Highlights of BMW Fashion Week 2015 and What to Expect

The BMW India Bridal Fashion Week is a high profile bridal couture show held with grand bridal wear displays from the crème de la crème couturiers of the country. BMW is partnering for the second consecutive year with the India Bridal Fashion Week, taking the premium show a notch up. The BMW Fashion week also promotes trade of bridal couture wear and offers a platform for the designers and the buyers to link up through the Bridal Luxury Couture Exposition. This trade show displays, bridal women’s wear, men’s wear, jewellery and accessories from leading as well as emerging designers in a large set-up, over three days.

In 2014, the BMW Fashion Week was held at the DLF Emporio, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi between Aug 7 and Aug 10. This year, looking resplendent in a pink Suneet Verma bridal lehenga and jadau jewellery, Sonakshi Sinha, the face of BMW fashion week 2015, gave us the first look of the event on 29th May 2015. 

This preview gala of the event held at New Delhi, offered an insight into what we can expect at the upcoming show. The BMW Fashion Week 2015 is an initiative of Fashion One International and the unique factor about the show this year is that it will be travelling across the seven cities of India, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Chandigarh. So it has a much larger platform of demonstration as well as trade this year, reaching out to buyers from every nook and cranny of the country.

Here is the schedule of the BMW Fashion Week 2015 

Some of the designers who will be presenting at the event, displayed a preview of their collection at the launch. The designers’ showcase that we will witness at the show includes:

Abu Jani – Sandeep Khosla: Abu Jani – Sandeep Khosla will be opening the show at New Delhi on Aug 7th 2015. The designer duo are bringing forth “the Varanasi” collection at the BMW Fashion week. Their line of Banarasi weaves is interspersed with georgette and khadi. The runway will see more of pinks, reds, oranges and yellows taking inspiration from the bold colours of the holy city.

Suneet Verma: The New Delhi show’s Finale will be at the DLF Emporio under Suneet Verma. The designer has given a glimpse of intricate embroidery on navy blue saree and lehenga, which will be up on Harpers Bazaar Bride too and also a peek of mirror worked red bridal attire.

J J Valaya: The pro bridal wear couturier will present his collection “Bolshoi Bazaar” at the BMW Fashion week, so we expect to see some Russian inputs to the Indian elegance. Nitya Arora, the accessory designer behind Valliyan has confirmed that her headgear will be seen on the models wearing Valaya’s collection.

Tarun Tahiliani: The 2014 show had an apt opening runway performance called “The Modern Mughals” under the helm of Tarun Tahiliani. This year he is going to present a myriad of colours at the BMW fashion week 2015. His sneak peek keeps the colours under a wrap, displaying a sheer rhinestone studded dupatta.

Ashima – Leena: Ashima - Leena's “Dakshna” will be a South Indian Bridal attire revelation. The hint of the bride with decorated braid and crown jewellery will become a reality soon.

Gauri and Nainika: Gauri and Nainika will be displaying cocktail wear at the BMW Fashion Week 2015. Their teasers reveal addition of texture to fabric through ruched floral petals arranged in patterns.

Shantanu and Nikhil: The designers' preview of bold red couture invites us to indulge in their collection. They will be presenting “the Mahal” collection at the BMW Fashion Week 2015.

Rina Dhaka, Jyotsna Tiwari, Falguni Shane Peacock and Sulakshana Monga are the other couturiers who will be displaying their bridal fineries at their absolute best.

Last year the BMW Fashion Week saw lot of eminent Bollywood personalities gracing the runways as showstoppers. These well known faces included Shraddha Kapoor, Nargis Fakhri, Aditi Rao Hydari, Esha Gupta and Kangana Ranaut. The BMW Fashion Week 2015 will see Lisa Haydon walking for Tarun Tahiliani. Sonakshi Sinha, the brand ambassador of the event will grace J J Valaya’s show.

The magic of BMW India Bridal Fashion Week begins today, and its mystery will be unravelled leisurely across the seven cities of India over a period of time, finally ending in Chennai on November 22, 2015.

Image Source: Designer' twitter, India Bridal Fashion Week facebook page and www.bmw.in

Who Makes to our List of Top 10 Indian Designers?

Indian fashion industry has made its presence felt globally. Fashion connoisseurs across the planet take cue from India’s rich cultural heritage and fashion forwardness.

The entire credit of taking Indian fashion to every nook and corner of the world goes to our very talented Indian fashion designers. Their belief and intense understanding of Indian textiles, fabrics and rich embroideries has let them carve their niche in the world of fashion.

Though there are many ace couturiers whose contributions are commendable, but we have jot down the few names who we believe are the top 10 Indian designers.

Ritu Kumar
This is one name that needs no introduction.  She is a diva and a true fashionista. Her designs are impeccable and her sense of fashion is beyond comparison. Known for her deep knowledge of traditional craftsmanship and vintage embroideries, she is the fountainhead of ‘boutique’ culture in India.  Her designs are a hit among both commoners and celebrities alike. She has many accolades in her kitty including prestigious Padma Shri Award.  Ritu Kumar indeed gets the top slot in our list of top 10 Indian designers.

