Gaurang Shah’s collection, “Kalpavriksha” brought out the best of traditional Indian weaving at Lakmé Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2015.
Kalpavriksha is the wish-fulfilling divine tree in Hindu mythology. Revisiting the humble khadi (the fabric of freedom) with a representation of the Tree of Life, the Jamdani weavers of Andhra Pradesh and Bangladesh stole the show. Gaurang creatively merged the khadi with Phulkari, Kalamkari and Chikankari into an alluring and classically modern collection.
Presenting the exquisite Jamdani art, where the discontinuous extra weft technique of weaving by hand is with a detailed hand drawn design kept under the warp on the loom and replicated perfectly; Gaurang ensured that the result was flawless.
Stunning anarkalis with intricate weaves, ghagras that were voluminous but superbly crafted, and elegant saris worn by graceful models floated down the ramp.
Gaurang never shies away from color (oh that Patan Patola collection). From pinks and reds to blues and rustic greens, the collection was full of summer.
An indigo kurta with woven border
A flared beige anarkali
A black sari with a bird pattern – love the full draping too
Showstopper and Bollywood superstar, Vidhya Balan, made a surprise visit on the ramp. She looked beautiful in a gorgeous pink/gold kanjeevaram styled sari.
I’ll always have a soft spot for Gaurang, and this collection of classically weaved fabrics of India shows that tradition can be modern.
Check out our other Lakme Fashion Week 2015 coverage: Vasundhara’s Yaygaseni collection, Manish Malhotra’s WEvolve Blue Collection, Sabyasachi’s Wallpaper Collection, and The Best of Day 1.
