In pics: When quirky feather headgears, androgynous frocks ruled AIFW

It was a feel-good fiesta for the ladies at the fashion week, with wooden dolls, fairytale inspiration and an ode to female power.

Feather and constellation inspired headgear, military-chic outfits in steam punk avatar and androgynous frock coats ruled the penultimate day of the Amazon India Fashion Week, being held at Pragati Maidan.

Designer Poonam Bhagat’s quirky zodiac constellation headgear, Rajasthani architectural influences in designer Sahil Kocchar’s showcase and the autumnal resort collection by designer Pia Pauro featuring laser cut half-draped saris were interesting. But it was designers Aneeth Arora’s extravagant exhibit and Gaurav Gupta’s ode to female power that stole the show and ended the day on a dramatic note. Take a look!

Left to right: Creations by Pia Pauro, Aneeth Arora and Nikhita Tandon

Pia Pauro
Half-draped sari: Comprises of a skirt, choli and a dupatta that is worn like a sariA winter-resort collection inspired by Navajo folk art, it had laser cut saris and horse motifs

Aneeth Arora
Boyfriend jeans: A slouchy fit pair of denim combines comfort with styleFor her label, Pero, the philosophy of ‘make love, not war’ was reinforced through outfits in Scottish checks and block printed khadis inspired bymilitary men

Nikhita Tandon
Furbelow:These gathered trimmings add retro drama to your outfit The collection for her label, Mynah Designs, was all about flowy, structured silhouettes in red, black and nude hues

Left to right: Creations by Poonam Bhagat, Sahil Kochhar and Sonam Dubal



Poonam Bhagat

Matka silk: A rough handloom silk, this is an ideal fabric for your go-to winter jacketHer label, Taika, reinterpreted Picasso constellations. The headgear by Satsuki Nakagawa, a Tokyo-based milliner were a perfect fit

Sahil Kochhar
Ikat embroidery: Add a dose of luxe to your outfit with this silk floss embroidery The collection was inspired by Rajasthani architecture with edgy asymmetrical hemlines, cutouts and serrated edging

Sonam Dubal
Print on print:Pair varying prints against a solid hued separate to ace this trendHis label Sanskar had embroidered coats, hand-painted kaftans, capes and sequins dresses in velvet, georgette and silk fabric

Left to right: Creations by Viral, Ashish and Vikrant, Pratima Pandey and Ruchika Sachdeva

Viral, Ashish and Vikrant
Corset blouse: This style is ideal to flaunt a svelte waist Their label Virtues presented a fusion of steampunk and military fashion with earthy tones, metallic influences, zardozi and mirror work

Pratima Pandey
Burnt rust hue:This orangish-red hue is ideal for a autumnal styleHer collection for the label Prama was inspired by the fairytale, Sleeping Beauty, and had intricate floral embroidery

Ruchika Sachdeva
Pedal pushers:A style of pants that end mid-calfBatik resist polka dots, handwoven fabrics and a colour palette of blues, whites and browns formed the collection for her label, Bodice

Designer outfits now a click away
A whole new world of fashion is now at your disposal with the unveiling of Designer Store by Amazon.in. The store will have traditional ethnic, western-contemporary and fusion collections by top designers. You can shop for exclusive collections by S&N Drape by Shantanu & Nikhil, Hemant & Nandita, Indian by Manish Arora, Biba by Rohit Bal, Satya Paul and Mandira Bedi.

If your fashion style is quirky, go for Bombay Balloon collection from Quirkbox. Bollywood fans can shop from DIVA’NI by Yash Raj Films. Gaurav Gupta’s prêt line Tribe, too, will be available soon.

“We bring our customers and India’s huge talent pool of designers close to each other and transform the way India buys and sells fashion in the digital economy,” says Vikas Purohit, creative head, Amazon Fashion, India.

Know the trendsetters
The Day 3 of the Amazon India Fashion Week witnessed a stimulating Google Hangout session on lifecycle of a trend. Designer Gaurav Gupta, creative director of Amazon Fashion Narendra Kumar, makeup artist Ambika Pillai, stylist Gautam Kalra and fashion editor Bandana Tewari participated in the discussion held at the Amazon.in lounge.

The discussion concluded on the note that trends are greatly influenced by socio-economic and political developments of the time. While designers do set the trends, Bollywood has always been a great marketing tool and catalyst for amplifying those trends to the masses. “Growing economic freedom is giving Indian designers greater confidence, without being much influenced by the global trends,” said Kumar.

(All photos: HT Photo/ Waseem Gashroo)