London Fashion Week is the grand extravaganza that showcases the best and the trendiest in the fashion circles every year. This year marked a special beginning for Indian fashion, with the first-of-its-kind ‘India Day’ celebration by Indian High Commission at the London Fashion Week. The grand event was held in Victoria House on February 15 and highlighted the elegance and grandeur of the quintessential Indian saree.
‘India Day’ was a tribute to the design, talent and textiles of the country that is so well known for its creative, cultural and traditional splendour. It was a fashion show that presented a remarkable line of attire created by the budding designers and artists from India’s Inter National Institute of Fashion Design (INIFD). The limelight at the event was on the traditional Indian sarees from various parts of India.
Models presented sheer elegance on the ramp with as many as seventeen different varieties of sarees from across the country. The range was breathtaking, from Kashmiri and Phulkari from the North, to Kantha and Baluchari from West Bengal, Paithni from Maharashtra, Bandhni from Rajasthan, Ghatchola from Gujarat, Banarasi from Varanasi, Kasavu from Kerala and Kanjivaram from Tamil Nadu, all of which made a feast for the eyes. Madhya Pradesh’s Chanderi, Assam’s ethnic Mekhela Chadar, Odisha’s Sambalpuri and Lucknow’s Chikankari were some of the other exceptional varieties on show.
Shabnam Harjai, Sandya Miriyala, Ayushi Jain, Pearl Lobo, Tanishaa Parakh, Soutrav Marndi, Suchitra Rani Sahoo amd Darshna Gothi were some of the acclaimed designers who participated in the event. The guest list was equally impressive, with the likes of Mrs Ruchi Ghanashyam, the Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Lord Tariq Ahmad, UK Foreign Office minister, Mark Regev, Israeli ambassador to the UK, and Saida Muna Tasneem, Bangladeshi High Commissioner to the UK. Mrs Ruchi Ghanashyam had generous words of praise for the wonderful craftspeople and weavers of India who create the most amazing and rich variety in sarees.
Another highlight of the event was a video message by Mrs Smriti Irani, the Union minister of textiles, who addressed saree as the pride of the country rather than just being a piece of clothing.
Here are my top fashion lessons from Cannes 2018:
Cardi B
Ariana Grande
Braun India Fashion Week London is a platform which brings together renowned and upcoming British, Asian, and Indian designers from across the world. The event was launched by Bhumika & Jyoti whose designs showcased opulent shades of cream and gold lehengas, capes and dresses with intricate gold work. Next up was BiBi London fashion house which had a versatile collection of florals in deep wintery colours designed by several designers. The event also welcomed new comers like Intri Printi and J’Adore Adorn who walked the ramp with finesse. Their first collection was vibrant and decorated with traditional and modern embellishments and embroideries. The show was concluded by Abha Choudhary, Ashok Maanay and Studio AV. Abha’s ‘Suhaag’ collection, bridal couture was inspired by rich Indian cultural elements.
I attended day 2 of the fashion week. The day began with designer Svetlana Casper showcasing her Eclipse collection with modish free flowing printed designs in black and white which was followed by elegant creations of bold lehengas by Valour Rose. The final catwalk showcased stunning designs from the Varna Collection inspired by the royals rolled out by Ravita Mayor which was flaunted by her showstopper, James Lee Taylor. Next was AlpaReena whose designs were an infusion of traditional and contemporary styles which was then followed by the grand finale designer Rocky S. He is a renowned designer who has designed outfits for Paris Hilton, Beyonce and the Pussy cat dolls. The collection represented the bold and fierce modern woman through an exclusive range of rich prints and hues. The runway exhibited majestic and warm colours like emerald green, gold, pinks reds and dark purple. The best part of the fashion week was how each designer added a twist to the traditional Indian wear either by incorporating waistcoats, turbans, capes or belts. Also, smokey eyes and nude or red lips were popular among models. The overall show was glamorous, and the bold patterns, and contemporary collection didn’t fail to impress me.
Who was your favourite designer? Let me know in the comments below.
In honour of my love for the orange palette, I decided to write a post on a classic autumn ensemble which celebrates orangey hues. As you can see in the picture, I have teamed a deep orange top with cropped white jeans. A pair of white flats with cut-work detailing and white Michael Kors tote complete my ensemble. The outfit creates a chic, casual look which is great for daytime and evening outings. The makeup, though subtle, has a pop of colour on the lips, which adds a dose of glamour to the overall look.
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And you know what the best part is? They have great discounts which makes these high-end brands a little more affordable so you don’t burn a giant hole in your pocket with just one purchase. Whenever I want to indulge myself, I go onto this website and voila! I have 3 items in my cart and 10 in my wishlist in a matter of minutes! One big reason for this is that they have an exclusive collection from luxury brands that have a classic appeal and cater to the tastes of a diverse bunch of people. From Aramani, Hugo Boss and Paul Smith to Chloe, Juicy Couture and Vivienne Westwood, Tessuti is my one-stop shop for big-brand purchases.
