Kolkata designers celebrate femininity!

Of the 39 shows at Lakme India Fashion Week 2005, which takes off on April 20, five shows are by Kolkata's designers. HindustanTimes.com invaded their studios to find out how they were planning to take on the winter of 2005-6.

Of the 39 shows at Lakme India Fashion Week 2005, which takes off on April 20 in Delhi, five shows are by Kolkata's designers. HindustanTimes.com invaded their studios to find out how they were planning to take on the winter of 2005-6.

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Starting with the star of LIFW 2004, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, to the newest entrant Shantanu Goenka, the clothes are a celebration of femininity and romantic chic. "I've drawn upon the spirit and sartorial preferences of three super-intelligent and independent-minded sisters who lived in the colony where I grew up," he says. "They wore a lot of their father's clothes. My collection has over-sized men's shirts clinched strategically to create a very feminine effect. Besides, there are a lot of reconstructed vintage theatre costumes put together in a modern way," adds Sabyasachi about his lounge-to-resort-wear line.

His use of 18th century wallpaper prints, antique kalamkari and hand block prints, "odd colours mixed in an odder manner" and huge floral prints make a collection full of retro elegance. He has worked with a copious palette of colours in which greens dominate — "I'm going through a foliage syndrome" — though sal-mon, peach, coral, auber-gine and powder blue are found in plenty too.

Anamika, too, draws from "all things mannish" to create a romantic, oversized look with garments that are loose, sexy and relaxed. "There are mosa-ics of emotions and mixing of yarns," says the designer who has used colour liberally and sensuously. The use of chiffons and linen, in a synthesis of textures and forms create clothes that convey a message of comfort and well-being.