Following The Shows, The Showstoppers & The Seasons At AIFW Autumn Winter 18

If there is one reason to love fashion week, it is the sheer presence of all the terms and trends that you read about. Unicorn hair – check. Men in diaphanous shirts – check. Bloggers draped in nouveau versions of dupatta and crop top – check. Everything we read and talk about in fashion manifests itself in flesh and blood at Fashion Week. And this is not just the runway we are talking about. 

Starting off FDCI Presents Amazon India Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2018 (yes it’s a mouthful but you get used to it) with much steam, the POPxo team took to the sunny terrains of Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in an exploration of all that is new in the world of fashion.  

Day 1 started on a sombre note courtesy Samant Chauhan. While he had little effect on my mood or the outside temperatures, his collection was all about 50 Shades Of Grey. The designer chose to step out of his ivory tower and explore the world of grey with a collection that, for the first time, experimented with sequin, beads and gauzy fabrics. His signature classic aesthetic, floral embroideries and pure cotton and silks were all there hidden under a screen of new. Wrapping up the show was Chauhan’s army of men with salt-and-pepper hair and beards – cementing his path into the world of greys.

The stormy skies cleared up for the next show, the original queen of kitschy prints Anupamaa Dayal started her collection with summer whites and took us to a happy place with a palette of pink, yellow and oranges. Inspired by the gullies of Lucknow, the collection was flying high on a recurring kite motif. Kaftans, floaty dresses and sarees with a dash of Lucknawi chikankari and sequin embroidery, put us in the mood for spring.

But, what we didn’t know was that winter was right around the corner. Behold, the Patine show by designers Shon Randhawa and Geeti Mehra. Inspired by the rich textiles and intricate suzanis of Uzbekistan, the collection was basically a collection of everything a girl attending a Delhi winter wedding needs in her wardrobe. Jackets, bombers, capes and Cashmere coats with elaborate threadwork for that royal touch.            

 

Inspired by old Hollywood icons (and in some cases overtly so) Adarsh Gill’s collection took a romantic turn with frills, ruffles, strategic cuts and crisscross backs. The jazz tunes and the glamorous gowns perfectly set the mood for a 1950’s love story.

Talking about the changing season, Shyamal & Bhumika shed the inhibitions on bridal fashion with an autumn backdrop. Floor-sweeping (or should we say runway) sarees and botanical skirts in velvet took a liking for emerald, ruby and sapphire hues. With plenty more to offer, the show concluded with Diana Penty in a beautiful cowl neck top and floral skirt.

Next up, Abraham & Thakore brought their signature monochrome palette with a trans-seasonal (one that skips all) collection inspired by the streets. We did see the household Chennai check on the runway but what stole our heart were the abstract floral prints and those shoes!

Last, but not the least was a designer collaboration that was a match made in tuxedo heaven. Contemporary menswear designer Ashish N Soni joined hands with cocktail gown glamazons, Gauri & Nainika, for a combined show. A consistent palette of black and white followed through the show with poufy and slinky gowns by the sister duo and sharp suits on male models by Soni. The show opened with Vaani Kapoor sauntering in a tulle white gown by G&N and closed with a dramatic tuxedo with a tail by Soni. 

Looking back, it was a dull day, speaking of colour, but a bright one when it came to finding inspiration in fashion.