The final day of WIFW was all about old-world romance

Let’s start from the end. The Grand finale of Wills Lifestyle India fashion Week by Rohit Bal was nothing short of spectacular. Framed with a bright moon, the soothing voice of singer Shubha Mudgal and an almost endless runway...

Let’s start from the end. The Grand finale of Wills Lifestyle India fashion Week by Rohit Bal was nothing short of spectacular. Framed with a bright moon, the soothing voice of singer Shubha Mudgal and an almost endless runway — Quli Khan’s tomb transported the audience back to a Mughal court, adorned with vintage candelabras and almost a hundred models in Bal’s creations.

From his favourite lotus motifs and other inspirations plucked from the Mughal gardens of Kashmir to classic ivories and roses perched beautifully in the model’s hair — the whole setup was mesmerising. Before the finale took over the runway, the day also saw some Parsi pop kitsch, paillette play and some Indian-Australian fashion camaraderie. Here’s a dekko.

(HT Photo/ Waseem Gashroo)

Rohit Bal
a whiff of the valley: Called Gulbagh, Bal’s creations were for the bride who believes in the old world charm of floral romance, and for grooms who celebrate classic style with all the colours of a beautiful garden. From matka silk and mulmul to sheen-perfect chanderi — the Kashmiri flavour was infused, in tones of silver-ivories, velvety reds and more, all embraced with a taste of timelessness. For the love of Gudda, actor Arjun Rampal also walked the ramp.

Rehane Gingham: a cotton cloth usually having checkered print in white and red colour A vibrant collection with a flirty vibe, the creations were ideal for a modern-day ­hippie. We loved the unusual pairing of mirrorwork with gingham.

Neeta Bhargava Cowl neck: A layered turnover collar that hangs on the front of the yoke Taking an organic approach to design her creation, Neeta used natural colour dyes and fabrics for the collection called — Unmaze the Haze.

Kanika Saluja Epaulette sleeves: Sleeves inspired by the shoulder ornament Her line, Annaikka, saw use of mirrorwork and punk-infused edge in the form of cuts and embroidery, typical of the label.

Roopa Pemmaraju Skater skirt: A mini skirt typically adorned with boxy pleats The label presented the Australia-India collaboration with a mix of indigenous painting and prints translated on to the creations.

Joy Mitra Dhoti pants: A modern take on dhoti, with a defined waist. The pants taper towards the legs A collection inspired by Satyajit Ray’s Jalsaghar, made of traditional ethnic silhouettes, embroidery and zardozi work.

Niharika Pandey Crop tops: Tops that are cropped to show off the mid-riff Crop tops and wrap skirts were spotted in the showcase. While we saw a knotted pallu make up the collection, denim was seen too.

Niket Mishra Kimono sleeves: Flared, floor-length sleeves Rope technique, tribal flavour-infused waistcoats, waterfall hemlines and exaggerated kimono sleeves stood out.

Rahul Singh One-shouldered dress: The name explains it all! The collection was made of fish-scale like sequins, asymmetrical wrap jackets, plumage inspiration and cocktail gowns.

Nida Mahmood Sheath dress: A body-hugging, fitted dress that embraces the curves Nida’s Irani cafe served kettle cutout-adorned socks, some kitschy ink-splatter style prints, signature drapes over denims and quirky props.

(With inputs by Sanya Goel | Photos: Raajessh Kashyap/ HT Photo)