The whistling sands of Arabia, the sand dunes of Jaisalmer, the vast sandy expanses of Africa, the awesome desertscapes of Morrocco - all found their way on the ramp at LIFW, showcasing designer Payal Jain's spring-summer '05 collection.
A strong banjara influence created a mystic impact as rich fabrics met richer colours - all with decidedly Indian silhouettes.
"The collection is inspired by the lives of the desert people whose journey through life is vast and vivid like the desert itself. The outfits are an ode to the relentless, multi-cultural undying spirit of the wandering mendicant," says Jain.
The gorgeous reds and greens looked stunning against the models' glistening brown skin. Sexy silver chains slithered across tanned backs that were proudly displayed through backless cholis.
Beaded bra-tops worn with flouncy ghaghra-skirts looked fabulous and were set off with matching bandanas with silver coins hanging from them.
Decorative patterns and vibrant colours have been worked in traditional tribal beadings and ethnic batik and block prints, updated with an unfailing modern edge.
Skirts of varied lengths, layered wraparound skirts and pants paired with crochet gillets created a sensually dramatic impact on the ramp. "Everything is priced from Rs. 2,000-10,000 - since it's all in pure silk," the designer said.
{{/usCountry}}Skirts of varied lengths, layered wraparound skirts and pants paired with crochet gillets created a sensually dramatic impact on the ramp. "Everything is priced from Rs. 2,000-10,000 - since it's all in pure silk," the designer said.
{{/usCountry}}Special mention must be made of the bandana style bustier and ruby red which upped the glam quotient of the collection.
THE OTHER VIEW: Nomadic hues on the ramp
Meeta Mishra/HT City
Payal Jain The fourth show of the first day of the Lakme India Fashion Week showcased works of two labels -- Ado by Payal Jain and Freefalling by Aparna and Norden. Skirts were the dominating garment paired with interesting tops in both the shows. Both had interesting props. Jain's show had Jesse Randhwa opening the sequence with decorative bamboo and Freefalling had models closing the show with lighted yo-yos. But that's where the similarity ended.
Guessing Jain's inspiration was not tough. Her look this year is inspired by gypsies. She focused on patchwork. The idea being that the gypsies live a nomadic life and hence they pick pieces of clothes and stitch together garments. She has used traditional tribal beadings, batik and block prints. The patterns were cut with rough edges and then stitched onto garments. The tie-up sandals were a bit ambitious because two models had difficulty walking in them.
Rate-O-metre
Wearability: 7. Jain's crochet bra-top can't be seen on the streets, but there were plenty of wearable options in separates
Presentation: 5
Buzz factor: 4 (6 p.m. didn't suit many guests)
Late-o-meter: 10 mins
Innovative patches: The gypsies have inspired Payal Jain