The India Couture Week 2021, organised by the Fashion Designers Council of India (FDCI) kicked-off its second digital avatar of shows with famed couturier, Manish Malhotra’s show.
Amit Aggarwal had an earth rise moment with his couture collection that is titled – Metanoia , a collection whose genesis are the three elements – Earth, Water and Air. Amit used innovative materials like glass fibre, raffia palm and optic fibre to weave architectural shapes into his fluid ensembles. The collection highlights the use of the brands signature metallic polymers which has been used for intricate pleating, 3D hand embroidered thread work and metallic cording in ensembles that are structured yet fluid. It was a great feeling to see another designer using carp like discarded PVC to create fashion. The meticulously embellished garments in colours ranging from moss, sage, mulberry, fuchsia to eggplant and indigo were a visual treat.
Manish Malhotra’s Nooraniyat collection was bridal glory at its best. Manish described the collection as an amalgamation of “moods and emotions of the brides and over the years of creating their dream outfits and interacting with them, I inadvertently got drawn into those intriguing memories and decided to capture it all – from their enthusiasm and joy to the heartfelt and compassionate.” The collection adorned traditional hues of red, peach and gold with traditional handwork of zardozi. The silhouettes however were contemporary with lehengas billowing and extending into trails.
The Couture collection of Siddhartha Tytler titled Ambrosia seeks its inspiration from purity, colour and ethereal significance. Ivory and shades of gold dominated the range and volume was the ‘IT’ word when it came to the silhouettes. Techniques of multi-layered ruffles, pleating, laser cutting and quilting gave Tytler’s collection a modern feel. Sherwanis with gigantic skirts and ruffled dupattas were eye-grabbing.
Noor by Suneet Varma was a collection narrating the journey of young lovers and celebrating life. Adds Suneet “I understand the importance of finery and couture at an Indian wedding, and I also understand the needs of the modern young Bride and Groom- whether the wedding is a lavish one or an intimate elopement”. Sheer sleeves, off-shoulder necklines, and deep scalloped backs made for a sensual yet modest young bride. The groom’s clothes too were light and easy on the eye with pastel-coloured sherwanis textured with thread embroidery. The embroidery was more ornate in gold zari thread work with Silver zardosi.
Gaurav Gupta Couture 2021/22 presentation titled Universal Love, was an extension of his previous couture show- ‘Name is Love’. “With this couture presentation we strive to bring perception to the dialogue surrounding sexualities, gender fluidity, boundaries and identities because there is always a reason to keep celebrating love in all its forms, ages, sizes, shapes and colours”, said Gaurav Gupta. The collection was a reflection of the cosmos; the Universe. It was glittery like the star-spangled night sky and grand like the Universe. The collection replicated elements of the galaxy, be it the meteoric showers or shooting comets or abstract forms in space. Edgy silhouettes with sculpted detailing made each ensemble a work-of-art. The men’s range was avant-garde too with bell-bottoms paired with tuxedos.
Pankaj & Nidhi adopted a path toward sustainability in their 2021 Couture collection titled – Afterglow. The designer duo used excess generated in their atelier to create substance for embroidery. The iridescent collection was aptly titled Afterglow and used metallic hues to the hilt. True to their style they used origami technique, esoteric appliqué work and innovative latticework to embellish the garments. The dramatic ensembles like flowy skirts paired with iridescent blouses in metallic hues and floor-duster jackets and capes are going to appeal to the to-be-brides looking for a one-of-a-kind ensemble for her destination wedding.
Dolly J’s collection used liquid silver fabric that had been specially woven and went with simple silhouettes of ball-gowns. The red bridal lehenga with a long veil is the flavour of this season. French blues, mauves, coral ombres and marigold hues played through the collection that was bathed in gold and silver crystals.
Nazm-e-Mahal by Leena Singh depicted the story of a royal maharani and a day in her life in the palace. The high point of this collection was its antique brocade sarees which have been sourced from the original wardrobes of the maharanis from their palaces in Rajasthan, and have been restored by the weavers from Banaras.
The collection consisted of classic blouses, circular lehengas, antique sarees with jewelled tassels, brocade- woven antique gold odhnis and long jackets that can be worn with various classic silhouettes.
Shantanu & Nikhil Ceremonial Couture, 2021 titled Oasis was about unabashed glitter and glamour. The collection was dominantly menswear where the designers showcased their signature draped kurtas in kaleidoscopic prints, paired with armour-like bundis and military-inspired short bandhgalas. A new line of couture safas and stoles complemented the looks. For women, the designers blur the boundaries between ball gowns and lehengas, creating hybrid styles. Voluminous drapes with constructed bodices embellished with leather appliqués and crystals created an edgy and powerful look.
Text by Jaydeep Ghosh
Image Courtesy: Amit Agarwal, Manish Malhotra, Siddharth Tytler, Gaurav Gupta, Dolly J, Leena Singh, Suneet Varma, Pankaj & Nidhi and Shantanu & Nikhil
Find more about ICW and Designers:
https://www.siddarthatytler.com
https://www.gauravguptastudio.com
https://www.shantanunikhil.com/
https://www.fdci.org/media-coverage/icw-schedule-announced.html