JJ Valaya
This man from the royal state of Rajasthan is next on our list of top 10 Indian designers. JJ Valaya is one of the nation’s most celebrated designers. Calling him the fashion revivalist won’t be an exaggeration. Valaya, knows his art like no other. His forte lies in fusion clothing with the perfect blend of modern haute couture and age-old craftsmanship. His work speaks for him and his designs are on every fashion lover’s wish list.  Being one of the founding members of FDCI, JJ Valaya has seen fashion industry grow from an infant stage to the full bloom in his 20 years of dedicated career as a fashion designer.

Manish Malhotra
Manish Malhotra is undoubtedly the most loved designer among Bollywood actors. He has prettified bigwigs of film fraternity with his out of the world designs. This phenomenal designer has made his mark among the top-notch designers in India.  His larger-than-life creations ooze glamour and sophistication. Every girl dreams to wear a bridal lehenga designed by Manish.  His fashion career rose to the peak when he designed clothes for none other than the renowned pop icon, Michael Jackson on his tour to India. The singer was so impressed with Manish’s creations that he asked him to design for his other tours as well. That is why we proudly put the king of fashion on the third place in our list of top 10 Indian designers.

Sabyasachi Mukherjee
Sabyasachi has emerged as the rising star in the design circle. He is one humble man from Kolkata who let his designs do all the talking. His love for ancient Indian embroideries, embellishments, antique jewellery and vintage textile brings the old world charm in his designs. He has an eye for fine detailing and his forte lies in bridal and trousseau collection. He likes to blend the rich Indian culture with contemporary silhouettes. His originality and uniqueness has let him earn the title of being the only designer from India to present his collection at the prestigious Milan Fashion Week. No wonder, why he makes to our list of top 10 Indian designers.

Rohit Bal
Rohit Bal justifies the title ‘India’s Master of fabric and fantasy’ given to him by the Time Magazine.  He has redefined Indian fashion and has taken it to the international level.  His clientele includes who’s who of Bollywood, Hollywood, media and big corporate houses who respect and appreciate his signature style of strong aesthetics combined with the sheer attention on fine details. The designer is blessed to have the access to the best material and talent in the industry.  His approach towards fashion is ecstatic and exquisite which is prevalent from his impromptu dance performances at the end of every collection he showcases at fashion weeks. So, without him, our list of top 10 Indian designers is incomplete.

Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla
Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla make the awesome twosome designer duo. Together they create nothing but history with their designs. Their profound understanding of Indian fashion has let them make their noticeable place in the fashion circuit. Their sense of styling is both individualistic and complimentary at the same time. This designer duo has earned recognition especially for their ethnic wear. We would happily place them at the sixth position among the top 10 Indian designers.

Tarun Tahiliani
He lives fashion, he breathes fashion. After completing, his graduation in fashion from New York, Tarun Tahiliani realized the huge potential for designer wear in India. Keeping this in mind, he worked hard to revolutionize the Indian fashion industry as a whole.  Now he is a proud owner of multiple flagship stores across the cities. His creations are unconventional and way beyond the obvious.  So, without another thought we include him in our list of top 10 Indian designers.

Masaba Gupta
She is the reigning queen of prints. No one understands the impact of prints better than her. She is like the whiff of fresh air as she introduced quirky prints and flowy silhouettes when everyone else was revolving around the embroideries. Her designs are young, fresh and vibrant and are liked by people of all age groups. Her USP is quirkiness and she holds the title of being the youngest designer to open the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week in year 2010. Do we need to say more why she makes to our list of top 10 Indian designers?

Wendell Rodricks
He is a man who dons many hats as he is not just a premier fashion designer but also a fashion journalist and trainer. His key to fashion is chic minimalism and he believes in philosophy that simplicity is the highest form of sophistication.  His love for white color is prevalent in his collections. Being from the beautiful state of Goa, he promotes local Goan artists and craftsmen by organizing exhibitions and fashion shows. Wendell Rodricks is on number nine on our list of top 10 Indian designers.

Manish Arora
Last but certainly not the least; we conclude our list of top 10 Indian designers with Manish Arora.  He is an acclaimed Indian designer whose designs are handcrafted to perfection.  His collections are high on lively colors that give him an edge over the others. Apart from designing clothes, he has keen interest in cosmetics as he collaborated with the international cosmetic line Mac to bring a new range of lip glosses and eye palettes with bright yellows and candy pinks.

Image Source: www.mid-day.com, www.snipview.com, www.whizsky.com, www.indianexpress.com, www.womenfashioninfo.co.in, www.glamcheck.com, www.zimbio.com, www.theamazingmodels.com, www.kashmirobserver.net

From the Indian Bridal Fashion Week 2014

BMW is the sponsor of the Indian Bridal Fashion Week 2014 that took place in Delhi and is also going to take place in Mumbai.

