Tribal fashion casts its spell at LFW

The day before Lakme Fashion Week concluded, designers went heavy on tribal colours and rustic influences
Wild and free: Bangalore-based designer Sanchita Ajjampur’s show saw one of the highest and most prominent attendance during this fashion week, with friends and buyers thronging the night show. Presenting a mix of menswear and womenswear, her show was set against the backdrop of a mythical garden.The designer told us that she is usually inspired by the fashion of the 20s and the 50s, and keeping that intact in her collection this time too, she incorporated modern elements into her clothes. The womenswear comprised swimwear as well as resort options, and she added festive accents through the embroidery. All the accessories, including the footwear and the bags were made in-house.
Inkblot inspiration: Young designer Ken Ferns got the biggest applause at the Talent Box this season, for his avant garde line of garments influenced by the Rorschach inkblot test. All the creations, including the jackets, blazers, dresses and gowns were inspired by original inkblot patterns in yellow and smoky grey — all made by Ferns himself. The music as well as the styling, which included headgear inspired by wild beasts, heightened the dramatic impact of the show. The butterfly wing-like jackets seemed like they could be paired well with basic singlets. Television actress Karishma Tanna dazzled as Ferns’ showstopper in a Victorian-style corset and skirt, and closed the show with an enthusiastic walk.
Royal gains: With a collection named ‘Maharaja’, designer duo Shyamal and Bhumika aptly summed up their their festive showcase on the ramp. The outfits recreated royal splendour and the designers set the mood right from the start with two male models posing as pehredars and escorting a princess to the beat of a drum. The collection was high on bridalwear, multi-fabric saris and floor-length paneled kurtas in net and brocade, as well as outfits in velvet embellished with gold embroidery and zardozi. Interestingly, the menswear was more opulent with heavily embellished sherwanis, chogas, kurtas and Jodhpuri jackets. The makeup for the show complemented the clothes well.
Yellow fever: The eccentric but completely wearable collection by Karishma Shahani Khan was high on western silhouettes. Called ‘Silk Route’, the collection featured a palette of bright colours, including tangerine tango, bumblebee yellow, sky blue and peacock green with sections which featured darker hues like midnight blue and night black. The designer used natural fabrics like khadi, jute, silk and cotton and embellishments ranged from sequins and embroidery to quilting and beadwork. Overall, Khan’s collection was a boho representation of the gypsy caravan and merchant theme, and the designer executed it well within her stipulated time frame.
Princess diaries: It was a contemporary cocktail collection by veteran designer Bhairavi Jaikishan, who completes 25 years in the fashion industry this season. Called ‘A Wonderful World’, the collection emphasised on ethnic yet modern designs, while keeping wearability as the focus of the show. Destination weddings were another priority for it the designer, since most people like to carry lightweight clothing for such occasions. In her signature style, Bhairavi presented an array of ornate saris and lehengas, especially her trademark lehenga-sari. Shades like pastel pinks, black, ivory, emerald, aubergine, red and burgundy spelt the festive spirit. Gold handwork and lame blouses stood out. On the high embellished necklines, Bhairavi said, “The blouses have high embellished necklines with which you do not need to wear any neck pieces.”
(Contributed by Garima Sharma, Simi Kuriakose and Kasmin Fernandes)