Lot of film stars gathered on the fourth day of fashion show…….

Influenced by the Carnaby Street look of the 60s, with style popularized by designers like Mary Quant and models Twiggy and Jane Shrimpton, Anita Dongre set the ramps rocking with the beat of that era. She presented sharply tailored dresses of feminine touches with subtle embroidery placements. Ending the show with a glamorous velvet skirt and strap blouse for actor Isha Koppikar, Anita Dongre had the right styling directions with wearable well finished garments which can please lovers of timeless fashion.

Kiran Uttam Ghosh had her stylish inspiration 'Ethelecctic' collection of quirky western and Indian wear from a lovable geek of Archie series, Big Ethel. The colors were sober, but the line of ensembles was stylishly eye catching, very wearable and unconventionally combined to present a new fashion statement. According to Kiran Uttam, Veronica may be the Valentino of Archie gang, but for Kiran it is Big Ethel with all her oddities who is her hero that has given rise to a truly fun but very wearable and saleable line of Autumn/Winter wear.

Sanchita Ajjampur’s choice of glittering embellishments was very interesting as gemstones, crystal, and a mélange of embroidery stitches decorated the garments with dragons and warlike tattoo figures. Accessories were perfectly styled and were an integral part of Sanchita's collection as she added on leather thong belts, totes with basket weave handles. For some head-turning clothes, a Sanchita creation is a must in every woman's wardrobe.

Young designers dazzle the fashion show…

Ten talented young designers, Nimita Rathod, Digvijay Singh, Anuj Sharma, Vivek Kumar, Nitin Bal Chauhan, Debarun, Aneeth Arora, Vivek Karunakaran, Kunal Rawal, and Nachiket Barve , presented a spectacular show at the Aza Gen Next extravaganza at Lakme Fashion Week proving that the future of Indian fashion is safe in their creative hands.

Sanjay Malhotra collection titled ‘Lucky Charms’ was a mélange of garments ideal for the Autumn/Winter 2007-08 season for the woman on the go who loves the perfect choice of fabrics and colour. He works with apt fabrics that have eye catching designs with elegant yet stylishly sober colors to match. Sanjay’s style forte was the many jacket dresses and slim line coats that were well tailored and finished. Here was an ideal collection that will definitely charm the women who are on the look out for some classic yet trendy Autumn/Winter creations.

Anupama Dayal unveiled her collection titled ‘The Giant’s Garden’ with her happy, fun-loving inspiration full of color and style. She used the oversized floral patterns to embellish her creations in a pleasant mix of colors and sizes bringing to life the birds and flowers in Oscar Wilde’s story Giant’s Garden. Where Anupama scored was with her mix of prints and colors that merged in perfect harmony for each of the garments that created a glamorous bouquet of fashion.



Having researched the life of Empress Theodora carefully, Wendell Roderick’s creations for Autumn/Winter 2007-08 went through the full gamut of the lady’s life from virgin, mistress, empress and saint—each presented in a unique color story and styling details. The show stopper was a solitary black satin silk sari with a floating ribbon pallav. Men’s wear was seen occasionally—a sherwani, a taffeta jacket, coarse silk jacket, hand-woven herringbone silk shirt with looped dhoti pant and twill sarong. Accessorizing the garments with innovative chrome closures, clasps, shoulder accents and placket interest, Wendell Rodericks’ Empress Collection was undoubtedly a very subtle regal line, which will tempt women to add to their wardrobes.

Neeta Lulla makes a debut at Lakme Fashion show…..

Neeta Lulla, created a collection that carried a strong message. She presented a fashionable ode titled 'Woman' dedicated to the girl child. She kept her glamour quotient in tact as she took the audience through the various stages in a woman's life (from young to a glamorous lady of the future) with her creative all-western garment line; in a color spectrum of solid and prints that wove in every hue, in soft fluid feminine fabrics to match the theme of her collection. Her finale model choice was very apt – former Miss Universe 1994 Sushmita Sen with her daughter Renee who put a perfect end to a show which not only had everything that revolves around fashion and style, but also a message that will make a social impact.

Pria Katari Puri's inspirations came up with a glittering collection of bridal wear which had all the style, beauty and elegance which a girl dreams of for her wedding trousseau. The prints reflected the beauty of the old Topkai Sarayi Palace and the Turkish motifs from the Art Deco period. Pria's fashionable journey went through fabrics that were rich and fluid – silk, chiffon, satin, tulle as well as lush velvet and lasered lace in metallic tones. Colors matched the glory and grandeur of the theme with white, orange, gold and rich metallic tones of copper, bronze and antique silver which were embellished further with sequins, crystal and dazzling silver jewels. Detailing was restricted to tassels, fringes, silk thread and crystals.


