1 'Lotus' By Sujata Tokey
Sujata Tokey, a well-known name in Pune's fashion fraternity, loves classy creativity.
Her designs: Are feminine in shades of topaz, ruby, garnet, coral and turquoise. The outfits include kitsch pants, kurtis, saris, tops, skirts, trousers and shirts with brocade embellishments. Her collection 'Felicia' is adorned with ephemeral Kashmiri embroidery motifs and beads. "I love experimenting with fabric and thread, and enjoy working with Kashmiri embroidery the most," she says.


2 Sharbari Dutta
The daughter of the erudite professor and poet Sri Ajit Datta, Sharbari was born and brought up in Kolkata. With her natural flair for arts on the back burner, Sharbari completed her Masters in philosophy from Presidency College, Kolkata. Today, she sketches motifs on cotton, silk and tussar. "Fashion is mobile and keeps changing; I try to revive and contemporise traditional and Eastern styles," she says modestly. .
Her designs: Are usually one-offs. They're like poetry on fabric. She is going global this year with her new line of men's wear called 'Nouveau Male'. A few of her designs even have Palghat and Picasso motifs side by side in radical colours!


3 Karma Universal Designs' By Jyotika Motwani
Jyotika's label is the result of two generations of talent and creativity. Her boutique 'Karma' in Pune caters to the urban woman.
Her designs: Are fluid and slimming. Georgette and Benarasi saris are elaborately embellished with exquisite pitta work, phulkari sequins and beaten zardosi, interspersed with tiny coloured crystals. A few creations are bold with bright florals in contrasting colours. "This season, we have fluid crepe shirts, brocade trousers and crushed silk skirts, teamed with hand-painted and embellished scarves," says Jyotika.

4 Sameer Mukund Nathwani
This computer whiz from Pune took to designing clothes, as he was always fond of unusually made designer outfits. His inquisitiveness made him take up a course in designing where he excelled in the arts of illustration, pattern making and styling.
His designs: Portray sophistication. The outfits are trim, unconventional and glamorous. From ponchos and tops to salwar-kurta sets and saris, Sameer works on them all. Brocade, tissue and silk appeal to his senses.


5 Aida Arabiyan
This 14-year-old was born and brought up in Pune. Even though her loyalties were strong towards hockey - she leads her school team - her passion for fashion wasn't a thing she could ignore. She started experimenting with her clothes and went on to enrol at a designing course. Today, she's one of the young things making waves in the city.
Her designs: Are prêt with a regal look. Her forte is mini skirts in rich colours and textures. "I want to become a well-known designer," she says.


6 'Vin Rouge' By Vidya Tiwari
From being a practising lawyer, Pune-based Vidya shifted to the world of fashion by enrolling herself at a fashion institute. At the end of the course, she walked out with two awards for best designer.
Her designs: Are classically cut and for the working urbanite. In her classic collections in georgette, tissue, cotton and silk embellished with crystals, she proves that being conservative does not mean dull. Black, white, yellow and numerous nautical shades rule her palette. "There's no end to the art of designing... the more you see, the more you learn, she says.

7 'Urvi' By Sarita Adusumilli
Sarita's one-stop shop - its name means 'earth' in Sanskrit - was set up in 2001. Besides clothes, lifestyle products, textiles and accessories, 'Urvi' in Hyderabad also has an in-house tailoring facility. There's a focus on traditional Indian handlooms and handicrafts. Reviving fast-vanishing arts is one of Sarita's USPs.
Her designs: Are yardages, saris, soft furnishings, dhurries, kurtas for men and women, gift items, furniture and accessories. All the fabrics are natural, hand-block printed or painted with a predominant use of cotton and Ahimsa (non-violence) silk. Khadi is also reworked into different forms.


8 'Reve' By Jigna Shah
Started by Jigna, a NIFT alumnus, Ahmedabad-based 'Reve' (meaning dream) has a global and an adventurous, innovative and non-conformist approach to design. Jigna's haute high comes from experimenting with colour - she uses vegetable and natural colours such as turmeric, iron and rose in her fabrics. The result: Fabrics that are fashionable and fragrant! She is well-travelled as her research of India's textile history has taken her to numerous ancient cities across the country.
Her designs: Are both classic and contemporary with weaves and prints like Ikat, Chanderi, Maheshwari, Sanganeri, ajrakh, and rogan printing. You can also find hand embroidery, weaving and dyeing techniques in her lines. Jigna uses fabrics like jute, linen, mercerised cotton, and Eri and Ahimsa silk. Besides working on her label, Jigna supplies to textile manufactures, multi-brand outlets and other stores.

9 'Namo Designer's Studio' By Sandesh Navalakha
After having graduated from a fashion institute, Sandesh worked with many well-known designers, photographers, choreographers and models in various cities. A winner of many awards on international platform, Sandesh has come a long way in this field.
His designs: Are flamboyant with oodles of embellishments and embroideries. The fit and the cut of his creations are worth a second glance. His ready-to-wear zip-up saris, stoles, gowns, salwar-kurtas, skirts and ponchos are extremely popular. Besides saris, his forte is also 'ghagra-cholis', 'sherwanis' and fusion wear for men and women.

Dos & Don'ts

Do
Flaunt your legs in a frilly short skirt. Remember, an all-over print and a plunging neckline look cool on lithe bods.

Do
Wear flip-flops with short asymmetric embellished dresses. They're great for casual or lounge parties.

Don't
Wear low-slung belts if you have a long torso. And a monochromatic limp ensemble is a big no-no too!

Don't
Sport crass decoration or detail with classy ensembles. Let one attention-grabber do the talking.

Don't
Coordinate various prints, beads and colours without reason. Carrying one decorated or printed piece makes more sense than an all in one.


Get a taste of style from an assortment of fashion menus
Make-Up For Homes
It's fashionable, colourful and handcrafted - the home ware range at Mélange has textiles, cushion covers, throws, duvets, quilts and more! Krsna Mehta and Sangita Kathiwada are the brains behind this venture that has had a "wonderful response."
Available at Mélange, 33, Altamount Road, Mumbai. Tel: 022-23850288


New-Fangled!
For Kolkata-based Subhrangshu, the latest kid on the fashion block, clothing is not about contrasts or matching combinations. To him, it is a medium through which one's moods, desires, emotions speak. This student from Wigan & Leigh College, Kolkata, launched his eponymous label a year ago. He tasted success when he won the national level designer hunt contest organised by Khadi Gramyodyog Bhawan in 2001. Later, he went on to bag the best design collection award at his graduation ceremony. His label includes ethnic, Indo-Western and Western offerings for men and women. Red, purple, green and mustard rule his colour palette. He uses fabrics like linen, chiffon, net, georgette and crepe. His forte is unexpected placements of elements and decorations. Seems like he's another promising addition to the designer fraternity this season!
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