My Favourite Show from Lakme Fashion Week Winter Festive 2016

A lot of people are going to say that their favourite shows were the ones by the bigger designers like Tarun Tahiliani or Manish Malhotra or Sabyasachi. These shows were great and gorgeous as usual. They showcased beautiful clothes and on display was the vision of each of these legendary designers.

But none of these were my favourite. Why you ask? Let me tell you, but some highlights from these shows - only because they deserve respect.

Tarun Tahiliani

Sabyasachi Mukherjee

My favourite show? The All Plus Size show that was styled by Little Shilpa (you see the contradiction here already?!). The show itself was amazing because of the over the top vision of Little Shilpa.

After all, what is the point of a fashion show if not to delve into the mind of the designer. The clothes are part of the vision, but that is just one part. The theatre and drama are equally important.

Now, does this mean that plus size is now going to be the norm on Indian catwalks and in India? Far from it. I think this is a good first step. But it has to be clear that this is just that - a first step. It is going to take a long time for perceptions to change. And perhaps far longer for acceptance by the general public of the concept of plus size fashion.

Traditionally this segment has been ignored, shunned and even swept under the rug. But this is the first breaking out. And I loved the show for showing the courage to actually address this segment. May there be lots more shows and even more stylish looks to come!

Anita Dongre – A Busy Bee Dressing-up Bollywood Starlets

Anita Dongre is one name Bollywood swears by. This gifted designer from Mumbai is known for her bold and colourful designs. Her creations are chic, classy and fearless with lots of colours and heavy embroidery works. She specializes in bridal wear as she brings out the best of both worlds by blending vintage craftsmanship with contemporary silhouettes.

She never holds herself back from experimenting with bright hues like pinks, sunshine yellows and royal blue. She has a signature style of using traditional gota patti in her ensembles that are high on aesthetics. Let’s trace down the top Bollywood dresses by Anita Dongre.
Royal Blue Lehenga wore by Dia Mirza
The very pretty Dia Mirza chose none other than Anita Dongre’s creation for her Sangeet Ceremony in 2014. Anita Dongre has always been a go-to designer for Dia Mirza. And she dolled her up for her Sangeet. The actress looked dream-like in her Royal Blue Lehenga with golden embroidery.

Royal Blue Lehenga Set by Anita Dongre

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Gota Patti Lehenga wore by Sonakshi Sinha

The talented Dabang actress Sonakshi Sinha, wore a gorgeous off-white and golden gota patti lehenga by Anita Dongre on her brother’s mehendi ceremony. Sona looked elegant in her attire with subtle colors perfect for a daytime function. This Jaipur-inspired royal lehenga is definitely among the top Bollywood dresses by Anita Dongre.

Brocade Cream Lehenga Set by Anita Dongre

 

Pretty in Pink Juhi Chawla
Anita Dongre’s fan-list also includes the name of veteran actress Juhi Chawla. The actress is seen wearing her creations many a times. But what caught our attention was this pink floor-length suit with heavy gota patti upper bodice. Perfect for a formal evening!

Pink Embellished Jersey Gown by Anita Dongre

Sunshine Madhuri Dixit Nene
Madhuri’s beauty knows no bounds. Whatever she wears looks fabulous on her. And when it is Madhuri’s beauty and Anita’s ensemble, it makes a deadly combination. This is what we witnessed when we saw Madhuri wearing a sunshine yellow suit with embroidered neck designed by Anita Dongre. Look it to believe it!

Icy Blue gown wore by Vaani Kapoor
If you are wondering what to wear for a cocktail evening, take a cue from Vaani Kapoor’s icy blue gown with plunging neckline. This Anita Dongre’s design is indeed a hit for formal dinners or cocktail parties. Don’t wonder if heads turn at this pale blue cool evening gown. Without a doubt, this gown makes to our list of top Bollywood dresses by Anita Dongre.

Sonam Kapoor in Hot Pink
Sonam Kapoor is a goddess of style. She is a true trendsetter and makes statement with everything that she wears. And recently, Sonam hogged the limelight as she donned Anita Dongre’s hot pink embroidered attire. She made the onlookers go wow! And why not, after all it was Sonam-wears-Anita’s creation moment!

