We are Indians. We might wear international designer labels, tick-tock in Jimmy Choos and carry a Stella McCartney in hand, but it's all with the realisation that it's not our fashion
Black hole of Calcutta is bright
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We are Indians. We might wear international designer labels, tick-tock in Jimmy Choos and carry a Stella McCartney in hand, but it's all with the realisation that it's not our fashion. What Paromita showcased is what desi comfort clothing is all about, quietly chic. It was only her second collection, yet it had the intelligence and controlled precision of a veteran. An ode to Bengal spun clothing ideas from muls, khadi, silks, tussars, tangail, tassar, chanderi and gamchas laid out on a bed of nature-inspired prints, with a stray ghungroo accessory keeping it all together. We loved the Drape story, where Paromita introduced newer techniques of draping a sari, making the ancient garment even more relevant to today. She is the designer to watch out for.
Build and break, to rebuild
Rimzim Dadu
At: 3 pm
You are allowed the liberty to create an indulgent collection only if it doesn't smother the final outcome. The Delhi-based Rimzim outdid her last runway collection by taking her fascination for textures to a stunning, new level -- scooped out of darker depths. "I wanted to focus on textures; I even created new materials," said the reticent designer about the line that sheu00a0 worked on for 22 hours a day, for the last one month. So, it was understandably annoying when journalists at a post-show conference wanted to find out a story behind military shoes worn by models, rather than how she treated a faux leather bomber jacket to look like broken glass.
An almost ruthless concept to juxtapose light with dark, transparency with opacity, play with pattern, only to destroy it eventually, doesn't make Rimzim a criminal, not in the least after presenting the 17-ensemble showcase. Every garment moved with confident certainty; knotted, looped, and broken -- in arresting textures created by shredding stubborn leather into the showstopper bomber jacket, sleeveless jacket and vest. Considered harbingers of death by the Kikuyu tribe in Kenya, the owl motif claimed its rightful place on a thread-knotted tunic, while zippers gave up their functional purpose and turned into visually-appealing embellishments. The disciplinarian even spoilt her symmetrical silhouettes by crafting a metallic owl dress in gauze. What next, Ms Dadu?
We surrender, resign, remit. To Kallol's creativity
Kallol Datta
At: 3 pm
"Extravagance is pornography" read squiggles on cats sprawled leisurely on Kallol Datta's Kitty Kat saree. This is the designer expressing his current state of mind, desensitized to all things pretty. He has been carrying this weight for a year now. It took Kallol three months to think of the collection, and less than a month to create it.
It would have been a shame if he hadn't visualised a collection out of disenchantment.
Remission is a pretty shocking collection. It talks about the cat as a messenger of death. The Suicide series (created in collaboration with artist Indraneil Ram Kamath) delves into the psyche of a man about to hang himself. But since suicide is a criminal offence, you have the Prison Slate Series come up next. "Friends asked me to glam up the collection a bit and therefore, the Road Kill series," admitted the Kolkata-based designer sheepishly.
Literal translation be damned, the line was poetic, even fearlessly honest, with a thought behind every garment. For instance, Genocide talked about confusion of the human mind that grapples with the demarcation of gender.
Remission began with a bloody red dress cut to create a circular silhouette caressing the ankles, as Bjork built the tempo with HyperBallad. A relatively clean start to a line-up that explored prints matched with functional tailoring. This collection saw a progression in patterns -- from 3D to irregular cuts. But what stayed constant was a hyper Kallol's passion for hand finishing. He has hand-sewn every garment.
A concept this strong may or may not find buyers, but Kallol is anxious. "Last season, I proved I can make commercially viable clothes. I can't sell my soul to the devil." It's inert self-confidence then that made him create a showstopper outfit that resembled a bedtime pyjama and shirt.
In reverse mode
Purvi Doshi
At: 12 noon
Purvi Doshi decided to call her line Kachindo, the Gujarati word for chameleon, because her garments change colours at the will of the wearer. Her box-like four layered garments were all reversible, and could change colour and print with the pull of a string. "You can wear them inside out, upside down, and side on side," smiled Doshi. She stuck close to her roots, using aari work, mirror work and traditional Gujarati motifs to create user-friendly dresses, long skirts and gathered short skirts. Geometrical stitching patterns made for cool saris.
Safe like ghar ki dal
Shashikant Naidu
At: 12 noon
On Women's Day, Sashikant Naidu decided to gift women a garb that would be forgiving on any body type. He stuck to natural khadi, tussar and muslin in turmeric, beige, mustard and forest green, some of it hand-painted with kalmakari designs. Saris carried detailed pallus, and were paired with textured cholis. "I'm a simple guy and I like simplicity in my gardens," he said after the show. The silhouettes may have been accommodating but with bland styling, it turned into a comforting and wee bit boring line, just like home-cooked dal.
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