NEW DELHI — Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week here last week presented an updated take on Indian fashion, with everything from charitable support for animals to a Japanese contingent and a design emphasis on gowns.
The Fashion Design Council of India, which backs the shows, teamed up with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals for a presentation that had well-known models and actors in a cage wearing animal prints and making a plea for fabrics that support the cause of freedom and kindness toward animals.
Unveiling the association, Sunil Sethi, president of FDCI, said, “In the past we have supported causes like breast cancer awareness, support for the girl child, campaign against child labor, awareness against drunken driving and helping autistic children. This year, we are happy to lend the WIFW platform to Youcanfree.us in their drive against human trafficking.”
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More buyers were scheduled to come than ever before (about 200), with 138 designers scheduled to participate. There was also the stall area on the lower floor, which has come to be an integral part of the event.
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“This fashion week is clearly the place where buyers are coming. It’s extremely well organized,” said accessories designer Felix Bendish, who met buyers in the corridors, and got impromptu orders for his work, displayed simply with his lapel pin — an elaborate eye design. “It’s great for accessories, too.”
He said this was a market growing far faster than that of apparel.
“It’s certainly been busy,” said Malini Ramani, whose stall in the front area garnered attention with its bright colors. “Many designers cater to weddings and Indian wear and embroidery is always popular. Personally, I love mirror work, appliqué and it’s very much a part of my design.”
On the runway, gowns appear to have caught the creative eye of designers, adding to the variety of saris, short or full-bodied skirts, dresses and jumpers that populated many collections. Several designers featured their take on gowns — from the very simple to the elaborate.
“It’s not only export markets,” said James Ferreira, whose evocative gowns with large patterns from Gujarat called bandini stood out. “It’s also that the marriage market in India has now adopted gowns and there are at least two functions, out of the many that Indian weddings are known for, that require a gown.”
The style of the gowns for fall is about the drape, another change for the Indian market. As for fabrics, jersey in various incarnations appeared throughout the shows.
Embroidery and sequins continued to hold power this season, too. Heavy metallic overtones crept in regularly. Even Anand Kabra’s nature-inspired theme had twists of metallic overlays.
There were some displays of craftsmanship, fine cuts and sleek silhouettes. A dual show Thursday by Kanika Saluja Chaudhary and Gaurav Jai Gupta presented Gupta’s handwoven waist coats and pants, and a black mohair jacket, straight dresses and jumpsuits with Swarovski Elements. “It’s the first time I’m trying these kind of embellishments,” said the designer.
Kanika Saluja Chaudhary, on the other hand, went for metallic chic, which allowed the femininity of form to still come through.
Travel was another major theme, seen in the collections of Pero by Aneeth Arora and Nachiket Barve, who showed for the 12th season. Barve focused on the caravan with bright colors on jackets with lattice work and tassels folded like flowers or like mushrooms to give the dresses embellishments with delicacy.
“A sense of restraint, cleverness and modernity, all three are important for clothes to say something that is beautiful,” said Barve.
Western wear was far more prominent on the runway this year, focusing on a strong silhouette for a fitted, feminine figure.
“My collection reflects a finely tuned mix of grandeur and simplicity, and this time, the singularity lies in the graceful blend of Western and Indian silhouettes, prints and designs,” said Reynu Tandon, who showed a multicolored pallette in French chiffons, cotton and Lycra and embroidered georgettes, leathers and satin nets.
Other designers who shied away from embroidery opted for color statements, geometric prints, colorblocking and a slew of new materials, including wire and ranges of handwoven fabric.
The first two days had a finale away from the main venue, held for restricted audiences. Rohit Bal, known for his couturelike designs and fine styling, ended the first night, while Tarun Tahiliani, whose feminine, flowing styles have become the temptation of the wedding and cocktail circuits, closed the second.
Tahiliani’s styles embraced the drape with woven straps in geometric shapes and symmetrical draping techniques with twists and knots. Some designers, such as Payal Jain, made bold statements with monochromatic animal prints on a variety of materials — silk chiffons, georgettes, satins and jerseys. Others, such as the duo Abraham and Thakore, were strong on ornamentation and mirror work, with some dramatic pieces in black, white and ivory.
A large contingent of Japanese fashion designers was also at the event, trying to determine whether Japanese-Indian fashion sensibilities could stream together in a way that spells business. There were 10 Japanese designers who participated in the celebration of the 60th year of an association between India and Japan. These included Mint designs with the works of designers such as Hokuto Katsui and Nao Yagi, Tropopause, Amadana, Hirocoledge, Carnet and E.M.
In a first initiative of its kind, Japanese designs were shown on the runway, and were then the subject of intense debate on the fashion floors. Most of the designers and chief executive officers of Japanese fashion houses agreed that price, not really sensibility, was a stumbling block and that eventually, manufacturing in India was the most viable business alternative.
“We would have to customize our designs for the Indian market. The whole effort can be very corroborative. I like the embroidery,” said Suzuki Takayuki, ceo and designer of Suzuki Takayuki, adding that the Indian fashion market was getting “really hot now” and had a lot of potential for global design.
“The idea is to introduce more foreign brands to India through fashion shows and exhibitions,” said Sethi of FDCI, which facilitated the collaboration.
Kenya Hara, a well-known designer from Japan who is also a member of Japan-based Muji’s advisory board and its art director, organized a design seminar as part of the Tokyo fashion week in India in which he said that the unembellished attribute that can be seen in Japanese style is “not really simplicity but emptiness.”
Kunihiko Morinaga, designer and ceo of Anrealage, said the embroidery inspired him as well and that although Anrealage was expensive, even in Japan, he found that Indian people were willing to pay for good design.