Sari on steroids!

Designers reinterpret the Indian staple in their own unique handwriting…

Namrata Joshipura

Nachiket Barve

Designers at the recently concluded Amazon India Fashion Week cleverly morphed the Indian classic with their honed aesthetic. Amit Aggarwal presented a sari inspired gown in his signature sculpted style. Nachiket Barve injected an unmistakable S&M vibe by transmogrifying his sheer studded skirt and draping it around a bodysuit like a post-coitus sheet. Falguni and Shane Peacock, on the other hand, sweetened their versions with glistening beads and dramatic feathers. It’s amazing the sari offers myriad scope to mould and transform itself thus making it the purest form of a couture dress.

Amit Aggarwal

Falguni and Shane Peacock

Chainmail mayhem

Fall Winter 2017 is high on the shine-on classic 

Balmain FW17

One look at the fall winter runway images pouring in and one can vouch that Over-The-Top shine seems to be the sure-shot style winter winner. Balmain saw a warrior like sheath chainmail which was in two metallic tones and Paco Rabanne slashed it in laser-like cut-outs. Rochas on the other hand showcased a tiered fringed look. It’s interesting to see the contemporary version of the 60’s classic this season. One can’t wait to see its red carpet adaptations.

Paco Rabanne FW17

Rochas FW17

Cognac Carnival

The upcoming fall winter seems to be high on the toasty tone… 

A warm palette of coganc tones was seen across the board at the ongoing Paris Fashion Week. Designer Anthony Vaccarello at Yves Saint Laurent accented his black-heavy line with a smattering of va va voom leather looks in cognac. There was a cognac rosette accented a one-shoulder black gown which was slashed at the thigh and there were many more leather minis in the same tone. Balmain army was also heavy on rust – from the fringed body-con minis to accessories – the colour eclipsed the runway. Lemaire presented a chocolate brown overcoat and Isabel Marant layered her floral denims with thigh-high cognac boots. It’ll be interesting to see how the colour percolates on high street brands in the coming week.

A GREY area

The classic tailored pantsuit combo makes a comeback like never before this fall winter 

Rosie Assoulin presented a broken-tailored, soft grey pantsuit at New York Fashion Week and Fendi’s runway saw a jacket skirt combo in the same tone in Milan. New York’s King of minimalism Narciso Rodriguez sent out a dull grey cropped pants jacket ensemble and Thom Browne layered a sharply tailored look with a matching fur coat. Rebecca Taylor too showcased a grey belted jumpsuit accented with a pair of red booties. The classic seems major across the runway and it’ll be interesting to see its interpretation in editorials and on red carpets in coming months.

Miss Metallicas dazzle at Vanity Fair Oscars party

The soiree saw head-to-toe shine-on numbers

Deepika Padukone‘s black and gold look with a statement train was slammed online as she had sported a similar look at Vogue Beauty awards in 2012. Also, her hair and make-up was styled in a similar manner.

Priyanka Chopra, on the other hand, looked sensational in a shimmery black Michael Kors number. PC decided not to accessorize the look at all and let the gown do all the talking.

However, one key trend which emerged across the board was of the head-to-toe unapologetic bling and metallic looks.

A pregnant Rosie Huntington-Whiteley glowed in a liquid-like, silver and beaded Versace gown.

Another one to slay in a fresh-off-the-atelier Versace number was Halle Barry. She completed the look with bracelets and silver shoes.

Sofia Vergara, Kate Upton and Amy Adams embraced shine like never before. Guess it was Hollywood’s way of showcasing that in times of gloom and unrest, sparkling is the best revenge!

A touch of velvet

New York Fashion Week Fall 2017 lines are heavy on the rich fabric 

From Erin Fetherston and Lacoste to Prabal Gurung and Monse – designers have toyed with the plush velvet. Prabal Gurung sent out a jewel-toned burgundy belted dress while Lacoste presented a three-toned sporty zipper romper. Sachin & Babi sent out a floor-length gown in velvet which had embroidery on the neck and sleeves and Erin Fetherston’s runway saw a velvet jumpsuit. Looks like the rich luxurious fabric is here to stay and who can blame the designers? It spells a decadent evening and also photographs stunningly which it an editorial favourite.

Erin Fetherston

Sachin & Babi

Prabal Gurung

Lacoste

Monse

SAG 2017 red carpet highlights

The red carpet saw a delicious array of pristine whites, ornate blacks and shimmery jewel-tones

White emerged to be a popular red carpet tone on SAG 2017 red carpet with the likes of Natalie Portman, Meryl Streep, Brie Larson and Viola Davis opting for it. While Natalie played the Diorissma to the hilt in Christian Dior, Meryl Streep looked elegant in a Valentino which had bird prints. Brie Larson rooted for clinical minimalism in a halter Jason Wu and Viola Davis channeled her inner white knight in a Vivienne Westwood.

Thandie Newton opted for a surrealist Schiaparelli creation while Taraji P Henson turned heads in a beaded and appliqued Reem Acra creation. Sophia Vergara gave the cold shoulder treatment in a mesh embroidered Zuhair Murad while Maisie Williams brought the 90s back in a pink jewel-toned slip. Emily Blunt was a vision in a champagne toned textured Roberto Cavalli gown. There was plenty of black too – be it Emma Stone in Alexander McQueen, Kate Hudson in Dior or Claire Foy in a sheer and black Valentino.

