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Three cheers for fashion
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A new store, a designer making her debut and an anniversary. Chennai's fashion itinerary was jam-packed over the last few days. MetroPlus joins the whirl.
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A new beginning
OCCASION: Designer Rehane has moved to a new place. The inaugural at the swanky 700-odd sq.ft. store on Nungambakkam High Road was followed by a party at The Park.
SPOTTED: Gowthami, Shruti Haasan, Shreya Reddy and some well-known faces from the fashion, corporate and film worlds.
DESIGNER SPEAK: A new beginning starts with a new line. But I’ve created many lines. From chic girl-meets-woman cocktail dresses to edgy clothes for the fashion-conscious college-goer, you have them all. Gold is always a hot colour with me. So I’ve used it generously in some saris. I’ve done foil prints, rose embellishment and also a line using traditional needle crafts. The shapes are unflattering this season. So you’ll see loose tunics, pleated skirts and trapeze-like silhouettes. Body-fits are just not happening. The look is new-age peasant. I’m a designer and an entrepreneur. I’m conscious of my price points and my creations are now available in different sizes.
SMART QUIP: No matter where you are — on pricey Khader Nawaz Khan Road, busy Nungambakkam High Road or in the backstreet, once you are an established brand, you have your own list of loyalists. Life steam rolls ahead…
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Chic and Cherie
OCCASION: Cherie D’s debut in Chennai. Studio Saks’ enterprising duo Upasana and Sabita Asrani hosted the label’s London-bred, Mumbai-based designer Sherina Dalamal in style at their store in Gopalapuram.
SPOTTED: As is always with Studio Saks, there was an A-list expat clitentele, besides some oft-seen faces in the city’s social circuit.
DESIGNER SPEAK: I think I combine some fine points of the East and the West. My roots are in India — in Mumbai. But my education (fashion and textiles at Central Saint Martins and embroidery at Ecole Lesage, Paris) and training (with wow! Alexander Mcqueen and Nicole Farhi) helped me understand Western cuts and sensibility. For my Chennai launch, I’ve created an oyster-inspired line that strikes a balance between Eastern richness and Western simplicity. So you have fine embellishment on dresses and tops in light, wispy fabrics.
I’ve used a lot of skin and white, besides two-tones to achieve the oyster effect. The saris in net can be teamed with different colour petticoats for an interesting, layered look. Having trained with some of the best European designers, I’m very particular about the finish.
So whether it’s my elegant range of tops or saris for special occasion, the inside is as perfect as the outside!
SMART QUIP: It’s a visual sensibility that combines two worlds. My look is dressy, but never over-the-top. And if you offer good quality, you’ll never get lost in the clutter!
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Seven years of style
OCCASION: Designer Chaitanya Rao celebrated the seventh anniversary of his store on Khader Nawaz Khan Road. Instead of models, he had some of Chennai’s famous women showcase his creations.
SPOTTED: Simran, Tishani Doshi, Sarita Madhavan, Padmini Chettur, Bindu Reddy and Paloma — all sporting Chaitanya Rao. Guests included top designers, television personalities and socialites.
DESIGNER SPEAK: As you can see, there are talented women from different fields here. They were my muse. While creating, I tried to incorporate facets of their personality into my clothes. So from the blatantly flamboyant to the deliberately understated, you’ll find them all here. Vivid colour-blocks to pristine whites…the palette suits varied tastes. The cuts get cleaner and the fabrics are rich — check out the organza line with subtle touches of embellishment. I’ve used layering quite a bit. Label-watchers know my heart sways towards Western silhouettes. So there are knee length dresses and skirts, gowns, stylish tops and trousers. A lot of embellishments are hand-done. So the look is delicate and feminine.
SMART QUIP: My styles haven’t wilted over the years. And I hope they never will. Today, success makes sense because it’s part of a seven-year journey filled with ups and downs.
T. KRITHIKA REDDY
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Chennai
Hyderabad
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