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Life after the party

As the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week warms up, ANUJ KUMAR finds out what's hot, what's not

THE STATEMENT IS SIMPLE A model in an Aparna Chandra outfit PHOTO: RAJEEV BHATT

Done with controversies, enough of partying, its business time for fashion folk. As the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week moves towards a climax, designers are exuding a relaxed urgency. Gone are the days when designers used to give a hungry look towards every face, foreign. But alongside is emerging a new confusion, called neither here nor there.

Though apparently everybody is designing for a so-called seamless customer, a deeper look shows designers are dividing their outfits for domestic and foreign buyers, leaving both itching for more. Putting Indian craft on a western silhouette is easier said than done. While maintaining it's too early to comment, Didier Grumbach, President, Federation Francaise de la Couture Du prêt-a-porter des Couturiers et des Creatures de Mode, arguably the most influential name in the world of fashion today - that FDCI has roped in to put at least one designer in Paris - says the Mecca of fashion holds Indian designers should remain true to their identity.

In the last few days Manish Arora and Rohit Bal have proved they can do it. Adam Levin, a freelance journalist from South Africa who writes for Elle, however, feels Manish is going overboard with his spectacle. "It's good for the ramp but the dresses could be worn only in dreams."

Dream collection!

His trapeze-shaped dresses with layering in multiple fabrics combined with cropped jackets or boleros and jewellery dangling from the temples, indeed, had all the ingredients of a reverie. However, what's going in his favour is, he is at least original - has the guts to show the international buyers a riot of colours in an autumn winter collection known for dark and muted hues - and his works make immense business sense as separates. Rohit, as usual, after a good show marked by a muted a colour palette, shibori work and his trademark varak was not to be seen at his store till 2.30 the next day.

Missing individuality

Most have tried to follow the forecast, losing out on individuality. Fixated to create the old world charm, they forgot the other major trend of simplicity and Spartan look which the likes of Cloe have mastered on the world ramp and Sabyasachi Mukherjee brought to light with his uniform-like outfits during the Lakme Fashion Week. It also won him a hefty order from Browns. Fashion commentator Harmeet Bajaj, who is not happy with the standard of collections on show so far, feels designers need to choose their markets first.

Malini Ramani, for instance, who was expected to join the Manish Arora league in terms of colour, suddenly presented a very toned down collection largely comprising resort wear. Otherwise, those who stuck to their strengths include JJ Valaya, Aparna Chandra, Tarun Tahiliani and Raghavendra Rathore.

While Valaya who abhors perfection in clothes gave his war theme a futuristic form, Aparna's collection proves everybody need not join the embellishment bandwagon. Rathore continues to sell sophistication in the domestic market and Tarun as usual keeps shining! Payal Jain experimented with her image by going for colour but managed to retain her elegant tag. Among the younger crop, Namrata Joshipura has impressed buyers for going beyond the Indian identity.

With two days to go, all eyes are now on Rajesh Pratap Singh, the pole antagonistic to Manish Arora.

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