Fashion Chained as Designers Go Berserk > Back To Resources Main

Day two of the Lakme India Fashion Week saw another controversy with a designer was heard lamenting that another designer had ripped off her show.

BY SHALINI SETH - NEW DELHI

Models never had it so bad! After Rajesh Pratap Singh made them walk to the gallows on Tuesday, Ashish and Smita Soni had them chained for their show, which happened to be the last show of the day.

The collection was vintage. Ashish with clean lines and a minimalistic look. Menswear is his forte and he excelled in jackets, which incidentally seem to be catching designers fancy for this collection aimed at Fall-Winter. A navy blue one with bead embroidery in red was particularly eye-catching.

On Wednesday, it was Puja Nayyar’s turn to put a bandage on injured limbs. In a show that brought to mind Sabyasachi’s ‘boxing glove’ showing at LIFW last year, Puja Nayyar had her models all in unbleached white creations sport arm slings and bandages. The designer confessed that she threw wearability out of the window in an attempt to show “what NIFTians can do!”

Identifying silhouette shapes was close to impossible. What one could look out for is some of the accessories like the fur-backed bags, which would be ideal in winter. Flannel pants, again in unbleached white, piped in florescent green and many vests seemed identifiable. Narender Kumar is making a lot of people happy with his prêt line, Chai.

There is plenty of creativity though, what with temple motif appearing on pants. Using natural fabrics like cottons, poplins, chinos, denims and also georgettes and leather, he created a range of Autumn-Winter 2004 clothing comprising of daywear essentials. Colour either is coming all out and overtaking a show or making a backdoor entry like in Chai’s workwear at the back and on the side panels. One designer who went completely colourful is Priyadarshini Rao, who is normally highly regarded for her restraint. “I am happy so that is showing in my clothes.”

With flowers making a statement on shot taffeta, crushed and treated silks, she could well be dubbed the flower girl this season. Designer duo Rohit Gandhi and Rahul Khanna showed Cue their all time favourite colours of turquoise and brown. Largely in wool, the range was wearable especially where winter leaves a mark. Ranna Gill’s collection was very Moroccan with kaftans, kaftan tops, ponchos and tees.

Gossip created a buzz on Wednesday when a designer was heard lamenting. “She ripped off my show!” before another one’s show. Now that buyers and media from other countries are attending LIFW, designers have to field uncomfortable questions about their inspiration. “A lot of cultures shake hands with each other,” retorted Ranna Gill, whose collection was held together by Mediterranean threads, when asked about whether part of her collection was inspired by Galliano’s Egypt.

Meanwhile, the models gallery is showing more signs of distress. A female model was seen crying on Tuesday because a photographer walked in and shot her in her undies. If this is the taste of things to come on Day 2, LIFW promises to be its usual controversy-ridden boom.