Luxe & lavish

A fashionable clash of details and minimal styling was the highpoint of the Day 1 at the Couture Week.

A fashionable clash of details and minimal styling was the highpoint of the Day 1 at the Couture Week The HDIL Couture week in Mumbai, on Day 1, held at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai on Wednesday, did look like a mega event that it had promised to be.

With designers showing the best of the couture that money can buy, the clothes ranged from swish lehengas replete with embroidery to saris with scooped neck blouses and panelled borders to shorter-than-short party dresses and long high-slit gowns in luxe party feel fabrics. From Indian wear to glam western wear, the two big shows slated for the day, gave the fashion watchers a high dose of style variation. The décor at the venue too, had dreamy drapes, with dark foliage in a synchronic pattern, strikingly resembling the famous Yves Saint Laurent’s showings.

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Designer: Manish Malhotra
Known for: Contemporary Indian wear
Trend: Deluxe detailing
Collection review: Malhotra’s collection was full of embroidered bridal wear and had a few mens’ wear interspersed in between. There were a host of shades ranging from the rich Indian red to the deep green and sober whites. The lehengas and saris were a study in detailing with intricate patterns.

Designer: Monisha Jaising
Known for: Western Club Wear
Trend: Minimalism Collection review: Jaising presented a collection of clean lines with strategically placed embroidery in western silhouettes. The designer made a valiant attempt, in minimalising heavy surfaces, accepted as high fashion in the Indian context. There were some repeats of looks. But over all the collection was interesting.

More from the front row
Timing trouble
Mandira Bedi, who came to attend the shows, said, “Monisha Jaising’s show started very late. I’m sure Monisha tried her best, but while staging such a massive show, delays happen.”

Runway chaos
At the Monisha Jaising show, the choreography seemed a bit on the flip side because some of the models were made to repeat the walk in the same outfits.

Style picks
Sameera Reddy, who was there for the Monisha Jaising show, said, “The black fitted high shouldered top teamed with leopard print shorts was just fabulous. It is a must have.”