INDIA COUTURE WEEK 2022: TARUN TAHILIANI, RAHUL MISHRA, AND JJ VALAYA CREATE MAGIC PART I

The ongoing India Couture Week 2022 is a special one as it’s the 15th Couture Week organised by the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI). Couture historically means impeccable, custom-fitted, and often a pricey ensemble that is the labour of love and sweat by a team of adept weavers, seamstresses, embroiderers and associated artisans who bring the vision of the couturier to life. In India, couture has been dominated by bridal attire and impressionable bib and tucker.

Culture and tradition are fundamental to the designer’s ideation and philosophy, as has been the norm for the preceding number of years in the Indian fashion community. Traditional weaving, classic craftsmanship, and conspicuously, vintage silhouettes ruled the ramp for the first few shows.

TARUN TAHILIANI: Painterly Dream

Couturier Tarun Tahiliani opened the 15th India Couture Week 2022 which was titled ‘Painterly Dream’. Bridal Wear is more often than not perceived to be extravagant and heavy, thus quite uncomfortable. Ask any bride about her D-day wear and she will rue about carrying the heavy lehenga through the evening as quite an effort. With a fine choice of fabric, crafty tailoring and light-weight embroidery techniques, Tarun ensured that those flowing lehengas with jewelled embellishments were as comfortable as can be. His collection was essentially all about ease, fit, and motion.

The gherdaar lehengas, well-tailored achkans, sarees and shararas had fine embroideries that looked like the ensembles were painted upon with paisleys and flowers of innumerable hues. Décolletage neckline of the superbly fitted cholis and blouses ran through the collection and concocted a nice juxtaposition with the flowing and circular lehengas. Accessories like belts and bags were an integral part of Tarun Tahiliani’s bridal look and they aptly enhanced the look coupled with lustrous jewellery.
The hues graduated from ivory to pastels, then to metallic silver and magenta, burnt orange as well as red. The silhouettes though traditional were given a modern touch with halter-neck cholis, tasselled and scalloped dupattas, and well-tailored achkans.

RAHUL MISHRA: Tree of Life

Rahul Mishra’s ‘Tree of Life’ collection was showcased at the French Embassy. Part of the Couture 22 collection was shown at the recently concluded Haute Couture Week in Paris but still, it was a delight for us to see it up close and personal.

Mishra’s love affair with nature very evidently lingers on through this collection. Last season we were treated to the flora and fauna of the Himalayan foothills which he recreated in his magnificent collection. His calling was once again in the beauty of nature, and he was inspired by his childhood memories of how abundant nature seemed all around him. Three-dimensional embroidery is something that Rahul works with so skilfully, each motif is brought to life, whereas the two-dimensional embroideries are so fine that from afar they look like fluid prints. Albeit what was new was the use of metallics in this intricately produced collection which consisted of pant-suits, gowns, and jackets paired with sheer leggings and lehengas, most of which were adorned with muted gold embellishments. The ensembles, gowns in particular, which had sleeves and shoulders simulating the canopy of trees with each leaf diligently appliqued, were especially striking, with sculpted puff-sleeved blouses being the highlight of the show.
Rahul Mishra indeed brought forth nature’s plentitude to the front show through his contemporary couture collection.

JJ VALAYA: Alma

JJ Valaya has travelled far and wide and draws inspiration from his polished experiences. He previously sought interest in the Ottoman Empire and this time he takes to the rich history of Spain – the royal as well as art-deco to craft his 2022 collection titled ‘Alma’.

When it comes to Spain the matadors and the hand-fans come to mind instantly. But Valaya through his collection showcased some fine motifs that were used in Manton shawls of Spain. Cholis with plunging necklines seem to be the ruling trend and so are the circular kalidar lehengas. With the dupatta belted onto the lehenga, the look turns out to be quite splendid.
The fine embroidery creating a chevron pattern, the matador jackets paired with lehengas drew applause at Valaya’s show. The men’s range was very regal, a typical Valaya signature look. From ivory to salmon pink, blue, green, shades of grey to the quintessential red – Valaya’s collection had it all.