Fashion in India has definitely made its way to a movement that is adversely Indian. Don’t get me wrong, there’s no doubt that as a nation our sartorial leanings are exaggerated. We like things OTT. But our fashion community has found a wayward voice and is going against the stereotype in very creative ways. Designers are cutting down on the maximalism, making simple yet stylised ensembles the bet of the day. And it’s working. Day 4 of Amazon India Fashion Week AW 2016 was a reflection of minimalism at its best. Read on as I dissect each designer’s collection keeping in mind the use of fabric, colour, cut, and style.
Ikai by Ragini Ahuja
The opening show for the day was by one of my favourite designers, Ragini Ahuja. Models were seen strutting the ramp in her signature relaxed silhouettes, accessorised in sync with berets (love!). Going by the show notes, Ahuja’s creativity was inspired by the pages of a Notebook. We saw garments with grids and stripes in a colour palette of paper brown, charcoal and black, all resembling minute details from a book. As the show proceeded, the designer turned to motifs of animals and autumn leaves for inspiration. Skirts teamed with bralets overlayed with maxi jackets, boxy dresses cinched at the waist, relaxed trousers and more were on display. Adding that hint of luxe in the form of sculpted leather applique skirts, the designer showcased a fine collection.
Hauterfly Pick: A fringed leather bralet with a pair of voluminous trousers and a maxi jacket. Also loved the styling (those Mary Janes are perfect for the ensemble).
Ilk
Designers Shikha and Vinita took a cue from the art technique of Pointillism, which involves painting an image by making patterns using small dots of a pure colour. The designers also brought back on ramp their signature detailing of rib panelling. In hues ranging from tomato red to blackish blues, Ilk AW16 highlighted apron-inspired silhouettes and printed opaque fabrics. There were cocoon coats, pleated skirts with crop tops, shirtdresses, twin sets and maxi jackets. One ensemble that caught my eye was the floral embroidered sari with a turtle-neck blouse. I think Dot On A Walk is perfect bait for street style.
Hauterfly Pick: This midnight blue relaxed maxi dress with a world map embroidered on it.
Love Birds
If you’ve witnessed the brand’s earlier shows, you’ll know that the backbone of Love Birds’ collections habe always been no-fuss clothing. This time around, the groove of Amrita Khanna and Gursi’s show spelled ‘snuggle time’. Woollen layering made up the core of the collection; robe coats, midi dresses and more. Also, there was nominal use of colour blocking in the garments — red mixed with blacks, whites and greys among others.
Hauterfly Pick: This colour-blocked dress teamed with a sweater styled as a snood.
Bodice
If I had to define the brand, I’d say it works on intelligent, wearable designs. This time around, Bodice reinvented classics with modern tailoring using Indian textiles. I also like the blend of workwear and outerwear; Ruchika Sachdev has clearly considered a more mature consumer. We saw accordion-pleat skirts with relaxed tops, midi dresses draped with woollen scarves, relaxed trousers pairs with button-down shirts and maxi jackets, among other things. Even the colour story was relaxed — black, deep blues, olive and whites played well in the display.
Hauterfly Pick: This black skirt with a cinched jacket.
Eka
Using silk, wool, linen and cotton blend wools among others, the collection by Eka had a languid yet chic approach. Also, as a first in the four days of fashion week, polka dots saw the light of the day. Long, outsized tunics and shirts paired with lean and relaxed trousers, dresses with waist pleats and more were part of the display. Loved the clogs that featured in the collection.
Hauterfly Pick: This flowy dress pair with a sweatshirt; both accented with polka dots in gold and silver.
Anavila
Taking a break from just saris, Anavila’s collection was contemporary and chic as always, with an addition of twin sets, tunics with pleated skirts and more. Saris were draped over cropped cardigans or overlayed with jackets and wraps. 3D flowers were a highlight, and one noticed a variation of bell sleeves in her collection. LOVE!
Hauterfly Pick: This floral sari in a neutral hue teamed with a contemporary striped blouse with bell sleeves and a pleated underskirt.
Ashima Leena
Taking inspiration from Persian carpets, Ashima Leena’s pret collection was rich, to say the least. The relief of adding colours such as wine to understated tones like mustard and green and even navy made for an eye-catching detail. We saw tassels and applique work on flowy silhouettes. Lehengas with capes and jackets, flowy tunics with relaxed pants, and even saris cinched with obi belts… what a well-thought-of line.
Hauterfly Pick: This jewel-toned lehenga with a jacket over it.
Mandira Wirk
Inspired by Rococo art, Mandana Wirk’s display was contemporary with an ethnic mix. There were layered anarkalis, panelled palazzos, light-weight jackets with delicate embroidery; all this in hues of white, black, red, ivory and beige. The stunning Malaika Arora Khan was the showstopper, looking elegant in a black and gold floor-length gown.
Hauterfly Pick: This off-shoulder dress in blue is such a perfect evening piece.
Niki Mahajan
This delicate-looking collection by Niki Mahajan was a blend of floral and geometric embroidery worked on handmade lace. From caped overlays on tunics to sheer saris, flowy palazzos pants to lehengas with tunics, it was quite an exquisite collection. A distinct feature were the pearls that were interwoven in the fabric.
Hauterfly Pick: This sheer floor-length ensemble with floral embroidery.
Péro by Aneeth Arora
If you were to witness this show live, it was like watching Pippi Longstocking making her way to school, wearing a gingham uniform. Everything from the braids to the freckles on the models aced mimicking Astrid Lindgrin’s character. Merino wool jumpsuits, reversible jackets, knitted tops and more made up the collection. From embellished accents on sleeves to 3D appliques of a lone poppy, what a fun and quirky collection.
Hauterfly Pick: This floral maxi jacket over a striped tunic.
Namrata Joshipura
In what looked like SoHo meets Bandra, Namrata Joshipura worked a blend of New York street style with stylised evening wear. Models looked like chic rappers wearing embellished snapbacks and spiked headphones. Joshipura displayed floor-length sheer gowns, wrap dresses with floral embroidery, sheer and cut-out jumpsuits, floral embroidered pantsuits, and more. A certain amount of drama was created via sleeves. Bollywood’s latest fashion darling Athiya Shetty was the showstopper for the designer, wearing a shimmery black jumpsuit with bell sleeves.
Hauterfly Pick: This black plunge-neck jumpsuit with a cinched waist.