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As always, February is a very cold month in London and it was much more windy that I had anticipated (you will see what I mean as you see my #ootd pictures!) so it was important that I stay fashionable and cosy.
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Having been more fashion conscious than practical and walking around in heels on the first day of London Fashion Week, I was ready to give my aching feet a well-deserved rest. I was so glad that I had remembered to pack my flat Aldo shoes! I always make sure that I pack at least one pair of flat shoes when I travel, especially when I am going to be on my feet all day long. London is all about walking, whenever I travel to London I love taking lazy strolls around, its such a place that you never grow out of it. The day started out rather pleasant, but ended with buckets on rain. In fact, I had to duck into a hotel for lunch to simply find some cover. 
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Day 3
We visited the London Bridge, Westminster Abbey and finally, Tate Britain. Strolling around the galleries is definitely one of my favourite things to do in London. This day definitely reminded me of my love for London – it is one of my favourite cities in the world and a place where I truly feel at home. I can’t wait to be back!
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In case you missed it here is a round up of all the London fashion week shows I attended.
For this collection, Gabriel Vielma sought his inspiration from the soothing waters of the sea – think vintage sailor imagery, navigation maps, aquatic flora and fauna, and the infamous Wes Anderson movie titled ‘The Life Aquatic.’
The collection features a pleasant mix of warm and cool shades, like saffron, khaki, deep blue and black, underpinned by ocean-inspired glittery socks worn with leather sandals. Suede was definitely the standout fabric for this collection and featured heavily on outwear pieces, in combination with sailor braids, as well as nautical knots on dresses and tops. Seabirds circling the ocean were the most prominent motifs, followed by the contours of navigation maps.
This collection combined the elegance of Victorian romance with darker nuances of enticing Gothic culture. The clothing was initially inspired by a gothic novel but somewhere down the line, Tim Walker’s photography further nuanced the designers’ approach. In a certain sense, Three Floor’s “Curious Labyrinth” combined conflicting principles of aesthetics to create outfits that were in my opinion, quite striking and wearable.
It’s very interesting how Tai chooses to set himself apart from the mainstream by creating clothes exclusively for the unconventional woman of today. Perhaps his own personality – self-proclaimed bookworm and awkward lad that he is – propelled him to foray into the fashion world with his unique, innovative aesthetics. His work won him the inaugural Chloe award at the 2012 Hyères Festival when he first debuted his collection. He then received sponsorship from his Mercedes-Benz and well, the rest is history. Over the past 4 years, he has won many awards and much attention for his quirky clothing at various forums.
Today, Tai enjoys a cult following of people who can’t be bothered with a long list of fashion norms and conventional trends. His collection at the LFW 2016 appealed to the sensibilities of these very people. It projected the “steventai girl” as one who “feels tired before the party starts” and just wants to “curl up before her Netflix”. Thus, his apparel used fabrics and textures associated with “granny clothes”. Corduroys in soft shades, voluminous, comfy silks and patchwork detailing were used generously used to fashion outfits that were nerdy yet edgy.
His collection was a breath of fresh air in the midst of high couture creations that were predominantly “contemporary chic”. I may not have a Steven Tai creation right now but I totally get his appeal. What do you have to say about his nonconformist style?
I was mighty impressed on seeing their work and decided to dig a little deeper. The Sutradhar sisters graduated from the London College of Fashion in June 2013, where they were awarded two prestigious awards – the Fashion Innovation Award and the ISKO™ Denim Diffusion Award – for their womens wear collection. Their creations also had them poised as semi-finalists at the H&M Design Awards 2014 and winners of a Special Jury Prize at the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers 2014. And look where they are today – with their apparel being showcased at the LFS 2016! What a journey.
As far as their Autumn/Fall collection is concerned, it was themed upon the spirit of exploration. The Miuniku collection was inspired by the notion of explorers’ diagrams and eye for organic details. Geological patterns and motifs such as waves, mountains and uneven lines of sediments and rocks were incorporated into their designs. In keeping with their fascination with everything earthy, Tina and Nikita used primary and dark hues in shades drawn from nature. With an eye to make their clothing functionally appropriate for the quintessential explorer, the collection had a sporty vibe and much utilitarian value. Clean lines, paired with both minimal and maximal elements, created an interesting, wearable wardrobe that any adventurous girl would love to have.
His Autumn/Winter 2016 collection presentation was held at the Elms Lesters Painting Rooms in Soho and there is only one word to describe the venue, the collection and the ambience: striking.
As always, the minimalism of every piece allowed the sheer quality of the craft to shine through, and it was evident that every single piece in this collection was tailored with utmost care and attentiveness. The attention to detail stretched to the hair and makeup as well, which was carefully chosen to create the illusion that the models were ethereal statues rather than human.