This was probably the best collection presented by the designing duo of Dev R Nil. With a patriotic theme—60 years of India's independence when the country is poised to move into a different level—the designers who titled their presentation ‘Sixty’ had a fabulous line of dresses, blouses, jackets, tops and beautiful saris all blended into a perfectly cohesive look in fabrics like taffeta, georgette, stain and jersey. Here was a line of garments that Dev R Nil can proudly present on any ramp; The Indian and the international.

The Murjani Group brings the label to India.

Watch out for French Connection popularly known as FCUK! For here comes the first international brand from the UK and it is all set to steal the hearts of Indian men and women when it launches in April 2007. The snappy men's and women's line with its cool styling will appeal to the fashion conscious of the country. From the classic raincoat to colorful art deco prints on a tulip dress, to a jumpsuit, the women's wear line moved smoothly with a timeless universal appeal for buyers. , If one was to judge by the thunderous applause the collection received at the end of the show, the FCUK label will certainly appeal to a cross section of men and women of all ages with its simple timeless clothes.

The Abduction of Psyche by William Bouguereau pushed the imagination of Swapnil Shinde to come up with a collection that was feminine, yet classic with just the right amount of embellished touches. Swapnil worked with diverse fabrics of romantic colors that ranged from chiffon, shimmering georgette and satin Lycra, brocade, cotton and linen as well as suede, which was used for jackets as well as trims for the dresses, giving a trademark detailing to his dresses of elongated sides of skirts. Swapnil’s blend of the classic and the contemporary for his creations will give a modernized line to his buyers.

Anand Kabra’s collection ‘The Orange Scarf 1927’ was woven around a beautiful multi-orange hand painted swirl and cube design, which appeared discreetly throughout his collection. The garments varied from dresses, pinafores, skirts, blouses, jackets and even saris, which were tastefully embellished. He presented saris in innovative drapes like setting the pallav through the placket of the jacket or teaming them with a jacket, or adding just a faint shimmer to the borders. Working predominantly with silk, chiffon and twill, Anand’s creations were a pleasant blend of classic yet contemporary silhouettes.


Narendra Kumar visualizes the men of modern liberalized India in some of his very interesting and creatively styled clothes. Detailing was visible in every garment from faux lapels to elongated button holes with grey silk piping, to three-button jackets with shimmer on the side, velvet shawl collars, quilting for long jackets, silk pullover sports jackets, and trimming with leather and rivets. Making a surprise appearance on the ramp with his models, Narendra Kumar proved that his clothes are for men and not only the models as he ended his showing with a statement—the clothes are the stars.

Rahul Mishra and Firdos Samar presented their perfect Autumn/Winter sonata of fashionable black and white garments for men and women inspired by the game of chess. The Chess collection revolved around black and white with just a hint of brown and navy, featuring checks and solid bhagalpuri fabrics in houndstooth and tweed weaves. The silhouettes were more 70s in nature with an accent on shoulders for both men’s and women’s wear.

Abhishek Dutta’s label, ‘Adnormal’, was a collection of contradictions on all fronts—whether it was fabric, styling, color or patterns, they all fell together in perfect harmony. Garments were replete with zany attitude, lots of patchwork, embroidery and detailing that pushed the styling limits to the maximum for men’s and women’s wear. Here was grunge fashion that had a lot of kitsch, but it worked very well for Abhishek’s collection created for the masses, classes and youth who now have a collection that will suit their sartorial requirements.

Sepia by Priyadarshini Rao made its maiden appearance on the ramp on the second day of Lakme Fashion Week.

Priyadarshini knows her market and the needs of her buyers well; therefore, her label Sepia is already a hit in the short time that it has been in the store. The label presented a collection reminiscent of the vintage years in muted tones but with touches of contemporary styling that took it to a more edgy fashion level. Here was a line of garments that could move effortlessly from day to evening wear, made from soft fluid silks and georgettes with detailing that was tonal yet interesting as satin stripes, water color prints, burnouts, and silks were teamed with denims and jersey.

‘Rishta’ Arjun Saluja’s label had a very futuristic look, that moved through the dimension giving a star-wars-like feel. To prove his creative instincts to the ultimate limits, Arjun stuck to a colour palette of just three tones—brown, grey and ink blue in fabrics that were natural but textured with amazing detailing. Bringing in vintage silhouettes, which had appliqué, hand painting, prints and stitching techniques Arjun had jackets, skirts, dresses, long gowns and a few men’s wears. The garments had a distinct military touch, which was brought into a futuristic zone with the styling

Kaushie Adiseshan presented her label ‘Pink Elf’ as one label, two fabrics and three inspirations. Working around the three inspirations of euphoria, rapture and bliss, Kaushie named each garment after a female goddess from Greek and Indian mythology. Also keeping the shades under control—Bliss had mainly amber tones, Rapture had lots of red and Euphoria was drama in black

With her vast experience of retailing in the USA, Europe and the Middle East, Gayatri Khanna’s Art Deco line will be a hit around the world in the coming season.Presenting a formal line of women’s wear, Gayatri Khanna opened the show, using art deco as a theme, with a white/gold butterfly sleeve mini then added some pink/blue printed jersey slim skirts and gowns, and a wine satin will-power bubble. The embroidery glistened as it decorated the garments on neck, hem, straps and sleeves.Her finale creation, worn by Yana Gupta, was a splendid black/gold embroidered butterfly cape over a gold gown, which would be a dream outfit for any woman craving to make a show stopping entry.

