Raghavendra Rathore

Regal, awe-inspiring and at the same time, extremely wearable. Raghavendra Rathore's Fall/Winter '05 collection for both men and women was a beautiful melange of rich fabrics, deep colours and exquisite detailing.

Regal, awe-inspiring and at the same time, extremely wearable. Raghavendra Rathore's Fall/Winter '05 collection for both men and women was a beautiful mélange of rich fabrics, deep colours and exquisite detailing.

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Inspired by Alexander the Great, the collection was an exploration of Indian history around the Kutch area. Rathore was attempting to bring back the riches that were carted away to Samarkhand after the invasions of the northern princely states.

The trademark-structured jackets were even longer and more dramatic this year. "The models this time round are very tall and can carry the long jackets really well," Rathore said. Ankle-skimming jackets with beautiful detailing on the sleeves in textured silk doubled as eveningwear. "The culture these days is changing. More and more people are interested in jackets that look and feel good - they concentrate on the outside. With all the outdoor parties that happen in winters, the emphasis is on dressing well on the outside and this trend is what we are catering to," Rathore said.

Mostly confining the necks to the traditional 'bandhgala' style - especially in the fabulously cut men's suits- Rathore was a bit more adventurous when it came to pants. From cigarette pants to jodhpurs and churidars to dhotis - he explored quite a few silhouettes. There were some very traditional breeches worn with boots - the most striking ones in pure black. The use of fabric was brilliant - tissue smuggled between layers of silk giving it a sensational feel.

There was a distinct eastern flavour to some of the dresses. There were some elegant long dresses with thigh-high slits and "Chinese necks" (again a form of the 'bandhgala') - something like Demi Moore's famous black dress in Indecent Proposal.

The colours were rather subdued - and extremely elegant in that. Basic blacks, warm reds and luxurious gold were the predominant hues. One of the most striking things which was clear from the beginning was the wearability factor. A stretch lycra with a running print on them was everywhere - and was something one could wear pretty much anywhere, depending on how you accessorised it.

Breaking away from the structured look, Rathore introduced a few t-shirts with the brand Rathore imprinted on the front, which was reminiscent of Armani Exchange. "The t-shirts were more because of the health-conscious streak that is the trend these days," Rathore said. A visible fan of the collection was Olympic silver medal winning shooter Major Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.

Also a refreshing change was the exploration of the white paired with black. A printed kaftan teamed with skinny pants was as fresh as it was elegant. A big hit in the Middle East, Rathore said he has been getting several orders for that fluid silhouette in Kuwait.

A truly elegant collection that would put the wearer in an exalted league. Priced from Rs 3,000-15,000 the collection is rather steep but then class doesn't come cheap, does it?

THE OTHER VIEW: Cool ethnicity
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For the Fall/Winter collection at the fashion week, Raghavendra Rathore stuck to a traditional line, Very Indian and chic, Rathore's collection, which included Jodhpurs, churidar pyjamas, sherwanis, kurtas and silk pants, was showcased to the beat of galloping horses.

The designer used big patches of flowers with bits of sequins on his satin and silk tops with his trademark beautiful fits. Also finding place in his collection were long skirts with knee-length slits on one side, Jodhpurs for women, kaftans, a loose flowing ankle-length kurta worn with white trousers, besides suits for men and polo shirts. An interesting mix of fabrics were used for the collection -- these ranged from silk, to denim to satin. The colour palette moved from black to white, to beige and brown.

Rate-o-meter
Wearability: 10
Presentation: 7
Front Row: Gautam Singhania, Prabhu Chawla, Raian Karanjawala, Bina Ramani, Kiran Uttam Ghosh, Sunita Kohli, JJ Valaya
Buzz factor: 7
Late-o-meter: 15 mins