A lot of designers had their collection on the catwalk. They showed the latest styles of bridal clothes and also had a lot of bollywood celebrities on the catwalk wearing their clothes.

My favourite designers from the shows were Tarun Tahiliani and JJ Valaya. Jyotsna Tiwari's bridal collection was also very good.

I liked the colours used in the collections - a lot of non traditional colours like Black and Blue, that is not normal for bridal clothes in India. The clothes were obviously very gorgeous and pretty but at the same time, they looked very expensive.

There seem to be a lot of bridal shows in India, there was the India couture week and the India Jewellery Week that also finished recently. It is clear that Indians love the bridal clothes and are spending a lot of money on the clothes!

Here are some pictures of the indian bridal clothes that were shown at the India Bridal Fashion Week 2014

Jyotsna Tiwari's Bridal Collection

See also this amazing outfits for grooms!

Lehenga Choli Bridal Wear: The Colors and Trends for 2014

Looking her absolute best is not an option but a given for any bride on her wedding day. Great care is taken to choose the right outfit, apply perfect makeup, smooth her tresses into a silken glory so that at any photo op, she is picture perfect, and all eyes are on her. For most brides, wearing a lehenga choli is a given, but how does she ensure she is ahead of the trends that dictate lehenga choli bridal wear? Well, here’s where we come in. Presenting to you, the colors and trends that will ensure your look and your lehenga choli bridal outfit is talked about for years to come.

#ColourCode: Ivory and Gold

#TrendStatement: Mughal Mystic

White and gold is a traditionally elegant colour combination that spells class. Rohit Bal’s collection at the India Couture Week 2014 was evidence that this gorgeous combination always comes tops. Beautiful full-flared lehengas worn with bandhgala-inspired jackets in the same colour combination left us breathless. While his collection was inspired by traditional prints, a more sequin-heavy look could be a great choice for the lehenga choli bridal wear you pick. The colour palette of this lehenga choli bridal wear collection is one that personally we would like to see off the ramp, too.

#ColourCode: Pink and Blue

#TrendStatement: Traditional yet Offbeat

More often than not, lehenga choli bridal wear that is traditional in design is also in the conventional shades of red and maroon. So we were overjoyed to see this pink and blue JJ Valaya creation on actress Shraddha Kapoor at the official announcement of the Indian Bridal Fashion Week. The gorgeous pastel pink and blue combination with the subtle ombre effect isn’t one you see often and we love it. We also saw a deeper, brighter pink and blue bridal lehenga choli in Manish Malhotra’s collection and we are beginning to lust after this not-oft-explored combination in lehenga choli bridal wear.

#ColourCode: All Gold

#TrendStatement: Frivolous Frills

For brides who love to have a bit of fun and want a more fuss-free version of the lehenga choli for their weddings, just take a look at the Tarun Tahiliani collection for bridal wear. Pre-pleated dupattas and multi-layered, frilled lehengas mean you get the fit, finish, and functionality that you would normally associate with everyday clothing. The all gold colour theme brings a certain level of glamour to the lehenga choli that every bridal wear needs. What else can you want from your lehenga choli bridal piece?

#ColourCode: Muted Gold and Silver on White

#TrendStatement: Functional and Classy

Looking for a classier, sleeker bridal outfit that you could probably wear again without feeling too over the top? Then Abraham & Thakore’s look featured in a leading bridal magazine maybe just what you are looking for.

Wide-legged, high-waisted pants that when worn could easily pass off for a lehenga and a half-sleeved traditional choli; the entire outfit taken up a notch with sequin embroidery, it is a look that is draws your attention without being garish. This is the perfect lehenga choli bridal outfit for a bride who believes in subdued elegance.

#ColourCode: Dark and White

#TrendStatement: World Bride

Now if you are bride who is a bit of rebel and you want a lehenga choli for your bridal duties that is a bit more off kilter, then we suggest for inspiration Monisha Jaisingh’s latest collection. She had model Lisa Haydon strut down the ramp in a black leather-inspired, heavily-embroidered in the Rococo style lehenga which was worn with a white knotted shirt top, and beautiful bridal jewellery. The edgy brides of today would love an outfit inspired by this; a lehenga choli bridal in design but dramatic and rebellious at heart.

#ColourCode: Red and Gold

#TrendStatement: Conventional and Classic

If you love the classic beauty of a red lehenga choli (and who doesn’t), look no further than Manish Malhotra for inspiration. At the India Couture Week, he played around with gold dust and beige hues to create lehenga choli bridal designs. What left us spellbound was the creation in which Alia Bhatt walked down the ramp; a red full-sleeved choli with gold embroidery on the sleeves, a full, flared, covered with gold work lehenga, and a sheer dupatta. To say that it was breathtaking would be to spell the obvious.

Now that you have been spoilt for choice, picking the lehenga choli bridal outfit for your D-day should be an easier task. Be prepared for the admiration and compliments you receive when you make your entrance on your special day. It’s going to be a moment that you will want to relive time and time again.