Mumbai rounds out the past month of fashion weeks all over the world with the highly anticipated, biannual Lakme Fashion Week, hosted at the Palladium Hotel from March 18-22. This year’s Spring/Summer ’15 collection features resort wear with flowing fabrics, bright prints, and unique flairs from individual designers.
Day 0’s opening by Sabyasachi gave fashion lovers a promising insight into the beautiful, rich designs to hit the runways later this week. A makeup show was also included as a precursor to today’s main events.
Day 1 included designers big names such as Archana Rao and Manish Malhotra, and it also introduced some next generation, up and coming designers.
INIFD presented a runway full of Gen Next fashion stars, newcomers who were introducing their lines to the Lakme stage for the first time.
Salita Nanda used her stage time to display her arty fashion collection. Her show included crop tops and blank canvases filled with artwork from Picasso. The sharp cuts and African-inspired designs are fun without being overly pretentious.
Manish Bansal’s New Age Menswear collection featured lots of off-white and grey colored fabrics for the warmer summer months. The cuts are very casual – including Bermuda shorts – and the prints definitely resemble the bright, breezy atmosphere of summer.
Karishma Shahani Khan’s “Neel” collection paid homage to the versatility of the indigo shade with silk and cotton fabrics, all in hues of blue. Religious motifs included blue skinned deities and floral garlands, accented with red and mustard to offset the dark shade. The varying lengths of the outfits reflect a flexibility necessary for resort wear, and including denim is a bold, but chic choice for a summer collection.
Pallavi Singhee presented “A La Suite,” an ensemble of dresses fit for brunches to resort wear. The baby pinks, blushes, and sheer off-whites contribute to the free-flowing, neutral, and always classy feel of the show. Heavy lace and zardosi details add some weight to these outfits – making them appropriate for wedding events like outdoor receptions or sangeets. I find them especially at home for fusion weddings, where Western dresses with Indian leaf and floral motifs would be particularly fashionable.
Chak de India star Sagarika Ghatge stuns with this closing midi dress.
“Love me, Love me not” from ILK by Shikha Grove and Vinita Adhikari was one of few collections to showcase Indian attire. However, the silhouette cuts and seam inserts certainly add a unique element to traditional Indian outfits. This simple black and gold embroidered salwar kameez would be at home in any mehendi ceremony, where the guests want to look good for the camera, but also practical for the application of henna. The 3/4 length sleeves are just the right length, and the sheer shoulders add a casual texture to the look.
Archana Rao’s “The Apartment” was very “Paris in the summer” inspired, with nude hues, pastel accents, fabric contrasts between sheer nets and sturdy cotton. The color scheme makes these outfits perfect for wedding guests to wear to outdoor receptions or ceremonies. This multi-color sari is fun, yet classy enough for a formal affair.
Showstopper Aditi Rao Hydari proves that petite girls can wear long gowns too in this layered maroon ensemble. It’s a great design for shorter women looking for Western evening gowns to wear to formal dinners or wedding receptions.
Krishna Mehta’s boho chic 1970’s inspired collection takes us back in time to bright reds, fuschias, and oranges. The vibrant line took advantage of the rough linen fabrics to create sturdy jackets, which were easily contrasted by floral embroidery and satin pieces. Fabrics were imported from all over India to create this free and fun-loving collection.
This sari is bright without going overboard – the large patterns offset the simple geometric design of the blouse. Fuschia, blue, and yellow are appropriate for loud wedding events like the sangeet or the reception.
Vaishali Shadangule’s “Behrupia” is a timeless beauty focusing on Maharashtrian performance art. The focus of the outfits are on the Khand thread, which can be hand woven into geometric shapes and dual tone patterns. The color scheme of blue, grey, and maroon is somber, but it’s an understated elegance. This gown can be worn for a nighttime reception, at both Western and Eastern wedding events.
Sailex’s resort collection is flirty, floral, and feminine – perfect for both day and night wear. These gowns featured periwinkle blue, blush pink, and other pastel hues made with a range of material, mostly shimmery silk. The collection featured plenty of bikini shorts with floral patterns matched with high-collared tops or coverups. While fashion forward, I found the traditional gowns to be more practical – appropriate for bridesmaids dresses, especially.
Reliance presented this runway, which is always a sign that this designer really knows what’s in this season. Pastels and florals can never do wrong, especially on a floor length periwinkle gown like this one.
As always, Manish Malhotra knows how to mix seasonal wear with exuberance and sophistication. His Spring/Summer ’15 collection is no different – it featured mainly lehenga cholis with heavy beading and embroidery, all in blue, white, and gold patterns.
These dresses can be worn by a bride for her sangeet or reception: they’re bound to turn heads. I love the color scheme – blue and gold is bold enough to stand out in sunny weather but also deep and elegant for nighttime wear.
Keep checking back with us for more coverage on Lakme Fashion Week 2015!