Ashish Soni

Transforming the ramp into the Zen garden in Kyoto, designer Ashish Soni successfully captured its serenity and wow-visuals in his spring-summer '06 collection.

Transforming the ramp into the Zen garden in Kyoto, designer Ashish Soni successfully captured its serenity and wow-visuals in his spring-summer '06 collection. (whatever happened to his Fall-Winter 05 collection?)

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Following monochromatic colours, Soni's collection showcased both women and men's wear. He started off the show with a beautiful draped knit skirt worn with a woven cotton satin shirt, flung over a multi knit fabric blouse. Layering his pieces innovatively, the designer put in a lot of effort into presentation and style. "I was influenced by a Japanese book with stunning visuals and carried that into my collection," said Soni.

The layering was quite elaborate. Rib touching jackets with pocket detailing worn with thigh-length satin kurtas over a double fabric layered skirt with ruffles at the bottom and kick boxing tie-up pants underneath!

Put together, the separates created an ethereal, almost magical if not bizarre effect but individually they were outstanding practical pieces that went from daywear to evening without a hitch.

Special mention must be made of the structured jackets in enzyme washed fabric. The bandgalas were especially stunning. Priced at Rs 1,500-6,000, the collection might not be too easy on the pocket, but make for excellent formal wear.

Some of the cotton pieces like the crinkled cotton drawstring pyjama and the white cotton shirt with hook eye detailing on front work by model Majid with cotton lycra corded trousers were outstanding.

Quite a refreshing change from the overdose of retro-grunge wear that one usually associates with designer men's wear in India, Ashish Soni's collection was a sight for sore eyes.

THE OTHER VIEW: Classic colours
Arati Thapa/HT City

Designer siblings Ashish and Smita Soni went black and white this year. Their collection at the Lakme India Fashion Week 2005 had interesting clothes like the taffeta billowing skirt, the puffball skirt, pintucked shirts with kantha embroidery and a skirt for men.

The models walked the ramp in dramatic makeup (blocks of hair gelled to stand up like a Red Indian's traditional hairstyle); to music that reminded you of ripples in water. The brother sister duo did have the audience sitting up and taking notice.

Highlights of the collection: A box pleated Gujarati kurta with churidar sleeves, a crinkled men's Nehru jacket, and plenty of denims with interesting washes in greys and browns.

Rate-o-meter
Wearability: 6
Presentation: 8
Front row: Robert Vadra, Gautam Singhania, Devi Cherian, Adhiraj Singh, Yashodhara Raje Scindia, Ramona Garware, Ritu Kumar.
Buzz factor: 8
Late-o-meter: 20 minutes