Every July, the Indian fashion industry is abuzz with excitement for the country’s premier fashion event – the FDCI (Fashion Design Council of India) Hyundai India Couture Week in association with Reliance Brands. Its sixteenth edition which concluded after nine splendid days on August 2, did not disappoint. There was shimmer, shine, high quality craftsmanship and oodles of talent on display as 16 designers – both veterans and newbies – showcased their work to fashions ‘it crowd’. We lapped up every minute of it, and present to you the top five collections that stood out in this edition, along with some honourable mentions.
PRATAP
Rajesh Pratap Singh defines the concept of understated elegance in Indian couture. His ability to push the boundary and break out of his own design mould time and again, is something that not many others can boast of. For his couture collection ‘Desert Rose’ under brand name Pratap, he created plenty of drama, yet let the beautiful cuts and bold vision of his clothes speak for themselves.
“Desert Rose is an incantation, a quixotic crusade. To question, to search, to seek……. maybe find,” reads his collection note. His inspiration this time around was the great gilded Indian wedding. For this, he turned to the ceremonies of Rajasthan and Kerala in particular. The desert and the Indian rose were recurring themes in his outfits, weaves, embroideries and prints.
The romanticism of the poshak in various avatars appealed to him, even as it was reinterpreted in signature Pratap style. He shared, “We stand in the present, acquiring from the past and looking to the future. This is a collection that speaks to the non-conformist, willing to embrace the uncustomary. There is a play of optics and the use of woven gold, silver, pastels and jewel tones.” Striking custom-made jewellery by Divya Chugh, silver pieces by Amrapali, and hand-made footwear with metallic elements completed the looks.
RITU KUMAR
With decades of design experience under her belt, no one can match up to Ritu Kumar. The queen of the classic Indian aesthetic, she continues to create outfits that set the standards of what is considered beautiful in Indian fashion. The devil is in the details, and this is most evident in her exquisitely constructed outfits.
Staying true to this, Kumar’s most recent collection was awash in muted pastel hues, replete with delicate paisleys, butis and floral motifs crafted with dabka gold thread. Her use of heritage textiles on modern silhouettes such as dresses, jackets, capes and anarkalis, further allowed her expertise to shine through. The shimmering kasab and floral kashidakari went hand in hand with couture tailoring to offer a collection that was timeless in its appeal.
JJ VALAYA
There is no doubt that JJ Valaya is a master craftsman. His outfits are elegant while still making a bold statement, classic while also standing out from the crowd. He has mastered the formula of making clothes that ensure a bride feels her best self. His latest collection titled BARODA, played out in three chapters. The first of these offered an Art Deco aesthetic, where the craft of Lipan was fashioned to art deco lines and Mughal inlay motifs. Nomade was the second chapter adapting Kutch motifs and mirror work to a modern avatar. The third chapter titled Royale played with the Mashru fabric of Gujarat and patterns inspired by Portuguese Azulejos tiles.
“This season I chose to delve into the history of Gujarat, rustling up a past which is both intriguing as well as inspiring. Though Gujarat, like most of India, has a history dating back to the Stone Age, I found it fascinating that between the 16th and 19th century, it was part of the Mughal Empire, the Maratha Empire and then was subjected to colonial rule with the Portuguese and British settling here before India gained independence. A journey so diverse has created exquisite footprints in the DNA of the land and the resultant multiculturalism forms the inspiring core of my Fall / Winter 23-24 collection, BARODA,” said Valaya on the occasion.
ANAMIKA KHANNA
A creative maverick, Anamika Khanna’s designs have always toed the line between fashion and art. Her latest offering was no different. Referring to it as a collection about love and freedom, she drew from her personal art works and incorporated them into her designs in an almost intuitive manner.
Her silhouettes are modern but are inspired by tradition and the rich body of Indian craft. She showed a range of dresses, lehengas, and more in a colour palette that ranged from silver and gold metallics, to emeralds and pearls, pastel pinks and blues, ivories and blacks. “I have a love for everything Indian in its modernity, the ‘Khinkhab brocade’, the zardozi, the textures, hand embroideries, tailoring and fluidity. I love structured draping and yet the abandonment of that drape. The lace and romance of it. Little hearts and bows and the eventual bird of love, the swan,” she said at the show.
SHANTNU & NIKHIL
Where some designers excel at the intricacy of traditional work, others shine in their structured modernity. Designer duo Shantnu & Nikhil are a great example of the latter. Their bridal couture collection of 2023 titled Etheria drew inspiration from “the ethereal beauty of travel and the irresistible allure of an era long past.” Luxury and elegance were on display in a collection that was largely inspired by the designers’ travels across Italy and Catania in Sicily. “We were inspired by the grandeur of Roman palaces, a seamless fusion of Indian and Roman influences creates a tapestry of magnificence that ignites the imagination,” they shared.
In an experimental move, their bridal silhouettes from the collection sported exaggerated and ornately embellished veils paired with bejewelled capes and gloves. Their cocktail gowns were reminiscent of a Gatsby-era aesthetic and even the menswear boasted regal three-piece layering with ornamented tuxedos, covered in subtle crystals and glass beads to leave the viewer with a lasting impression.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Picking the top five from a sea of talent is never easy. Other collections that stood out for their master craftsmanship and creativity this FDCI Hyundai India Couture Week included the ornate pieces of Tarun Tahiliani, the exquisitely crafted ensembles of Rahul Mishra, the abstract silhouettes of Rimzim Dadu complimented by jewels by Varuna D Jani and the sophistication of Kunal Rawal’s cuts.
Noor Anand Chawla pens lifestyle articles for various publications and her blog www.nooranandchawla.com.