Monapali

This sister duo from Calcutta went for a very rustic and coarse look, basket ? weaving and coarse knits were scattered all over the show. Full skirts were a must ? all multi ? layered - a very Moulin Rouge look. Ties at the back added a flirty element.

This sister duo from Kolkata went for a very rustic and coarse look, basket – weaving and coarse knits were scattered all over the show. Full skirts were a must – all multi – layered - a very Moulin Rouge look. Ties at the back added a flirty element.

HT Image

They started with a natural colour palette – beiges and creams, greens then brown and finally black. The fusing together of different fabrics in one garment added some visual interest. They were half satin, half chiffon with a printed chiffon pallu. Gold coin embellishments gave a look of the gypsies.

Gota, thick textured wool and kantha were used. All of these uneven techniques made it look very natural. Silhouette wise it was a mix of saris, very full-layered skirts, churidar pants, three-quarter trousers. The tops were quite sexy and backless. Towards the end of the show they started to use more and more hand painting on the garments. What stood out most was the basket- weaving technique – a technique these two have obviously worked very hard on.

THE OTHER VIEW: Classic cuts, sexy silhouettes
Anuradha Kaul/HT City

Kolkata designer duo Mona Lamba and Pali Sachdev's fall winter collection blended traditional Indian embroideries and prints with the western and Indian silhouettes. The show began with multi-layered skirts, which were the focus of the collection. Also seen were printed georgette saris with chiffon flares stitched across the pallu, giving the saris a draped look. The garments were enhanced by woollen embroidery used along with metal ornamentation. The duo also used the basket weave technique for the matted corsets and footwear.

The colour palette was earthy with greens, browns and maroons. A part of the collection was a grey and black line of saris in georgette, which again was enhanced with the signature wool embroidery of this collection. Also showcased was a collection of ponchos and kaftans, and kantha trousers along with wool and metal ornamentation.

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Wearability: 7
Presentation: 6
Front Row: Mostly friends and others
Buzz factor:6.5
Late-o-meter: 25 mins