Sparkle soignees

Maisie Williams in a jewel-toned, slip-inspired gown

Thandie Newton in a surrealist Schiaparelli

Taraji P Henson in Reem Acra

Emily Blunt in Roberto Cavalli

Noir Princesses

Kate Hudson in Dior

Emma Stone in Alexander McQueen

Claire Foy in Valentino

The White Knights

Natalie Portman in Dior

Brie Larson in Jason Wu

Kerry Washington in a sheer and off-shoulder white number

Return of the Resort Rani

No one combines luxury travel and high fashion like Monisha Jaising. From her interpretation of Soho’s wild party girl to capturing the mood of a destination bridesmaid vacationing in the heart of the romantic Notting Hill to her fitting tribute to the sailing bride in her last outing — Monisha has been penning a rich encyclopedia of jet-set glamour for years now. Champagne, canapes, carats, cruise and couture — all the Cs come together to unleash a glittery fury of oomph, easy chic style and red carpet glam slam. The shy and almost self-effacing designer shared, “It’s inspired by the Arabian sea and the evening lights. I’m hosting a sundowner by the harbour which captures the sunset light.”

A luxury cruise liner docked at the serene Arabian Sea, champagne overflowing and the sunset orange icing the Mumbai skyline all formed the exotic backdrop of the resort czarina Monisha Jaising’s opening Lakme Fashion Week show. The line gloried thanks to all the MJ insignias – Baroque embroidery, mesh beaded blouses, feather accents, cowl drapes, liquid-like metallic shifts, sporty separates and denims.

It was like the designer dug into her own rich archive of bejewelled saris, off-shoulder gowns with dramatic billowing trains and sequinned sheathed dresses and recontextualised them for the legion of her millennial fans. A pale blue sari with a beaded border paired with a burgundy blouse was the high point and so was a grey sari paired with a feather accented blouse. The opening look – a metallic shift layered with a sheer bomber set the tone of the line which was heavy on unapologetic shine-on pieces slashed at the thigh. She added totality to the evening-heavy line by incorporating easy chic pop-toned off-shoulder tops with bow accents pairing with denim shorts and layering va va voom bodysuits with printed skirts. Everything to charm her Pali Hill devotees.

Showstopper: Sonakshi Sinha sashayed in an off-shoulder orange gown
with a dramatic train

Front row: Shweta Bachchan Nanda, Prerna Goel, Haseena Jethmalani,
Shobhaa De, Rukshana Eisa and Rhea Pillai

Is Pink the new Camel?

The romantic hue of pink makes its romantic presence felt like never before in Prefall 2017. From dusty pink to pale versions – the colour is spelling mood exotica this prefall.

Erdem Prefall 2017

J Mendel sent a statement-making fur jacket, Alessandro Michele at Gucci toyed with the shade in a more mitigated avatar in a tiered Victoriana-like gown.

J Mendel Prefall 2017

Gucci Prefall2017 

Prabal Gurung, on the other hand, sent out a salmon pink ruffled gown which is bound to have many takers come awards season. Temperley London has combined it with the classic black in their collared and pleated dresses and also presented it in a sequinned, sheathed, shine-on format in the form of a jumpsuit with exaggerated sleeves. Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel toyed with the hue by sending out a halter pocketed shimmery gown with a matching knit stoles wrapped around the neck. It’ll be a pink-heavy 2017 and we aren’t complaining!

Prabal Gurung 2017

Chanel Prefall 2017

Temperley London Prefall 2017

5 best looks of 2016

Bollywood red carpet saw actresses moving out of their comfort zone and opting for gowns with risque slits and cut-work detailing. While the likes of Sonam Kapoor flirted with off-shoulder numbers from Proenza Schouler and Zimmermann, Deepika Padukone toyed with military chic in an olive green Monisha Jaising skirt and a sequinned bustier. Quantico beauty Priyanka Chopra slayed it in statement-making dresses from Prabal Gurung and Sachin and Babi while Alia Bhatt balanced her polished red carpet style with denim-heavy street looks. It was the year of clashing maximal with minimal, sublime with ridiculous and understated with edgy! Mix and match seemed to be the mantra for most B-Town stylists…

Princess diary: Sonam Kapoor 

2016 totally belonged to stylist Sonam Kapoor who totally owned the red carpet at Cannes in this statement-making Delpozo and Ralph and Russo dresses. She ended the year with another coming-of-age look by opting for a bold and sheer Yanina couture lilac creation and completed her look with a headband.

Shine-on glamazon: Katrina Kaif

Katrina Kaif knocks it out of the ballpark in this Khosla Jani off-shoulder gown. Kudos to the actress for moving out of her comfort zone and experimenting with a new look. She’s in excellent shape and the outfit brings out her sexier side.

Glam rock diva: Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone opts for this edgy Monisha Jaising number in a sea of gowns and dresses. The military green skirt with a thigh-high cut adds to the femme fatale appeal. The fringed earrings add a touch of softness to the look.

Miss Metallica: Alia Bhatt 

Alia Bhatt looks every bit the seductress supreme in this gold mini at designer Manish Malhotra’s 50th birthday bash. The slick centre-parted hair and smokey eyes add to the va va voom vibe.

Ravising in red: Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka Chopra slayed it in this cut-work Prabal Gurung number on the red carpet. The slick side-parted hair and a bold red pout oozed confidence and sexiness.