Trend
Mill
Wendell
Rodricks' take on Lakme India Fashion Week
2004
From Rina Dhaka's sexy
opening fashion statement to Anamika Khanna's fabulous textures at the Lakme
Grand Finale, Lakme India Fashion Week embraced the cash register in a
bosom-crushing hug.
The
buzzword on everyone's lips and on designer ramps was the French four-letter
word that excited the order sheets: PRET!
Which are the trends that
will become the rage in the country from the Lakme India Fashion Week 2004
catwalk? What can you look forward to stocking your wardrobe with this
season?
The
Look
There are two main
silhouette looks that will dominate Indian fashion. On the one hand, there will
be a lot of flesh on display (especially for tops); on the other, a covered
Indian style silhouette for both Western and Indian wear. This means that the
Indian woman has the option to show off her best features or cover up the
rest.
The ramp provided
comic-strip inspiration for Manish Arora's rainbow-hued energy and Anshu Arora
Sen's splendid 'Pop' collection in bubblegum pink. The comic strip characters
will undoubtedly appear on T-shirt and children's wear. Even on
trousers.
And then there
were the tribal goddesses; descending from the Himalayan studios of Sonam Dubal
and Pria Kataria Puri. Rich colour and Uttaranchal embroidery will embellish
many a festive collection. Tribal will be
trumps!
Meera & Muzaffar
Ali's awesome black sari with gold and silver borders will surely set a trend.
Mix black with dull metals this year for a chic look. Or get into a net dhoti
(with gold floral embroidery a la Kiran Uttam Ghosh), lace filigree choli (like
Monapali's) and saris draped over chudis (Anju
Modi).
The
Themes
Will India lap at the
caravanserai from Egypt? Rina Dhaka's gold-flecked bar girls in Cleopatra hair
and lingerie looks will inspire a new range of cocktail wear. As will the
kaftans with silver and copper embroidery from Krishna Mehta, and the 'kaftan
kurtas' with jewelled pectoral collars by Ranna
Gill.
Taking a benediction
from Rei Kawakubo, designer themes swirled in the Belgian mist by going Flemish
Gothic. In a new trend towards the style of the Antwerp School of Design (dark,
sombre and hard edged), designers like Ashish Soni and Puja Nayyar may find new
fans.
Sending out messages
on T-shirts, some political, some social, were Nandita Basu's nod to the Best
Bakery case and a Nazi Narendra Modi, the foetal image that said 'See You Soon'
by Manish Arora, aristocratic "Kitty league" on Monisha Jaising's ultra-feminine
ladies-that-lunch ramp and Kiran Uttam Ghosh who urged "India do it"; T-shirt
prints will be the rage! Light embroidery on tees will definitely flood the
market. See the styles by Monisha Jaising and Tarun Tahiliani for
inspiration.
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