Known for his controlled inspirations for his collections, Vineet Bahl created a beautifully crafted line for his Indjapink label called ‘A Walk through Fall’. Vineet’s fabrics were softly textured as velvet, silk matka, chiffon, georgette and even suede was worked on to give a more ornate feel and look. Keeping his silhouettes short ‘A’ line, with a few maxis added, Vineet had enough show stoppers to make the ensembles one of the prettiest on the ramp.

Nandita Mahtani's 'Ananya' label kept its promise with the most tantalizing regal dresses, brocade coats, velvet minis/jumpsuits, chiffon embroidered skirts and double-breasted coat dresses. Royal fashion needs only the best and Nandita got it all together in perfect proportions with her inspiration drawn from Maharajas with a 60s twist. But for the finale it has to be a "Maharaja" who will end this "royal" presentation. So show anchor, director, stylist, and designer, and now, model—Karan Johar took to the ramp in a black velvet achkan with an impressive pearl brooch

Sisley makes a debut at the Lakme Fashion Week,

The Sisley label is one of the trendiest in Europe and sets the fashion pace for smart, elegant, ready-to-wear.

They presented its Spring/Summer 2007 women's and men's wear that will be hot sellers. A newcomer to the Indian market, Sisley's styling is cutting edge, which will enable the wearer to make a unique fashion statement with its mix and match options.

The women's wear was divided into four lines—Sexy Puritan, City Blue, Ethnic Chic and French Open. Here there was a cross-section of minis, figure hugging dresses, blouses, trousers, jeans, semi formal wear, sweaters, jerseys, and rhinestone touches with occasional floral creations inspired by the 60s thrown in.

Sisley not only has a wide range of garments for both sexes, but a line of accessories like bags that range from back packs and courier bags to pretty evening clutches. Shoes are part of the Sisley story—so there were wedges, cord, leather or raffia—and belts added that zing to the garments designed in plaiting, knots and interlocking. Caps, scarves and costume jewellery completed the Sisley line, which gives a complete wardrobe solution for men and women.

Sonam has proved that season after season he can keep the beauty of global themes fashionably alive with his skilful touches. Sonam Dubal's collection titled ‘Echoes of the Nomad’ took the audience on a fashionable global journey through the beauty of Uzbekistan, rural Australia, into peaceful Tibet, North Africa and Central Asia.

Shyamal and Bhumika’s Autumn/Winter 2007-08 collection titled Geometry was a fine, controlled collection with just the right touches of styling and drama. The adornments of the garments is what Shyamal and Bhumika scored, as they added handwork detailing and embellishments, which gave a perfect union of theme and craft in just the right proportions. Shyamal and Bhumika’s fashionable lesson in Geometry will definitely thrill the fashionistas in the coming season

Giving a new fashion statement to the tribal prints of Saura, Godaba and Bonda from Orissa, Nikasha Tawadey’s Urban Myth collection was a perfect line that blended rural motifs with urban styling. Keeping to the western wear format, Nikasha’s embellishments were unconventional with beads, chains, coin work, shells, animal claws and chains, which matched the theme of the collection yet fitted in admirably with the layered smocks, jackets, some sexy off shoulder draped tunics. Blending craft and stylish women’s wear will make Nikasha Tawadey’s Urban Myth line one of the intelligent collections of the coming fashion season.

For Autumn/Winter 2007-08 Giovanni's collection was a marvel in knit—he showed his expertise as he manipulated the yarns into unbelievable moulds and drapes. Giovanni's haute couture knit line will undoubtedly appeal to lovers of avant grade fashion of a very high international fashion order.

The stunning show by Gitanjali Jewellery and Vikram Phadnis' creations, set the mood for Lakme Fashion Week.

Lakme Fashion Week opened with a dazzling collection of Gitanjali Jewellery featuring the designs of Asmi, D'damas, Desire, Gili, Sangini and Nakshatra perfectly showcased with the beautiful creations of Bollywood's ace designer Vikram Phadnis.

Vikram's styling was pure western wear in jacquards, taffeta, silk, and knits in black and white with touches of grey and silver embroidery that dazzled with bead work, zari, sequins and thread work. It was set for some high voltage ornaments and style.


The necklaces and earrings, which adorned the models, were breathtaking in their style as luxurious lacy collars, pendants and necklaces glistened with diamonds and cascades of earrings

His finale was a show stopper as actors Perizad Zorabian in a sari, Minisha Lamba in a halter mini and Geeta Basra in an opulent lehenga, blouse and dupatta wearing the most stunning diamond sets from Gitanjali Jewellery collection walked the ramp.