The curtain opened to chic and minimalistic silhouettes, pleated skirts, fashionable weaves, inspiration from rocks and minerals. Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) presented a sparkling 25th edition of Amazon India Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2015 held from March 25-29 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. It was a celebration of life’s true stage and its characters.
DAY 1
The Opening day had Rajesh Pratap Singh create streaks of innovation with his medically-inclined skillful execution of his handsewn garments. Fabrics were coated and embalmed with gum, along with sheath dresses and pleated skirts with the underlying message that medicine is the best laughter. Electro-music by Karsh Kale, Grain and vocalist Ankur Tewari set the tone.
Nikasha brought in a bright shade of red with her chic range titled ‘Ruby’ where Kimono shawls with tassel fringes, layered tops and dresses with slits brought life to the runway.
Payal Singhal presented her Neo-Indian collection inspired from the delicate femininity of Chantilly lace. Light weight fabrics such as organza, silk and lace and intricate embroideries were used. Kavita Bhartia showcased her signature style for the globe-trotting woman in silk organza and tulle, printed scuba and silk crepe balanced by contemporized styling in resham dori, florals, tapestry prints and paisleys.
‘How to Write A Fairy Tale’ by Anju Modi had every fabric draped, every line sketched that took you away from the mundane.
Ace designer JJ Valaya unveiled his Indo-Russia inspired collection titled “Bolshoi Bazaar” that saw models and celebrities such as Amaan, Ayaan Ali Khan, Samar Singh Jodha walk the ramp dressed in saris with tassel details, maxis with prints, embellished jackets, anarkalis teamed with churidaars.
DAY 2
Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna presented “An Early Frost”, a collection of capes, high waisted skirts, embossed neoprene dresses, laser cut jackets that embodied the colours of a cold forest.
The designer duo Hemant & Nandita showcased ‘Boho Caravan’ that had folk and regional tapestry outlines.
Designer Pallavi Mohan’s collection, Not So Serious, used laser cut 3D flowers and subtle bling in the garments made with warm fabrics like wool and silk.
With Nepal as key inspiration, each outfit from Samant Chauhan’s collection with hints of white was an example of purity blended with innovation.
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Malini Ramani’s collection ‘Free Spirit’ explored the darker realms of winter in long skirts with side thigh high slits, ankle length skirt with slits, asymmetrical cuts with embellishments, motifs and zardozi work.
Rina Dhaka’s collection was all about classic checks, stripes, spider weaves, leaves and ikat like patterns.
The day ended with Abraham & Thakore recycling-inspired collection ‘Old New’ where they used ‘found’ fabrics and decorated them with sequins made out of X-rays, recycled brocade borders.
DAY 3
The day was marked by a celebration of Indian and international fabrics and colours in winter wear. Paromita Banerjee showcased Boro Part II, a visual journey with handwoven fabrics at its core.
Pankaj and Nidhi presented “Rouge Minerale” where they juxtaposed the feminine of the “rouge” with structures that echoed the masculinity of “minerals” using colours inspired by Indian masala and camomile chai.
DAY 4
The day concluded through a fabulous collection ‘Prologue Risk’ by designer Gaurav Gupta who brought to life sizzling outfits with metallic colours and prints, plunging necklines and the graceful trains.
DAY 5
Designers Ashima-Leena gave a colourful end to the AIFW 2015 Autumn Winter using silk fabrics and heavy zardozi for the cold winter and gold detailing on the necklines and borders.
Veteran designer Monisha Jaising, the princess of “Bohemian Luxe” and the “Re-Inventor of the Kurti”, unveiled her exquisite collection at the grand finale. In a befitting finale to the five day long fashion extravaganza, Amazon India hosted a gorgeous spectacle.
The theme was ‘Crafts of India’ where twenty five designers – Abraham & Thakore, Amit Agarwal, Anamika Khanna, Aneeth Arora, Anju Modi, Ashish Soni, Gaurav Gupta, JJ Valaya, Manish Arora, Manish Malhotra, Monisha Jaising, Namrata Joshipura, Pankaj & Nidhi, Raghavendra Rathore, Rahul Mishra, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Rohit Gandhi + Rahul Khanna, Rina Dhaka, Ritu Kumar, Rohit Bal, Sabyasachi, Suneet Varma, Tarun Tahiliani, Varun Bahl and Wendell Rodricks together set the stage on fire with hues of royal crimson, gorgeous reds and fiery orange, in ensembles that highlighted Indian crafts and weaves at their best.
“The 25th edition of the India Fashion Week could not have been better with an amalgamation of 25 designers coming together on the same stage for the Grand Finale showcasing Indian weaves and crafts. Making this edition even more special was our partnership with Amazon.in. Our association with Amazon India will help take Indian Fashion talent to greater heights and wider markets, reaching millions of customers across the nation,” said Sunil Sethi, President, FDCI.