Pink Net Brocade Flair Gown by Anita Dongre

Prachi Desai in White
As soon as Prachi Desai posed for the shutterbugs at Vogue Bridal Studio in her simple yet stylish Anita Dongre’s western dress, everyone admired her for her perfect choice of dress for the occasion. The actress flaunted a minimalistic white crop top with crocheted paired with a midi-skirt at the event. We loved her dress to the core and believe it to be one of the top Bollywood dresses by Anita Dongre.
Light Yellow Net Brocade Dress by Anita Dongre

Vidya Balan in Anarkali
Vidya Balan is not only famous for her acting skills, but also for her choice of ethnic wear. Be it a sari or a suit, she does complete justice to the dress. This voluptuous beauty was recently spotted wearing a white floor-length gotapatti embroidered anarkali suit by Anita Dongre. Do we need to say more?

Chic White Georgette Suit by Anita Dongre

Aditi Rao Hydari in maxi dress
Aditi’s latest outfit made us fall in love with this petite actress all over again! She wore a strapless ivory maxi dress at a soiree. This Anita Dongre’s creation suited her skinny frame like second skin. Her maxi dress screamed simplicity but with the touch of class. And those chand balis are to die for! Call it Aditi’s stunning looks or Anita’s finesse of design, the dress was surely a winner. And this is why it is among the top Bollywood dresses by Anita Dongre.

Timeless Gota Pati Gown by Anita Dongre

Karishma Kapoor in off-white anarkali
The ever-stunning Karishma Kapoor looked regal in her off-white and golden anarkali suit that she wore on Arpita Khan’s reception ceremony. She looked whimsical in Anita Dongre’s timeless creation.

Anita Dongre is one designer that ensures that a garment needs not to be over-the-top or too loud to catch the attention. It is the finesse; minimalism and simplicity that makes it stand out!

Image Sources: www.pinterest.com, vogue, www.fashiondaily.co.in, www.strandofsilk.com

Lakme Fashion Week Designers for Winter-Festive 2015

Lakme Fashion Week is a fashion show that will be held at Hotel Palladium in Mumbai this year, the commercial capital of India. Two times a year, in February and August, the fashion elite of India meet and enjoy the greatest fashion show in India. The Winter-Festive 2015 edition will start on August 26th 2015.

For the occasion a lot of designers will be present to show the entire world the beauty and trends of the season. The Lakme Fashion week designers will have four days to present their collection, until the 30th of August when the event finishes. It is a special year for Lakme Fashion week, which will celebrate its 15th birthday. A lot of the Lakme Fashion week designers that have participated in the past are returning to the show and have already practiced their shows.


In fact, the Lakme Fashion week has already helped a lot of designers and models to launch their career, and given a chance to six lucky newbies who have been selected to present in the GenNext show as Lakme Fashion week designers. These young designers will have the chance to interact with some legendary designers, and learn from them.

There will be a lot of big names within the Lakme Fashion week designers, such as Manish Malhotra and Gaurav Gupta, who will close the show. Despite showcasing at countless fashion shows in the past, the fantasy designer confessed to be stressed, as he said in an interview: "This year, LFW completes 15 years, and Gaurav Gupta ten years, so it's a milestone moment in my career".

Gaurav Gupta show - Lakmé Fashion Week 2014

Many great designers have already closed the event via the grand finale show, such as Manish Malhotra and Anamika Khanna. Manish Malhotra will also celebrate the successful ten-years of his label in August. He has promised an awesome collection, full of elegance and style.

More than eighty of India’s top fashion designers will be present at the event and all of them will continue to integrate India into the global fashion world, with a mix of traditional Indian and contemporary outfits.

Once again, a lot of famous models and Indian celebrities will walk for the Lakme Fashion Week designers, such as the renowned diva Aishwarya Rai for Manish Malhotra, and the beautiful Esha Gupta for designer Arpita Mehta. Some of the Lakme Fashion week designers prefer giving a chance to newbies model, such as the popular duo Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, who be opening this crazy week with their show. Their collection promises to be a “tribute to the 70’s and 80’s”, with colorful and glamorous couture. We had love the Lakme Fashion Show Summer/Resort 2015, and the Winter-Festive show 2015 will start in a great way! We look forward to it!

LAKME FASHION WEEK SUMMER/RESORT 2015 INFOGRAPHIC

This infographic shows you the success of 10 selected Indian designers on Social Media (Facebook), specifically related to their collections presented at the Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2015. The group comprises of 5 young designers and 5 senior designers. Which group do you think engaged fans the most?

Source: Strand of Silk

Top 6 Bridal Outfits by Famous Indian Designers

When the special day of every Indian women arrives, they have to choose the perfect bridal outfit for their wedding day. Let’s have a look at some different ideas and inspirations from six leading Indian designers to help every future Indian bride to choose their personal style depending on their personality.

