4.9.06

Take care: Step out in style

Yet another fashion week and yet another end to a glitzy affair. Cause that’s what a fashion week is. Glitzy. The high point of it being the different kinds of ensembles you see, not only on the models and designers but on the guests and journalists as well. Day one quite felt like a homecoming of sorts, considering the fact that the autumn/winter fashion week was just a few months back. It seemed, well too soon, to see those familiar faces five days in a row.

The first show of the week itself was a mind boggling introduction. It was none other than our very own Manish Arora’s �cocky’ collection. The first thing I noticed as we stepped in was the headgears on the ramp with cocks sitting plump on them! Quite an unusual sight, may I tell you. Anyway, besides his clothes what or rather who captured everybody’s attention was Miss Blow. Believe it or not that's the the surname of the erstwhile fashion director of The Tatler. The complete one -- Miss Isabella Blow. She’s the one who has brought the likes of Alexander McQueen to the limelight.

But let’s say this that the entire fashion fraternity will remember her for her hats, particularly the bird hats. The first day she wore a dress with an amazing number of ruffles and a hat which was a ridiculous concoction of feathers. Go ahead. Use your imagination.

Miss Blow’s hats are the creations of one of her fashion associates, Philip Treacy. The latter came to her attention when he arrived at the Tatler office sporting a green felt hat.

Coming back to the designer scene, it was a spring/summer collection alright with nature as the focus of most. The collection that simply charmed all was Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna’s. They did beautiful dresses and skirts in porcelain blues on off whites. As I went to their stall and ran my fingers over the pleats and seams, I was strongly tempted to splurge. I think it’s my bank balance that keeps a good check on my shopaholic tendencies. Which I think is a good thing considering that I saw some sexy retro looking stilettos by Vanilla Moon in the stall area and some of the classiest pieces of jewellery at Suhani Pittie’s.

Some other collections I liked were by J J Valaya, Ranna Gill, Shantanu & Nikhil, Gaurav Gupta, Rajesh Pratap Singh and Varun Bahl. The one which charmed me was Gauri & Nainika’s clothes. Teamed with wide brimmed sun hats, the polka dotted dresses made me feel like going on a long cruise in the Mediterranean, if you know what I mean.

And then came the grand finale with Manish Malhotra’s show. As it happens every year, it was badly organized. Hence, there was a stampede with the photographers trying to rush in and secure places for themselves. The bouncers pushed them from the front and the rest of the photographers did the same from the hind. For a moment, I had the impression that I was going to have a sad end there at the entrance to the show area. But it was one of those moments when I was glad that I belong to the female species. Yes, because three of us girls in the front were allowed in because of the jostling.

The show started off with a sensuous dance performance by a professional dancer couple. The woman was beautiful and exotic and really sensuous. This was followed by the appearance of Urmila Matondkar who gyrated her hips so badly while walking the ramp that I quite she was in danger of hip dislocation. While that didn’t happen, what did happen was what I call an �ouch’ moment. The lady tripped.

The showstoppers were Shahid Kapur and Kareena Kapoor. Though they looked good, their black outfits stood out like a sore thumb amongst a pastel collection. And what did our stars think about the collection of their �dear friend’? A gesture of both thumbs up from Urmila on behalf of the three.

That was fashion week for you. Uh oh, I was missing out on the food. Lots of salad, mustard fish, fish in red wine sauce, yummy biryani style chicken, shredded lamb, stuffed karela, zucchini lasagne...The highlight of the meals for me were the desserts. So Sunday night I stuffed myself up with tiramisu, blueberry mousse, apple strudel, apple tart, chocolate terrine, lemon cheesecake. Yes, it was sheer greed. And I also managed to follow up the above mentioned delicacies with some melt-in-the-moth marshmallows.

19 comments:

thalassa_mikra said...

The Brits and their surreal hats! Another wacky headgear lady whose outfits I love because they are so over the top is Anna Piaggi, the head stylist at Italian Vogue.

What was the price range for the Rohit Gandhi-Rahul Khanna collection?

Sunrayz said...

Holly-molly! Urmila tripped - damn.
But the food sounds great. So do folks get to buy stuff in these kind of shows too?

AB said...

Thalassa Mikra: Started at around Rs 2,000. Are you into them too? (I mean the headgear part):-)

Sunrayz: Yes there are buyers. And even other people do go through the clothes in the stalls and pick out stuff.

Anonymous said...

What! You're eating like this and the gym is shut? Soon you'll resemble post-marriage me :-) :-)

thalassa_mikra said...

AB - I like looking at the headgear and admiring women who can pull it off, but I think for the most part, hats make me look silly. Although it's so bloody hot in LA these days, I should really invest in a large floppy hat.

Hmmm...I really liked the Gandhi-Khanna pieces, though I don't know if I should save up my money and splurge on Sabyasachi instead.

sinusoidally said...

I can't tell but is Shaid Kapoor wearing black with brown?! That is a big fashion no no. He is definitely not bringing the sexy back. Heh. :-)

Sonia said...

the food sounds yummmm. :) and the clothes... i'd rather not go anywhere near the place. I'm suuure my i'd spend all the money i've been saving up for an x-trail.

AB said...

Sayoni: Ha ha. Have joined a new gym where the trainer is really nice and enthu about workouts. But I have to travel which is a pain.

Thalassa: I think floppy hats look cute. Go take a pic in one and post it no:0) Definitely Rohit Gandhi & Rahul Khanna. I lust those dresses right now. I guess it's time for 'Innocence Regained' (that's what their collection is called).

Sines: Where brown. As far as me eyes could make out, he was completely adorned in black except for the white collar peeping out... But he does look cute in person.

AB said...

Sonia: Are you in India already? Hows it going? And yes, the food by the way is something that can keep me going anywhere, anytime:0)

Anonymous said...

Good 2 know u r eating food again. Thank God.

Sonia said...

i'm back in dxb yar!

AB said...

Toe knee: When did I ever stop???

Sonia: It was a quick trip I say!

Kaj said...

Mmmm... I quite liked Gaurav Gupta's stuff.. he does drapes well. Delhi has quite a few fashion weeks happening huh! fash week.. designer showcases.. fash week.. repeat! Isn't there a seagram one later this yr too? And hey, sabyasachi does linen too?!! are we going the way of the West? do tell..

AB said...

Fink: I know we have been rained on by fashion weeks. There's no way but be fashionable;) Just because we use linen, does it mean we are going west? But Actually I think we have always loved western silhouettes. Why else the stuff we see at fashion week. But I quite like it and am at peace with it...Cause there are those too who balance it out by sticking to traditional work like chanderi, ikat, tie and dye, and kota...

Kaj said...

hey AB.. sure I'm all for fusion.. I love some of Manish Arora's crazy skirts.. I actually meant bedlinen with designer ranges.. with designers going the way of home decor... BTW I picked up a Zara skirt for 100 bucks off the street.. HEAVEN is in export surplus it seems =)

AB said...

Fink: Do you mean from Sarojini? They have lovely Zara tops and skirts there. It's the only place where I feel like a millionaire;) O you were talking about bed linen...yes, I guess Pepsi is the first one to tie up with a brand for home decor.

Kaj said...

yup.. sarojni.. I was like d'uh.. why am I missing shopping in London? 1 skirt at the zara store on bond street.. or 10 off the thela in some little lane!! yippeee... MERA BHARAT VERY MAHAAAN!!

AB said...

Fink: Yeah yeah:)

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