Lakme Fashion Week, 2007 held in Mumbai, Published in North East Sun, Delhi

Lakme Fashion Week, 2007 held in Mumbai, Published in North East Sun, Delhi

Fashion carnival

It's been raining fashion weeks. After Delhi, it was the turn of Mumbaikars to get a taste and feel of the latest and hot in the fashion world. And the Lakme Fashion Week, 2007, gave them ample opportunity to update their fashion sense.

Forty-nine designers and brands took part in this edition of the Lakme Fashion Week to showcase their ensembles from their Autumn/Winter 2007 collections, including the ready-to-wear (prêt) lines. The entourage had 27 established, six emerging and 10 Gen Next designers from across the country and abroad. The prominent Indian names were Surily Goel, Narendra Kumar, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Nalandda Bhandari, Nandita Mahtani, Anand Kabra, Abhishek Dutta, Wendrell Rodericks, Anupama Dayal, Vikram Phadnis, Chaitanya Rao, Sanchita, Savio Jon, Payal Singhal, Sanjay Malhotra, James Ferriera and Priyadarshini Rao. Three international names – French Connection UK, Giovanni Cavagna and Sisley – also attracted lot of media attention. The five-day event included shows, exhibitions, workshops and business seminars.

Apart from the creators, the other highlight of the show was the ramp-scorchers – the model brigade – which included Assam's Moni Kangkana. Several new enthusiastic faces, including many of international repute, decked in the sparkling creations, shays hayed the ramp. Of course, the ubiquitous Bollywood contingent was also there to add some more spice to the sartorial extravaganza. From the likes of Isha Koppikar, Minissha Lamba, Perizaad Zaorabian, Riya and Raima Sen to some A-listers like Karan Johar, Katrina Kaif and Sushmita Sen walked the ramp for their favourite designers.

Narendra Kumar's show was an Oriental Fantasy. Literally. Long rectangle lamps hung from the high ceiling as soft notes of oriental music added serenity to the background. The ramp was replaced by an elegantly sloping Japanese bridge and the ace designer unleashed his Freespirit range of collection with Katrina Kaif at the helm and ended with Raima Sen. The fabrics were woven in antique gold and transformed linen, silk, brocades, organzas, georgettes and cotton jacquards into dramatically designed dresses, skirts, blouses, jackets and coats.

Neeta Lulla's theme was Woman, dedicated to the girl child. She started with printed dresses, pinafores with scalloped hemlines, brocade skirts under tiny minis and silk culottes in olive and moved on to frock coats in khaki with pleated panels, a fuchsia layered mini in georgette and a red knee length georgette flared gathered dress with satin border. For the working woman, she had a combination of khaki crepe kurta with waist coat teamed with churi salwars and several regal angarakha midi kurtas. Her finale kept with her theme when Sushmita Sen set the ramp on fire with her daughter Renee.

Vikram Phadnis' 'Vivid Resurrection' took one back immediately to the Victorian era, from where he drew inspiration for his fabulous contemporary black and printed jersey line of western wear. His show opened with designer Manish Malhotra in a sharply tailored velvet jacket and ended with his show stopper on actor Amrita Arora, who looked stunning in a black taffeta gown with panels of zardosi embroidery on the bodice.

Nandita Mahtani's Ananya label had a 'Maharaja' flavour attached to it in terms of opulence – tantalising regal dresses, brocade coats, velvet minis/jumpsuits, chiffon embroidered skirts and double-breasted coat dresses. And she also, like her follow designers, didn't forget to add dash of Bollwood spice to her show. Her show sealer was Karan Johar, who rocked in a black velvet achkan with an impressive pearl brooch.

Milan-based Giovanni Cavagna specialty was his first love, knitwear. For the Autumn/Winter 2007-08 Giovanni's collection was a marvel in knit – he showed his dexterity as he manipulated the yarns into stunning moulds and drapes. Giovanni's haute couture knit line has a lot of appeal for lovers of avant grade fashion of a very high international fashion order.

Another brand that created a sensation this year was UK-based French Connection, more known for its rather kinky-sounding acronym, FCUK. Begun in 1972 by Stephen Marks, the FCUK style is world-renowned with 1,500 outlets globally. The Murjani Group brings the label to India. The label is certain to attract a cross section of people with its simple timeless clothes, if one were to go by the thumping applause at the show.

Ten talented young designers presented a spectacular show at the Aza Gen Next extravaganza, proving that the future of Indian fashion is safe in their creative hands. Nitin Bal Chauhan was selected as the winner of the Aza Gen Next contest by a panel comprising Alka Nishar of Aza, Fern Mallis, VP IMG and designer, Sabyasachi Mukherjee.

Unlike the previous shows, LFW this time was rather a low-profile affair, maybe due to the World Cup fever at hand. But there are counterarguments as well, which say the fashion week was as successful as its predecessors. But there is no denying that the World Cup and the impending Abhi-Ash wedding quite stole the limelight from the Lakme Fashion Week, which was conspicuous by the absence of some its regular high profile attendees.

Nevertheless, the fashion week provided a much-needed platform and a tremendous opportunity to a bright new bunch of talent designers to hog the limelight and a chance to the old guard to keep their flame burning. With the fashion industry no longer remaining in the confines of the 'elite' tag attached to it earlier and designers opening up to the vast potential market that awaits them – the middle class – the Lakme Fashion Week and other similar shows definitely make the people sit up and notice that the fashion world is no longer a forbidden zone for the commoner.

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