Desi Modern by Anita Dongre

For Anita Dongre, the bride in this case ultimately wants to look like a modern Indian woman. Wearing a lehenga with the conventional and traditional colour of red teamed with a trendy crop top style choli, will be a perfect option to represent the modern’s bride contemporary thought process. Here, the trend is more about the independent woman who is free-spirited, with a fashion style philosophy of a nonconformist.

Glam Girl by Arjun Kapoor and Anjallee

In the past, Indian brides were used to not making any personal decisions about their wedding organisation or even the outfit, because it was always the parents that selected everything for the special day. However, nowadays in a contemporary world,  and the new bride feels more classy and confident with her way of thinking. Also, now brides know everything about the latest fashion trends to choose their perfect bridal outfit, because they know exactly what they want according to their design sensibility. For this two designers, the perfect bride will opt for deep colours with a mix of different fabrics, various motifs and floral embroidery.

Global Bride by Monisha Jaising

Here, the bride is more about feeling young and sexy in her ensemble. Her perspective of life is free-spirited, so the outfit will be a mix between two cultures and lifestyles of the west and east countries. The bridal outfit can have 3D embroidery, eccentric design and digital printing techniques and fabrics, but for the moment this kind of outfit is extremely unique and has hasn't  been seen until recently in Indian bridal fashion.

Quirky Bride by Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla

The bride designed for by Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla wants to reflect through the ensemble, her love for couture and her creative personality and spirit. Obviously, this contemporary woman wants to look at her best for her wedding day, but she also wants to feel unique. For this to happen, the bride must opt for vintage techniques in her ensemble, such as crystals, sequins, mirror work and zardozi. She will look classy and elegant in her traditional silhouette full of bright colours.

Royal Choice by Ritu Kumar

We all know that the bride of today has a perfectly clear understanding of fashion and class. She also knows a lot about technique and colours. Knowing that she’s more open-minded, she can choose an avant-garde piece by wearing a three-piece bridal outfit made up of a kurta and dupatta. To stand out in the crowd. It will look great teamed with a gold net and tanchoi silk brocade with turquoise and green stripes of patched silk.

Girl Power by Neha Modi

Here, the bride by Neha Modi is more about femininity, she looks delicate, shy, fun loving and graceful. This woman can wear an ensemble that enhances the feminine curve of her scooped back and elegant neck. The embroidery has to be perfectly placed, and will add all the drama. It’s better to opt for a lehenga with soothing shades like green, rani pink or turquoise.

Celibrity Showstoppers at Indian Fashion Weeks

For the last seasons of several Indian fashion weeks, we haven't seen a lot of celebrities walking the ramp.

A small variety of celebrity showstoppers were present for the spring/summer season for the finale of several Indian designers. Within the finales, we saw Aditi Rao Hydari for Payal Singhal, Koyal Rana for Joy Mitra, Sania Mirza for Ritu Pande, Monica Dogra for Kanika Saluja and Arjun Rampal for Rohit Bal. For a long time now, Indian designers have included celebrities in big events such as Wills Lifestyle Indian Fashion Week, because it’s a sort of distraction to have Bollywood celebrities walking on the ramp and even better for the audience. However, having these celebrity showstoppers during these events remains strictly business.

For example, this year for Amazon India Fashion Week, there were an unprecedented number of celebrities who attended, but not necessarily for walking the ramp. The first celebrity that we saw in a show was Sonal Chauhan for Nikhita Tandon, which wasn't until Day 4 of the event. And for the rest of the week, it was more about focusing on the clothes than anything else.

Nikhita Tandon, the only designer who featured a celebrity in her show, stated that she was surprised to be the only one. Because for her, it’s not that important to have a celebrity walking during a show, but for sure it helps to get easily noticed, especially for the new designers and can be very interesting for them.

Showcasing a celebrity within your show is a big choice to make, and sometimes some shows need a celebrity showstopper to gain more attention, depending on the major part of the collection that the designer wants to share.

For some designers, they believe that there is no particular need for a celebrity because their collections are already well known. And obviously, they have to take in account that showstoppers are attractive of course, but they are also very expensive.

For a Grand finale of an event such as Lakme Fashion Week or Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, it can be very interesting and important to have a celebrity in the show. This is because the finale will close the fashion event, so it’s understandable that the designer will want to make a lasting impression somehow,  sometimes the sponsor will even ask the designer to do it.

