hues, ombre dresses, metallic surfaces, and 3D appliqué. All in all a neat collection.
Dhruv Kapoor
In his new collection, Winner of the Vogue India Fashion Fund 2015, Dhruv Kapoor has romanticized the punk. In his garments, the designer fuses together multiple elements to create the perfect his perfect woman. The Autumn Winter collection involves a lot of summer textiles which have been reinvented for winter, and mixed with space age heat-set lurex to create new weights and surfaces. The unique thing about Kapoor’s collection is that it mixes together raw denims, luxury furs and Italian suiting but still retains its cultural values. So get ready to be mesmerized by this unique collection.
Samant Chauhan
This is one designer to likes to delve into unique cultures each season. Last year, the veteran designer celebrated Nepalese culture and this year, in his Autumn Winter collection, he has brought us the intricate Rajputi designs. The colour palette used has a royal tinge to it with colours ranging from blush pink to soft beige. The designs had a strong use of floral motifs. The designer has created a regal look for his apparel by blending together royal floral motifs on tulle fabric and silk. The range had an elegant feel with Victorian skirt influences. The collection showcased rich full skirts with beautiful embroidery. Satin, Cotton silks, zari work have lend a regal vibe to the collection.
Malini Ramani
True to her style, Malini Ramani, this year composed silhouettes away from the ‘trending’ and created totally scintillating designs. Her new collection, Supernova draws inspiration from the modern confident women. The collection features an array of categories ranging from sarees, harem pants to tunics and dresses. Adding glamour to the fabric were peacock motifs and gold embroidery. Black, white and beige ruled the collection.
Nikasha
At Amazon India Fashion Week A/W 2016, designer Nikasha has created an enchanting and feminine collection under her label Nikasha. True to her technique, this season Nikasha has successfully managed to romance tribal styling with chic colours. The collection expresses traditional Indian designs in bright colours ranging from sparkling yellow to cherry red to black. One unique feature about her collection is the unusual way she drapes. Sheer net skirts and shimmery borders dominate her collection. This season she has crafted the feminine tribal motifs to accentuate the designs. All in all the collection is quite exciting.
Anita Dongre
For the first time ever, ace designer Anita Dongre presented her brand Grassroot at the Amazon India Fashion Week. The collection ‘Earth Song’ captures the beautiful colours of the earth. Hence the use of a earthy palette of greens, indigo and reds. The jewellery had tribal touch to them with chokers and slim neck-bands that were crafted from recycled waste from the factory.
The collection extensively used layering, touches of Kantha, patch worked separates, print on prints, printed ensembles and sequin hand-embroidery and detailing. Jumpsuits, wraps and jackets, pinafores, Shirt dresses, pallazos and trousers ruled the collection. The exquisite collection featured handcrafted stories with Matka silks, Dabbu and Ajrak prints, Bhujodi, Shibori tie & dye, Bandhani weaves beautified with timeless stitch designs from the most well loved and respected artisans.
The prints were enhanced with brush strokes by hand in gold or metal, and glass beads adding more appeal to the garments. Kantha stitches and patchwork have been extensively used in the collection. The styles are contemporary and wearable everyday in other ways than shown at the show. The collection is truly timeless and versatile.