  

For others, it’s also the fact that showstoppers will not necessarily walk for a show without a particular reason. Often, it’s because it will bring the showstopper a kind of gratification, or because there is a friendship between the designer and the showstopper.

So the real question is, do you think that Indian designers really need celebrity showstoppers during an Indian fashion week?

Want to see more about celebrity style?

Amazon India Fashion Week AW 2015 Grand Finale Highlights

Amazon India Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2015 has come to an end. Famous Indian designers were present at this big event. In total, this year, there were 25 designers like Tarun Tahiliani, Ritu Kumar, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Raghavendra Rathore and many others. But the favourite part of this India Fashion Week edition was the 25th Grand Finale, where all the designers from the event were there to celebrate Indian heritage.

For the Grand Finale, all designers shared their collections with a specific theme “Crafts of India”. They gave us a fantastic show by offering us their inspirations from Indian history and Indian culture.

Big names of Indian Fashion like Manish Arora, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Rina Dhaka, Abraham & Thakore, Manish Malhotra, Sabyasachi and Wendell Rodricks came together at the end of the finale show. We saw the Indian designer Bal starting the party mode. All others designers, and even models joined this fun side at the ramp, during the final show. 

About the collections showcased at the Grand Finale, we saw a lot of creativity, originality, innovation, and style mixing Indian and Western fashion. The main clothes were dresses, sarees, gowns, lehengas, suits, sherwanis and jumpsuits. Different styles were embellished beginning with a western collection, deep colours of daylight, ethnic beauty and lots of rich Indian bridal wear. 

We also caught a stunning view on the stage, of the silhouette of a dome with little dolls and mirrors held up by white dresses. It was a real gift for Indian fashion lovers to see how Indian heritage was reflected in the show.

Amazon India Fashion Week’s Grand Finale began with Wendell Rodricks’s collections - a beautiful orange dress with bold and edgy garments. While Varma’s models on the ramp, wore turbans and outfits with a shimmery effect.

Pankaj & Nidhi's collection offered to us, a completely different style with geometric inspirations and florals in all their dresses. For the first time, these two Indian designers were very happy to showcase their collections during a finale show.

Gaurav Gupta wanted to bring the idea and statement of “unity and diversity” in his collection. It was important for him to send this message to everyone and added “We are one big family”. 

This year, Amazon India Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2015 was once again a real success. Having as the main sponsor, the most well known online portal, Amazon, certainly boosted the importance and publicity of the five-day fashion gala.

Different Techniques Used to Create Unique Indian Textiles

Just found this infographic and think that it is really interesting! 

A brief explanation:

This infographic gives you an idea of all the different techniques, used to create Indian textiles employed for Indian fashion clothing, and the places they come from. It takes you through India to discover the indigenous Indian textile crafts and the specific region where they are employed. Did you know that these age-old crafts and their techniques continue to be used by fashion designers to create beautiful Indian fashion? Discover a lot more that will awe-inspire you by taking you on a journey across India and Indianfashion. Hop on board the Strand of Silk Journey Map at strandofsilk.com > strandofsilk.com/journey-map.

The Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2015: 15 years of Fashion

Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2015 is finally here! All was ready, the stage, the lights and the models. We will observe carefully and catch up some of the newest talents and styles to hit the runway.

This year, Lakme Fashion Week will reflect the completion of 15 years of the bi-annual event. In total, there are 83 designers and 15 sponsors that will be in this Summer Resort 2015 event. The big names of India's fashion designers will include Manish Malhotra, Tarun Tahiliani, Suneet Verma, Raghavendra Rathore, Krishna Mehta, Shivan & Narresh, Kiran Uttam Gosh and Wendell Rodricks.

All the Bollywood leading ladies from Sridevi to Deepika Padukone already made a beeline to attend the opening show of Lakme Fashion Week. We have witnessed Bollywood diva Kajol in a lovely floral dress design by Indian designer Sabyasachi. She completed her look with simple bun, nude heels and turquoise chandeliers.

Deepika Padukone was also wearing Sabyasachi, a beautiful floral printed dress in a berry tone with a bright red clutch, and looked absolutely gorgeous. Fashionista Neha Dhupia also attend the event, wearing a simple pretty beige tunic

This 5-day gala began yesterday with the opening show with Sabyasachi. As the Indian designer loves the 70’s decade, he wanted to combine this era with his signature in his collection, creating a distinctive 70’s vibe.

Here are some remarkable photos of Sabyasachi’s show at Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2015:

All eyes will be on The Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2015!